WS 2024-25 Race 6: Leighton Buzzard Results

There was a good turnout of 114 competitors, despite driving rain and high winds.

Class winners were:
Class 1 (K2 16+ M) - James Walkinton & Cassian Payne (CLM)
Class 2 (K2 16+ Mixed) - James Prowse (LBZ) & Betsy Ray (RIC)
Class 3 (K2 16+ F) - Sienna Payne & Lauren Avery (CLM)
Class 4 (Marathon C2) - Barry Howe & Philip Hyde (CLM)
Class 5 (K1 Sen M) - Samuel Newlands (CAM)
Class 6 (K1 Sen F) - Leanne Jordan (MAI)
Class 7 (K1 Vet M) - Robert Molnar (MAI)
Class 8 (K1 Vet F) - Gayle McKeand (CLM)
Class 9 (K1 u18 M) - Jack Rayment (LBZ)
Class 10 (K1 u18 F) - Isabelle Johannson-Ward (LBZ)

Class 20 (K1 SuperVet M) - Ben Tubby (BSF)
Class 21 (K1 SuperVet F) - Catherine Shirley (EAL)
Class 22 (K2 u16) - Edith Smerdon & Olivia Logie-Simpson (CLM)
Class 23 (K1 u16 M) -  Ewan Bates (LBZ)
Class 24 (K1 u16 F) -  Rebecca Perrin (CLM)

Class 25 (C1/SUP Adv) - Mike Phillp (ROY)
Class 30 (Touring C2) - Andy Porter & Dean Williams (CLM)
Class 31 (K1 u14 M) - Jasper Kirtland (BSF)
Class 32 (K1 u14 F) - Freya Bentley (CLM)
Class 33 (C1 Novice) - Petr Luksan (BSF)
Class 34 (GP 16+ M) - Chris Sharp (NOR)
Class 34 (GP 16+ F) - Helen Payne (CLM)
Class 38 (K1 u12 M) - Conor Bates (LBZ)
Class 39 (K1 u12 F) - Summer Norford (BSF)
Class 40 (K1 Open) - Rikki Weir (BAD)

Chelmsford CC (292 points) were the winning team, with Leighton Buzzard CC second (200), and B. Stortford CC third (130). The same pattern was repeated for the points scored by novice juniors towards the Dick Grieve cup.

The MRC have awarded divisional promotions to Rikki Weir (BAD), Jasper Kirtland (BSF), Catherine Shirley (EAL), Isabel Green (HEM), Marco Mangiantini (ROY), and Conor Bates, Adam Deri, Chris Myers, Euan Standen, and Ethan Tingay (LBZ).

This season's trophy winners:

The prize-giving for the day's racing was followed by the presentation of series trophies. To be eligible, paddlers/crews must take part in at least three races. The scores for up to five races are added together to make their total for the series. The first, second and third paddlers in classes 1-39 received engraved glasses, with the winners of the class also taking home the class perpetual trophy.

The three Chelmsford K2 crews to win their classes each did so with a perfect score of 100, and in the case of Sienna & Lauren they achieved a win at all six races.

Matt and Leah won the Mixed K2 for the fifth time.

K2 Men - Fiacco Alessio & Simon Margot (CAM)
K2 Ladies - Sienna Payne & Lauren Avery (CLM)
K2 Mixed - Matt Johnson & Leah Falltrick (CLM)
K2 u16 - Edith Smerdon & Olivia Logie-Simpson (CLM)

The Mens K1 SuperVet class on the middle-distance course introduced last year has continued to be very popular, won this year by Ben Tubby. 

Doug Herbert, reclaimed the Vet Men's trophy which he narrowly lost in in a tie-break last season.

Tim Gannicott Porter won the Senior trophy for the third time.

In winning the u18 class, Cassian Payne, becomes the first person to have his name on all four of the junior boys' trophies.

Five wins brought Jasper Kirtland a perfect score of 50 and the u14 trophy. 

Last year's u14 winner, Matteo Bose, put in a strong bid for the u16  trophy this year, but the eventual winner was Ewan Bates.

The u12 Boys class has seen a bounce-back in attendance this season, so all the more notable that it was won by the the youngest regular competitor - Ethan Tingay (L Buzzard).

K1 SuperVet M - Ben Tubby (BSF)
K1 Vet M - Doug Herbert (CLM)
K1 Sen M - Tim Gannicott Porter (CLM)
K1 u18 M - Cassian Payne (CLM)
K1 u16 M - Ewan Bates (LBZ)
K1 u14 M  - Jasper Kirtland (BSF)
K1 u12 M  - Ethan Tingay (LBZ)

It has long been apparent that the lady competitors participate less in the winter than their male counterparts, particularly in the youngest and oldest classes.  This makes the persistence of those who do race even more impressive.  Rewarding those who keep racing though the harsher months is part of the ethos of the Winter Series.

Leanne Jordan (formerly Brown), who won her first WS trophy as a junior back in 2000, can now put her name on  the Senior Ladies trophy for the 10th time.

K1 SuperVet F - Claudia Redeker (BSF)
K1 Vet F - Gayle McKeand (CLM)
K1 Sen F - Leanne Jordan (MAI)

K1 u18 F - May Perrin (CLM)
K1 u16 F - Rebecca Perrin (CLM)
K1 u14 F  - Freya Bentley (CLM)
K1 u12 F  - Summer Norford (BSF)

Participation by C2s was higher this year than last, and the C1 classes were opened up to SUPs, which brought a few new faces into that class. Deborah Wilkes won the Ladies GP class for the fourth successive year - and at least the 13th time overall.

C2 Marathon - Adrian Pyke & Chris Howe (CAM)
C2 Touring - Andy Porter & Dean Williams (CLM)
C1/SUP Advanced - Rob Passmore (TON)
C1/SUP Novice - Petr Luksan (BSF)
GP 16+ M - Chris Sharp (NOR)
GP 16+ F - Deborah Wilkes (CLM)

The main Winter Series Club trophy was won by Chelmsford CC - as it has been since 1994! Cambridge CC achieved their best ever result in the Winter Series to finish in second place, just ahead of B. Stortford CC.

A second club trophy - the Dick Grieve cup - is based on the performance of unranked juniors. As the rules preclude it from being won by the club which wins the main club trophy, this passed to B. Stortford.

The Bob Porter Trophy is awarded to the club with the largest number of u12 entries across the series. This season the winners were Chelmsford.

See

• the full race and series results on the Winter Series results page
• simplified race results (positions, times and promotions only) on the MRC results page
  
• a few photos of the Chelmsford race on Google Photos