The race started in 1977, as a
challenge between father & son, and has taken place every year,
except for the year of Foot & Mouth.
A distance of 96 miles with 92 locks and
3 tunnels to be portaged. The race starts at Bridge 18 on the
Macclesfield Canal.
It proceeds anti clockwise around the
Cheshire Ring of canals taking in the Peak Forest, Ashton, Rochdale,
Bridgewater, Trent & Mersey canals before returning to the
Macclesfield canal.
You can enter to beat a personal record,
as a race, or just aim to finish within 24 hours. Either way the race
has a lot to offer you in the way of team and personal achievement
and aching limbs!!! The atmosphere through out the race is relaxed,
we have a lot of fun and are an encouraging bunch. So come on down
and join us.
We are able to accommodate a wide
combination of canoes and paddlers. There are all the way and relay
classes for racers and tourers. The only restriction is with the 10
paddler relays where each 2 paddler crew must consist of a senior and
a junior or female.
Hats are optional!!!
John Kavanagh & Mark Finch from MADCC at the start of the race 2004
One of the founders of the club and the race....Graham Booth and his
wife Ann, seen here with Chris Cleaver (in the dark cap), the Race
organiser, at a change over point in Lymm during the 2008 race.
Graham was behind the idea of the race, helped organise and took part
in the first race of 1977.
K1 All the way 18hr 14mins Jules Taylor
2003
New record, (beating l8hr 19min
set by Ken Bryce (1995)
K2 All the way 19hrs 51mins 53secs Andy
Lowthorpe & Lee Larkin (Kingston Kayak Club) 2008
(Beating the 2004 record of 19.53 set by
Mark Finch & John Kavanagh MADCC)
K1 2 paddler relay 15hr 58mins, Ned
Price & Rod Steele, MADCC 2007
beating the former record of l6hr 13min Kelly Bros (1994)
K1 4 paddler relay 18hrs53mins58secs...... ...2008 NEW RECORD
Banbury & District CC...beating the 2006 record held by
MADCC 19:56
KI 5 paddler relay l3hr 47min Bollington
CC (1995)
K2 4 paddler relay 16hr 22min Chelmsford
CC (1999) New record
K1 3 paddler relay 16hrs 19mins NEW
RECORD 2006
Ned Price, John Kavanagh, Adrian Fisher,
MADCC / Freestyle
Local hero Dave Moore has paddled all
the way in his C1 in 19hr 50min
2006 saw Maggie
Dilai, Penine CC, 1st female all the way 22.13.18
Tourer double x 4 paddler TK2 Selby
Round Table 25:02:21 NEW RECORD 2008
K2 l4hr 26mm, Double tourer 17hr 59mm, but more common times are
around 21 hours.
Paul Davison starting Jules Taylor (year
2003) Don Christie giving a
few words of support
The race can
be demanding, all the way paddlers say it is tougher than the D-W. On
the plus side there are no big rivers and you finish back at your
car. The canal is very narrow at certain sections, so negotiating the
narrowboats is fun. Then there is Manchester City centre, during
shopping hours !! (more of a challenge for the support crews to find
somewhere to park).
The night sections
can bring there own surprises, especially if you 're not sure if that
is a lock gate!!! Reverse paddling skills are required.
2008 Results
K1 all the way
Jacquo Odemaere
19:06:35 1st
Neil Evans
19:17:07 2nd
Alastair Randall
21:14:08 3rd
Rory Dalgleish
22:14:55 4th
K2 all the way
Andy Lowthorpe
& Lee Larkin 19:51:53 New
record
(Kingston Kayak Club)
Margaret Huyton
& Mary White (MADCC) Retired
John Kavanagh &
Ned Price (MADCC) Retired
K1 x 4 paddler relay
Banbury &
District CC K1 18:53:58 New
record
Irene Hills, Lucy
Ryan, Dom Murphy, & David Stanton
K2 x 10 paddler relay
Manx Paddlesports
CC 19:22:12 Ist
MADCC 19:31:51 2nd
Kingston Kayak
Club Retired
Double tourer x
10 paddler relay
Wheelock Pioneers
TK2 10 paddler relay 22:14:40
Double tourer x
4 paddler relay
Selby Round Table
TK2 4 paddler relay 25:02:21 New
record
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BOOKING IN
This is at The Miners Arms Public House, (by Bridge 18),
Report to the organiser
and canoe scrutineer (Refer to Rules: 3d, e 4,a c, & 5)
Entry form received before May 22nd, together with a
£10 deposit
£10 per person Full amount due by June 20th
Entry form received by June 19th
£15 per person
Between June 19th & July 3rd
£20 per person ( NB Contact the organisers to
ensure that places are still available....do not just turn up on the day
(plus £2.50 per person for non members of the
British Canoe Union)
Juniors of clubs affiliated to the BCU are excempt
Entries are limited , book early to avoid disappointment
CLASSES
C1 or K1 all the way, C2 or K2 all the way,
K1 two person relay, K2 four person relay,
K2 or Double Tourer ten person relay,
Any other reasonable form of relay
(ten person relay teams are to be made up of five
pairs, each with a senior plus a junior or female)
This
is at the Miners Arms Public House (by Bridge 18), on Sunday from 1
-2 pm.
If your club/organisation wishes
to enter a class but is unable to make a full crew, contact us to
join our matching scheme.
For an application pack
for this year's race please contact
us. or download as a word
doc. We look forward to meeting you on the day; in the meantime if
you have any questions do not hesitate to contact
us.
Downloads;
Flyer
Entry Form
Consent form
Notes for the route
Rules
The
toughest UK flat water race? Have a look for yourself............
The 2007 race was covered by Granada TV on Locks
& Quays, to view follow the link and fast forward to part two. Locks
and Quays
The times for the previous years races follow this
link:
