Waterside Series
Encyclopedia
The Waterside Series is a series of four marathon canoe races held on the Kennet and Avon Canal
and finishing at the Newbury
Waterside Centre.
The race series is held in the Spring each year in the 8 weeks leading up to Easter
. They are held on Sundays at fortnightly intervals starting 8 weeks from Easter and the races are progressively longer in distance.
It is common to use the Waterside Series as a warmup event for the longer, 125 mile Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon
, however despite the reputation as a warm-up event, it is considered a gruelling challenge in its own right.
The races take place as a time trial format, whereby competitors choose their own start time within the start window and must finish within the finish window. The opening and closing times of these windows varies from race to race with the longer races have earlier start windows and/or later finishing windows.
Races C and D include Savernake Tunnel
, where overtaking is prohibited due to safety reasons.
s and the military. Races A and B, and in particular A are used as training events for Great Britain team paddlers.
In addition, at the end of the series team prizes are awarded to the fastest teams composed of Juniors, Seniors or are members of a uniformed service, also prizes are awarded for the fasted junior competitors in the Ladies K2, Mixed K2 and C2 classes, as well as the fastest competitor aged over 50.
over a course of 125 miles (201 kilometres) from Devizes in Wiltshire
to Westminster
in central London
. It has been run since 1948.
Starting at Devizes wharf, the route follows the Kennet and Avon canal for 54 miles to Reading
, where it joins the Thames
. Another 54 miles later it reaches Teddington Lock, ending 17 miles later at Westminster Bridge
.
Kennet and Avon Canal
The Kennet and Avon Canal is a waterway in southern England with an overall length of , made up of two lengths of navigable river linked by a canal. The name is commonly used to refer to the entire length of the navigation rather than solely to the central canal section...
and finishing at the Newbury
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
Waterside Centre.
The race series is held in the Spring each year in the 8 weeks leading up to Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
. They are held on Sundays at fortnightly intervals starting 8 weeks from Easter and the races are progressively longer in distance.
It is common to use the Waterside Series as a warmup event for the longer, 125 mile Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon
Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon
The Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon is a marathon canoe race in England. The race is held every Easter over a course of from Devizes in Wiltshire to Westminster in central London. It has been run since 1948. Starting at Devizes wharf, the route follows the Kennet and Avon...
, however despite the reputation as a warm-up event, it is considered a gruelling challenge in its own right.
Races
- Waterside A - 13.5 miles (21 portages) from Great BedwynGreat BedwynGreat Bedwyn is a village and civil parish in the east of the English county of Wiltshire.-Location:Great Bedwyn is on the River Dun about south-west of Hungerford and south-east of Marlborough, Wiltshire. The Kennet and Avon Canal and the West of England Main Line railway follow the Dun and pass...
to Newbury - Waterside B - 17.5 miles (19 portages) from Newbury to AldermastonAldermastonAldermaston is a rural village, civil parish and electoral ward in Berkshire, South-East England. In the 2001 United Kingdom Census, the parish had a population of 927. The village is on the southern edge of the River Kennet flood plain, near the Hampshire county boundary...
and back - Waterside C - 23 miles (35 portages) from PewseyPewseyPewsey is a large village, often considered a small town, at the centre of the Vale of Pewsey in Wiltshire about west of London. It is well connected to London, the West Country and Wales being close to the M4 motorway and the A303. Also, the village is served by Pewsey railway station on the...
Wharf to Newbury - Waterside D - 35 miles (35 portages) from DevizesDevizesDevizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
to Newbury
The races take place as a time trial format, whereby competitors choose their own start time within the start window and must finish within the finish window. The opening and closing times of these windows varies from race to race with the longer races have earlier start windows and/or later finishing windows.
Races C and D include Savernake Tunnel
Bruce Tunnel
The Bruce Tunnel is on the summit pound of the Kennet and Avon Canal between Wootton Top Lock and Crofton Locks in Wiltshire, England.This is the only tunnel on the canal and it is 502 yards long...
, where overtaking is prohibited due to safety reasons.
Competitors
The Waterside Series attracts a range of entrants from regular marathon paddlers based at clubs around the country to endurance athletes from other sports seeking to use the races for training, the race is also popular with public schoolPublic School (UK)
A public school, in common British usage, is a school that is neither administered nor financed by the state or from taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees and charitable contributions, usually existing as a non profit-making charitable trust...
s and the military. Races A and B, and in particular A are used as training events for Great Britain team paddlers.
Classes
There are 12 classes where prizes are awarded for the individual races and for the series overall, these classes are -- Senior K2 - Open to any kayakKayakA kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
doubles. - Senior K1 - Open to any kayak singles.
- Junior K2 - Open to any kayak doubles where both competitors are under the age of 19 on the 1st January of the year of the race.
- Junior K1 - Open to any kayak singles under the age of 19 on the 1st January on the year of the race.
- Ladies K2 - Open to any female kayak doubles.
- Ladies K1 - Open to any female kayak singles.
- Mixed K2 - Open to kayak doubles with one male and one female competitor.
- Veteran K2 - Open to any kayak doubles where both competitors are over the age of 35 on the 1st January of the year of the race.
- Veteran K1 - Open to any kayak singles over the age of 35 on the 1st January on the year of the race.
- Junior/Veteran K2 - Open to kayak doubles with one competitor over the age of 35 and one competitor under the age of 19 on the 1st January of the year of the race.
- C2 - Open to any canoeCanoeA canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
doubles regardless of age or gender, this may either be a touring canoe or sprint canoeSprint canoeA sprint canoe is a special type of canoe used in the sport of flatwater canoe racing.A one-person sprint canoe is 5.20 metres long; a traveling canoe of a similar length would be suitable for 2 to 3 people with gear...
. - C1 - Open to any canoe singles regardless of age or gender, like the C2 class, this may either be a touring canoe or sprint canoe.
In addition, at the end of the series team prizes are awarded to the fastest teams composed of Juniors, Seniors or are members of a uniformed service, also prizes are awarded for the fasted junior competitors in the Ladies K2, Mixed K2 and C2 classes, as well as the fastest competitor aged over 50.
Warmup for Devizes to Westminster
The Thameside Series is an excellent build up race for the world famous Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon. The 'DW' race is held every EasterEaster
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
over a course of 125 miles (201 kilometres) from Devizes in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
to Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
in central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It has been run since 1948.
Starting at Devizes wharf, the route follows the Kennet and Avon canal for 54 miles to Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, where it joins the Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
. Another 54 miles later it reaches Teddington Lock, ending 17 miles later at Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames between Westminster on the north side and Lambeth on the south side, in London, England....
.