Canoe Marathon - Cambridge Winter Series marathon 2025

Entries for this event have now closed. Entries closed 10 months ago

Race Date: 7 Dec 2025
Race Type: Winter Series

Organising Club: Flatwater Racing Association
Organiser: Gwilym Still

CB3 9PA, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

View Results

Cambridge Winter Series marathon

Date: 7 December 2025

Location & Parking:
Booking in & launching will take place at Cambridge Canoe Club clubhouse, Lammas Lane, Sheep's Green, Newnham, Cambridge.

For satnav purposes, use postcode CB3 9PA.

Info on the nearby car park (100m from the clubhouse) can be found here: https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/lammas-land-car-park. The height restriction will be opened for the race and will be closed 2hrs after the last competitor has finished the race. Also please note that some spaces are marked for disabled drivers. Lammas Land car park charges: 2hrs £2.30, 4hrs £5.50, 5hrs £10. The maximum stay on a Sunday is 5 hrs. The machines take cards or the JustPark app.
Additional car parking is available on the roads in the surrounding area but some of this is subject to metered fees.

Schedule:
10:00 - Check-in opens
10:45 - Check-in closes
11:15 - Race Briefing
12:00 - Start
14:15 - Prize-giving

Please note that class eligibility for this series is determined by age on 1st November 2025.
"u" (under) means literally that - if you are 16 on 1/11/25 you are too old for u16 races.

Classes with low entries will be grouped - this will not affect points or medals.

The start order of classes will not necessarily follow class number order - the list of pre-entries and the expected start order will be made available on the day using a QR code.

Courses/Distances at this race:

All paddlers head off downstream from the clubhouse.

Classes 1-10 (Group 1) - 7 miles - Portage around Mill Pond Sluice and Jesus Lock (in both directions - 4x portages), turn at the Plough
Classes 20-25 (Group 2) - 5 miles - Portage around Mill Pond Sluice and Jesus Lock (in both directions - 4x portages), turn at the Green Dragon Bridge
Classes 30-40 (Group 3) - 3 miles - Portage around Mill Pond Sluice (in both directions - 2x portages), turn before Jesus Lock

Entering:

If you are part of a club team, your Team Leader may intend to place your entry and/or pay in bulk - please check with them.
Payments for entries by individuals or clubs are made by as cash on the day (alternatively, as cheque made out to Flatwater Racing Association). Clubs may arrange to pay electronically in advance by special arrangement with the FRA Treasurer Treasurer@FlatwaterRacing.org.uk (such payments must be completed by midnight Friday)

Note: All paddlers must be current members of Paddle UK (personal or Club Associate), *or* must additionally purchase PUK "Single Event Membership" (SEM) for £5. This can be done during the online entry process. If you are a member of a Paddle UK affiliated club, please speak to your team leader before puchasing SEM as you may already have Club Associate Membership.
Please send any queries about entries to Secretary@FlatwaterRacing.org.uk

For queries on other matters, please contact Race Organiser Gwilym Still racing@cambridgecanoeclub.org.uk

The Winter Series welcomes Paddle-Ability competitors (those with disability/impairment or long-term disabling illness, whether physical, sensory, or intellectual). The online entry system does not collect this information - to be eligible for a "first Paddle-Ability" medal in each class, or to be allowed to "paddle down" to a more suitable age class, the team leader should contact Secretary@FlatwaterRacing.org.uk in advance of the first race of the series that the paddler will attend.

Seat Fees:

Juniors (u18 on previous 1st January) £5

Seniors £10

There are no late fees or penalties for cancellation

Number Boards:

Pre-printed number boards will be issued for K1/K2 classes (£5 fee for if not returned - under some circumstances a deposit may be required), and sticky number for C1/C2s and GPs. Please ask if you prefer a board for a C1/C2 or a sticky number for a K1/K2 with no board holder.

Photos:

The host club and the FRA will use photographs taken at the event to promote the club and the sport on the grounds of legitimate interest. This will be done in accordance with current Paddle UK guidelines.

Welfare:

Event Welfare Officer: Patric Mortiboy

First Aid:

First Aid Coodinator: Andy Payne

Safety:

Event Safety Officer: Gwilym Still

All participants must be capable of swimming 50m in racing clothing.
Footwear should be worn by all participants, and clothing appropriate for the weather conditions on the day.
Buoyancy aids must be worn by all paddlers not ranked in divisions 1-6 and all paddlers under age 16 irrespective of divisional ranking and all paddlers taking part in an u16 class.
Canoeing and kayaking is by its nature an unpredictable sport and therefore inherently involves an element of risk.

Boats:

Boats should be stored either side of the path leaving sufficient room to get to both boats and the river. There is limited room on the river bank in front of the clubhouse, so please do not come forward until you are ready to launch.

On completion of the race competitors are requested to move their boats to grassed area between the club and car park as soon as possible.

Environmental Issues:
Please note that the issues with the invasive Floating Pennywort have been lessened by the work of the Cam Valley Forum and Cambridge CC but are not completely eliminated. All visiting paddlers should thoroughly clean their boats before leaving Cambridge to ensure that you do not transfer this problem back to your home waters. Please follow Check-Clean-Dry protocol

Facilities:

Changing rooms, bathrooms and showers available at the club.

Refeshments:

Food and drinks will be available for purchase and racers will be offered soup, a roll and a snack free of charge.

Rules & Series information

See http://www.FlatwaterRacing.org.uk/winter-series.html

In particular please acquaint yourselves with the full Winter Series rules (attached), especially those for portages:

Assistance at portages may be received ONLY by those who need it and must not be for competitive advantage.
Helpers must walk only, and where possible should carry the rear end of the craft.
If un-assisted paddlers overtake, assisted craft must give way.
Validated protests will result in time penalties or disqualification.

Privacy:

Race entries will be handled centrally by the FRA. Information will be shared with the Marathon Racing Committee (MRC) & Race Organisers.

Race Results:

Provisional results will be published via a QR code as they accumulate and as a print-out when complete. A further 15 min will be allowed for protests/queries before prizegiving. Results will appear on the FRA website, and this will be updated with promotions once these have been calculated by the MRC.

The organisers reserve the right to alter any of these arrangements without prior notice should the weather, river or other circumstances warrant it.

Race Terms & Conditions

Entry Details

Races

Winter Series Races