Four Chelmsford Canoeing Club crews managed to see the Waterside Series of races through to the bitter end by completing the final race of 34 miles from Devizes to Newbury on Sunday.

Bitter was the appropriate word as the wind was strengthening from the north east while paddlers assembled for their starts at the Devizes Wharfe although the persistent rain eased off during the start period.

Cheryl Dunn/Joanne Edwards were paddling as Junior Ladies in the Ladies K2 class and were spurred on to enter the final race by knowing they were leading in the Ladies class over the whole series.

Never having raced this sort of distance before they managed to keep the time difference level between themselves and their nearest opposition from Royal Canoe Club, until Joanne sprained an ankle on a portage just above Hungerford slowing them down over the last eight miles.

Despite this they finished in a time of six hours, 58 minutes 23 seconds, just five minutes slower than the Royal crew.

Over the series of four races the Chelmsford girls took a total of 16 hours 50 minutes 54 seconds beating the ladies from Royal by two minutes 21 seconds and enabling them to bring home both the Ladies and the Junior Ladies K2 trophies.

In the Senior K2 Dean Williams/Carl Williams had a practice run for the first part of the Devizes to Westminster race clocking in at Newbury in five hours 44 minutes 52 seconds after an incident free race and fighting a strong head wind.

The two veteran Chelmsford crews were also slowed down by the head wind and both completed the course in slower than expected times.

Mike Head/Mick Barry were first of the two into Newbury having had a good paddle into sixth place in 6 hours 5 minutes 24 seconds.

Roger Edwards/Graham Howe had to avoid swimmers in the Savernake tunnel and were hampered by another leg injury causing them to walk the many portages to finish in six hours 22 minutes 58 seconds in 10th place.

These six men will be some of the eight from Chelmsford CC who will be racing in the K1 and K2 classes in the Devizes to Westminster 125 miles race over Easter.

All members of Chelmsford Canoe Club wish them well.

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