11/09/2000

RICHMOND Canoe Club was narrowly defeated by Elmbridge as it sought to defend its UK Interclub Sprint Racing Championship title last weekend.

Having led the championships after the first day of competition, Richmond's canoeists were unable to hold their position at the head of the pack on the concluding Sunday, despite a series of good placements during the day's races that saw two of the club's young paddlers selected for Great Britain's Junior Development Squad.

We were disappointed that we were unable to hold on to the Interclub Sprint Racing title and the accompanying MacGregor Trophy. Nonetheless, we have some outstanding individual performances to look back on, particularly among our younger paddlers, which shows that the club is producing plenty of talent for the future, says Trevor Wetherall, Richmond Canoe Club's commodore.

The strongest senior Richmond performance came from Jackie Eastwood, who won the Women's B 1,000 metre and 500 metre singles finals. Eastwood also took silver in the Women's B fours event over 500 metres together with Caroline Lewsey, Charmian Gradwell and Liz Greasby. Eastwood and Lewsey won bronze in the Womenís B 500 metres doubles event as well. Gradwell and Greasby took bronze in the Women's B 1,000 metre doubles final. Greasby also claimed bronze in the Womenís B 200 metre singles final.

Among the men, Guy Krige took the top honour in the Men's C 1,000 metre singles event and silver in the Men's B 200 metre doubles final together with Anton Fati.

Richmond's successful young paddlers included Kim Wetherall, who claimed top spot in the Girlsí B 200 and 500 metre singles finals and second place in the Girlsí A 1,000 metre singles event. Her efforts led to her inclusion in the GB development squad.

Among the boys, Gvidas Papreckis and Oliver Isbell combined to win the Boys B doubles events over both 200 metres and 500 metres. Both put in strong individual performances in the singles events as well, with Isbell winning the Boys B 200 metre singles sprint final, and being selected for the GB squad, and Papreckis picking up silver in the Boys B 1,000 metre singles competition. Papreckis went on to complete a highly successful weekend with gold in the Mens C/D 1,000 metre fours event, together with Richmond colleagues Guy Krige, and Richard and Henry Hendron.

The Hendrons also teamed up with veterans Mark Pearce and Peter Barnes to win the Mens C fours final over 500 metres. Barnes also won silver in both the Mens Veteran B 500 metre and 1,000 metre singles events, along with bronze medals in the Mens Veteran B 500 metre and 1,000 metre doubles events, with Tim Killip and Colin Stent respectively. Both Barnes and Pearce were promoted to the elite Mens Veteran A division.

Richmond Canoe Club actively promotes canoeing in the borough. It runs a variety of courses for canoeists of all ages and abilities, and participates throughout Britain and Europe in racing events. The club is the current holder of the team event title of the 125-mile Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race and was the winner of the 1999 National Interclub Sprint Racing Championships. The club has produced a number of international and Olympic class athletes and coaches.

18/09/2000

BRITISH explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes has spoken out in support of Richmond Canoe Clubís protests against the construction of residential units on the car park adjacent to the clubís boat house.

It is clear that, with no car or canoe transporter parking space anywhere in its vicinity, access to the canoe club will be denied to many members, threatening the clubís future. From a personal point of view, it would be a great shame to see the club go into decline. It has provided me with expert training and tuition for events such as the Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race, which are key to keeping fit for overseas expeditions,î Sir Ranulph says.

Sir Ranulph's crew mate in the 1999 Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race, Steven Seaton, who is the current editor of Runner's World, has also spoken out in support of the club. My staff and I use the club's facilities to train for multi-discipline events. It is ridiculous to think that something as pervasive as property development should threaten something as unique in Richmond as the canoe club, Seaton says.

Richmond Canoe Club actively promotes canoeing in the borough. It runs a variety of courses for canoeists of all ages and abilities, and participates throughout Britain and Europe in racing events. The club is the current holder of the team event title of the 125-mile Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race and was the winner of the 1999 National Interclub Sprint Racing Championships. The club has produced a number of international and Olympic class athletes and coaches.