Marathon
From KayakWiki
This page focuses on one type of marathon kayaking - the organized elite sport. There are other marathon events, including those for regular sea kayaks. Some are single day and others are multi-day with the competitor required to camp out every night. If a sea kayak marathon enthusiast reads this page, perhaps they could add some details.
Marathon kayaking is a competitive type of kayaking involving flatwater racing, like a Sprint only over much longer distances (same terminology as in running)
|
|
Canoeing over long distances has been known as long as Canoeing has been an organized sport. For many years this activity lead to national competitions only. Some of the known established events in those days were the Kronborg race in Denmark, later the Devizes to Westminster race in Great Britain, and the very colourful Sella Descent in Spain.
Inter-club marathon racing started in Britain in the 1950s with races such as the Bedford to St Neots Race and the Cambridge Marathon, both of which celebrated their fiftieth anniversaries in 2006.
International interest first really came about in the 1960's, when national teams started participating regularly in the Devizes and Sella events as well as in the Liffey Descent in Ireland. And when the Danish Tour de Gudena began in 1968 the international interest for long distance racing increased immensely. In only a few years this race became a big hit with up to 20 countries entering and more than 1,000 paddlers competing.
Today Canoe Marathon is being practiced around the world on all continents and in more than 50 countries. The excitement of a Marathon race particularly during the portages, and the high quality of paddlers in most classes indicate, that Canoe Marathon has the potential of becoming one of the more important disciplines of the International Canoe Federation. One or two categories of Canoe Marathon at Olympic Games could add to the image of our sport in general. A sport with a lot of exciting variety.
Today, the top marathon races include multiple portages, requiring the paddler to exit his or her boat and the water at top speed. A top marathon K-1 paddler will stand up in their tippy ICF K-1s just as they approach the beach, jump, grab, and run with the boat held often by a "suitcase handle". The re-entry is just as spectacular as they run, throw the boat down onto the water, and step in - glide (like stepping onto a skate board) and sit down and begin a full on paddle stroke.
[edit] Marathon Racing in Britain
Britain is, arguably, the spiritual home of marathon racing, and certainly has a set-up which has provided plenty of world champions. The British system is based around a national competition, the Hasler Trophy, named after Blondie Hasler who, in the second world war, led a daring raid up the river Gironde, in kayaks, to sabotage German ships. The Hasler system is unique in the world of sport in that paddlers are ranked purely on ability, not on age or sex, so, for example, a ten year old girl could compete on equal terms with a thirty year old man.
There are nine divisions. Paddlers start in division nine, competing over four miles. Times comparable to those in higher divisions will earn promotion, similarly, those in higher divisions who perform poorly will be demoted. Races in divisions 7-9 are over four miles; divisions 4-6 are over 8 miles, and the elite paddlers in divisions 1-3 compete over 12 miles. Lower division races are always on placid water and do not usually involve portages, whereas these are compulsory in the middle and higher divisions. Weir shoots and higher grade water are not unusual in higher divisions. Races take place on a wide range of water, from canals only 20 feet wide, to rivers, lakes, estuaries and open sea.
Clubs compete in regional competitions, with the top four clubs in each region qualifying for the Hasler Finals in September or October. Elmbridge Canoe Club, from Surrey, are Britain's top marathon club, with Reading, Leighton Buzzard, Worcester, Nottingham, Banbury, Wey, Kirkaldy and Norwich. The Banbury club's website, www.banburycanoe.org.uk contains a lot of general information about marathon racing, and a comprehensive links page.
[edit] Marathon Racing in South Africa
The home of extreme marathon racing is South Africa. Here, tippy marathon boats are paddled on water up to grade 5, and some of the races have to be seen to be believed. The Dusi and Fish River races are both ultra-marathons more than 80 kilometres long, and contain portages of up to 10km long. It is not uncommon for paddlers to retire from races because of snakebite!
Training for marathon kayaking
<
