Devizes to Westminster in a Klepper Canoe 2007

In keeping with the DW roots, the idea to take part in the longest non-stop canoe race in the world, materialised in a pub, in Prague. I’d never heard of the race until this moment.

However, when I arrived back home, training and arrangements started in earnest.

Four ex-servicemen, all without a canoe and only one with experience in canoeing. Three of us enrolled on a BCU recognised 1 and 2 star kayak/canoe course to get a feel of what skills we would need, we had to start somewhere!

The idea from the start was to complete the race in Klepper canoes, the same kind that were used by the Commando’s during WW2 (and incidentally still used today). All we needed was to get a feel of keeping a canoe going in a straight line and how to paddle efficiently, the rest would be hard work and determination.

All training started at the end of August 2006 and it soon became evident that a serious amount of paddling was needed to achieve the required standard of fitness to even complete just one of the ‘Waterside’ series of races. These are seen as the classic warm up races before the main race and are invaluable.

After reading the website, in particular ‘DW tales’, various publications and consulted with race officials, it was decided that we would have to complete the Waterside D (34.5 miles) as part of the waterside series of races, in Kleppers, in good time, to qualify.

Our constraints at home in the mean time were to prove challenges in themselves. We were a fair distance away from the race circuit or suitable canals to train on. Training schedules, juggling work, family life (two of the teams ladies were pregnant!) and tidal constraints on the river, all played their part. We had acquired one man canoes for training in after work and at weekends, all tidal dependant. 0630 on a Sunday morning on the water was not uncommon, winter in the UK is a wonderful time of the year. The most we could do before we lost too much water was about 14 miles, against the tide as it flowed and against the tide as it ebbed when we turned about and paddled home.

For the times when there wasn’t enough water, it was running, cycling, or cardio-vascular circuits.

After a week off at Christmas, we started to put our heads together to sort out the paperwork, support crew, and the small matter of obtaining two serviceable Klepper canoes before the Waterside D race. We all had our separate jobs, mine was to source and borrow the canoes for as long as possible. After a few phone calls we managed to get three, one for spares! A morning of instruction of how to put them together and collapse them, we were well on our way, or so it seemed…….

Unfortunately, in close succession, one of the support crew and one of the canoeists had to pull out at the 11^th hour due to a training injury. Morale was low. We were only a month away from the Waterside D!

It seemed that we needed a paddle fit lad who was up to scratch for the 34.5 miler within 1 month! Then the DW proper! The very man was waiting in the wings, who was duly cajoled into entering the worlds longest non-stop canoe race (which he didn’t realise was 125 miles until after he had entered!)

We trained with the Kleppers, practising portage techniques and running distances to simulate the 77 lock gates we had to negotiate. Padding out our individual seats and back rests to suit our needs for 30 hours + of paddling. The first time we tried out the new padding, we were top heavy with too much air in the buoyancy tubes, turning turtle at 0600 on a bleak Sunday  morning in February. Cup of tea time.

The Waterside D was not treated as a race, more of a full dress rehearsal, the boat at its full weight carrying all kit needed. The idea was to complete/qualify in the best possible time. From this we could get an estimation of the expected total time taken to paddle Devizes to Westminster. Also, the race being from Devizes to Newbury gave us invaluable experience on part of the course. We completed this in 8 hours and 55 mins.

The two weeks between the D race and the DW was spent recovering and fine tuning the boats. We worked out our estimated timings, allowing for fudge factor, including portages, food stops and compulsory clothing changes. It was worked out it would take us 31.5 hours at 4mph to paddle non stop from Devizes to Westminster! Lots of carbohydrates, a small amount of paddling and circuit training, as well as last minute preparations took place concurrently. The day before the race we found out that our entry forms, complete with payment, had not arrived at DW HQ! I had four days physical and mental rest before the start of DW 2007.

We were constructing the canoes on Devizes wharf  by 1200 on Saturday 7^th April. Our kit was inspected and we had registered in the race by 1400. We had time to take onboard a bag of fish and chips and plenty of water before our scheduled 1500 start. The weather was warm and forecast getting warmer. Both Kleppers were in the water and over the start line at 15:01.

With 125 miles ahead of us and blue sky’s overhead, we were just happy to get this far after all the calamities that had befell us during training and preparation. As we were not race canoes, we treated the whole event as a test of endurance as well as achieving the best possible time.

The support crew was fantastic, we were all DW virgins. We certainly could not have reached Westminster without the support we received. 2 litres of water mixed with glucose powder and bags of chocolate mixed with raisins and biscuits was handed to us every 10 to 12 miles! Not to mention tubs of tuna and pasta at food stops. As far as I’m concerned, the whole team were as much a part of crossing the finish line as those that actually paddled across it.

During the race, problems came and went, but the main thing was to knuckle under and get the job done. Grit, determination and teamwork was the order of the day. Our boat made Teddington Lock with 15 minutes to spare before teams were stopped going through. (Special thanks to Glen). Our support failed to reach us in time after having to wait for and replenish the team behind. We had to carry on. 3 chunks of chocolate each and 1 litre of water between us for the last 17 miles.

We arrived at Westminster Bridge at 11:30 on a Sunday night absolutely shattered, to be greeted with a medal draped unceremoniously around our necks, a double egg banjo and a cup of Rosie Lea! It was a great feeling to see 4 men struggling with our canoe as we sipped on our tea! We were delirious after 32 hours 14 mins and 27 secs of paddling. We were 78^th out of 86 finishing and 117 starting.

Sadly, our second crew didn’t make the tide at Teddington and decided to retire after 108 gruelling miles. They are back in training for next year, my boat team is support crew this time!

The advice I would give to anybody entering the DW for the first time, is to allow yourself plenty of time for an extensive training program. DO NOT under estimate this race. If possible, then enter all four of the Waterside series of races to get to know the course and portages. However, the D is the most important in my opinion, to gain knowledge of the start of the course and to be able to gauge your estimated timings for the whole race.

Good luck, its well worth the effort.

Jan Carpenter