Marathon racing runs on a divisional system, the lower Divisions 7, 8 and 9 race over a maximum of only 6.5 Km with few or no portages. The next group of Divisions 6,5 & 4 race over a distance of 13 Km often with portages. Then progressing to Divisions 3, 2 & 1 over 20 Km with portages. Promotion from a lower division can take place at local level and is on a percentage basis. The club enters teams of all ages and abilities into the Flatwater Winter Series and Eastern Region Hasler Series. In both these events the team are quite competitive and we are always looking for new members to join the team.
There are Hasler races run all over the UK throughout the year, usually on Sundays. Competitors have an official Marathon Division Ranking from 1 to 9 and Lightning Class. New competitors start in Division 9, and progress through the divisions by winning or coming close to winning races. Divisions 7, 8 and 9 race over a course of about 6.5km (4miles) with no or few portages, which is the Waterworks Turn and back. Divisions 4, 5 and 6 race over a course of about 13km (8miles) often with portages, which is the mill stream before Baddow Lock and back. Divisions 1, 2 and 3 over 20km (12miles) with portages, which is Paper Mill and back. The main competition is the Hasler Trophy, which all canoeing clubs compete for and we won in 2015.
This is done on a regional basis, in our case Eastern region. We compete at Clubs such as Cambridge, Bedford, Norwich and Leighton Buzzard. We have our own race in the Autumn usually October, when well over 150 canoeists will compete. Points are awarded for race positions and the top four clubs in each region go forward to compete in the Hasler Final, which is usually held in September. As an indivdual to take part in the final you have to have competed in at least three qualifying races during the season (1st September – 31st August).