Canoe Regatta: Reading to Shiplake today!!

[watson1959]

Just taken the dogs for a walk at Sonning and lots or preparatory activity taking place. Having spoken to a couple of people associated with the event it seems to be using the length of the river between Tescos by Reading Lock then sdonstream to Sonning.

A second event then starts at 12.30 from Sonning through to Shiplake......looks like a busy day ahead.


I'm off towards Mapledurham so hopefully will avoid the traffic...

 

[Ramage]

Reading 5km race Saturday, and another event Sunday


http://www.reading-canoe.org.uk/

 

[sturmvogel190a]

We came back through from Sonning up to Kennet mouth on way back to our mooring today and once clear of Sonning lock heading upstream the fun started ,they swap sides of the river anywhere there is a bend taking the racing line which wouldn`t be to bad if was only a couple of them instead of six or seven across the river ...no safety boat in sight and kids with no idea of how hard it is fr narrow boats/cruisers to see them when they cut right in front of your bows to gain time or just head straight at you in the opposite direction on the wrong side of the river just expecting you to change course/alter speed to avoid them .
They are paddling as fast as they can [it is a race i spose ] right across entrance to T&K and Kennet mouth making it very interesting esp for the large cruiser we witnessed trying to get back into T&K .
The final straw was plodding up to the turn bouy by Tescos some of them asked us to wait whilst they turned across our bow after they had undertaken us ,She got told as did her other half ,Not even an area sectioned off like with the sculling events these guys just want and use the whole river .
How nobody got squished is beyond me and if something god forbid did happen we saw no safety boat anywhere ,never thought i would say this but they made the scullers seem considerate Steve.

 

[watson1959]

canoers

We came back through from Sonning up to Kennet mouth on way back to our mooring today and once clear of Sonning lock heading upstream the fun started ,they swap sides of the river anywhere there is a bend taking the racing line which wouldn`t be to bad if was only a couple of them instead of six or seven across the river ...no safety boat in sight and kids with no idea of how hard it is fr narrow boats/cruisers to see them when they cut right in front of your bows to gain time or just head straight at you in the opposite direction on the wrong side of the river just expecting you to change course/alter speed to avoid them .
They are paddling as fast as they can [it is a race i spose ] right across entrance to T&K and Kennet mouth making it very interesting esp for the large cruiser we witnessed trying to get back into T&K .
The final straw was plodding up to the turn bouy by Tescos some of them asked us to wait whilst they turned across our bow after they had undertaken us ,She got told as did her other half ,Not even an area sectioned off like with the sculling events these guys just want and use the whole river .
How nobody got squished is beyond me and if something god forbid did happen we saw no safety boat anywhere ,never thought i would say this but they made the scullers seem considerate Steve.

Totally agree.....it was a mess...uncontrolled....no lanes marked...no visible safety.....kids all over the place.....

 

[TrueBlue]

Sounds like a case for




Inspector B1




....

 

[Sometime]

Photos of the event

Here are some photos, crazy stuff

 

[boatone]

Nothing much to see when we came through there around 1500 hrs.
You obviously get up too early !

 

[sturmvogel190a]

Nothing much to see when we came through there around 1500 hrs.
You obviously get up too early !

Had i known i would have certainly stayed on our spot by the islands at Sonning for a few hours longer