RACE REPORT- BRIDGEWATER-08/07/01

Castlefield junction on the Bridgewater canal is the scenic setting for MADCC’s second regional marathon event of the year. After a very mixed season of results today was going to be do or die for us as we have slipped from our perch at the top of the North West table in both the Hasler league and the Bums on seats. The latter was introduced four years ago to attract more paddlers from each club, it hasn’t actually worked but it does mean the top club gets to polish a wooden toilet seat all year! MADCC is the only club ever to have held this prize, but sadly alas we have lost it to Chester this year- Don, you’ld better start unscrewing the thing! With a lead over us of just one point Chester were beatable, but we all (even me) had to put in a good day for it to happen. The team consisted of 10 K1’s and just 1 double, not the best mixture to get maximum points from. All twelve paddlers seemed to realise that it was all to paddle for and produced a set of results that the club can be proud of. A mixture of sunshine and drizzle kept the temperature down, perfect for giving your all without overheating!

First race of the day was a mixed start containing two races at once. Only MADCC can confuse things like this! The Div 4&5 paddlers went at the same time as the Div 6 race even though we were not racing against them. This had the effect of speding up the Div 6 pace as they try to show off and keep up with the higher ranked paddlers! Two of the four MADCC paddlers in Div 6 were to blame and just because John won with Neil in second does not excuse them from making it very hard for Simon to gain fourth with Adrian in fifth. This was Adrian’s first solo paddle for a long time and he found the pace too much. MADCC monopolised Div 7 K1 fielding all four entries. After some friendly rivalry and a good race Paul slipped away for the win, Mike second, Mark settled for third and Kerrian fourth. Following Simon’s fine example earlier on Kerrian collected his third D notice for the year so slips down to join Pat in Div 8. Div 8 and 9 K1 was amalgamated and this time Pat over powered the opposition for a gold medal, with Nicholas following home for silver. MADCC’s only K2 saw off the competition in another amalgamation in the 7\8 and 9 K2 race. Doug was accompanied by the delightful Rebecca Hayes in her first marathon and went home with a gold medal, brilliant stuff!

A great set of results which saw MADCC keep the majority of it’s medals taking 4 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze, together with 2 fourth places and a fifth. This is more our standard and it could be that we are finally getting back to full fitness after such a long rest. The team result for the day put MADCC top, Freestyle second, Warrington third and Chester fourth, which meant that MADCC go to the Hasler Finals as the top club in the North West Region yet again! A super result given the ups and downs of the year and one that I must thank ALL the paddlers for. With a season like this one every point counted and eventually MADCC got the result that I firmly believe we deserved. Points and Posteriors was a dissappointment, to lose out by 14 points was a liite painful to take, but hopefully next season we will get our act together, avoid any date clashes, introduce some new people and be back at the top where we belong!

One thing I should have said earlier but always seem to leave untill the end is a huge THANK YOU to the race organiser, Andrew Millest, and his team of happy helpers –Mark, Karen and Robert Hayes, Mike Stubbs, Liam and Andrea, and Sarah Millest. Without these very kind people who seem willing to stand about for hours in the wet and cold those of us who take the easy option and paddle wouldn’t be able to. Once again thanks awfully to these people for their effort and commitment!