Devizes to Westminster canoe race makes a welcome return to West Berkshire's waterways
More than 325 competitors battled it out on the waters through West Berkshire as the annual Devizes to Westminister canoe race (DW) made a welcome return.
After a two-year absence, the 72nd running of the race took place over the Easter weekend, with 188 boats and 332 competitors taking on the 108-mile, 77 portage event in glorious April weather.
The DW – the world’s longest non-stop canoe race and seen by many as one of the toughest endurance events on the planet – is normally 125 miles long, but this year’s race ended at the Thames Young Mariners club, in Teddington.
Crews from Richmond and Falcon & Fowey River Canoe Clubs were head to head for much of Saturday night, having set off from Devizes Wharf early on Saturday evening on their journey to Teddington.
In the end it was the Richmond crew of Andrew Birkett and Michael Lavarack who triumphed in a time of 15 hours, 12 minutes and 15 seconds, followed closely by Billy Butler and Daniel Palmer of Falcon & Fowey River Canoe Clubs in a time of 15 hours, 19 minutes and 17 seconds.
James Treadgold, race director for 2022, said: “After two year’s absence we were delighted to be back, with so many crews keen to complete the course.
“The competition across all the classes was intense, particularly in the senior doubles, and we all watched the live tracking through the night with intense interest.
“The Devizes to Westminster race is back and we much look forward to 2023 when we have every hope the finish will return to Westminster.”
The Armed Forces were, as always, well represented in the race and the first crews in were Lee Maddocks and William Bosworth of the Royal Marines (17:46:11), who were fourth overall.
The first Army crew to finish were Tim Ives and Iain Lawson of the Royal Engineers in 11th place (18:50:02), while Alan Rutledge and Nigel Maynard of the RAF Canoe Association were 38th (23:19:04).
The junior doubles race, held over three days, was won by Jamie Lovell and Will Scaplehorn of Devizes Canoe Club. The 16-year-olds finished the race in a combined total of 16 hours, 37 minutes and 7 seconds, ahead of Imogen Hunter and Louis Jacq of Cambridge Canoe Club (17:12:03).
The senior singles, raced over three days, was won by David Horkan in 15:20:15, while the Endeavour (non-competitive) was won by Kay and Alex Lane of Poole Canoe Club in 20:07:38.
In the C2 open canoe class, first-time entrants Tom Quinn and Fieke Blackwell were first across the line in 18:19:11. But having taken their boat off the water they got onto their bikes and pedalled the remaining distance to Westminster.
With a strong group of team entries this year, the competition was close, with less than five minutes separating the top three teams. In the end first placed team was Devizes Canoe Club, with Churchers College and Kimbolton School taking second and third places.
More than 500 volunteers and organisations, including the Canal and Rivers Trust, the Environment Agency and the Port of London Authority, support the DW each year.
The race started as a wager in a pub in 1948 and since then it has become a firm fixture in the world’s canoeing calendar, with previous competitors including Olympic rowing medallists James Cracknell, Ben Hunt-Davis and Guin Batten, the explorer and adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, TV presenter Steve Backshall and his wife, Olympic rower Helen Glover, and the first British woman to summit Everest, Rebecca Stephens.
