Daniel Weston – Holme Pierrepont June 2025  ©Dave Mangan

 

Hannah Rhodes – Holme Pierrepont June 2025  ©Dave Mangan

Huw Swetnam – Holme Pierrepont June 2025  ©Dave Mangan

Karley Leeson – Holme Pierrepont June 2025  ©Dave Mangan

Lorelei Kennan – Holme Pierrepont June 2025  ©Dave Mangan

Kevin Campbell – Holme Pierrepont June 2025  ©Dave Mangan

Sam Leaver – Holme Pierrepont June 2025  ©Dave Mangan

Rachel Ellis – Holme Pierrepont June 2025  ©Dave Mangan

Sebastian Reeves – Holme Pierrepont June 2025  ©Dave Mangan

Upcoming Events

Interclubs
Sep 6th - Sep 7th
British Canoeing Slalom Committee
Venue: Cardington
Organiser: Donna Hawkins
Entry Limit: 180
Enter online before 08-09-2025
Start list
Sat Nav MK44 3JZ
Directions
Standard Fees Apply 
No entries accepted on the day
More details

Please enter your squad details in one go (including your Squad Manager) prior to checking out - this will make it easier for the organiser and be cheaper than doing everyone individually! ALL races are shown as being on Saturday, but the races will be spread across the weekend - one entry covers the teams and individual races. The system does restrict entries within the rules to some extent but it is up to you to make sure that your entries do meet the limitations within the rules. For any issues with entering the squad please contact dee@jepso.com, for everything else including changes and cancellations, contact Donna.

Entering Squad Members Select appropriate class and the members usual ranking in that class.  The entry options will include all those that the paddler can enter with that class.Eg if Sue Jones ranked in Div 3 K1W, the option to enter the P/1/2 K1W races and all the K1M races will also be displayed.If the paddler is being entered as a C1 and is not ranked or previously registered on the system in C1, then

  • select class of C1M /C1W (according to paddler's sex)
  • select division of Guest
  • click button to add them to the list
  • follow process for adding them (similar to squad managers or Div 4)

Please note that all K1s and C1s not in Prem will see Vets as an option, but only masters or vets can enter the vets race.  


Alva 3/4 Double
Sep 13th - Sep 14th
C R Cats
Venue: Alva
Organiser: David Campbell
Entry Limit: 160
Enter online before 13-09-2025
Sat Nav FK10 3AW
Directions
Standard Fees Apply 
Entries accepted on the day
Tryweryn Graveyard Prem/Div 1
Sep 13th - Sep 14th
Canoe Wales Slalom Committee
Venue: Tryweryn Graveyard
Organiser: Mark Abbott
Entry Limit: 150
Enter online before 12-09-2025
Sat Nav LL23 7NU
Directions
Enhanced Fees Apply , Prem: £33.00, Div 1: £33.00 - Late fees charged from 13-09-2025
No entries accepted on the day
More details

 Please check the National Whitewater Centre web site for release information to confirm the water release.

A Whatsapp group will be created to share the latest information.

Paddleups will go on a waiting list and will be made available according to the agreed guidelines in the yearbook.

Depending on the release times more entries may be granted nearer the time. 

We will be working closely with the centre to run a  safe event. 


Langham Farm 3/4/Open
Sep 20th - Sep 21st
Frome Canoe Club
Venue: Langham Farm
Organiser: Chris Wilde
Entry Limit: 120
Enter online before 19-09-2025
Sat Nav BA11 6PS
Directions
Standard Fees Apply , Open: £10.00, Training,Teams & WWR: £10.00 - Late fees charged from 20-09-2025
Entries accepted on the day
More details

Full information can be found here:  https://shorturl.at/ivaSS

Camping and refreshments available all weekend. Training, Teams entry and White Water Race entry will all be covered by the single £10 charge per paddler, entry to WWR only £5. 


Oughtibridge 3/4 Double
Sep 20th - Sep 21st
Sheffield Canoe Club
Venue: Oughtibridge
Organiser: Karen Crowhurst
Entry Limit: 100
Enter online before 18-09-2025
Sat Nav S35 0GG
Directions
Standard Fees Apply 
Entries accepted on the day
More details

There is camping on site for Friday and Saturday night, please email the organiser to book a place.

Please be aware of the Sheffield Clean Air Zone and check using this link: https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/clean-air-zone-sheffield 

Saturday: We will run teams with entries taken on the day.

Sunday: Fun C2 event with an emphasis on family entries. Prizes for first C2 crews made up of an adult and either a J8, J10, J12, J14 in the front. You can enter as prem/3 or div 4. Entries will be taken on the day, please enter before 10:00am on the Sunday.

On the day entries will be accepted until 10am both days, payment can be made with cash or card.


Cardiff Bay Pool Div 4
Sep 25th
Seren Dwr Slalom Club
Venue: Cardiff Bay Pool
Organiser: Russell Scaplehorn
Entry Limit: 100
Enter online before 24-09-2025
Sat Nav CF11 0JS
Directions
Standard Fees Apply 
Entries accepted on the day
More details

 Thursday evening Div 4. Changing rooms available from 5.30pm, practice and race starts at 6pm. 


Pinkston 1/2 Double
Sep 26th - Sep 28th
Jun & Vet Championships
C R Cats
Venue: Pinkston
Organiser: Catherine Brown and Kirsten Phillips
Entry Limit: Fri: 80, Sat: 150, Sun: 150
Enter online before 20-09-2025
Start list
Sat Nav G4 9XL
Directions
Enhanced Fees Apply , Div 1: £27.90, Div 2: £19.50, Junior Championships: £27.90, Friday Practice: £10.00, Saturday Practice: £6.00 - Late fees charged from 13-09-2025
No entries accepted on the day
More details

RACE

This is the British Junior (Under 16) & Vet Champs on Saturday with British Junior C2 Champs on Sunday along with a Double Division 1/2 race.

 Prem paddlers should enter the Open category for the British Champs. Both Divisions will race on 3 pumps on the Pinkston white-water course. There is a fee enhancement to cover pump costs.

C2 entries are welcome; please apply for ranking before entering (bib applications). We have a number of C2s available to borrow.

PRACTICE

There will be supervised practice slots after the course is set as follow - 

Friday night      : 1 hour slots from 4:30 -8:30               £10

Saturday night :  40 minutes slots  from 5:00 - 7:40     £6

These can be booked at the same time as you enter.     

CAMPING 

We have on site camping for tents. Campervans/motorhome pitches fully booked.

Please email crcats.events@gmail.com to book camping.     

This is £10 per person per night (to cover Pinkston Watersports charges only). 

PARKING

There is car parking on the streets next to Pinkston Watersports and also in the car park up the hill at 110 Barron Street. Please park only in marked bays. On site parking will be limited to pre-booked motorhomes, campervans and organisers.

CAFE

There will be a cafe serving hot and cold drinks and food all weekend.     

HOW TO FIND US 

From the M8, take J16 and turn right under the motorway and follow the road up to the left through a mini roundabout up to traffic lights.   Take a right at the traffic lights and you will see the Pinkston Watersports Orange Tower on your right hand side.


Wagon Lane Bingley 3/4 Double
Sep 27th - Sep 28th
Bradford and Bingley Canoe Club
Venue: Wagon Lane Bingley
Organiser: Iain Russell, Rebecca Mackenzie & Jane Watkins
Entry Limit: 120
Enter online before 26-09-2025
Sat Nav BD16 1LT
Directions
Standard Fees Apply 
Entries accepted on the day
More details

Cars are not charged to use Bradford's Clean Air Zone. Larger vehicles may be - please check prior to travelling, to inform your journey choice: https://www.bradford.gov.uk/breathe-better-bradford/where-is-the-clean-air-zone/where-is-the-clean-air-zone/ Camping available.

There will be a Wild Water Race on the Saturday after the Slalom. 

Details at https://www.wildwater.org.uk/race/wagon-lane-river-race-with-div-3-4-slalom-2/


Full Calendar>

How to get started in canoe slalom>
Get Reranked>

Chris Martin

It is with sadness we inform the paddling community of the passing of Chris Martin after many years of ill health.

As a Matlock Canoe Club Founder & President, paddling enthusiast and former GB slalom coach, Chris gave more than he ever took and will be greatly missed by us all.

Our thoughts are with his family at this time.

Pete Montgomery

England Slalom Club Support Scheme

The England Slalom Club Support Scheme fund opens for new applications from eligible England-based Slalom clubs and closes

The scheme is joint-funded and supported by the England Talent Programme and the England Canoe Slalom Committee.

The money invested into the scheme by the England Canoe Slalom Committee is as a direct result of the levies paid by Canoe Slalom events hosted in England.

Information on how to apply can be found here.

If you wish to discuss any potential applications beforehand then please contact myself via daniel.thompson@paddleuk.org.uk and we’ll organise a call.

Proposals for the Future Structure of Slalom Competition

As you know proposals for the proposals for the future structure of canoe slalom racing in the UK were presented in April. Based on feedback received at the event and the subsequent consultation surveys, work has been ongoing to revise the proposal.
The key principles of the revised proposals are:

  • Retain Divisions for Ranking, Results, Prizes and Promotion (this is the key change from the original proposal).
  • Allow paddlers to have full choice of where they race; simplify the calendar; and describe courses and venues using the proposed Tier System.
  • Provide compatible performance points across all Tiers as originally proposed.

To be clear, these are proposals to be voted on at the Slalom Annual Consultative Meeting (ACM) on 29th November.  These changes will only happen if they are voted through at the ACM.
If the motion is successful the new structure will not come in until the 2027 slalom season. This is to allow sufficient time for the systems that support the running of the sport (entries website, ranking database etc) to be amended for the new structures by the volunteers that manage these systems, and for the race calendar to be planned to the new structure. If the motion is unsuccessful the existing system will be retained.

Slalom Committee governance only requires that the ACM Agenda is published at least 15 days before the date of the meeting  However, we want to put these propoals infront of the slalom community now to maximise engagement and opportunity for discussion about the proposed new structure, allowing club representatives to be fully informed of their members views ahead of a vote at the meeting.

Therefore we are now publishing:

  • The draft motion that will be on the ACM Agenda
  • Three short videos explaining the revised proposals including an Introduction & Overview, Ranking Divisions, and Tiers

These can all be found in the following Google Drive folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1yRH1Ybm2rhsfLKOPNNawvw8wH-NfmF9A?usp=drive_link

We are asking that everyone in the slalom community and lapsed slalom paddlers take time to look at and consider these proposals and make their views know to their club representatives.

The documents and presentations from the April event and subsequent feedback reports can all still be found here.

2025-2026 England Talent Programme Application Window Opens

The application window for the 2025-26 England Slalom Talent Programme has opened. Any athlete wishing to be considered for inclusion to the 2025/26 Canoe Slalom England Talent Programme must complete this expression of interest form by 12:00 noon on 20 October 2025. Application is via the link HERE. Full qualification criteria can be found HERE.

Athletes who are currently a member of the England Slalom Talent Programme and who remain Juniors in 2026 do not need to apply as you will automatically be reconsidered for the 2025/26 squad.

Selection 2026 – International Panel Update

The Canoe Slalom International Panel has published an update on 2026 selection venues, dates and eligibility as well as a summary of the findings from the recent questionnaire seeking views on the 2025 selection process.

The ICF Wants Your Views

The ICF is asking you to spend a few minutes of your time participating in our survey that can help gather valuable insights and grow the global paddle sport community. 

Whether you are an elite paddler, fan, coach, or retired athlete, your feedback will help shape future initiatives, guide decision-making, and ensure the voices of our community are heard.

The survey covers a range of topics, from favourite disciplines to how to make paddle sport more.

A key focus is the ICF’s digital landscape – an important pillar of our Fit For Future Evolution strategy – which presents an unparalleled opportunity to connect and engage with paddle sport enthusiasts worldwide.

From live event broadcasts and production strategy to our social media channels and website, we are committed to developing a comprehensive suite of digital services to drive genuine engagement.

All responses will remain confidential.  All contributors will also have the chance to win one of five €50 Amazon vouchers. 

Click here to take the survey.  

How to Change Your Club on the Ranking List

Any paddler that wants to amend their Club on the ranking list needs to email the relevant Bib Officer with the details of the change needed, this needs to come from the paddler or their parent. You can also list a second club or sponsor on the ranking list – again please contact the relevant Bib Officer.

Canoe Slalom Code of Conduct

A Code of Conduct for everyone involved in the sport has been produced and Canoe Slalom Code of Conduct.
Please take a few minutes to familiarise yourself with this.

Raising Happy Champs

Train the Team Behind the Team! Support your Athletes by Empowering their Parents!

Successful sport outcomes happen when the coach-athlete-parent triangle is strong but while coaches are trained and athletes are supported parents are often left out of the game plan.

Through our experiences as a sporting family — the highs, the exhaustion, the uncertainty — I’ve come to deeply understand how important the parent role is in youth sport. So, as part of my PhD in sport psychology, I spent seven years designing the Super-P Workshop, a science-backed education program for sport parents. It’s the only parent education program to be scientifically tested and shown to reduce anxiety, improve competition outcomes, and strengthen communication between coach, parent and athlete.

Now, through Raising Happy Champs, a small but passionate team (just myself and one brilliant colleague!), we’re working to bring this workshop to clubs and organisations across all sports and all levels. It’s a one-off, 2-hour live workshop — and the feedback has been fantastic. One coach even told me, “The whole atmosphere of the club has changed.”

A short PDF is available with more details about the  SUPER-P Club info Slalom and what we offer through Raising Happy Champs. If this is of interest oto your slalom club please get in touch.

Dr. Jen Harris
Psychologist | Founder, Raising Happy Champs www.raisinghappychamps.com

Water Quality Alert

Since the start of the year, Paddle UK has received an increase in the number of incident reports submitted through the online incident reporting system in which paddlers have been ill and that water quality was a possible cause.

Whether you are paddling, organising paddling activities, running an event or supporting others during a challenge, it is important to consider what approaches we can take to minimise possible illness.

Cover cuts and abrasions, including blisters, with waterproof dressings Avoid swallowing river water and keep your water bottle clean and dry Check the weather. Poor water quality is more likely after heavy rain Check, clean, dry equipment to remove contamination and invasives species Always wash your hands before eating or drinking If you become sick, contact your GP with details of when and where you paddled Report pollution to the Environment Agency hotline 0800 807060

Risk Assessment

If you are organising a paddling activity, or running an event it is highly recommended that water quality is part of the risk assessment process, taking into account the activity, environment and those that could be at risk. Use the AI Risk Assessment Checker to support you in the development of your risk assessment.

Paddle UK has comprehensive advice and guidance which can be found here.

Clarification of the UK Judging Rules (11th April 2025)

Following a few recent queries about the Judging Rules the Slalom Committee wish to clarify the interpretation of the rules in UK, particularly regarding Prem and Division 1 events.   Rule Clarification Statement (April 2025)

Combined Kayak and Canoe Prize

A key aim of the England Talent Canoe Slalom Programme Strategy is to encourage balance of participation across gender and classes. During the early stages of a paddler’s development in canoeing it can be beneficial to be exposed to both canoe and kayak disciplines in order to develop a broad and robust range of fundamental sport skills, movement abilities and learning capabilities.

For 2025, the England Slalom Talent Programme in conjunction with Peak PS will once again be offering a prize for the Male and Female paddlers aged J16 that have accumulated the greatest combined points total in kayak and canoe over the course of the 2025 domestic season. There will be a separate prize for each gender, where each prize winner will receive a £100 Peak PS gift voucher as a reward. 

Last year there were a total of 121 paddlers who scored points towards the combined prize criteria with over 1000 start lists throughout the season. The overall 2024 winners were Amber Forster (Holme Pierrepont Canoe Club) and Nathan Hicks (Stafford & Stone Canoe Club).

Full details of this combined prize can be found HERE. The combined league rankings will be updated throughout the season to show paddlers rankings in relation to this combined prize.

Volunteering in Slalom Training Offer

The Slalom Committee have developed and trialled a presentation to help recruit and train more  people to volunteer at events. The presentation covers judging and timing roles and aims to inform people about these roles and the relevant rules, and encourage volunteers to get involved with running events. This can be combined with getting people to have a go a these roles supported by an experienced official.  The trial run at September’s HPP Prem/1 event saw several new judges and section judges being recruited.

The committee would like to offer this suport to event organisers and clubs. We have a number of people willing to deliver the training which could be at club evenings, at events or training days. At events this could include supporting new volunteers into these roles.  If you would like to arrange a training sessions for potential volunteers please contact Sally Atkinson.

Check out John Gregory’s ICF slalom podcasts

There are 95 episodes which can also be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Despite the name this is not an ICF product. John came up with the ICFslalom hashtag early in the 2015 season. The podcast started in 2019. This last year there were 58 guests across the 27 episodes. Series 4 were daily episodes through the Olympics and series 5 started this autumn. Lots of British guests and stories.

Happy listening.

The Slalom Start Box

As announced in October, Paddle UK is excited to introduce the Slalom Start Box, a comprehensive toolkit designed to support paddler recruitment within clubs to increase the number of children and young people engaged in canoe slalom across the UK. Slalom Start builds on the incredible work that all clubs and volunteers do to introduce children and young people to the amazing sport of canoe slalom. It is intended to help share this knowledge and empower others to engage more people in canoe slalom. The digital toolkit is now available and supporting webinars are taking place during the winter, you can sign up here. If you have any queries please contact slalom start

Slalom Progress Awards

Last year Canoe Wales and the England Slalom Talent Programme, in conjunction with the England Slalom Committee, presented the new Slalom Progress Awards. We have updated the Awards for this year.

New C2 pairings

Apply direct to the C2 Bib Officer – you do not need to go through reinstatement. Ranked C2 pairs may enter races at any level.

Last Updated 3 September 2025

Minutes of Slalom Committee Meetings

8 July 2025
24 May 2025
6 April 2025
11 March 2025
8 February 2025
4 January 2025

Next meeting:
Tues 26th August

Earlier Meeting Minutes

 England Slalom Talent Programme Squad

The England Slalom Talent Programme have published their Qualification Criteria for 2025/26. A link can be found HERE.