The Waterside Series is a series of four marathon canoe races held on the Kennet and Avon Canal and finishing at the NewburyWaterside Centre. The race series is held in the Spring each year in the 8 weeks leading up to Easter. They are held on Sundays at fortnightly intervals starting 8 weeks from Easter and the races are progressively longer in distance. It is common to use the Waterside Series as a warmup event for the longer, 125 mile Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon, however despite the reputation as a warm-up event, it is considered a gruelling challenge in its own right.
Races
Waterside A - 13.5 miles from Great Bedwyn to Newbury
Waterside B - 17.5 miles from Newbury to Aldermaston and back
Waterside C - 23 miles from Pewsey Wharf to Newbury
The races take place as a time trial format, whereby competitors choose their own start time within the start window and must finish within the finish window. The opening and closing times of these windows varies from race to race with the longer races have earlier start windows and/or later finishing windows. Races C and D include Savernake Tunnel, where overtaking is prohibited due to safety reasons.
Competitors
The Waterside Series attracts a range of entrants from regular marathon paddlers based at clubs around the country to endurance athletes from other sports seeking to use the races for training, the race is also popular with public schools and the military. Races A and B, and in particular A are used as training events for Great Britain team paddlers.
Classes
There are 12 classes where prizes are awarded for the individual races and for the series overall, these classes are -
Junior K2 - Open to any kayak doubles where both competitors are under the age of 19 on 1 January of the year of the race.
Junior K1 - Open to any kayak singles under the age of 19 on 1 January on the year of the race.
Ladies K2 - Open to any female kayak doubles.
Ladies K1 - Open to any female kayak singles.
Mixed K2 - Open to kayak doubles with one male and one female competitor.
Veteran K2 - Open to any kayak doubles where both competitors are over the age of 35 on 1 January of the year of the race.
Veteran K1 - Open to any kayak singles over the age of 35 on 1 January on the year of the race.
Junior/Veteran K2 - Open to kayak doubles with one competitor over the age of 35 and one competitor under the age of 19 on 1 January of the year of the race.
C2 - Open to any canoe doubles regardless of age or gender, this may either be a touring canoe or sprint canoe.
C1 - Open to any canoe singles regardless of age or gender, like the C2 class, this may either be a touring canoe or sprint canoe.
In addition, at the end of the series team prizes are awarded to the fastest teams composed of Juniors, Seniors or are members of a uniformed service, also prizes are awarded for the fasted junior competitors in the Ladies K2, Mixed K2 and C2 classes, as well as the fastest competitor aged over 50.
