Chelmsford Canoe Club were host to paddlers from all over the Eastern Region on Sunday for the annual Chelmer Marathon canoe race, and ended the day as winners to retain the shield they won in 1998.

Ninety-six paddlers competed in 13 different divisions racing distances of four, eight or 12 miles between Chelmsford and Paper Mill Lock at Little Baddow.

The weather remained fair with plenty of sun and little wind.

Low numbers in the top divisions due to an international assessment race on the River Wey meant divisions two and three were combined, but even with their three minute handicap, both division two paddlers took the first two places but only by 10 seconds.

Chelmsford paddlers in the top divisions needed to go to Wey leaving the club entry in divisions four and nine, with Barry Howe in division four K1 finishing fifth.

Divisions five and six K1 were also combined, but with evenly mixed results when the two minute handicap was applied.

Highest placed was Mick Barry in fourth followed by Eleanor McDonald in seventh and Mike Head finishing ninth after a disagreement with a paddler along the way.

Graham Howe was the highest placed Chelmsford paddler in division seven K1 in third with Karen Wilcox in sixth place.

Mathew Dabbs was in the lead in the early stages of the division eight race but was overtaken in the latter stages to finish second.

Cheryl Dunn got tangled up at the first turn buoy in the large number of boats shortly after the start, but went charging through the field to make up ground into fifth place within the next half mile, a position she maintained till the end.

Chris Howe was just behind in sixth closely followed by Evan Shepherd in eighth.

Mo Moule was glad to complete in 10th having had a tussle with Alex Richards in 11th position.

John Brand was back in action after a long break to just beat Dave Groves at the finish, all of division eight K1 having crossed the line within four minutes of each other.

Steve Savill and Robert Gisby both did well in their first outings for some time by finishing second and third in division nine K1.

Sue Cole came fourth with Lindsey Wilcox and Owen Shepherd in sixth and seventh places.

Laura Richards fought her way into 11th place with David Linnell in 14th and Laurence Wills 16th, in his first Hasler event.

There was a high entry in division five/six K2 with Lisa Gobell/Joanne Edwards battling through the male domination to come sixth after a good race.

James Byam-Shaw and Glen Rogers combined after a long break to come ninth and Laurence Cozens/Dave Clarke returned uncertainly to K2 to be placed 10th.

Hannah Stechman/Susan Edwards suffered from lack of fitness and illness to finish fifth in division seven/eight K2 while Bill Cozens/Malcolm Burrells had a tight contest with a Bishops Stortford crew to just see them off by the finish in their C2's.

The end result saw Chelmsford beat Bishops Stortford and Barking & Dagenham to retain the club shield.

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