Kastelse, Belgium - Social Event and Race

On Saturday 30th July a team of 7 set off from Bishops Stortford at 10:00am in two vehicles to take part in the Nete Marathon.  The race is 13 miles long and hosted by Kastelse Kayak Klub based in the East of Belgium.  After a short hop on the train under the English Channel it was around 150 mile drive to Kastelse and we arrived late afternoon.  

​The host club had a beautiful new clubhouse about 100m downstream from the original club which had been built by its members over last two years and largely funded by a grant from the local parish council.  The new club included a camping area with electrical hook up points for those with caravans or camper vans and more than adequate space for the rest of us in tents.  There was also a large patio area with plenty of seating for people to eat at of have a drink.

​We were welcomed on arrival by the president of the club and after taking a short walk down the road to get some dinner we joined him in the Kastelse Kayak Klub bar.  We shared a few stories about races he had done in the UK and some of us had done abroad in the past and then he proudly showed us the DW K1 team trophy that his club had won in 1998.  A trophy that will hopefully have Bishops Stortford’s name on it in 2017.

Race day came with some early hours rain but by mid-morning the sun was out and the temperature was climbing nicely.  Danny had to attend the team leaders meeting at 12:00 to confirm our entries, collect the numbers and drinks tokens (yes, our Euro 4.00 race entry came with a free drink at the bar after the race!) and to discuss a possible course change due to recent flooding washing away the sandy banks and draining the last 1.5km of the river and filling it with silt.  It was decided to finish the race 1.5km downstream of the club and then everyone could paddle gently or walk the last section back.

We then put half of our boats on the Kastelse Kayak Klub trailer and just took Dave’s car to the start which was an easy 11km drive.  The race started at 2:00pm on a wide dead straight canal with all classes starting on one mass start. ​

Joe F and Matt made the large front group to the first portage which was about 2.5km from the start with Danny in the second group just behind.  Joe S was on his own between groups with Dave behind and Heidi and Chris together further back.  After the portage the front group split with Matt in the second half and Joe F off the back and quickly caught by Danny’s group.  There was 4km between the first and second portage and still the wide canal remained dead straight.  Once back on the water after the second portage the large groups were reducing to 3’s and 4’s with Matt in group 2, Danny in group 3 and Joe F in group 4.  The race continued on for another 3km to the next portage and still there was no sign of a bend in the canal.  After portage 3 it was 3.5km to the most crucial point in the race, the 1.2km portage from the large navigation canal to the river Kastelse Kayak Klub is based on.  Having said that, it could be argued the first bend in the canal 1.5km before this portage was the crucial point.  Would people still remember how to use their rudders, would the rudder cable have seized through lack of use, would they get giddy negotiating a slight left hand bend.  Despite all the excitement of this slight kink in the canal, we all made it safely around this bend.

The long portage was along a very smooth flat cycle path with many locals fitting skateboard wheels to the deck of their boats and dragging them along the path.  This was a good opportunity for those that could run well to bridge the gap to the group in front.  Danny closed the gap to Matt passing the K2 that had been in his group and getting in with the top junior K1 a few metres down on Matt and the other K1 from the 2nd group.  The few metres gap was closed quickly and soon Matt and Danny were working together and dropped the other two Belgium K1’s on the shallow fast flowing upstream 5km section to the finish line ensuring the fight for 5th and 6th place would be an all Stortford affair.
 
Dave overtook Joe F and closed the gap to less than a minute on Joe S by the end of the run and Heidi also run well over this portage putting plenty of time between her and Chris (still recovering from a knee injury).
 
The last 5km was the section of river that had been damaged by flooding 2 weeks ago and had largely been drained and filled with the sandy soil from the banks.  This section was also fairly fast flowing against us and seemed extra tough having spent the previous 15km on deep wide canal.  This section did somehow seem to suit the Stortford paddlers with all of us gaining places.  This could be due to the weed on our own canal creating a similar effect on water depth and drag.

Matt was first home coming a very respectable 5th with Danny on his wash in 6th but taking 1st veteran.  Joe S was the next Stortford boat home 17th across the line and 9th in the senior men’s K1 followed a few minutes later by Dave 20th across the line but taking 2nd super veteran K1.  Heidi was next to cross the line winning a very impressive silver medal in the senior ladies K1 and 28th overall with Joe F finishing 29th overall and 13th in the senior men’s K1.  Chris was 31st across the line and 5th in the super veterans K1.
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After a quick shower Danny and Dave retrieved the car left at the start whilst everyone else made the most of their free drinks tokens.  Boats were loaded on the cars and tents etc packed in the boot and following prize giving we left the club at 6pm arriving home around 11:30pm.  This was an extremely success club social trip with the added bonus of a great race.  It was also extremely cheap and an event it would be great to see many more of you attend next year.  We extend our gratitude to Kastelse Kayak Klub for the great hospitality and for looking after us so well.

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Results:
 
Senior Men’s K1
Matt Parkes – 5th  - 1:34:48
Joe Surrage – 9th – 1:41:42
Joe Fitzpatrick – 13th – 1:56:46
 
Senior Ladies K1
Heidi White – 2nd – 1:56:45
 
Veterans K1
Danny Beazley – 1st – 1:34:51
 
Super Veterans K1
Dave Hallam – 2nd – 1:45:22
Chris Sze – 5th – 2:03:25