Devizes To Westminster A Paddler's Perspective

Kimbolton School Canoe Club

A brief account.

(Briefly). This site was originally set up as a homepage for the 1998 DW attempt by Peter Dove and David Anderson. Peter and David did Devizes To Westminster 1998 as part of the X-Class Team for Kimbolton School Canoe Club.

Kimbolton School Canoe Club is a relatively young club (about 8 years). It entered Devizes To Westminster for the first time in 1991 (with one crew). Since 1995, it has achieved the following:

• 1995
  BCU National Marathon Championships - 1st year of entry
  Devizes To Westminster - Junior Team 1st
  Devizes To Westminster - CCF Team 1st & Record
  Devizes To Westminster - Schools 1st
  
  
• 1996
  BCU National Marathon Championships - 3rd;
  Devizes To Westminster - Junior Team 3rd
  Devizes To Westminster - CCF Team 1st
  Devizes To Westminster - Schools 2nd
  Waterside Series - Team Champions
  Sella Descent, Spain
  
  
• 1997
  BCU National Marathon Championships - Champions
  Devizes To Westminster - Junior Team 2nd
  Devizes To Westminster - CCF Team 1st
  Devizes To Westminster - Schools 2nd
  Devizes To Westminster - U17 Trophy (Robert Paton & Alex Middleditch)
  Devizes To Westminster - Girls' Team Trophy 1st & Record (since broken)
  Waterside Series - Team Champions
  
  
• 1998
  Schools' Nationals - Individual Champions (Robert Paton & Alex Middleditch) (Team 2nd)
  Devizes to Westminster - First Senior Singles Entry
  Devizes to Westminster - First Senior Doubles Entry
  Devizes to Westminster - First Junior Canadian Entry
  Devizes to Westminster - First X-Class Team Entry, 1st Place and Record
  Devizes to Westminster - Team/School 4th, CCF Team 1st
  

Thus the team has built up a strong reputation nationally in marathon canoeing at junior level.  Being essentially a school canoe club however, it has only ever entered one crew in the senior event, David and Jane Ward in 1993 (24 hours, 24 minutes).  It is to David (and right hand man "Dusty" Rhodes) that so much credit must go for building up such a team out of nothing in so little time, as well as to paddlers and their parents and supporters.

Before 1998, no Kimbolton crew had ever competed in the senior singles race, but this was all changed by Shaun Rhodes (son of Dusty). It is the combination of an entry in each of the senior singles, junior doubles and senior doubles classes that makes a cross class team, allowing the team to expand and cast its eye on yet more silverware to add to the collection of Devizes To Westminster Junior, CCF, Schools, Girls and U17 champions, Waterside Series Champions. A healthy contingent of former pupils and paddlers regularly canoe with the present team, and it was this contingent that helped the club to become National Marathon Champions in 1997.

The future???

• 1998 - 99
  
  First Junior/Veteran entry into Devizes to Westminster?
  Outdoor Pursuits trip to Canada
  Kimbolton have won the right to host the 1999 National Marathon Championships.

Celebrations, Easter Monday 1997 L to R: James Dormer (obscured), Robert Paton, Robert Jones, Laura Wood, Suzanne Beadles, David Anderson, Georgina Lilley (obscured), Rebecca Notley, Adam Brown, Alex Middleditch


Relevant Links:  

• Kimbolton School - Devizes To Westminster
• Kimbolton School - Official Internet Site (kim.web)
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