Over the Easter weekend, six Mount Kelly crews tackled the gruelling 115-mile Devizes to Westminster (DW) Canoe Marathon, competing against school and canoe club paddlers. Despite facing illness, injury, fatigue, and the inevitable emotional rollercoaster of such an endurance event, our paddlers demonstrated remarkable resilience from start to finish.
The top end of the race saw fierce competition, with two Mount Kelly crews holding strong in the top 10 as they approached the final day – the first London finish for the DW Event since 2019.
After three days and over 100 miles of paddling, the race culminated in an exhilarating 11-mile sprint down the Thames to central London. Under the Easter Monday sunshine and to the cheers of the crowd, our crews delivered thrilling sprint finishes.
The final results showcased Mount Kelly’s strength: Keir and Jack secured an impressive 3rd place overall in the Junior Doubles category, clocking in at 19 hours and 48 minutes. Will and Deme also achieved a fantastic result, claiming 9th place. This marks the first time Mount Kelly has had two crews finish in the top 10. Zac and Ed powered through to take 19th place, closely followed by our determined Girls Team crews: Esther and Dilys, Charlotte and Chloe, and Jess and Caitlin. We eagerly await confirmation, but it appears the Girls Team has secured the Junior Girls Team Trophy this year, another historic first for Mount Kelly.
This is a remarkable achievement for these paddlers, many of whom only took to the water in September. Their success underscores the power of committed training and exceptional physical, mental, and emotional resilience. Many of these tough individuals will now channel their endurance into the demanding Ten Tors 55-mile event in the coming weeks.
More photographs can be found on Facebook.
Categories: Adventure Expeditions
