The 72nd Bedford Hasler served up a scorcher, hot, bright and still, and Norwich Canoe Club responded with one of the closest team results you could wish to see. The shorter divisions, 7 to 9, got away first in the relative cool of the morning, while Divisions 1 to 6 went off in the full midday heat, the longer courses earning the toughest of the conditions. When the points were totted up the club finished second overall on 590, just one point adrift of Bishops Stortford on 591, with Leighton Buzzard and Chelmsford close behind. One place by one paddler across the whole twelve counting results. It does not get tighter than that, and it took a genuine team effort from top to bottom to get there.
The doubles crews led the way. Joshua Forster and Robert Baksalary opened the account with a Division 4 K2 win in 1:09:35, and the medium course produced a Norwich one-two in Division 5, Louise Linnell and Gavin Rix taking the division in 1:13:49 with Andrew Ross and Charlie Peck right behind in 1:15:16. On the short course Sam and Leah Fowler made it a family win in the Division 7 K2, first home in 0:39:59, and earning a back to back promotion to Division 6! Four Norwich crews, four strong results, and the backbone of the day’s points.
In the singles, Alex Palmer took the Division 7 K1 win in 0:42:48, coming through to the front after the early leader went the long way round, with Joseph Borucki third in the same race. Both men did enough to earn promotion to Division 6. Alex’s win carried a little extra weight: only last year he was recovering from a stroke, so to be back at the front of a Hasler race, crossing the line first and earning a move up, is a quietly remarkable comeback. Thomas Collinson took third in a competitive Division 5, and Gemma Bugden was third in Division 9, a better run than the bare result suggests given that both paddlers ahead of her earned multiple promotions on the day, one of them jumping all the way from Division 9 to Division 5. Pepi Cuenca, Casper Fowler and Leo Bugden all added their results to the pile, every finish mattering in a contest this fine.
The standout story, though, belonged to two of the club’s youngsters. Fresh from promotion to Division 6 the week before, Darcy Fowler and George Bugden lined up for their first race at the new level, and it was a proper baptism: the medium course, complete with portages and double the distance of the Division 7 short course. They took it in their stride, and in the midday heat at that. George came home third, with Darcy right behind him in fourth. To earn promotion, then go straight out and handle the longer course and portages with a podium between them, is exactly the kind of step that turns promising juniors into proper racers.
The next generation were busy too. Remi Fowler and Avalon Bugden flew the flag in the Geoff Sanders C race, third and fourth, while Jack Collinson took on the full Division 9 course. Norwich families were everywhere you looked, Fowlers, Bugdens and Collinsons across the start lists, which is exactly how a club day should feel.
Losing the overall by a single point will sting a little, and it is worth remembering for next time that any one of those near misses, a place gained here or there, would have turned second into first. But that is racing, and the bigger picture is a club firing on all cylinders: wins across three divisions, depth right through the field, juniors stepping up without fear, and a real spread of ages and abilities all pulling in the same direction.
Hot sun, fast water, four division wins and a podium for the kids racing up. A great day had by all, and a marker laid down for the rest of the season.
Norwich results in brief
- Div 4 K2: Joshua Forster and Robert Baksalary, 1st, 1:09:35
- Div 5 K2: Louise Linnell and Gavin Rix, 1st in division, 1:13:49
- Div 5 K2: Andrew Ross and Charlie Peck, 2nd in division, 1:15:16
- Div 7 K2: Sam and Leah Fowler, 1st, 0:39:59
- Div 7 K1: Alex Palmer, 1st, 0:42:48 (promoted to Div 6)
- Div 7 K1: Joseph Borucki, 3rd, 0:43:29 (promoted to Div 6)
- Div 5 K1: Thomas Collinson, 3rd, 1:21:11
- Div 6 K1: George Bugden, 3rd, 1:25:37 (first race since promotion)
- Div 6 K1: Darcy Fowler, 4th, 1:27:21 (first race since promotion)
- Div 7 K1: Pepi Cuenca, 8th, 0:48:09
- Div 9 K1: Gemma Bugden, 3rd, 0:46:22
- Div 9 K1: Jack Collinson, 0:50:04
- Div 9 K1: Casper Fowler, 0:50:15
- Div 9 K1: Leo Bugden, 1:00:35
- GS C: Remi Fowler, 3rd, 0:22:36
- GS C: Avalon Bugden, 4th, 0:22:41
Team result: Norwich CC 2nd overall, 590 points (Bishops Stortford 591, Leighton Buzzard 586, Chelmsford 582). Results provisional.
