Did read this elsewhere and whilst I don't know the history of this site it sounds like a good example of the revival I was advocating. If you can do it there, can we instigate interest elsewhere. Everybody seems positively nostalgic so I'm wondering if other venues could be taken on for revival; not necessarily by one person but as a collective project by willing individuals?????????????
Lastly I would like to know if I have interrupted the name of your venue correctly?
I recall on a drunken night out as a teenager rounding up a number of the local water fowl by deceit, lure and guile. Once safely bagged we gained illegal entry to the local windmill, fired up the sails and proceeded with the ghastly experiment.
Can you make bread out of ducks?
Well the answer is clearly yes, although it does taste fowl......sorry!
However, I sold some to a lady from Scotland and, not to reinforce a stereotype, she came back the next day and said "Can I buy some more hen?" So she obviously liked it.
I did find the beaks kept getting stuck inside the quern stones though, so I devised a process of liquidising them into a nutritious beverage. I was going to invent a vessel for containing the liquid but found that someone had already beaten me to it. Who hasn't heard of the humble beaker?
Mallard are particularly bad when mixed with animal fat as the French have identified in nod to Franglais.
Anyway, I never did stumble on an ingredient to make the recipe more palatable so if anyone has an old family recipe that reveals the secret let me know. Failing that, milling ducks is not worth the effort
Elements of this may have been imagined but, as a matter of interest, collect enough ants and they can be included in a popular French pastry recipe but it annoys them.
Southern Slalom - history of
"Foreign" - hmm. Having competed in Scotland, Wales and England ... it's all water.davebrads wrote:Now this topic has extended to foreign races, perhaps it is time to mention some North of England races that have disappeared:
Middleton-In-Teesdale (not long gone, and another comeback being mooted)
Did Middleton-in-Teesdale a couple of times - once when it got washed out and no-one could do the bottom half of the course. Long walk back but good campsite close to the river.
Tyne Valley - good memories of promotion under the scary bridge!
It's good to see some sites like Howsham Weir and Abbey Rapids re-appearing but what is really revealing is the sheer number of sites that have been lost over the years across the country as a whole.
Darley Abbey (Derby) (promoted from novice to div 4 there!), Winchester, River Dart, Peterborough (my only ever DSQ there due to an inopportune comment by a team member whilst in earshot of the judge after hitting a gate), Stratford, somewhere else in the Midlands (although not sure if they ever got a ranking event, Ian Potter was one of the organisers, I remember doing a run on Saturday night in the dark, in an open canadian...), Tryweryn campsite div 3 and those already mentioned like Red Locks, Abingdon, Ironbridge (camping on the sloping site by the power station!), Symonds Yat, Serpent's Tail div 2, I am sure there must be plenty more!
In fairness there are some events still going too that were a lot of fun (and I am sure still are) - Llandysul (drive for miles across Wales for a freezing cold and very wet weekend, but what a great course), Grandtully, Cardington and the ever present season opener and closer, Yalding (I think that was my div 4 to 3 promotion!), Mile End Mill. Now the kids have "dragged" me back in to it, I'm quite looking forward to seeing some of the old haunts after nearly 20 years! Now, where's my Reflex...
Some great events, and some fantastic turnouts too! We were really pleased with 100+ at Alva last weekend, I should think the organisers in the early 90's would have had a fit at a number that low! Still, we do seem to be seeing an increase in interest up here at the moment, how's it going down south?
In fairness there are some events still going too that were a lot of fun (and I am sure still are) - Llandysul (drive for miles across Wales for a freezing cold and very wet weekend, but what a great course), Grandtully, Cardington and the ever present season opener and closer, Yalding (I think that was my div 4 to 3 promotion!), Mile End Mill. Now the kids have "dragged" me back in to it, I'm quite looking forward to seeing some of the old haunts after nearly 20 years! Now, where's my Reflex...
Some great events, and some fantastic turnouts too! We were really pleased with 100+ at Alva last weekend, I should think the organisers in the early 90's would have had a fit at a number that low! Still, we do seem to be seeing an increase in interest up here at the moment, how's it going down south?
I think interest is on the rise, in my opinion.
It would be nice to revive a few of the courses, if possible, that people seem to remember so fondly. That may give the youngsters from the deep south a chance to sompete as regularly without involving a journey that is detrimental to racing......contentious I'm sure but a fact by my observation
It would be nice to revive a few of the courses, if possible, that people seem to remember so fondly. That may give the youngsters from the deep south a chance to sompete as regularly without involving a journey that is detrimental to racing......contentious I'm sure but a fact by my observation
Darley Abbey .. how could I forget that one. Last time I was ever in the same div/team as Rob Wright. There were a couple of spikes in the weir that mean anyone who pushed it too high got two parallel scratches on the left of the boat at 45 degrees by the feet.
Used to meet up with other paddlers round the country and you could always say "you've been to Darley Abbey too" when you saw those specific battlescars on their boat. :p
Used to meet up with other paddlers round the country and you could always say "you've been to Darley Abbey too" when you saw those specific battlescars on their boat. :p
Andy
(D1 K1 1981, D2 C1&C2 2010)
(D1 K1 1981, D2 C1&C2 2010)
Spikes - eek - I capsized in the upstream gate in the shoot on river right (or left, paddling up into the weir) and rolled, but after I'd already got my 50 
Still, aced it next run and got promoted! Think I only went there once, we'd arranged it as a club trip, so had about 8 paddlers from Forest CC in Horsham attending, including Nick Woolven & Richard Durrant in their C2 with end cockpits - now that was entertaining! I remember everyone putting their beer in the river down the latter half of the course to keep it cool as it was a stinking hot weekend!
Still, aced it next run and got promoted! Think I only went there once, we'd arranged it as a club trip, so had about 8 paddlers from Forest CC in Horsham attending, including Nick Woolven & Richard Durrant in their C2 with end cockpits - now that was entertaining! I remember everyone putting their beer in the river down the latter half of the course to keep it cool as it was a stinking hot weekend!Ok I just reread the thread and it seems you all remember certain venues fondly. I note that a few like Duck Mill may reappear and that some are being mooted. It's interesting that it spread out to cover nationwide sites too.
A few have put forward inof on who ran specific events and suggested names of organisers etc.
Someone mentioned how many sites have been lost and it is shocking. For my own benefit I put together a list, along with some relevant comments from the thread, to see it in context - here it is
Abingdon – Slalom paddlers dwindled
Canford Weir, Winchester
Hambledon - Div 1 & 2 – Slalom paddlers dwindled – Weir modified and became dangerous then (possibly) re-modified to make safe. But race not resurrected due to lack of organisers.” I did Hambledon when it was a Div2, so definitely not Prem only. I recall they didn't open all the gates for the lower divisions.” Difficult course to erect? Chalfont Park based there – how good would it be? Is anyone out there still active?
Sharnbrook
Abingdon, Kingfisher CC.
Appletreewick
Awe Div 2/3 (river Awe).
Bath
Bevere Weir (3)
Boulters – problematic
Builth (2).
Cairnton Div 2/3 (river Dee)
Chester – Div 3/4
Comrie Div 4/Novice (river Earn)
Cookham Weir - good venue . Access for camping was via common ground so organisers cars only and trailer user for the rest. It may have changed.
Darley Abbey (Derby)
Denham
Devon Head Weir, Exeter CC, - Holne Park, Bristol CC
Dinnet 3/4 (R Dee) - originally alternated year/year with Potarch
Dobbs Weir
Easby Abbey -
Elan Valley (3)
French Weir, Taunton CC Somerset
Glasshouses
Guildford
Halton Rapids
Invercannie (R Dee)
Ironbridge (a bit Southern)
Leny Div /4 Novice (river Leny)
Linton (rumours of a comeback?)
Ludlow (3)
Mapledurham
Marlow - ?
Marsh - ?
Middleton-In-Teesdale (not long gone, and another comeback being mooted)
Myrtle Park (plus another site in Bingley? which I think was just called Bingley)
Netherton Bridge Div 2/3 (I think, both sites) (River Blackwater)
Old Windsor – Div 1 & 2 – Problems with farmer – slalom group dispersed – Re-approach may be worthwhile
Peterborough
Pont Ar Ithon (N)
Pontrilas (N)
Potarch Div 3/4 (river Dee)
Poultney Weir, Bath Uni CC.
Reading
Redlocks, Newbury CC
Richmond
Rickmansworth
River Dart
Sands Rapids, Carlisle.
Serpent's Tail div 2
Stangerthwaite
Symonds Yat
Taunton
Teith Div 4/Novice (river Teith)
Teviot Bridge Div 4 /Novice (river Tweed?)
Thistlebrig (R Tay)
Tryweryn campsite div 3
Tweedbank 4/N (Tweed)
Whorlton - ?
Winchester x 2 (Durngate) Winchester CC,
Worcestershire - Martley, Kinver CC,
Duck Mill Weir - Well, as previously reported elsewhere on this Forum, this venue is very likely to reappear on the calendar once we have permanent gates and lighting sorted out
With the EA threatening to allow controlled water relesases, that guarantee the sluices being open, it will make a great training and comp venue for at least Div 2 if not Div 1
I make that around 60 sites if I'm correct, that's rather sad.
Following on from PP's potential success with Duck Mill, the original question was whether any of the sites could be revived - north or south (although preferably some in the south) it don't matter to me.
So here again are the questions
How viable are they?
Does anyone have any relevant info or contacts? - not already mentioned
Particularly pleased to see the post by the person, can't remember who sorry, who managed to use the word pervert in the thread.
A few have put forward inof on who ran specific events and suggested names of organisers etc.
Someone mentioned how many sites have been lost and it is shocking. For my own benefit I put together a list, along with some relevant comments from the thread, to see it in context - here it is
Abingdon – Slalom paddlers dwindled
Canford Weir, Winchester
Hambledon - Div 1 & 2 – Slalom paddlers dwindled – Weir modified and became dangerous then (possibly) re-modified to make safe. But race not resurrected due to lack of organisers.” I did Hambledon when it was a Div2, so definitely not Prem only. I recall they didn't open all the gates for the lower divisions.” Difficult course to erect? Chalfont Park based there – how good would it be? Is anyone out there still active?
Sharnbrook
Abingdon, Kingfisher CC.
Appletreewick
Awe Div 2/3 (river Awe).
Bath
Bevere Weir (3)
Boulters – problematic
Builth (2).
Cairnton Div 2/3 (river Dee)
Chester – Div 3/4
Comrie Div 4/Novice (river Earn)
Cookham Weir - good venue . Access for camping was via common ground so organisers cars only and trailer user for the rest. It may have changed.
Darley Abbey (Derby)
Denham
Devon Head Weir, Exeter CC, - Holne Park, Bristol CC
Dinnet 3/4 (R Dee) - originally alternated year/year with Potarch
Dobbs Weir
Easby Abbey -
Elan Valley (3)
French Weir, Taunton CC Somerset
Glasshouses
Guildford
Halton Rapids
Invercannie (R Dee)
Ironbridge (a bit Southern)
Leny Div /4 Novice (river Leny)
Linton (rumours of a comeback?)
Ludlow (3)
Mapledurham
Marlow - ?
Marsh - ?
Middleton-In-Teesdale (not long gone, and another comeback being mooted)
Myrtle Park (plus another site in Bingley? which I think was just called Bingley)
Netherton Bridge Div 2/3 (I think, both sites) (River Blackwater)
Old Windsor – Div 1 & 2 – Problems with farmer – slalom group dispersed – Re-approach may be worthwhile
Peterborough
Pont Ar Ithon (N)
Pontrilas (N)
Potarch Div 3/4 (river Dee)
Poultney Weir, Bath Uni CC.
Reading
Redlocks, Newbury CC
Richmond
Rickmansworth
River Dart
Sands Rapids, Carlisle.
Serpent's Tail div 2
Stangerthwaite
Symonds Yat
Taunton
Teith Div 4/Novice (river Teith)
Teviot Bridge Div 4 /Novice (river Tweed?)
Thistlebrig (R Tay)
Tryweryn campsite div 3
Tweedbank 4/N (Tweed)
Whorlton - ?
Winchester x 2 (Durngate) Winchester CC,
Worcestershire - Martley, Kinver CC,
Duck Mill Weir - Well, as previously reported elsewhere on this Forum, this venue is very likely to reappear on the calendar once we have permanent gates and lighting sorted out
With the EA threatening to allow controlled water relesases, that guarantee the sluices being open, it will make a great training and comp venue for at least Div 2 if not Div 1I make that around 60 sites if I'm correct, that's rather sad.
Following on from PP's potential success with Duck Mill, the original question was whether any of the sites could be revived - north or south (although preferably some in the south) it don't matter to me.
So here again are the questions
How viable are they?
Does anyone have any relevant info or contacts? - not already mentioned
Particularly pleased to see the post by the person, can't remember who sorry, who managed to use the word pervert in the thread.
-
Canadian Paddler
- Posts: 1480
- Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 8:31 am
- Location: Peterborough
- Contact:
PETERBOROUGH!!! The event is up and running still - just that it is called Orton Mere. Two ranking slaloms and two winter slaloms if you feel like coming down and reliving the glory days we would love to see you.
Could add Trevor rocks (Llangollen under the viaduct) if you want, but that was in the days of folding kayaks
Dredging the memory - so could be wrong:
Sharnbrook/Dobbs weir were both St Albans and District and needed A frames, there are less slalom paddlers there now.
Bath (Pultney Weir) was a Bushy Hedges inspired event, and (at least at the start) was a Bath/Windsor event, neither of which are strong slalom paddlers any more. I am not aware of any other Bath slalom.
Ironbridge - the number of slalom paddlers was declining, then there were large floods that washed away portions of teh right bank, making it very difficult to rig courses (all right even more difficult).
Serpents Tail - coming back this year!! Was always run by Manchester, the div 2 died due to lack of numbers when run against Town Falls.
Symonds Yat, access problesm and the club moving away from slalom, I seem to recall the last time i went there they were running the event for the paddlers, with not one of the local club competing. Again rumours of a come back, but. .
Could add Trevor rocks (Llangollen under the viaduct) if you want, but that was in the days of folding kayaks
Dredging the memory - so could be wrong:
Sharnbrook/Dobbs weir were both St Albans and District and needed A frames, there are less slalom paddlers there now.
Bath (Pultney Weir) was a Bushy Hedges inspired event, and (at least at the start) was a Bath/Windsor event, neither of which are strong slalom paddlers any more. I am not aware of any other Bath slalom.
Ironbridge - the number of slalom paddlers was declining, then there were large floods that washed away portions of teh right bank, making it very difficult to rig courses (all right even more difficult).
Serpents Tail - coming back this year!! Was always run by Manchester, the div 2 died due to lack of numbers when run against Town Falls.
Symonds Yat, access problesm and the club moving away from slalom, I seem to recall the last time i went there they were running the event for the paddlers, with not one of the local club competing. Again rumours of a come back, but. .
All spelling errors are intentional and are there to show new and improved ways of spelling old words. Grammatical errors are due to too many English classes/teachers.
Old. Fat. Slow. Bad tempered. And those are my good points
Old. Fat. Slow. Bad tempered. And those are my good points
rickmansworth was on batchworth wear i recall, and this is no longer!
St Albans have created a new venue that I don't remember races being held at, that being Harefield otherwise known as the fisheries. Always a training venue, but not sure if it was a slalom event until recently. That has attracted lots of new people to the sport.
My only concern with more events is that they spread out the people who are already in th esport further. Ideally they will attract more people in, but we do need to be careful that we don't end up with more events than paddlers! Don't want to sound too negative, since I've got a few old races on the calendar again! And hopefully Middleton will be a goer again...
It's looking good!
Nicky
St Albans have created a new venue that I don't remember races being held at, that being Harefield otherwise known as the fisheries. Always a training venue, but not sure if it was a slalom event until recently. That has attracted lots of new people to the sport.
My only concern with more events is that they spread out the people who are already in th esport further. Ideally they will attract more people in, but we do need to be careful that we don't end up with more events than paddlers! Don't want to sound too negative, since I've got a few old races on the calendar again! And hopefully Middleton will be a goer again...
It's looking good!
Nicky
But nevertheless (and jessieless), things north of the border are somewhat restrained too. There are basically two major sites left - Fairnilee (2/3/4) and Grandtully (P/1/2) - with Seaton Park and Alva as 3/4 sites (though it's at least encouraging to see Aberfeldy 3/4 appearing.) Numbers at Alva t'other weekend were excellent, agreed; but it's the lack of available progression that's worrying. The jump from Fairnilee to Tully (or similar) is challenging and the prospect of a 150-200 mile drive to find the intermediate step up can easily put potential prospects and their support team off. Economically I guess it's the argument of availability vs sustainability - a greater number/range of more localised events as against fewer, more concentrated, more cost-efficient events - which is more attractive? The picture would seem to be trending towards the latter; better perhaps for organising clubs but less flexible for the individual who has to decide when/where he/she can participate (though cost-effectiveness can be an important factor in deciding whether or not to attend an event.) Equally, there are now a wider range of competing attractions/pursuits which perhaps make the commitment to slalom less easy for the individual, and thus event organisation a greater risk for clubs.
I'm not saying any of this is new; I think it's been par for the course for a while. It's frustrating to see just how many sites have disappeared, and while I realise some have had reasons already attached, it would be interesting to see just why some others have fallen.
I'm not saying any of this is new; I think it's been par for the course for a while. It's frustrating to see just how many sites have disappeared, and while I realise some have had reasons already attached, it would be interesting to see just why some others have fallen.
I can do you a good deal at Cardington if it helps