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The Trent Loop
Challenge Takes Off!
Since the launch of our newest challenge,
the Trent Loop, last August we have had
a great variety of paddlers taking it on.
Sue Walters kicked things off almost
immediately by completing the route, on
her own, in five hours. Sue even managed to
stop and go to the shops on her journey!
Sian Sykes became the first person to get around
the loop on a stand up paddleboard in October.
Sian decided to go around the route in reverse
and thoroughly enjoyed her time on the water.
Slea Paddlers are always enthusiastic about
completing our Challenge Routes. This year they
have decided to get as many of their paddlers as
possible to attempt all of our challenge routes
throughout the year. The Trent Loop kicked
off this ambition in style, with sixteen of them
getting around in five hours forty-five minutes.
William Horsley and his son Cadey impressed
us all last year when they completed the Three
Lakes Challenge. This year they have completed
their challenge route haul, along with Cadey’s
friend Jack. At eleven and nine years respectively,
Cadey and Jack are amongst the youngest
people to complete our challenge rotues.
Competition for being top of the Challenge
Leaderboard is really hotting up. Richard and
Glyn Sainsbury are currently training to take on
our Three Lakes Challenge this summer. Over
the Easter break they decided to use the Trent
Loop as a training exercise. Richard has been
modifying their canoe in preparation for the big
event and this gave them a chance to try it out.
The two brothers managed to knock a whopping
one hour off the previous fastest completion
time and, at time of going to press, the time
to beat is three hours eighteen minutes.
The Trent Loop Challenge is not to be
underestimated. It can be done as a leisurely day
out on river and canal but with three portages and
at almost fourteen miles in length (longer than
we originally thought it was) it’s no mean feat!
Over the summer months we are expecting many
more stories and completion times to come in.
If you are planning to take on the Trent Loop, or
if you already have, don’t forget to let us know
and get your name on the leaderboard.
In February this year three canoeists, who know
each other through the Song of the Paddle
website and forum, headed to Nottingham
to conquer the route. They had a great day
and knocked the fastest completion time
down to four hours eighteen minutes.
A few other reports of completion times were sent
to us but it has been in the last few months that
stories have really started to flood in. With the
first large group taking on the loop in March.
Click here
To read our full
paddlers stories
and find out more
about the Trent
Loop Challenge