It’s been a fantastic season for Kingston Kayak Club’s canoe slalom squad, with promotions, podium finishes, new competitors and plenty of personal achievements throughout 2026.
From our youngest paddlers taking their first steps into competitive slalom to experienced racers competing across the country, it’s been brilliant to see the enthusiasm, determination and progress of everyone involved.
Olivia Berriman – Promoted to Division 1!
One of the standout achievements of the season belongs to Olivia Berriman, who secured promotion from Division 2 to Division 1 in Women’s K1 following an outstanding run of results.
Olivia enjoyed particular success at Grandtully in Scotland, securing three wins and earning her promotion on 30 August.
She’s also been competing in Women’s C1, finishing 9th in the Division 2 rankings, demonstrating her versatility across both disciplines.
Alongside Caitlin Potter, Olivia has also been competing in C2, with the pair achieving 15th in the national rankings.
A fantastic achievement and thoroughly deserved recognition for all the hard work Olivia has put into her paddling.
Our Developing Junior Slalom Squad
Perhaps one of the most encouraging aspects of 2026 has been the progress of our younger paddlers.
Sebastian Coultas, Rupert Rawding and Isaac Wilson have gained valuable experience competing at events throughout the season, taking on new courses, developing their technical skills and growing in confidence.
Isaac came agonisingly close to taking victory at Oughtibridge, missing out on first place by just 0.1 seconds following two excellent days of racing.
We’ve also welcomed new competitors, including Callum Neal, who tackled his first slalom event and his first experience of white-water racing at Oughtibridge. His determination and enthusiasm were brilliant to see.
With Sam Clark also joining our Division 4 ranks, it’s encouraging to see more young paddlers making the transition from regular club training into competition.
It’s not always about winning medals. Learning to read moving water, negotiate gates, deal with competition nerves and improve from one run to the next are all important parts of becoming a better paddler.
We’re particularly pleased to see our younger members developing the confidence and independence to attend events and take responsibility for their equipment.
Success for Our Experienced Paddlers
Our more experienced paddlers have also been flying the Kingston flag at events throughout the year.
Duncan Berriman and Andy Davies have both enjoyed successful seasons, collecting wins and valuable ranking points.
Andy secured victories in the Veterans category at Oughtibridge and Stone, demonstrating that competitive slalom certainly isn’t just for the youngsters!
Our experienced paddlers continue to provide support, encouragement and advice to the junior squad, helping create a positive environment in which everyone can improve.
Kingston Paddlers at the Highest Level
We’re also proud to recognise Chloe Holmes, who competes with Kingston as her secondary club.
Chloe finished the season ranked 22nd in Premier Division Women’s K1 and 9th in Premier Division Women’s C1.
It’s fantastic to have paddlers associated with Kingston competing at this level and providing inspiration for our developing squad.
More Than Just Results
While promotions, wins and rankings are wonderful achievements, what really matters is seeing paddlers enjoying the sport and making progress.
Throughout the season, our competitors have supported one another, celebrated successes, learnt from difficult runs and represented Kingston Kayak Club brilliantly.
From local entry-level competitions to some of the country’s more challenging courses, every event has offered opportunities to learn and develop.
A huge thank you must also go to the clubs, organisers and volunteers who make these competitions possible. Without their hard work, we simply wouldn’t have the opportunities to race.
Thank You to Our Coaches and Supporters
A special thank you to Andy Davies, Dave Rawding and Duncan Berriman for their coaching, encouragement and support throughout the season.
We also want to thank the parents and families who transport paddlers and boats around the country, often giving up entire weekends to support our young competitors.
Competitive canoe slalom is very much a team effort, both on and off the water.
Fancy Giving Canoe Slalom a Go?
You don’t need to be an experienced white-water paddler to get involved!
Kingston Kayak Club runs regular canoe slalom training sessions every Tuesday at 6:30pm on the Lido at Albert Avenue Pools.
These sessions focus on developing slalom gate technique, boat control, fitness and confidence.
They’re open to club members who are comfortable wearing a spraydeck and have started learning the bow rudder/bow draw stroke.
The Club has a fleet of performance slalom kayaks available for training and competition, so you don’t need your own specialist boat to get started.
If you’re interested in joining our slalom squad, speak to Andy Davies or Dave Rawding at the Club.
You can also join our Canoe Slalom WhatsApp group for training updates and competition information.
Here’s to another fantastic season in 2027!
Well done to everyone who represented Kingston Kayak Club in 2026!