History of the
club
In 1953 it was suggested that three Sea Scouts
might like to form a Canoe Club. With three other recruits the six founder
members inherited some old Sea Cadet premises and 50 years on Worcester
Canoe Club is celebrating 50 years of Canoeing.
In those 50 years the clubs members have, among
other things, paddled the Grand Canyon, competed in Olympic Games, World
and European Championships, taken canoeing holidays all over Europe and the
UK, won the National Interclub Marathon Championships 6 times, organized
innumerable Marathon Races and Slaloms and hosted National Championship events,
broken the world tub paddling record ………
With over 100 members for at least the past 30
years the club has introduced many many people to
the sport of canoeing be it for recreation or serious high level sport. All
of this has been achieved entirely based the voluntary services of its
members. It has been estimated that current members probably paddle more
than 35,000 miles per year, and that over the past 50 years well over a
1000 people have between them paddled well over a million miles! Currently
around 135 juniors and adults are actively
involved each year with many more visitors enjoying the clubs facilities at
events throughout the year.
The Club’s first premises comprised half of the
Cities old swimming baths located in a cordoned of
section of the river and associated changing rooms, previously occupied by
the Sea Cadets with the Sea Scouts occupying the other half.. The founder
members refurbished the buildings in the early 60’s turning them into boat storage, workshop and club house rebuilt the landing
stage and built their own boats. Most boats were made of wood and canvas,
some folded up for transport and storage and the earliest sprint boast were
made of wooden veneer.
The clubs first major trip took place in 1956 when
about 30 members spent a week camping and cruising down the Wye from Hay to
Monmouth and since then club trips have taken members all over England,
Wales, Scotland and to many rivers in
Europe.
By the late 50’s club members were taking part in
long distance racing, surfing, slalom, sprint racing and camping tours and
by the early 60’s the club was establishing itself as one of the countries leading organizers of racing and slalom
events hosting national championship long distance events and slaloms at Builth Wells, Llandysul, Bransford and Bevere.
The 1960’s saw the clubs first competitors
representing their Alan Edwards and Glen Palmer representing the country at
many events including the Tokyo and Mexico Olympics
In February 1965 with a growing membership and
need for more space the members were looking for new premises. With the
assistance of a kindly benefactor members were lucky enough to acquire the
old Kings School Boat House on the Hylton Road.
Again the building needed work and was rebuilt with the enthusiasm of its
members to provide one of the best club houses in the country at the time.
From these new premises the Club hosted many
National Championship Marathon events and numbered among their members
international paddlers. By the mid 70’s the existing River Sports complex
on the Eastern bank of the river was being planned and the club spent many
hours raising funds and subsequently building its existing premises. The
existing Club House finally opened in November 1985. The financial
assistance of the City Sports Council prior
to the advent of lottery funding was crucial in securing the finances
needed for what was once again the leading canoeing facility in the
country.
The club still values amongst its members some
individuals with very long associations with the club. Chris Skellern one of the first members to represent the club
and country in slalom and white water racing is an active member winning
the over 50’s White Water Race World Cup Event at Bala
in 2002. Mick and Robin Powell who joined the club in its very early days
are regularly cruising on the river or helping maintain the club house.
Brian Cubberley founder member and treasurer for
many many years sadly died recently whilst still
a member of the club.
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