Canoe: Sprint Championships 2025-26

Saturday 21 – Sunday 22 March 2026

Whitlingham Country Park Large Broad, Whitlingham Lane, Norwich, NR14 8TR

All accepted entries will be outlines here once agreed.

Check in is at Whitlingham Boathouses (the location of Norwich Canoe Club)

This can be found 100 meters away from the Regatta Lake between the small broad and the river. Please see the map.

Check in times:

Friday 20th 18.00 - 20.00 (Main room upstairs at Whitlingham Boathouse)

Saturday 21st 8am - 10.30 am (Gym - Upstairs at Whitlingham Boathouse)

The Racing Schedule will be published a week before the event.

The Sprint Racing Rules in the 2026 Racing Handbook will apply to BUCS Championship races. Failure to observe sprint racing rules may result in a time penalty or disqualification.

Safety Briefing
The safety briefing will be on display at check in via video presentation. All team leaders must watch the presentation through and communicate the contents to their team. A link to the safety briefing will also be posted to LinkTree. It is vital all competitors are aware of the contents of the briefing.

There is a safety boat on the Big Lake during racing (but not on the river.) (If you warm up on the river - you do so at your own risk).

Warm Up Paddling

The lake is open at the following times for warm up:

Friday: the Regatta Lake is closed

Saturday 9.00am - 17.30

Sunday 9.00am - 13.30

Return Lane and Warm up Area Once Racing Has Begun

The return lane is on the near side. Please use this to access the start of the 200m and 500m. You can warm up in the top half of the lake beyond where racing is taking place at any time. The safety launch may not see you if you go to the very top of the Broad so we recommend you stay within 500m of the start.

Accessing the Lake

There are two points to launch - one with a hard bank where you can keep your feet dry opposite the finishing line and one from a beach area near the 200m start.

Boat Weighing

K1’s must weigh 12 kilos or more, K2s 18 kilos or more and C1s must weigh 14 kilos or more  for all Championship races including the 5K. There will be boat weighting scales on the main deck which you can use from 9.00am Saturday and 9.00am Sunday. Boats will be called to the boat weighing randomly after each race. If your K1 or K2 is found to be less than the prescribed weights you will be disqualified. To access the boat weighing tent and scales please do not cross the racing course and be watchful for racing finishing.

Lane Numbers

Please bring racing lane numbers for your boat if you have them. It will make it easier for officials. Lane numbers will also be available by the entry point at the top of the lake. Please return them after use.

Lanes

The lanes are numbered 1 to 5 starting from the car park side. Lane 5 has  buoys on one side only. There are no buckets so please listen carefully to the race starter. There will be three commands eg “Ready Set Go” Please wait for the Go. They will call you back in the event of a false start. You may receive a time penalty.

Buoyancy Aids

All paddlers ranked in Men’s D or Women’s D must wear a buoyancy aid.

The safety committee will make a decision on any buoyancy aid requirements for all other paddlers in the event of bad weather.

Any paddler who is required to wear a buoyancy aid but who is found on the water not wearing a BA will be immediately disqualified.

Bibs

Please wear the bib number you are given at check in when racing. These should be returned at the end of racing on Sunday to Race Control at Whitlingham Adventure centre. Bibs that are not returned will be subject to a £20 fine to the wearers University. 

University Colours

Please wear university colours under your bib.

Scratching / retiring

Please contact Race Control which is located at Whitlingham Adventure to inform them if you are unable to race.

Progressions

The timetable, lane numbers and progressions will be available on the LinkTree.

Race Protests

Any protests concerning racing must be made in writing within 30 minutes of the race finishing to Tim Scott (+44 7944 209 522).

Boat Park

There is a field set aside if you wish to leave your boat overnight. You are welcome to use it. While we have never had an issue with security and even though there is a locked gate on the field we cannot guarantee the safety of your boat or take any responsibility for it overnight.

First Aid

There is a First Aider on standby on the deck of Whitlingham Adventure during racing. There is a defibrillator at Whitlingham Adventure as well as at Whitlingham Boathouses.

Boat Loan

If you wish to loan a boat for the event (eg K2) please get in touch with Tim Scott in advance (+44 7944 209 522). There is a charge of £5 a boat for each boat hire for weekend use. K1s will be borrowed from Club members so we may not be able to exactly match the make / model / size of boat you normally paddle but we’ll do our best!

Withdrawals before the IA Approval Deadline (23:59 on Thursday 26 February 2026) will not be charged.

Withdrawals after the IA Approval Deadline (23:59 on Thursday 26 February 2026 and before 23:59 on Friday 13 March 2026) will still be charged the entry fee. 

Competitors who withdraw after 23:59 on Friday 13 March OR do not attend the competition will be classed as a late withdrawal/no show and therefore will be charged the entry fee. They will also be fined £50 which will be charged after the event, to the competitor’s athletic union.

Withdrawal of a competitor does not guarantee a replacement into the competition. Reserves will only be charged an entry fee if they are accepted into the competition.

Withdrawals must be made in writing by the institution administrator to Tanyel Mustafa, BUCS Event Coordinator.

Please see REG 7.9 for our withdrawal policy.

Please park in Lime Tree Car Park which will be signposted. (Also see attached map) It is the closest car park to the Regatta Course on the Large Lake at Whitlingham. It is Pay and Display. Parking charges are as:

Monday to Sunday

£2.00 1 Hour

£3.10 2 Hours

£4.50 3 hours 

£6.00 All Day (Expires 23:00)

Park & Pay with PayByPhone Location 808111

*No EV Chargers at the venue, some within 2 miles of the venue*

Travel to Norwich Station. Whitlingham Country Park is approximately a 45-minute walk (less than 2 miles) from the station. By Bicycle The park is only a 15-minute cycle ride from Norwich City Centre. Bike racks are provided at the following locations:

• Flint Barn Car Park
• Lime Avenue Car Park
• Outside Whitlingham Adventure centre
• Picnic Site Car Park

Additionally, Beryl bikes and electric scooters are available for hire from the Flint Barn car park. Charges apply, and availability is not guaranteed. For more information, please see here.

Use the First Bus ‘Charcoal Line’ services (Numbers 40A, 41, and X41), which run hourly between Norwich city centre and Halesworth (please check the current timetable). Alight in Trowse village. The park entrance is a 20-minute walk down Whitlingham Lane, opposite St Andrew’s Church, Trowse.

• Bus Timetable

By Taxi

Several local taxi services are available:

Accessible Taxi Services:

There are toilets and showers at Whitlingham Adventure and at Whitlingham Boathouses (Where Norwich Canoe Club is located).

Camping is available next to the regatta lake at Whitlingham Broad Campsite in Whitlingham Country Park. They also hire camping pods. The website can be found here.

Betty’s Bar (Upstairs at Whitlingham Boathouses - home of Norwich Canoe Club) has a large kitchen which serves great food and is open longer hours especially for the BUCS event.

• Cooked All Day Breakfasts
• Snacks
• Hot and Cold Drinks
• Cakes

Opening times are:

Saturday 21 March 9.30 to 14.30

Sunday 22 March 9.30 to 14.00

Medal presentation ceremonies will take place on the main deck at the Whitlingham Adventure Centre (at the top end of the lake). See the race schedule for the times of the ceremonies. Photos will be taken by the event photographer on the day and published on the Racing Canoe Clubs Facebook page.

For available BUCS Points, please see Appendix 1.

Anyone wishing to take photos or video at this event must complete the BUCS Nationals Media Accreditation Form prior to the event.

BUCS reserves the right to prohibit photography equipment being used at a BUCS event. BUCS reserves the right to request that the individual ceases to take photographs, deletes any images and, if considered necessary, leaves the venue.

If you wish to take photos or videos at this event, please contact the BUCS Event Lead. 

Players and/or coaches are not permitted to livestream their matches on their phones. Please note that the use of tripods should be avoided where possible, particularly around the courts.

BUCS’ mission is to provide exceptional student sporting experiences that inspire, develop and unite.

Critical to our success is our commitment to always providing safe, friendly and enjoyable environments for all participants. Whether competing, coaching, officiating, volunteering, working or spectating at these events, the welfare of all is critical to our mission.

To find out more or report a concern, please click here.

The sustainability of our event matters to us and these are the positive steps we are taking to manage our environmental impact:

• All staff and volunteers are encouraged to travel to the event via public transport
• We have used local suppliers where possible
• Event programmes are all online, minimising paper use
• We will print on demand merchandise (if applicable)
• We are beginning to track our carbon footprint across BUCS events to identify areas of improvement.

How can you help at this event? Here’s some ideas:

• Be self-sufficient by bringing your own refillable bottles and coffee cups to reduce waste
• Ensure you are disposing of waste correctly – Check around the venue for specific recycling and food waste bins
• Travel smarter – as a team on a minibus, cycle or use public transport
• Go paperless - use your phone for all event information

We intend to complete the following objectives:
Waste Management: Achieve zero waste to landfill through comprehensive programs for recycling, composting, and material donation across all event operations (spectator areas and office).

Local and Ethical Sourcing: Ensure all food and merchandise is sourced locally and ethically, favouring suppliers with demonstrable sustainability credentials and eliminating single-use plastics from the venue.

How you can help:

• Use Designated Bins: Carefully sort and place all waste into the clearly marked bins for recycling, composting, or general waste to ensure the comprehensive programs are effective.
• Minimise Your Packaging: Opt for reusable containers for personal food and snacks, reducing the amount of single-use packaging you bring to the venue.
• Responsible Gear Disposal: If you have any equipment or materials that can be donated or have reached the end of their life, ensure you are aware of any designated material donation points the event may provide, instead of discarding them.

• Support Event Vendors: Prioritise purchasing food and drink from Betty's Bar and other on-site vendors, which are part of the event's local and ethical sourcing commitment.
• Bring Reusable Items:
  • Bringing their own reusable water bottle for refilling (though dedicated stations are not confirmed).
  • Bringing their own reusable coffee cup to use at any food/drink vendor, helping to eliminate single-use plastics.
• Refuse Single-Use Plastics: Politely decline any single-use plastic items offered by non-official vendors, or request alternatives.
• Travel: Where possible use public transportations, walk or cycle, if you must drive can you car share.

All questions should be communicated by an institution’s athletic union or students’ union staff member to:

Tanyel Mustafa
BUCS Event Coordinator

or

Tim Scott (Race Director) - +44 7944 209 522