Check the club calendar, find training timetables, get your official club kit, and more.
Whether you’re a seasoned paddler or just starting out, you’ll find all the key information to help you stay connected, get involved, and make the most of your time on the water. Keep checking back for updates, and happy paddling!
Training sessions change throughout the year due to light and river levels – here’s an overview of what might suit you in the summer and winter.
Worcester’s junior paddlers enjoy everything from having fun splashing around in summer through to local and regional competition – right up to international standard.
In 2026, Worcester’s juniors celebrated coming 2nd in the national Geoff Sanders Trophy competition, which is a fantastic achievement!
Interested in getting involved? To find out how to begin paddling, head to Getting Started.
There are a number of club coaches who are involved in coaching juniors, some on a regular basis and some helping to cover sessions when they are able to. Our coaches are all volunteers and are DBS checked. You can read the club’s safeguarding policies here, and the Safeguarding Officer is Sarah Whitelaw who can be contacted on 07754799484.
A few people you will find it useful to get to know are:
We encourage parents to get involved either on the water or on dry land. Please come into the club house, chat to members and get to know people, don’t be shy!
Help is always appreciated whether that be holding a stopwatch, putting boats away, or helping with catering at events etc.
If there is any important news to relay, this will be sent through our WCC junior WhatsApp group. When your child comes down to the club we will ask if you would like to be added to the group to keep updated with changes to sessions or extra session opportunities.
As there is overlap between these groups some paddlers may be invited to join in with more than one group while on their way from one group to the next.
All juniors (ages 8 – 18) – Thursdays 6 – 7.30pm. A focus on fun and paddling skills.
Advanced juniors (approx. divisions 9 – 6) – Mondays 6 – 7.15pm, run by Nick or Dave. Other sessions may be available in the week so make sure to keep in contact with you coach or check the WhatsApp group.
During the winter, training heads off-water as it is usually too cold and the river becomes too high to safely paddle.
Mondays 6 – 7.15pm | intermediate and faster juniors indoor training. Nick Fowler-Rimell. Check with Nick to see if this session is appropriate for your child.
Tuesdays 6pm – 7pm | swimming (kayak rolling on certain dates TBC) at Kings School Worcester Pool. This is an adult and junior training session. Parents are also welcome to join in. Nick will be running the junior session. £3 for juniors, £5 for adults.
Thursdays 5.55 – 6.55pm | circuit training for adults and juniors at Christopher Whitehead School gym. This is a fun circuits session for adults and juniors. £2 per head. Starts Thursday 5 November.
If you want to know more about any of the sessions please ask. Happy winter training!
You need to be a member of Paddle UK to compete at events. All club juniors under the age of 18 are automatically members of Paddle UK. All we have to do is issue a Club Number. Please contact our membership secretary for details.
When you get promoted to Sprint Girls/Boys C or above or Marathon Div 6 or above, you need to join Paddle UK in your own right to continue to compete. Membership types can be found here.
For full details of junior training sessions, refer to the Juniors section above.
A division 1 to 4 group paddle every Wednesday (6pm) and Sunday (9.30am) through the summer. Other paddlers are welcome in K2s. There is also usually a group of u23s/u18s who paddle most days of the week ranging between sprint sessions and marathon.
For full details of elite training sessions, please contact Dave Pedlar. The standard for these sessions are very high and requires very fast boat speed.
Main Club Session (on the water at 6pm) – contact Mick Moran or join the relevant WhatsApp group.
Standard – Around Marathon Division 4 – 8 standard.
Mick’s WIPETs (on the water at 6pm) – contact Mick Moran.
Standard – moving on from beginners (Bevere and back).
Main Club Session (on the water at 6pm) – contact Mick Moran or join the relevant WhatsApp group.
Standard – Around Marathon Division 4-8 standard.
Div 1-4 Group Session (on the water at 6pm) – Contact Dave Pedlar
Juniors / Family Night (arrive at the club at 6pm) – contact Dave Smith.
Standard – beginners through to joining adults.
Main Club Session (on the water at 5.30pm) – contact Mick Moran or join the relevant WhatsApp group.
Standard – Around Marathon Division 4-8 standard.
Saturday Morning Gang – on the water at 9am.
Main Club Session (on the water at 9.30am) – contact Mick Moran or join the relevant WhatsApp group.
Standard – Around Marathon Division 4-8 standard.
Div 1-4 Group Session (on the water at 9.30am) – contact Dave Pedlar.
Greyhounds Session (on the water 9.30am) – contact Jill MacKenzie or join the relevant WhatsApp group. The Greyhounds is a group of paddlers who have progressed beyond the WIPETS (in terms of speed) but do not yet feel confident or fast enough to join the main training group. Paddlers must have achieved Improver status and be confident with rescues before joining. You will be invited to join this group once you are quick enough. The group will generally do some training – intervals, wash hanging practice, race starts and turns etc. If you want to get fitter and faster and perhaps aim to join the main training group, then this is the place to start!
During the winter, training heads off-water as it is usually too cold and the river becomes too high to safely paddle.
Mondays 6 – 7.15pm | intermediate and faster juniors indoor training. Run by Nick Fowler-Rimell. Check with Nick to see if this session is appropriate for your child.
Tuesdays 6pm – 7pm | swimming (kayak rolling on certain dates TBC) at Kings School Worcester Pool. This is an adult and junior training session. Parents are also welcome to join in. Nick will be running the junior session. £3 for juniors, £5 for adults.
Wednesdays 5.45 – 7.30pm | adult indoor training. Core strength and circuits session.
Thursdays 5.55 – 6.55pm | circuit training for adults and juniors at Christopher Whitehead School gym. This is a fun circuits session for adults and juniors. £2 per head. Starts Thursday 5 November.
Weekend and weekday paddling sessions | There will be various groups paddling at the weekend and during the day during the week. These sessions will be advertised on the club’s WhatsApp groups.
If you want to know more about any of the sessions please ask. Happy winter training!
Over the summer, Time Trials take place every month, usually on a Wednesday evening. They are generally of a Hare and Hounds format. There is a 10km and a 5km course and we provide food, like jacket potatoes, afterwards for a small fee.
2026 Time Trials will be on the second Wednesday of every month, starting on 13 May.
13 May | Results
10 June
8 July
12 August
9 September
Please let Nick Fowler know you’d like to take part. See you there!
Club K2 sessions take place every month over the summer, usually on a Wednesday evening. These are an opportunity for lots of club members to get together and paddle with others of various levels of experience. These are fun and lively sessions!
K2 sessions are on the 4th Wednesday of the month over the summer months, starting on 22 April.
22 April
27 May
24 June
22 July
26 August
23 September
Please let Mick Moran know if you’d like to take part so the K2 pairings can be matched in advance. Have fun!
There are many different brands and model of kayak. Racing kayaks are ranked on a stability scale between 0 and 10. 10 is the most stable and 0 is the least. Details of boat stability ratings can be found here. (Courtesy of Sam Willis from Norwich Canoe Club).
For tips to stay upright in less stable kayaks, take a look at this document by Neil MacKenzie from Worcester Canoe Club: how to stay upright in racing kayaks.
The River Level link on the home page gives the current height of the River Severn at Barbourne. If you want to know what that means in terms of getting on the river at the club, read Robin’s handy guide below.
All of these values are of course only approximations to the river level.
River Level |
Water Level at the Club |
| 1.0m & under | Able to launch from the landing stage – OK |
| 1.15m | Water over one end of the landing stage |
| 1.38m | 10cm over landing stage, able to launch OK |
| 1.48m | On concrete lower deck – wet feet! |
| 1.52m | +5cm concrete lower deck, not deep enough – still wet feet! |
| 1.68m | +10cm concrete lower deck, deep enough for boat to float – dry feet! |
| 2.12m | Half way up steps – have to portage around the lock at Diglis |
| 4.28m | Almost on the car park – dry feet! |
| 4.37m | 5cm on the car park – not deep enough for boats, wet feet! |
| 4.70m | Just in the boat house!! |
Please visit the links below for advice on health & safety and the current river levels.
The River Level link on the home page gives the current height of the River Severn at Barbourne. If you want to know what that means in terms of getting on the river at the club, read Robin’s handy guide below.
All of these values are of course only approximations to the river level.
River Level |
Water Level at the Club |
| 1.0m & under | Able to launch from the landing stage – OK |
| 1.15m | Water over one end of the landing stage |
| 1.38m | 10cm over landing stage, able to launch OK |
| 1.48m | On concrete lower deck – wet feet! |
| 1.52m | +5cm concrete lower deck, not deep enough – still wet feet! |
| 1.68m | +10cm concrete lower deck, deep enough for boat to float – dry feet! |
| 2.12m | Half way up steps – have to portage around the lock at Diglis |
| 4.28m | Almost on the car park – dry feet! |
| 4.37m | 5cm on the car park – not deep enough for boats, wet feet! |
| 4.70m | Just in the boat house!! |
As a club we run a number of events each year. The Worcester Hasler runs every year, we also some years host the Worcester Ring Challenge, Hasler finals and the marathon national championships.
Running these events helps to support the club in many ways, but relies solely on the help of volunteers. If you’d like to help, please keep an eye on the Facebook page for updates.
Worcester Canoe Club,
Grand Stand Road
Worcester,
Worcestershire,
WR1 3EJ
Worcester Canoe Club
Grandstand Road
Worcester
Worcestershire
WR1 3EJ
General Enquiries
worcestercc@yahoo.co.uk
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