Race Report from Last year’s Hilbre Island Event

Race Report from Last year’s event – we still have lots of places available to club members – paddle as a group or an individual we have you covered!

Hilbre Island Sea Kayak Race 2018

This was the eighth year that Liverpool Canoe Club has run the Hilbre Island Sea Kayak Race based at Dee Sailing Club in Thurstaston.

With the tide rolling in at a fast rate of knots it was decided to go for an on-the-water start this year. Precisely at 1pm our secretary, Carole Thomas blasted the hooter and the flotilla was off. With almost perfect conditions and a later start time it was sure to be a fast race this year as the leaders would be rounding the islands at high water.

Paddlers had been advised to head inshore of the racing dinghy`s at West Kirby and then to head out to the shallows around the Little Eye. The hot weather brought its own problems, paddlers needed to stay hydrated. It was great to see the numerous safety kayakers this year marked with yellow High Visibility Vests. The little eye racers rounded and returned inshore while those heading for Hilbre set off to the outside of Middle Eye and small overfalls on the end of Hilbre.

When all kayaks were heading for home the 4 rescue boats (Ridged Hull Inflatables) practised rescuing paddlers with some of the safety kayakers and then shadowed the paddlers back past West Kirby and on to Thurstaston. The tide had changed so the remaining paddlers had to fight hard against the ever-quickening ebb tide.

Back at the sailing club we tidied up, showered and enjoyed the BBQ and drinks provided by our hosts Dee Sailing Club. This year Go Kayaking provided a number of demo sea kayaks and items from the shop. Andy Lees, shop manager also presented the prizes for the Hilbre Island Races while System X and Manchester Canoes donated prizes for the Little Eye and West Kirby Races.

Before the main prize giving, Ian Bell received two awards from British Canoeing for services to coaching and Peter Thomas and Kirk Williams were recognised for Cancer Charity Fundraising.

Elite Race

1st Racing Ski – Nigel Jones (Pair of Carbon Splits from Go Kayaking)

1st Performance Sea Kayak – Dave Brown (Peak Paddling Jacket from Go Kayaking)

Hilbre Sea Kayak Race

1st Ben Beachell (Sea Kayak Towline from Go Kayaking)

2nd Peta Willingale (Paddle Float from Go Kayaking)

3rd Adrian Fisher (Sea Kayak Pump from Go Kayaking)

1st Female Jenny Wong (Sea Kayak map case from System X)

Highest placed LCC member Alastair Pipe (Kokatat T-shirt from System X)
1^st Double Sea Kayak Alex Peacock & Aaron Jackson

Little Eye Race

1st Helen Marriott (Split Paddles from Manchester Canoes)

2nd Jane Parker (Sea Kayak map case from System X)

3rd Alan Peachment (Feel Free Notebook from Manchester Canoes)

West Kirby Race (Juniors)

1st Max Pipe (Paddle Leash)

2nd Aleksander Ford & Zachary Alcock (Sigg Water Bottle from Manchester Canoes)

3rd Poppy Clews


Nigel Jones 1st Racing Ski – Hilbre Race	Dave Brown 1st Performance Sea Kayak – Hilbre Race	Ben Beachell 1st Sea Kayak – Hilbre Race	Max Pipe 1st West Kirby (Junior) Race


Alex Peacock & Aaron Jackson 1st Double Sea Kayak	Jenny Wong 1st Female Sea Kayak	Helen Marriott 1st Little Eye Race	Aleksander Ford & Zachary Alcock 2nd West Kirby (Junior) Race

Sunday 15th July 2018
Full list of all results and times……

Hilbre Race (13km)		Little Eye Race (9km)		West Kirby Race (4km)
1st Racing Ski	Nigel Jones	1st Kayak	Helen Marriott	1st Kayak	Max Pipe
1st Performance Race	Dave Brown	2nd Kayak	Jane Parker	2nd Kayak	Aleksander Ford & Zachary Alcock
1st Sea Kayak	Ben Beachell	3rd Kayak	Alan Peachment	3rd Kayak	Poppy Clews
2nd Sea Kayak	Peta Willingale
3rd Sea Kayak	Adrian Fisher
1st Double Sea Kayak	Alex Peacock & Aaron Jackson
1st Female Sea Kayak	Jenny Wong
Highest LCC member	Alastair Pipe

The competitors were able to use the showers provided by Dee Sailing club and enjoy a cold drink and food from the BBQ while we recovered the rescue craft and the safety kayakers followed the final few finishers in. Prizes had been kindly donated by Go Kayaking North West, System X and Manchester Canoes were awarded for the categories above. All the winners also received a trophy engraved by Mike Bell of Cedar Boat Europe. These were presented to the winners by Carole Thomas (Secretary of LCC) and Andy Lees (Manager of Go Kayaking North West).