Marathon

Marathon racing is the longest of the canoe and kayaking disciplines.

Races take place on a variety of water from rivers, lochs, canals, and the sea. This provides a vast range of conditions which demand many skills to compete successfully. Water can be calm on canals to rough in open water and on rivers.

Events cater for all ages and abilities and range from 2km to hundreds of kilometres in some events. Generally most marathon races will offer Lightning (>3km) mini (>5km), short (>10km), and long courses (>15km). The Lightning course will be suitable for Lightning class (U12), mini courses will be generally suitable for all, and short and long courses will be demanding with more open water or rapids on rivers.

A division system is used to classify paddlers according to ability. At championships, age groups are used.

The division system uses 9 categories. Paddlers begin in div 9 and are promoted to the next division based on results, usually when they win their division at a race or finish within a calculated time based on the next upper division results.

Age groups are generally of the following order for male and female. U14, U16, U18, U23, Senior (23-35), Veteran (35-45), Master (45---) 

Some courses will have portages at obstructions, such as locks on canals or weirs on rivers, where the paddler must get out and run with their boat around the obstacle and get back in.

There are events throughout the year, culminating in the Hasler Trophy usually held in September. This is the inter club marathon trophy where paddlers compete locally during the year to qualify (entering three races in the season 1st September to 31st August). The Hasler is held over one day with races for each division in K1 or K2 boats. Each paddler down to position 20 is awarded points ranging from 20 for first down to 1 for 20th. These points are accumulated during the day, and the club with the most points at the end of the day are crowned Hasler champions. The club have won the Hasler trophy twice in the 1995 and 1999 Final.

The Scottish Marathon calendar and race results can be found here.