Canoe Club Slalom

If you can help with the date or names please comment below. We think it may be in the mid 1980s when according to the Furtherwick Park News there was a thriving Canoe Club at the school. The canoeists are shown training in the school’s swimming pool.  Canoeing was originally part of the Outdoor Pursuits Course for many years and then became a club of its own in around 1983. It was run by Mr Shrimpton with the help of ex FPS canoeists. Days out to Paper Mill Lock at Little Baddow were also organised to give the canoeists a different experience.

From time to time the club would travel around the South of England to take part in competitions at which they were often quite successful for example at the Battlesbridge Canoe Race on the River Crouch.

In June 1985 they took part in the British Schools Canoe Slalom Championships held at Moses Gate Country Park on the River Croal near Bolton in Lancashire. It took place over 3 days and although the FPS team were one of the smallest with 12 participants, the school came 4th. the results were: Under 15(Men) Antony Runnegar 2nd, Martyn Corbyn 4th. Under 18(Ladies) Alison Runnegar 5th. Under 14(Men) Martyn Corbyn 5th, Paul Hastings 20th. Under 16(Men) Antony Runnegar 11th. Team Event (Mens) A. Runnegar, M. Corbyn, S. Corbyn 5th. G. Rust, P. Bliss, M. Nicholls 20th.