On Paddlecast, hosts Betsy and Billy talk to paddlers who are pushing the limits. Paddlers who are pushing their own limits, and pushing the limits of paddlesports.
Paddlecast was started by SUP Racer founder Chris Parker in 2020. Since then, Betsy took over SUP Racer from Chris and founded Paddler Media, which provides independent media coverage of not only SUP racing but also canoe and kayak racing including marathon, sprint, and ultra distance racing. Follow @paddledaily @supracer and @billylikeskayaking on social media for even more paddlesports chat.
Thames 200 Ultra Preview: The relay rivalry returns, and two non-stop paddlers could break records
As the final relay team rosters were submitted this week, a thrilling figure appeared: after the Thames 200 Ultra started with 97 paddlers in 2024, its set to more than triple that in 2026. In just the third edition of the race, the number of competitors has already tripled to over 300.The newest, fastest-growing, and perhaps the most accessible ultra paddling race in the world: the Thames 200 Ultra is set for another action-packed 200km this weekend.
Starting in Lechlade-on-Thames and finishing in Teddington, the race includes non-stop solo racers in kayaks and SUPs, non-stop doubles racers, and relay teams featuring everyone from first-time racers to European and World medallists in marathon kayak racing.The Chelmsford (& friends) vs. Richmond (& friends) rivalry returns, with both teams stacked full of elite K2s. In 2025, these teams finished just 5 minutes apart after more than 15 hours of racing.
Fighting for 3rd, and maybe challenging the two leaders, Bradford-on-Avon is back again with top team "Bradford Bin Juice & Greg" leading the way. While all three of their K2s have the speed, their smaller team size means they'll have to double up and each cover about 60km rather than just about 30km.
Follow live updates all weekend at https://paddledaily.com/thames-200-ultra-2026-live and on the Paddle Daily and Thames 200 Ultra social media accounts.
7 Jul 2026
Marathon Euros Recap with Ivan Lawler: Who will end this age of the on-and-on'ers?
In temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Farenheit), the best marathon canoe paddlers in Europe battled for the titles of European Champion. Ivan Lawler spent the weekend watching every race and commentating for the Paddle Europe live stream. Betsy joined in commentary for three of those days. But there was still more to talk about off-air.
The two most exciting races of the weekend, the K1 Senior Men's marathon and K2 Senior Men's marathon, showed that Mads Pedersen is not unbeatable. While he successfully reclaimed his title as K1 European Champion after missing last year's event, Mads faced a very serious challenge from Jon Amund Vold in a race that came down to the final portage and last few hundred metres. In K2, perhaps the effort from the prior day racing in such high temperatures played a role in Pedersen's race with Philip Knudsen, and the pair finished in 6th after looking a bit worse for wear on the water and making questionable decisions on their final portage. It was Adrian Boros / Tamas Erdelyi who won that K2 race in a sprint finish where they exceeded speeds of 20 km/h. All three podium crews (Hungary, Spain, Portugal) ran tactically superb races.
The absence of Melina Andersson from the Senior Women's races opened things up for dominant performances by Anna Sletsjoe in both the short and long course. She kept fans guessing until the last moments of the short course, but ultimately proved that careful tactics combined with top end speed is her perfect recipe for gold medals.
Looking ahead to the Marathon World Championships in Argentina in October, an immense question hangs over both the Senior Men's and Senior Women's races: how long will this age of "The On and On'ers", The Grinders, Mads and Melina -- last? And who will be the first to successfully defeat them?
October will bring more nations (South Africa) and more top competitors (Melina Andersson, Fernando Pimenta). Even if the Age of On and On'ers continues with the expected victories for Mads and Melina, this year's European Championships proved that the sprinters are coming for them sooner or later.
Re-watch all the live streaming from Pitesti on the Paddle Europe YouTube Channel @PaddleEurope (https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC_5tOn1iQv4-BAfjR8D-ThA) and watch interviews and race highlights via Paddle Daily on Instagram or Facebook.#ipaddleforeurope #marathoncanoe #sprintkayak #sprintcanoe #pitesti
23 Jun 2026
European Champions Anna Sletsjøe and James Russell Preview the 2026 Marathon Euros
Reigning European Champions Anna Sletsjøe and James “Jimbo” Russell have just a few short days before they have to face the best in Europe to defend their 2025 titles. The 2026 European Marathon Championships start on Wednesday 24th June and continue until Sunday 28th June in Pitesti, Romania on the Pitesti-Bascov course.
Anna and James revisit the races they won this time last year to earn their titles, career bests in marathon racing for both paddlers, and share their strategies for how they’ll plan to defend their titles in Romania.
In the women’s K1 race, Anna will have tough competition but with the last minute realisation that Melina Andersson is not racing, Anna has a great shot at potentially winning her second title.
In the men’s K1 race, Mads Pedersen is racing and based on the form he’s shown in the 5k at recent sprint World Cups and European Sprint Championships, the crown may be his for the taking. But with the course being on a flat lake typically used for sprints, a strong group could make it hard for Mads to pull away as early and clearly as he did at Worlds in Gyor, Hungary last year. Jon Amund Vold’s performance in the 5k at European Sprint Championships the other day showed that it is possible to stick with Mads for at least 5k…
The event will begin with the exciting short course format and paracanoe races (men’s KL3 will be very hotly contested), and will also feature some great high kneel canoeing and age group racing. The Senior Women’s and Men’s K2 races will wrap things up on Sunday afternoon, and the men’s race in particular promises fierce competition and a re-match between the Danish crew of Mads Pedersen / Philip Knudsen versus the experienced Hungarian pair of Adrian Boros / Tamas Erdelyi.
Betsy will be in Romania covering the racing in-person, so be sure to follow along on the Paddle Daily social media accounts (Instagram and Facebook).
#marathoncanoe #sprintcanoe #olympian #europeanchampionships #pitesti
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