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Race to the Castle returned on April 25, 2026, bringing paddlers back to the River Trent for one of the UK’s standout endurance inflatable SUP events. Covering approximately 40km from Nottingham to Newark, the event blends racing, adventure and team formats, attracting a wide range of paddlers from competitive racers through to first-time challengers.
Organised with the support of local partners and businesses, Race to the Castle continues to grow as a community-led event. What takes place on race day is the result of months of planning, coordination and support from organisers, volunteers, safety crews and partners working together to deliver the experience.
In their post-event message, organisers highlighted the collaborative nature of the event, thanking everyone involved in bringing it to life. From SUP Fitness: Wellbeing & Adventure and the wider event team, to venue hosts Welbeck Hall, We Are Newark, Retford & District Lifesavers, Canal & River Trust, Newark and Sherwood District Council, and Newark Town Council, the event relies on a wide network of support. Additional thanks were given to safety providers, photographers, tracking teams, local suppliers and the event village contributors, all of whom play a role in delivering the event each year.
Central to the event are the paddlers themselves. With hundreds taking on the challenge, every participant completing the 40km course earned their medal, reflecting the effort required simply to step onto the start line and commit to the journey.
Results
Kings and Queens of the River – Fastest Overall Times
Female Adventure Category
– 1st Suzanne Roberts 5:11:13
– 2nd Noemie Simonet 5:23:14
– 3rd Fabienne Paul 5:25:25
Male Adventure Category-
1st Wayne Taylor 5:09:50
– 2nd Phil Crist 5:10:32
– 3rd Stewart Light 5:13:30
Team Relay-
– 1st Mark Salter & Maurice Roberts 4:40:42
– 2nd Paula Skeoch-Roberts & Nicola Park 5:17:36
– 3rd Robert Cummings & Kathy Revell 5:52:20
Team Category
– 1st The Wrong Team (Paul Lawrence & Eric Amada) 5:03:31
– 2nd Squiggly Adventures (Ryan Owens & Rob Slater) 5:08:46
– 3rd Team Encounter (Daron Walker & Andrea Simons) 6:12:24
Female Race 12’5 and Under Category
– 1st Cat Burdett 6:14:12
– 2nd Leigh Boxall 6:26:20
– 3rd Immie Terry 6:46:06
Male Race 12’5 and Under Category
– 1st Alan Macdonald-Brown 6:00:34
– 2nd Marc Wade 6:23:22
– 3rd James Adams 7:29:18
Female Race 12’6 to 13’11 Category-
– 1st Rebecca Januszczyk 6:17:54
Male Race 12’6 to 13’11 Category-
1st Chris Davison 4:58:55
– 2nd Connor Grant 5:02:53
– 3rd Andrew Guthrie 5:15:41
Female Race 14’ Category
– 1st Karis Parker 5:14:52
– 2nd Angela Kerr 5:17:37
– 3rd Lucy Pearce 5:31:25
Male Race 14’ Category
– 1st PJ Simmons 4:25:51
– 2nd Patrick McCormack 4:26:14
– 3rd Ben Burley 4:41:04
Male Race Unlimited Category
– 1st Martin Kerr 5:40:15
Race Tandem Category
– 1st Alison Rennie & Alistair Swinsco 4:43:17
– 2nd Colin Monk & Richard Blakebrough 5:10:53
– 3rd Adam Mitchel & David Rowe 7:23:02
Full results and split times are available via Open Tracking: https://results.opentracking.co.uk/event/r2tc2026
Race to the Castle continues to establish itself as a key date in the UK SUP calendar, combining endurance racing with a strong community atmosphere. Organisers have already confirmed the event will return in 2027.
Photo: Julie Krueger