TheWaterside Series is a series of fourmarathon canoe races held on theKennet and Avon Canal and finishing at theNewbury Waterside Centre.

The race series is held in the Spring each year in the eight weeks leading up toEaster. They are held on Sundays at fortnightly intervals starting eight weeks before Easter, and the races are progressively longer in distance.

It is common to use the Waterside Series as a warm-up event for the longer, 125-mileDevizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon. Despite its status as a warm-up event, it is considered a gruelling challenge in its own right.

• Waterside A – 13.5 miles (21 portages) fromGreat Bedwyn to Newbury
• Waterside B – 17.5 miles (19 portages) from Newbury toAldermaston and back
• Waterside C – 23 miles (35 portages) fromPewsey Wharf to Newbury
• Waterside D – 35 miles (35 portages) fromDevizes to Newbury

The races take place in a time trial format, whereby competitors choose their own start time within the start window and must finish within the finish window. The opening and closing times of these windows varies from race to race, with the longer races having earlier start windows and/or later finish windows.

Races C and D include theSavernake Tunnel, where overtaking is prohibited for safety reasons.

The Waterside Series attracts a range of entrants from regular marathon paddlers based at clubs around the country to endurance athletes from other sports seeking to use the races for training. The race is also popular withpublic schools and the military. Races A and B, and in particular A are used as training events for Great Britain team paddlers.

There are 12 classes where prizes are awarded for the individual races and for the series overall:

• Senior K2 – Open to anykayak doubles.
• Senior K1 – Open to any kayak singles.
• Junior K2 – Open to any kayak doubles where both competitors are under the age of 19 on 1 January of the year of the race.
• Junior K1 – Open to any kayak singles under the age of 19 on 1 January on the year of the race.
• Ladies K2 – Open to any female kayak doubles.
• Ladies K1 – Open to any female kayak singles.
• Mixed K2 – Open to kayak doubles with one male and one female competitor.
• Veteran K2 – Open to any kayak doubles where both competitors are over the age of 35 on 1 January of the year of the race.
• Veteran K1 – Open to any kayak singles over the age of 35 on 1 January on the year of the race.
• Junior/Veteran K2 – Open to kayak doubles with one competitor over the age of 35 and one competitor under the age of 19 on 1 January of the year of the race.
• C2 – Open to anycanoe doubles regardless of age or gender, this may either be a touring canoe orsprint canoe.
• C1 – Open to any canoe singles regardless of age or gender, like the C2 class, this may either be a touring canoe or sprint canoe.

In addition, at the end of the series team prizes are awarded to the fastest teams composed of Juniors, Seniors or members of a uniformed service. Prizes are also awarded for the fasted junior competitors in the Ladies K2, Mixed K2 and C2 classes, as well as the fastest competitor aged over 50.

The series is an excellent build up race for the world-famousDevizes to Westminster International Canoe Marathon. The 'DW' race is held everyEaster over a course of 125 miles (201 kilometres) from Devizes in Wiltshire toWestminster in central London. It has been run since 1948. Starting at Devizes wharf, the route follows theKennet and Avon Canal for 54 miles toReading, where it joins theThames. Another 54 miles later it reaches Teddington Lock, ending 17 miles later atWestminster Bridge.

• BCU Marathon Canoeing – Other Important Races
• Waterside Series Record performances
• Waterside Series Old Results

• Official website
• BCU Marathon canoeing
• Reading Canoe Club, organisers of the Thameside Series

• Canoeing and kayaking competitions in the United Kingdom
• Sport in Wiltshire
• Sport in Berkshire

• Use dmy dates from April 2014
• Use British English from April 2014