Recruitment for Team GB through the British National Training Squad (BNTS) was heralded by a colourful flier at the weekend. As announced earlier on the website there is a new structure in place for the next 2 year competition round. Each of the British Nationals Training Squads will bring together their qualifying paddlers and form the strongest prospective medal winning combinations. The Premier Squad coach will lead for premier open, mixed and women and under 23 contenders. The U18 coaching team will include junior A and junior B for under 16s, January 1st is the qualifying date to be at or under this age. The Senior coach will manage paddlers of 40 and over on June 1st whose preference is any of the senior category teams. The Grand Dragons will build on their recent success in Tampa and are welcoming interest from ambitious and dedicated 50+ paddlers. The squads are setting training dates already and Team GB has a new overarching administrator who can be contacted through This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Standby for the full results but a relatively drama free National Cup, at least weather wise, attracted viewers and listeners from across the world to the IDBF TV streaming video, radio and chat room on the web. Two days of open, mixed, under 18, senior and also Breast Cancer Survivors racing over 200-1000m ended with a three in one 500m Grand Final and three close finishes.

Amathus and Batchworth had been exchanging positions all weekend but it was Batchworth's push that stole the show by barely a second. In the second race within a race Notts Anaconda looked to be sitting pretty with 100m to go having led Worcester Dragons from soon after the start. Worcester's charge to the line thrilled their hoards of supporters but fell short by just 0.3s leaving the Premier League newbies with a well earned bronze medal position. Race three brought Kingston Royals home ahead of Thames Taniwhas who had squeezed out Exe-Calibre in the qualifier.

Amathus were overall points competition champions.

And come to the National Cup with lots of stories to tell as IDBF TV and Belief Radio broadcast the latest news, views and racing video via the web. After feeling their way in Tampa and Kiev the cameras will aim to capture the drama and excitement from the National Water Sports Centre on the 24th and 25th September. There will be a full programme of interviews from budding celebrities when they have time to catch their breath between races. Those not able to attend the event will be able to keep up with the action online. at the links below.

Visit http://www.idbfdragonboat.tv/ for live video and http://www.beliefradio.com/ for the interviews and other commentary.

After a number of relatively successfull International campaigns the BDA have taken a radical look at the structure and approach to competition by Team GB. BNTS squad members will have new opportunities to develop their paddling and racing abilities and compete for places at the highest level within one or more of 3 umbrella squads. Read the news letter at the link below to understand what has changed and how this will affect ambitions for the Europeans in Nottingham next year and Hungary for the Worlds in 2013.

Team GB - 2012 and beyond (369 KB)

Here is the race programme for the National Cup hot off the press. Open, mixed, ladies, senior, U18 and also Breast Cancer Survivor competitions are included in a packed race time table. As always National League crews get a taste of 1000m racing as icing on the cake on Saturday. Download the programme below.

National Cup time tables and detailed programme (200 KB)