THE River Dee saw 400 kayak and canoe paddlers do battle for national honours.

Chester Sailing and Canoe Club were the host club for the National Marathon Championships, which attracted a huge entry list.

Competitors travelled from as far as Fowey in Cornwall and Kirkaldy in Scotland to take part, and they were joined by entrants arriving from Ireland, Denmark and the Czech Republic.

The Chester club experienced its fair share of success as Jean Ashley won the over 49 ladies class and the over 44 K2 (with Tamsin Phipps), while Melvin Swallow triumphed in the over 54 men’s class.

Jenny Swallow finished second in both the ladies’ K1 race and the K2 (partnered with Lizzie Broughton), while Bob Scholey and Steve Chorley finished second and third respectively in the over 64 veteran men’s K1.

The course consisted of a loop, starting at Sandy Lane and heading up towards the A55 road bridge before swinging back to a turn buoy opposite Chester Sailing and Canoe Club headquarters. Race distances were 3.5k for under 12 racers, with the lengths varying in the senior classes from 6.5k to 26k.

The senior men’s K1 prize was taken by Ben Brown from Elmbridge – runner-up in last year’s World Championships – while the K2 crown went to five-time world champion Ivan Lawler, also from Elmbridge, and Jon Simmonds from Wey.

The ladies’ K1 was won by Clare Gunney from Wey and the K2 victors were Clare Moran from Worcester and Leanne Brown of Bishop’s Stortford.

The Lord Mayor of Chester, Neil Ritchie, was on hand to present the awards.