Unofficial UK Slalom BBS

At the race at Stone this weekend, we were dismayed to experience a large number of items go missing. Some of these items were for sale. Other items were simply left under cars or similar.

We brought in local police but really there was little we could do other than warn people to not leave stuff lying around. Not easy when you're trying to dry stuff for your next run or trying to sell things.

We don't even know if this was local non canoeists, local members or visitors.

I was wondering if other organisers had experienced something similar or if we could establish a pattern.

We had issues at Howsham, also a venue open to the general public.

Initially we thought a paddle had gone missing on Sunday morning, it was eventually found after a lot of searching, it was located hidden in undergrowth with another, it appeared a deliberate act, perhaps to be collected later. One paddle had been moved the length of the camp site so it did not appear to be a childish act/prank.

We then realised that an expensive adjustable club paddle had been stolen from the trailer parked near the hidden paddles, in addition a deck has been taken that was drying on the trailer. Finally it became apparent that a bouancy aid which had been for sale by control had been stolen at some point.

So sad, but incidents at two separate slaloms quite some distance apart does make you wonder