My Euro Open 2025 – from behind the scenes!

At the end of August, Holme Pierrepont in Nottingham came alive with the splash and spirit of the 2025 Euro Open – a beloved freestyle kayaking event that’s been a key date in the paddling calendar for years. This year was extra special: not only did we host the British Freestyle Championships alongside a whole range of fun novice events, but we also welcomed the Euro Cup, drawing a vibrant crowd of international paddlers from across Europe.

Since River Legacy and GB Freestyle took over the reins from James Ibbotson last year, my husband Tom and I, alongside a brilliant team of committed friends, have poured our hearts into organising this event. This blog is my personal reflection on the weekend: part organiser, part participant, and full time enthusiast of any event that brings people together over their shared love of kayaking. I hope this article brings a smile, a memory, or maybe even a spark of inspiration. Please do share your own favourite Euro Open moments in the comments!

Registration & Set Up

Friday evening marked the official start of Euro Open as paddlers began arriving at Holme Pierrepont (HPP) for bib registration. The course had been buzzing all week with local and international athletes practicing ahead of the big weekend. With the Euro Cup added to the mix this year, we welcomed a wonderfully diverse crowd from across Europe, which made the atmosphere feel extra special.

Registration is always a bit of a whirlwind, and I was incredibly grateful for Becky’s calm presence on Friday and for Matt and Charlie’s help on Saturday morning. Their support made the chaos feel manageable and even fun. Most paddlers registered Friday night, but a steady stream continued into Saturday morning, bringing with them excitement, nerves, and plenty of smiles.

Saturday: Freestyle Competition

With registration wrapped up, Saturday kicked off with back-to-back briefings – volunteers first, then participants. I’d chosen the t-shirt colours – blue ones for participants and bright yellow for volunteers. Yellow is my favourite colour, so seeing 40 volunteers in very bright yellow t-shirts was a delight. One paddler even joked, “Del, you must be thrilled they picked yellow this year!” That one made me laugh!

Progression heats at jaws

While Charlie and Pete ran the elite competition at Inlet Gate, I was stationed at Jaws, overseeing the progression heats for novice and intermediate paddlers. Jaws is a gentle, playful wave – perfect for building confidence and trying new moves.

Novice Heats

Each 25 minute jam-style heat featured 7-8 paddlers, scored using the NFL (Nottingham Freestyle League) system via the Kayak Freestyle App. While technical moves earned points, the real magic came from the “fun moves”, like the “Harry Potter” (spin your paddle, shout a spell, then capsize) or the “Cosmic Donkey” (rock back and forth yelling “Hee-haw!”).

Caleb and Jamie took over commentary with infectious energy, cheering paddlers on and encouraging wild creativity. They did a great job and I was very grateful to them for asking if they could! I was also very grateful to my helpers Emily and David who assisted me with judging and making sure I was supported at all times.

Some standout moments from the novice heats included:

• Father Michael and daughter Ottilie competing side by side in their heat.
• The heroic efforts from Jenson in his OC1 and George in his C1. No amount of swims could stop them from getting back in and going for another surf!
• Abi’s radiant smile as she nailed NFL moves with friends cheering her on.
• Becca conquering her nerves and getting that triumphant first surf in heat one and her friends behind me encouraging her with roaring applause.

The support from spectators was constant and heartwarming. These moments reminded me why I love this event so much.

Intermediate Heats

After a quick lunch break, we launched into the intermediate heats. This year, paddlers could choose between the elite competition at Inlet or the more relaxed progression format at Jaws. While still fun focused, intermediate scoring leaned more toward technical freestyle – spins, blunts, and roundhouses became the norm.

I had a fantastic crew helping throughout the afternoon: Jazz, Matt, Jake, Caleb, and Rob. Their support kept things running smoothly.

Memorable highlights included:

• Jack waving the Irish flag mid-surf.
• Jude’s surprise entry kickflips.
• Steph’s joyful persistence and infectious smile. Her friends giving her 100% support and encouragement from the bank was great to see as well.
• Olly’s impressive wave freestyle and commitment to trying things!
• Pete’s pride in his progress and performance.

We wrapped up just before the rain arrived, with paddlers grinning ear to ear. A huge thank you to everyone who embraced the progression format and brought such joy to the water.

Squirt boating

While the freestyle heats played out at Inlet and Jaws, squirt boating quietly stole the spotlight in Top Pool. David ran the event with his usual calm efficiency, and although the crowd was smaller, the energy was anything but.

Squirt boating is a unique discipline – less about big air and more about finesse, control, and underwater mystery. Athletes aim to perform graceful moves and “mystery moves,” where they submerge and hold their position below the surface. It’s mesmerising to watch and deeply technical to master.

In the women’s competition, Sophie Macken took first place, whilst in the men’s competition, current world champion Sam Wilson took first place.

Elite heats

While the progression heats unfolded at Jaws, the elite competition was in full swing at Inlet Gate – Nottingham’s most famous freestyle feature – a hole perfect for showcasing high level freestyle. Charlie and Pete led the elite competition, supported by a stellar team of scribes and judges.

This year, we trialled a jam style format for the elite heats, blending International Canoe Federation (ICF) scoring with a more fluid ride rotation. Each paddler had a 45-second cap per ride, and once someone flushed, the next athlete dropped in. It’s a different approach to the more rigid formats used at world championships, but the response by paddlers to this format was overwhelmingly positive. The jam style brought a sense of excitement and spontaneity that elevated the energy on the water.

I caught the tail end of the heats and was struck by the balance of intensity and joy. These athletes were serious about their performance but they were also clearly having fun. The crowd at Inlet was buzzing, and the atmosphere felt electric.

The elite freestyle heats reminded us why freestyle kayaking is such a thrilling sport to watch. Watching paddlers of that calibre ‘do their thing’ in K1, C1 and OC1 is incredible.

Elite Finals

As the finals rolled in, so did the rain – pouring steadily throughout the evening. But this is kayaking, after all, and the athletes embraced the weather with grit and grace. The finals weren’t just about Euro Open titles; they also determined podiums for the British Championships and the Euro Cup, adding an extra layer of excitement.

Each of the top five athletes from the heats had three rides, with their best score counting toward their final result. To spice things up, Charlie introduced a wildcard twist: paddlers who placed 6th, 7th, and 8th in the heats were invited to compete in the finals with one ride each. Every finalist, wildcard or not, was eligible for medals, which gave it an extra touch of excitement.

Despite the downpour, a small but determined crowd stayed to cheer on the competitors. I finally had a moment to pause and watch the elite freestyle without needing to run around. There was a gap between finals and David, ever the hero, appeared with some takeaway pizzas for the volunteers, including me. I was very grateful as everyone knows when you are very busy, remembering to eat is not usually high on the priority list!

I stood in the rain, dancing to the music blaring from the speaking and was happily eating pizza, reflecting on the day so far. Suddenly Becky, who was doing a fabulous job on finals commentary, shouted over the speakers: “Everyone look at Del! Look how happy she is!”

Suddenly, I was mid-dance, mid-bite, and very much in the spotlight. Becky rallied the crowd to give me a round of applause—whether for helping organise Euro Open or for my bold pizza topping choice of Hawaain, I’ll never know. Either way, thanks Becky for the unexpected love!

The finals were amazing. I was bursting with pride watching so many friends give it their all. So much determination and commitment from every single athlete. Eoghan Kelly had already placed first for OC1 earlier in the day. For juniors K1, the winners were Lukas Ramsayer and Issie Wormall. For C1 it was Matt Stephenson and Ottie Robinson-Shaw. Finally for seniors K1, the winners were Gav Barker and Ottie.

Prize Giving & The Party

With the finals wrapped up, everyone headed to the rugby club for prize giving and the evening party. Thanks to our generous sponsors, we had a fantastic array of prizes to hand out.

Charlie and I took to the mic to announce the winners, with Matt and Tom helping distribute prizes and keep the energy flowing. While I won’t list every result (you can find the full set of results here), I will say the cheers were loud, the hugs plentiful, and there was an overwhelmingly sense of community.

Then came the party, hosted by the brilliant River Legacy team. The vibe was relaxed, joyful, and full of laughter. At one point, the Austrian paddlers turned the evening into an impromptu arm wrestling tournament. Jasmin stole the show, absolutely dominating the competition with a grin and a flex. She crushed dreams of beating her left, right, and centre. What a legend!

It was the perfect way to end a day of high-level competition – with joy, laughter, and a few sore arms.

Sunday: Boater-X, Paddle with the Pros, Duo Jam & Inflatables

Boater-x Heats & Quarter Finals

Sunday morning kicked off with a burst of adrenaline as paddlers lined up for the Boater-X mass start heats. Split by age and gender, the format was simple: face upstream above Inlet, then race downstream, catching two gates along the way, to finish below Tardis. It was fast, chaotic, and a brilliant way to warm up for the day.

The top 16 from each category advanced to the quarter finals, which ramped up, literally, with a launch off the ramp. In my quarter final, I raced alongside Iso and Steph. Racing with a ramp start is always exciting! David was masterfully coordinating the launches, pausing briefly to let rafts pass through. That pause turned into a perfect selfie moment with the girls (plus David), and I promised Steph it would make the blog – so here it is!

I paddled well enough to make it through to the semi finals later that afternoon, which felt like a bonus after such a full weekend.

Paddle with the Pros

One of the most magical hours of the weekend was “Paddle with the Pros” – a chance for junior paddlers to share a wave with some of the best freestyle kayakers in Europe. It’s a highlight for everyone involved, and this year’s session was pure joy from start to finish.

When I reached out to the pro paddlers, nearly everyone said yes. We were lucky to have an incredible lineup from GB, Ireland, Germany, and Austria, including: Sam, Sam, Gav, Ottie, Matt, Becky, Sophie, Lowri, Luci, Béibhin, Luke, Jake, Jasmin, Anica, Philip, Philipp, and Lukas.

Each of these athletes have represented their country internationally, and their generosity in sharing time, tips, and laughter with the juniors was heart warming. The eddy was packed with excited teenagers before the hour even began!

From Surfing to Shenanigans

It started with simple surfing and encouragement. Then, as the pros and juniors warmed up, things got delightfully chaotic:

• Party waves turned into paddle challenges – standing up, surfing with no paddles, and tandem antics.
• Sam Wilson became the prime target of a teenage ambush, with five juniors trying to pull his deck. He outmanoeuvred them all, laughing as a trail of capsized teens floated behind him.

• George nailing some surfs under Luke’s careful guidance and encouragement from the other juniors.
• Luci (Team Germany), Béibhin (Team Ireland), and Gav (Team GB) might actually have had more fun than the kids- grinning ear to ear and showing those kids exactly how the pros have fun!

Special Shoutouts

A huge thank you to Freddie, George, Darragh, and Jack for their kindness and encouragement toward younger paddlers. Their leadership didn’t go unnoticed – they earned spot prizes from Surf Plugs and Palm for their efforts.

Positive feedback

The feedback we had from juniors afterwards was glowing – they felt inspired, supported, and so grateful to those paddlers who chose to get on the wave and join them. On a personal note, I too was very grateful. The overwhelming positive wish to be involved from the pro paddlers was inspirational – thank you team!

This hour captured everything Euro Open stands for: mentorship, joy, and the power of shared experience on the water.

Duo Jam

As soon as “Paddle with the Pros” wrapped up, it was time for the Duo Jam at Troll Hole – a new addition to Euro Open this year, and one I was especially excited about. Duos are always a crowd pleaser, and this format turned out to be a perfect blend of chaos, creativity, and comedy.

I handed over commentary duties to three of our brilliant junior paddlers – George, George, and Freddie, who absolutely smashed it. Their enthusiasm and quick wit kept the crowd laughing and cheering throughout.

I teamed up with Matt Stephenson for the jam, which also happened to be his birthday!

We kicked things off with a few spins, then attempted a paddle toss and catch. I nailed the toss… the catch, not so much. On our next round, I ditched my paddles and tried to stand up in the duo while surfing, because why not?!

Crowd-Favourite Moments

The jam was packed with iconic duos and unforgettable antics:

• Lowri’s commitment to rolling the duo, even when her partner Em had been ejected from the front seat.

• Sophie and Darragh’s tandem surf with Jack riding the middle seat – pure chaos.
• Ash and Mikey’s brotherly tomahawk attempt

• The quad duo – yes, four paddlers stacked on one kayak!
• Jamie and Jake facing each other in the duo to close the session with style! We are still not quite sure how they managed the rolls!

It was everything I’d hoped for: joyful, ridiculous, and deeply entertaining. Huge thanks to everyone who took part and made it such a highlight.

Inflatable Race and Surf!

Now for my favourite event of the weekend: the Inflatable Race & Surf. It’s pure, unfiltered joy – paddlers swapping boats for flamingos, turtles, and ice lollies, and launching themselves down the course!

We gathered at the top of Inlet, inflatables in hand and grins already forming. The adults went first, swimming from above Inlet all the way to below Tardis. It was a sight to behold – dozens of paddlers bobbing down the course on everything from unicorns to lifeboats. Word on the river is that Jamie absolutely smashed the race!

Then came the juniors, many of whom (intentionally or not) caught surfs on various features along the way. The laughter was constant and the chaos delightful.

Fairy Wave Surf Session

Once everyone was safely pulled out at the bottom, we shifted to Fairy Wave for some inflatable surfing. It’s a magical hour and here are some of my highlights from this hour.

• George soul surfing on his giant turtle!
• Ottilie winning the party wave with her crocodile.
• Luke borrowing my inflatable flamingo Florence and making her look far more elegant than I could!
• Jamie’s chilled out surf on his ice lolly.
• Jenson holding the wave forever in his little lifeboat!

I even got a few surfs in on Florence myself, thanks to Ross for stepping in on commentary so I could join the fun!

Boater-X Semi Finals and Finals

The final event of the weekend was the Boater-X semi finals and finals. Just as the paddlers lined up, the skies opened and it absolutely poured. But rain never dampens the spirit of Euro Open, and the races went ahead with plenty of enthusiasm!

I found myself in a semi final with Becky, Jen, and Laura. After such a full weekend, I was running on fumes but very happy to be there. David gave us the countdown, and Becky and Jen shot off the ramp with speed! Laura and I, however, got a little stuck on the ramp and had a slower descent. Poor Laura flipped at the bottom, and I paused to make sure she was okay (I was also low-key nervous it was me that made her flip!) but she rolled up quickly. Off we went – chasing after the other two. Somehow, I caught up at the gates and ended the race in second place, earning a surprise spot in the final alongside Becky!

As I walked back up the course, soaked and smiling, I ran into the lovely mini Macken (Sophie), who I sent off on a mission to find sugar! She came back armed with packs of mini Haribo – thanks Soph! Standing in the rain, myself and Becky wolfed the sweets down and it felt oddly perfect – a quiet moment of joy with a friend before the final push!

A Final Race!

By the time our final began, I had one goal: stay upright. I was beyond exhausted and genuinely had nothing left to give! But I managed it! Becky took the win with her usual finesse, followed by Iso, Lisette, and me in fourth. I was thrilled just to be part of it and so proud of the other 3 for racing so well.

In the Senior Men’s final, JP claimed victory, while the Junior titles went to two of our international stars – Lukas and Jule. Their excitement was infectious.

Huge thanks to Flow Kayaks and NRS for sponsoring this event – it was a brilliant way to close out the competition.

Prize Giving & Birthday Celebrations

With the Boater-X finals wrapped up, it was time for our final prize giving. I dashed off to change and made it back to the hut just in time. Sunday’s prizes were fewer, but the smiles were just as wide. Every shout out felt meaningful.

As we wrapped up the announcements, I took a moment to thank our incredible volunteer team. Their energy, patience, and generosity made everything possible. Then came one last surprise: the crowd joined in to sing happy birthday to the wonderful Matt Stephenson. Matt’s been a pillar of the kayaking community for years, and seeing him beam with his birthday cake was the perfect way to close out the weekend.

Thank you & Shouts Outs

Sponsors

A huge shout out to all of our sponsors for this event for donating prizes, their time and more. In no particular order thank you to Surf Plugs, Pyranha Kayaks, Palm Equipment, NRS and Flow Kayaks.

Volunteers and organisers

We were very lucky to have such a great team of volunteers this year and in particular key volunteers who helped to organise the weekend and took on key lead roles. Thank you to all of our volunteers and in particular to:

• Charlie and Pete for running the Elite freestyle competition and Ant for his technical support in this.
• David for running the squirt boating and the Boater-X.
• Dean for leading the safety team.
• Matt for organising all of the judging and also for just being so helpful throughout the weekend (even though it was his birthday!)
• Zac and Jack on photography and my mum on tea/coffee duty.

Finally thank you to Tom for organising the entire thing! Myself and Tom have spent months preparing for this and I think most people do not know the hours of preparation that goes into running an event.

From technical set up, to organising every heat list, making an app to hold the bib deposits and more – Tom has worked so hard to make this weekend a success. Even when I was leading the Saturday morning briefing, Tom was up at Inlet making sure the final technical checks were sorted ahead of the Elite heats. A man often in the background and yet without a doubt Euro Open would not have happened without him.

Dewerstone

Finally, we really felt the absence of Dewerstone at this year’s event. A huge thank you to Rory and everyone at Dewerstone for everything they’ve done over the years in helping to develop Euro Open.

We missed you this year.

See you next year!

Euro Open 2025 was more than just a competition – it was a celebration of paddling, friendship, and shared joy. From elite rides to inflatable chaos, from arm wrestling showdowns to spontaneous dance breaks in the rain, every moment felt like a reminder of why we do this.

Thank you to every paddler, volunteer, supporter, and sponsor who made this weekend unforgettable. We can’t wait to welcome you back next year.