News

4 January 2023
GUCR 2023 pre-registration on SiEntries closed at the stroke of midnight 31 October 2022 – the draw and allocation of all places is now complete. The provisional entry list can be found here; there is no waiting list. Pre-registration to enter the GUCR 2024 draw for places opens 06:00 21 September 2023 and closes 31st October 2023 – all diary dates for the 2024 season can be found here.

21 October 2022
So far 197 applicants are successfully pre-registered for GUCR 2023 on SiEntries; applications will close at midnight on Monday 31 October. The lottery draw will take place from 7pm Friday 4 November at The Barley Mow canalside pub in Cosgrove. Please let me know if you plan to attend. Later in the evening the outcome of the assigned 180 places will be announced via email to all applicants, displayed on the canalrace.org.uk News section and posted on the usual social media platforms. Once the draw is concluded, there will be no waiting list for places. Best of luck! Keith

22 September 2022
Entries are now open on SiEntries for all three 2023 canal races! Those intending to pre-register for the GUCR draw, as well as Canalslam-hopefuls, should review the notes below posted on 1st September.

01 September 2022
Entries for the 2023 Canalslam races open from Thursday 22 September at 06:00 on SiEntries. Supported (with own crew): £65, Unsupported (tended by organisers): £105. Includes booking fee. £2 levy if unattached. Each race can be entered as a one-off, but competitors completing all three receive a special award.

The option to enter more than one race, or all three for the Canalslam will be shown on SiEntries. In the hope of reducing daft questions later, the questionnaire there can only be answered if you have read all the pre-race information i.e. pre-entry notes, terms and conditions, information and rules.

Entries for the London to Bristol and Liverpool to Leeds will be confirmed immediately i.e. completed as soon as payment is made on SiEntries; subject to correct questionnaire answers!

GUCR pre-registrations will take no payment, and the deadline for pre-registration is end of 31 October. Most places will be allocated by names being drawn from a hat in early November. All applicants will be notified of the result soon afterwards. Those successful will be invited back to SiEntries by email within a few days in order to make payment and confirm their place.

There are additional questions to be answered for the GUCR so we can record those intending to complete the Canalslam, and also to identify those persons that were unsuccessful in last year’s draw; who will receive an extra ticket in the hat.

To significantly improve chances of success at the GUCR draw, we encourage choosing the Supported (with own crew) category. Due to the high demand for an Unsupported (tended by organisers) place, versus the very limited places available.

At the GUCR draw evening in November (after the pre-registration window closes), 180 names will be allocated GUCR places from the applications received, as follows:

  • 30 Canalslam-hopefuls will be assigned a guaranteed GUCR place – the first 15 Supported (with own crew) entries and the first 15 Unsupported (tended by organiser) entries based on the date and time the GUCR pre-registration was made.
  • 140 names will be drawn from two hats, 70 Supported and 70 Unsupported.
  • Keith will allocate the remaining 10 golden ticket* places, with help from the Canalrace team.
  • * each year some places are reserved for those that have made a significant contribution to the GUCR over its 28 year history, as well as to help rebalance the entry list in the organiser’s eyes, should it be needed.

    N.B. all GUCR entry pre-registration data, including questionnaire answers, supported/unsupported choice, and intention to go for the Canalslam, are editable by each applicant up until the end of 31 October 2022.

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