18/06/2026
Proteus Paddlefest 2026 didn’t just make a splash - it felt like the whole Nene lit up with energy, colour, and pure paddling joy.
🌊 The Big Takeaway
A weekend overflowing with water time, family smiles, new skills, and that unmistakable Proteus spirit.
You could feel the pride, the graft, and the community heartbeat running through every moment.
🚣♂️ Saturday - A Marathon of Movement
Slalom coaching filled the morning - gates, technique, confidence, and a river buzzing with young paddlers pushing themselves.
Meanwhile, others headed upriver to the lakes, soaking in the calm beauty of Milton Ferry’s stone bridge.
After lunch, the tempo shot up:
Paddles Up was a runaway hit - hoops, balls, limbo gates, chaos, laughter.
The Orton Mere Regional Sprint turned into a revolving door of boats and brave paddlers racing back for “just one more go”.
And the paddleboards? Instant kid magnet.
Evening brought the grand finale:
Dragon Boat racing - open canoes filled with happy paddlers, eddies teaching lessons the hard way, and teams discovering that synchronicity is everything.
🏆 Sunday - Tradition Meets New Talent
The Div 3/4 slalom delivered exactly what it always does:
heritage, heart, and a start line full of stories.
Novices standing shoulder‑to‑shoulder with seasoned paddlers.
Debuts from young athletes who’ll be names to watch.
A riverbank full of families cheering, laughing, and living the moment.
Everywhere you looked:
happy faces, tired arms, and memories being made.
💚 A Community Effort
Events like this don’t happen by accident.
They happen because a whole community leans in - volunteers, coaches, families, visiting clubs, and paddlers of every age who bring the magic with them.
And to everyone who travelled to join us on the banks of the Nene at Orton Mere:
thank you for choosing to spend your weekend with us.
