Get ready – Coracle Championships

Honing their skills, for the Coracle World Championships, are two teams fielded by Balfours – the instigators of the event nearly 20 years ago.

On Friday September 12, Coracles will be launching from Shrewsbury’s Pengwern Boat Club. Races involving multiple Shrewsbury companies paddling unstable crafts across the River Severn, all in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

The legacy which Balfours’, the late Richard Bayliss, instigated in 2007 and himself became a victim to cancer in 2015, continues to go from strength to strength. To date the event has raised more than £380,000 for Macmillan in Shropshire, with this year promising to be as competitive as ever, both on the water and fund raising, with fancy dress spectacle thrown in.

Balfours Chloe Evans, who will be competing, says: “We are very proud to be associated with the Coracle World Championships – our practice was good fun, probably as much about finding out where the coracle’s tipping point is! At the end of the day, it is a fabulous spectator sport and we all have fun, while raising funds for this very worthy charity.”  To sponsor our team or for more information go to: Coracle Committee: Coracle World Championships 2025