Barcelona 2026

Day 1 – Wednesday

We flew to Barcelona and arrived at the hotel, unpacked, had a look around the area and enjoyed a dip in the pool. After dinner and a few drinks, it was off to bed ready to wake up fresh for our free day.

Day 2 – Thursday

We all had breakfast, which was vast with lots of choice. We then went our separate ways to enjoy the day in Barcelona. We took the bus into the city and all had a ride on the sightseeing bus, which took us around every stop so you could hop on and off throughout the day.

Stops included:

• Sagrada Família
• Barcelona Harbour
• Gothic Quarter
• Park Güell
• La Rambla
• Camp Nou
• Olympic Port

Some of us also enjoyed a tour of the harbour on a catamaran. The city was full of amazing places to eat, and the food in the indoor market was superb.

Day 3 – Friday

Today was our chance to practise before race day. We all headed over to the venue where our helm put us through our paces in the Olympic canal. The opening ceremony was held in the evening and the atmosphere was incredible. To the beat of the music, each team's flag bearer made their entrance to huge applause from the 950 paddlers, all proudly dressed in their team colours representing 15 countries. Seeing Roy on the stage carrying the Union Flag was a proud moment for all of us. There wasn't too much partying for us that night though — we knew race day was just one sleep away.

Day 4 – Saturday – Race Day

We woke up, had a big breakfast, and were raring to go. We were registered in three categories:

• 200m Seniors
• 200m Masters Mixed
• 200m Masters Open

We had two races in each category. Our first race was at 13:00. We did really well and made it through to the finals, which was a huge achievement as some teams didn't qualify. We were all very proud of ourselves and celebrated later at the organised Sangria Party. We tried not to drink too much though, as the big races were still to come the next day!

Day 5 – Sunday – The Finals

Day 5 dawned, the anticipation within the team was palpable. The atmosphere at the venue was electric. Our helm had got there early to study the form. A change of start was needed. This is where our Tuesday evening sessions paid off. We knew what was expected of us. We dug deep, 200m in 66 seconds, our best time of the weekend and a bronze medal place. We were elated.

The afternoon started with a moving ceremony of flowers on the water to remember the breast cancer friends that are no longer with us. The BWD team thought also of all of our friends past and present affected by all cancers. There were tears shed and hugs shared. Standing on the podium to collect our medals, an unforgettable experience, cheered on by hundreds of other competitors.

Closing Dinner – 19:00 to Midnight

The closing dinner was held at Casanova right by the beach. It was a fun evening with rolling food, drinks, music, and lots of celebrations with all the teams. We did it. A team with our challenges pulled it off together. Off to bed for a few hours sleep.

Day 6 – Monday

We returned home shattered, tanned, happy, and very proud of what we had achieved. The whole trip was so well organised by Karen and Christine, and a big thank you to our helm Verdun. We all feel very lucky and thankful to have had this opportunity. Bringing home the Bronze Medal on top of such a fantastic experience made it even more special and truly priceless. We hope next time you will join us, our fellow dragons.