ECA Canoe Marathon U23 European Championships

Since working with the PF&H Sports Science team earlier this season, Philip has focused on optimising his fueling strategy, both in the days and hours leading up to races, as well as during them. This is particularly important in marathon canoeing, where in-race fueling opportunities are limited and logistically difficult to manage.

The European Championships provided a valuable test of Philip’s evolving strategy, particularly with back-to-back days. Ahead of a 5pm race start, he treated fueling as a two-day process, beginning with a carb load on Thursday, followed by three carb-rich meals on race day, supplemented with easily-digestible snacks and drinks to maximise glycogen stores. With each race lasting around two hours, scientific evidence supports the benefits of consuming carbohydrates whilst paddling to maintain intensity and delay fatigue. Philip applied this by using two drinks bags, starting with a more concentrated PF Carb Only Drink Mix bag before picking up a bag containing PF Carb & Electrolyte Drink Mix. This was a higher carb intake than he’d raced with before, and it paid off. Not only did it support his successful U23 title defense, but also helped power a strong performance in the senior field the next day where he placed fourth.

Developing and executing a hydration strategy has been another key focus for Philip this season, especially as so many of his races take place in warm, humid conditions like those in Portugal. With limited chances to drink during races lasting two hours, effective preloading and maximising hydration status before getting on the water is essential. To prepare for his evening race start, Philip drank PH 1500 within two hours of the gun going off, helping to increase his blood plasma volume and support thermoregulation in the heat. During the race, he maintained good hydration status by consuming nearly a litre of fluid from his two homemade drinks bags, which were both mixed to a relative sodium concentration of 1000mg of sodium per litre. These bags, designed from catheter bags and duct tape, hang around Philip’s neck with a tube attached, allowing him to drink hands-free while paddling at race pace.

Philip took one PF 30 Caffeine Gel 20 minutes before the start, giving him 100mg (~1.2mg/kg) going into the race. This dose may have helped support alertness and concentration, but given the recommendations are more than double this dose it’s something Philip could look to optimise further in the final hour before races. That said, with a late race start the following day, he had to carefully balance the potential impact of caffeine on sleep, a sensible consideration when racing on back-to-back days.