Sharpe and Freeman win the 2025 ThruDark DW
The 2025 ThruDark Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race ended in dramatic style as Tom Sharpe and Anoushka Freeman clinched victory in the dying stages, earning their second consecutive DW victory.
Three crews were separated by only a few minutes as they hit the tideway, and at that stage Sharpe and Freeman were lying in third place. But a big final push down the tideway enabled them to overhaul the two crews ahead to win the race with a time of 17 hours 17 minutes, 23 seconds.
Joe Petrson and Brynde Kreft ended up in second place, with a time of 17m21.27s, while Billy Butler and Jon O’Grady rounded out the top three having finished four minutes further back.
The American crew of Andy Hall and Dylan Kirk emerged victorious in the Canadian Canoe class, winning with a time of 20h18m59s, while Kat Burbeck and Fiona Pennie-Douglas won the Ladies class with a time of 21h30m4s.
Meanwhile, there’s been plenty of action in the Stages Race. Today was another early start for our stages race, with some setting off as early as 6:45am, however they did not let the tiredness get to them as they showed great determination on the longest day so far.
It was helped by the excellent weather which provided enough sunshine for our competitors to bring out their sunglasses! As always the support was brilliant, with an amazing number of homemade signs, really adding a special and personal feel to the day.
At Teddington this afternoon as competitors pulled into the finish, the noise from the crowd was electric which really spurred them on.
The results remain relatively the same as yesterday, with our Junior Doubles Lovell and Cramer (123), extending their lead to three hours putting them in great stead for tomorrow. Yesterday there was a two minute gap between second (Barret/Brown 107) and third (Phippard/Francis 119), however 107 has now extended that gap to 11 minutes, leading to a feisty competition on Day 4.
In other categories the leaders remain the same, showing excellent timings and motivating them to reach that finish in Barn Elms in the best time they can.
The atmosphere around the campsite this evening was positive, with all the competitors knowing that it is one final push down the Tideway, to reach Barn Elms where they can finally relax!
Written by Hannah Webb & Rob Hansford