The Dee Autumn Head takes place on the River Dee in Chester. Crews race from the A55 ‘motorway’ bridge to Dee Lane. A distance of just under 4000m.
Notice of cancellation
Dee Autumn Head planned for 22nd October 2023
This is a difficult decision affecting many people. We have thought deeply about the risks of proceeding with the event and concluded it would not be safe.
Reasons for cancellation
The river level and flow rate are already high and heavy rainfall from Storm Babet is now making the river unsafe. The levels are not predicted to start falling until after Sunday.
High river levels cause debris to be washed into the river and the proximity of the finish line to the Weir is a concern with a high flow rate. If the river level is above the towpath edging near the club the Safety Launch crews will not risk operating.
Travel to the event will be risky as flooding is being reported in many areas that our participants would need to travel through. This may have subsided by Sunday but it will hamper our event preparation on Saturday.
Many thanks to all who have entered the event and supported the preparation to this point. We rely on so many volunteers to operate the event and your support is very much appreciated.
All the best from the
Dee Autumn Head Organising Team