'We need to see changes faster' warn families of those who've died on paddleboards
An industry summit has taking place to look at what changes are needed for Summer 2025
Last updated 13 hours ago
Following two almost identical deaths on paddleboards, families who've lost loved ones today urged the industry to make changes.
Scottish GP Julia Hamilton drowned on the River Spey in May this year, four years after Simon Flynn from Cheltenham was trapped by his safety leash in Cornwall's Camel Estuary.
Dr Hamilton's husband of almost 30 years Stewart and Simon's best friend Sam Foyle both took part in an industry event today in Nottingham where researchers warned that all current leash designs need evolving.
What happened to Dr Julia Hamilton?
The 57 year old went paddleboarding on May 31, 2024, something she had done many times before with husband Stewart McLean, and today's summit was told she was a 'stickler for rules and safety' and that day followed the guidance which came with the board suggesting she wore an ankle leash.
Mr Mclean told the conference he had paddled ahead and thought his wife was looking at eagles flying above, as he briefly waited for her to catch up. As he returned to the bend in the River Spey near Aviemore 'she wasn't there'.
After a few moments, the 56 year old from Perth paddled back upstream against the strong current and discovered that his wife's ankle leash had become trapped by a branch which had fallen into the river pulling her under the water. Husband Stuart then floated his wife to a nearby shore and started CPR - something, as a dentist, he was trained in.
Mr Mclean told the summit he repeatedly had to call 999 as a result of signal problems - while he desperately continued CPR.
The first police officer to arrive saw what was happening, from the other side of the shore, and risked their life entering the water to cross as quickly as possible to help - soon followed by another colleague, before an air ambulance arrived.
Mr Mclean told the summit he believed his wife's 'ankle leash gave her no chance and that's why she drowned', adding that he felt her death was 'preventable' and he wanted to stop other families suffering the same tragedy. He reflected that the strap was still attached to her as he attempted CPR - before telling delegates that 'behind the statistic, of another fatality, she was a much loved wife, daughter, sister, auntie, senior partner of a GP practice' adding that she 'lived life to the full'.
In June, First Minister John Swinney was among many who paid tribute to Dr Hamilton
How many paddleboarders are getting into trouble?
Paddleboarding is the UK's fastest growing sport, with 7.5 million giving it a go in 2022 and there's been a tripling in the numbers of rescues by RNLI lifeboats in the past five years. Crews say the biggest reason for callouts was paddlers being blown offshore - with some being rescued to up 20 nautical miles away.
The true number of paddleboarders getting into trouble is believed to be far higher than the official statistics as many incidents are thought to go unreported. In June 2023 the Broadsands Water Sports Centre in Torbay - which does not have an RNLI lifeguarded beach and was not renting out boards that day due to the weather conditions - rescued 15 Stand Up Paddleboarders.
Figures from the latest watersports participation survey, backed by the RNLI, showed 33 per cent of respondents remembered seeing or hearing some form of safety messaging - including the RNLI's Float to Live campaign - up from 21 per cent the year before.
The research also showed the numbers wearing a life jacket or buoyancy aid has risen to 58 per cent, up from 48 per cent in 2022.
This summer a 'paddlesafe' campaign was launched and research showed 55 per cent of those seeking information were women - and two thirds of those broadly middle aged.
What has happened until now?
A campaign by Sam Foyle, who lost his best friend Simon Fin 2020, has resulted in a Government-backed world-first joint governing body to oversee the sport and its safety.
Sam has continued to lobby the industry to supply all new boards with both an ankle and a quick-release waist belt - with some brands making the change but others believing education is more important.
Today was only the fourth time the industry had met, after Sam brought the industry together for a summit in Parliament, followed by a subsequent meeting at the RNLI's headquarters in Poole - then a first official governing body summit last November.
Speaking at today's summit, Sam said: "Each event there has been a death that year from leash entrapment - and in some years more than one death.
"Not enough is being done, which is incredibly sad," he added.
Today's summit included an update on the latest leash safety research and discussions on areas such as point-of-sale and safety messaging.
A world first report into leashes - and their effectiveness - in white or fast-flowing water was released last year.
What was the industry told today about leashes?
The first research of its kind looking at the effectiveness of safety leashes in 1km, or almost still water, today confirmed that safety designs need to evolve. To date there's been seven fatalities in the UK where 'leash' has been a factor. The research, commissioned by the new governing body for the sport, suggests that leashes in future could need multiple safety points - not just one quick release mechanism. There was also a suggestion that leashes require a system that can be easily clipped and unclipped from boards, as well as from the user, to help people navigate different types of water flow. Researchers analysed the impact of leashes being trapped in water and asked what would happen if the leash was connected to different bodily contact points (ie a chest rather than a waist or ankle).
What has been said after previous deaths?
Last year a report into the deaths of four paddleboarders in South Wales criticised the safety planning that day by the tour organisers.
Where can I find advice for buying or using a paddleboard?
Click here for a wide range of advice and articles about paddleboarding from the new joint governing body, which is a partnership between the newly rebranded Paddle UK and Surf England