Most days out on the water are reward enough but these awards are about finding humour in the bits between the natural highs when the onlookers are thinking "There but for the grace of god goes I".
The Duck: The saying in the kayaking community is that we are all only ever between swims, and if you aren't swimming, you aren't trying hard enough. The holder of the Duck Award can take pride knowing they were trying hard enough.
The Dubious Exit: Kayaks aren't always the easiest of things to get out of, especially when the boat and encumbent are getting bashed by surf during a beach landing, but the circumstances rarely diminish the mirth that comes from watching someone you respect trying to style out flailing arms and legs before the dunking.
The Spanner: This is a new award for 2026. It's mostly going to be awarded to the latest person succumbing to the faff that comes with kayaking e.g. forgetting essential kit, leaving dry clothes at the wrong end of the shuttle. The ways to win this award are limited only by the imagination.