BUKE 2026

Sumatra

The British Universities Kayaking Expedition (BUKE) is a biennial expedition consisting of the best British student kayakers around. To be chosen for the expedition, applicants initially send a portfolio consisting of their relevant experiences, the successful applicants are then invited to a selection weekend where their kayak skills were tested. Only then is the team selected through a peer vote. This year’s team consists of seven members and aims to spend seven weeks in the summer of 2026 on a self-supported expedition to Sumatra.

The expedition is primarily based in the Bukit Barisan Mountain range, covering the North Sumatra and Aceh regions. Some rivers in this range have been previously paddled, including Aek Simonggo and Bahblon. Our expedition is going to take place from mid-July to the end of August when rivers are expected to be low to medium flow. Researching potential rivers is an ongoing process, but our findings indicate a promising outlook for what is to be a very exciting expedition full of first descents, and we hope to showcase Sumatra to the wider kayaking community as a viable paddling destination.

This is an unsupported expedition, so everything we need will have to be carried in our boats. On our way, we will be documenting the whole expedition. This will include the obvious kayaking shots, landscapes, fauna and flora we encounter, and any interactions with the locals. It is not going to be a sugar-coated production, as we want to effectively demonstrate the euphoric highs and potentially horrendous lows that are the reality of such an expedition. Above all we want to inspire our audience (including kayakers, explorers and other young people in general) to get out of their comfort zones, proving that anyone can get to these amazing places if you put the work in.

Meet the Team

Katie Ricketts

I am a 3rd year Physical Geography student at Cardiff University. I’ve grown up near to Dartmoor, kayaking and hiking with my family, developing a love for the outdoors. While I have dabbled in freestyle, I have always focused on river running, which has taken me all over the UK, as well as to Italy and France. I am currently president of Cardiff University Kayaking Club and enjoy leading trips and coaching beginners, while also working professionally as a raft guide and kayak coach at Cardiff International Whitewater Centre. I have loved getting out and exploring UK rivers and events, include Wet West, Paddlefest and Euro Open. Sumatra is an exciting opportunity to explore a new culture with incredible landscapes and wildlife, and I’m thrilled to be a part of this expedition to paddle the rivers and showcase what it has to offer.

Ross Jamieson

I’m a first-year student at the University of Stirling studying environmental geography and outdoor education. I’ve grown up in the outdoors as long as I can remember but always felt at home on the water. My dad taught me to sea kayak at a young age which was my first taste of kayaking but since having a taste of whitewater in 2023, I haven’t done very much sea kayaking… Since then, I’ve competed in events like the Morriston enduro, SUCC freestyle/boater cross and McLarens slalom. Sumatra seems like an amazing country to explore the different culture, what especially interests me are the landscapes and different wildlife which we might encounter. Not to mention the potentially first descents.

Sol Entwistle

Growing up in the shadow of the Brecon Beacons, my connection to the outdoors was forged in the rivers of the Welsh valleys. What began as a local passion at Aberfan Canoe Club evolved into a global pursuit, taking me from the highland glens of Scotland to the meltwater of the French Alps and the Chilean Andes. Now a second-year Biochemistry student at the University of Bristol, I’m an active member in the local paddling community. As the current Vice-captain and Welfare Officer for the university club, I am driven by a desire to give back to the community that shaped me. My goal for the 2026 expedition is to push the boundaries of our collective exploration—to help the team navigate new territories and ‘make the world a smaller place’ for the next generation of kayakers. Beyond logistical contributions and planning, I am eager to document our journey through film and prose, sharing the story of our adventure with the wider paddling world.

Dan Murray

I’m a 4th year Geophysics student at the University of Edinburgh. I have always loved the outdoors and exploring, so it was a bit inconvenient for me growing up in London, particularly for finding whitewater to paddle. This is why I moved up to Scotland, where I was lucky enough to get trained by some great kayakers. I have always been a very active part of the university kayak club, currently leading trips and teaching skills, whether that is in the pool or on the river. My whitewater paddling started in Scotland, and I have also been able to go to the French Alps with my university group. Additionally, I always enjoy attending events such as Wet West, North Esk Race and SUCC freestyle. However, last year I got the opportunity to spend a year abroad in New Zealand as part of my degree, a paradise for the outdoors, where I climbed, hiked and whitewater kayaked. For me this expedition to Sumatra is an amazing opportunity to be emersed into the culture there, explore a landscape that is completely different to ours, as well as show the impacts of the unexpected cyclone that hit there in 2025.

Harvey Harris

I am a third year Natural Sciences student at the university of Nottingham. I began kayaking when I was 11 as part of Grimsby canoe club with my dad and sister. Growing up in Lincolnshire, kayaking for the first few years consisted entirely of trips to white water courses or scrapes down rivers we had planned weeks ago and the rain was non-existent, but this meant I fell in love with the ‘day out’ aspect of the sport – it was exciting even if the river was mostly rocks. When I joined university, I started kayaking a lot more consistently and began freestyle as I felt it would be a wasted opportunity to be so close to Holme Pierrepont and not give it a try. This improved my skills on whitewater and through people I met at the university, I got to paddle new and harder rivers in the UK as well as going on trips to Slovenia and Norway. I have been involved with the committee of the university club for the past two years, focusing on coaching beginners/ intermediates on whitewater. Paddling for me is all about getting to go to new places and see new perspectives, plus kayaking in Sumatra and being in the jungle is incredible for these reasons and the quality of the whitewater we hope to find.

James Short

I am currently in my second year studying Product Design at Edinburgh University. My childhood in Cambridge gave proximity to Lee Valley whitewater centre. This allowed me to hone my skills in the kayak in a safe, controlled, reliable environment and was certainly a strong start to my paddling career. Now living in Edinburgh, I escape to the Scottish Highlands most weeks for kayaking adventures. When I can’t go kayaking in the highlands, I can be found escaping the city trail-running in the Pentland hills. Alongside paddling in the UK, my last three summers have consisted of paddling internationally in Norway and the French Alps. With over 100 days on the water, it’s safe to say paddling dominated my 2025, and I have no plan to change this for 2026. Multi-day canoe trips in Sweden, as well as experience winter mountaineering in Scotland and Bolivia add to my experience in the outdoors and lend important expedition skills. I am looking forward to exploring a new environment, new rivers, and new cultures in Sumatra.

Jamie Chaplin

I began kayaking at 10 years old, originally on the sea, before moving to slalom and finally finding my passion in white water. Growing up in Northeast England, I have worked in the outdoor industry since leaving school, which brought me to Stirling to study Environmental Science with Outdoor Education, where I am now in my fourth year. I have spent the last two years as the president of the University Kayak club and love teaching and getting people into white water kayaking. Outside of the club, I regularly paddle across Scotland and find my favourite days out usually involve running something a bit off the beaten track. Besides kayaking, I frequently climb and hike, particularly enjoying the suffer-fest that is a day on a Scottish mountain in winter. This has brought me to work for Active Stirling in recent years, both as an outdoor instructor, climbing instructor and Duke of Edinburgh supervisor. Sumatra is a fantastic opportunity for me to experience expedition kayaking, as well as experience a new culture and just have a fantastic adventure.