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Issue 140 Autumn 2019 £2.50

ceufadKAYAK CYLCHGRAWN CANŴ CYMRU JOURNAL OF CANOE WALES

GOING FOR GOLD

YOUNGUNS FREESTYLE & BOATER X

COMPETITION – WIN A PAIR OF CUSTOM-MADE EAR PLUGS WORLD FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS

#CROESYKIDS

editorial

ere it is – the first digital issue of Ceufad! From a production perspective it’s pretty exciting –there’s more flexibility with page numbers, which means more content (this issue has an extra 4 pages). It’s a quicker turnaround, so we can include the latest news (Canoe Polo Euro Champs). And we can link to websites, social media and video feed (most web and social media listings are clickable links and where you see the icon it means there’s a link to video content). It’s also given us the opportunity to hit refresh and update the design a little. Like I said, pretty exciting! The downside is there is no shinynew-magazine to paw through, however, the Winter issue will be a print-copy (and the Summer too), so we’re striking a happy medium! Hopefully you enjoy this issue – if you have any comments, feedback or suggestions please let us know. Or any ideas for articles – we’re always looking for content! Vicky Barlow Editor ceufad@canoe.wales

Ceufad Ed Ceufad

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@Ceufad

ceufad

Ceufad is the official magazine of Canoe Wales. It is produced by members & the views expressed are not necessarily those of Canoe Wales or the magazine’s editor. Ceufad is free to members of Canoe Wales. SUBSCRIPTIONS are available to non-members for £10 for 4 issues from Canoe Wales. ADVERTISING For advertising rates contact Vicky on: ceufad@canoe.wales SUBMISSIONS Articles are always welcomed & should be submitted as Word files, however, typed articles are also accepted. Images can be prints or tiff/jpeg/RAW files (preferably 300ppi). These will be returned. CONTACT ceufad@canoe.wales – 01678 521199 Ceufad, Canoe Wales, Bala, Gwynedd LL23 7NU Ceufad is produced quarterly in Spring (March), Summer (June), Autumn (Sept) and Winter (Dec). NEXT ISSUE: WINTER DEADLINE: 1ST NOVEMBER Ceufad welcomes all contributions but reserves the right to edit & condense to fill the space available. Design & layout: Vicky Barlow www.victoriabarlow.co.uk

Canoe Wales News

Info and updates from Canoe Wales

Waterways and Environment Update

Clear Access Clear Waters campaign

#Croesykids @ Llandysul River Festival

Enjoying one of Wales’ best river fests

9 Events

Festivals, comps and symposiums - they’re all here

Competition Report

More Welsh success on the competition circuit

In the Flow

The latest paddlesport products and news

Going for Gold

Ysgol Heol Goffa’s DofE expedition

Younguns Freestyle & Boater X

The Younguns Tour drops in on the Tryweryn

24 Inside Out

How to take your roll from the pool to whitewater

Mawddach Marathon 2019

Racing at the Mawddach Paddlesports Fest

Paddler Profile: Etienne Chappell

Win an Aqua-Bound Whiskey fibreglass paddle

CONTENTS 33 Competition

Win an Aqua-Bound Whiskey fibreglass paddle

World Freestyle Championships

3 Welsh paddlers headed to Sort in search of medals

Parting Shot

A sneak preview of the Winter issue

COVER

LUCY BRIGHTON, CHLOE KINSMAN

YOUNGUNS FREESTYLE & BOATER X @ TRYWERYN

JUSTIN BUNN

AUTUMN 2019

CANOE WALES – OUR TEAM Jen Browning

CEO

MEMBER SERVICES TEAM Paul Marshall Coaching Manager (Consultant) Gayle Penn Development Officer Rhys Green Development Officer Val Ephraim Administrative Officer Jen Rigby Membership Assistant Ellen Roberts Finance Officer Phil Stone Places to Paddle Manager

THE CANOE WALES SHOP IS NOW OPEN! GET YOUR OFFICIAL CANOE WALES MERCHANDISE

We’ve got a great range of t-shirts, hoodies, mugs and bags available for you to buy to show off your love of paddling in Wales. And we’ve just launched our new Clear Access Clear Waters campaign t-shirts Designed by Hay-on-Wye artist Jessica Eve Watkins, they’re a great way to show your support for our campaign!All our shirts and hoodies are made of 100% organic cotton and are exclusive to our shop - with all profits supporting the work we do to grow paddlesport in Wales. There are more products on their way - keep checking www.canoewales.com

PERFORMANCE TEAM Dan Golder Performance Manager and Talent Pathway Officer (South) Jonathan Davies Talent Pathway Officer (North) Serena Williams Talent Pathway Officer (South) Gareth Bryant Talent Pathway Officer (West) Tom Power Head Coach (Slalom) Dan Goddard Performance Coach (Slalom) DIRECTORS David Wakeling Andy Booth Kerry Chown Elsa Davies Lowri Davies Ian Hughes Jet Moore Eryl Richards Mary Taylor Ieuan Watkins

Interim Chairperson Finance Director

Thanks to the help of paddlers, the spring campaign which took place earlier this year, was the BIGGEST yet for Surfers Against Sewage with 45,771 volunteers across the UK joining community clean up events. Following this overwhelming success they are hoping to make the Autumn Campaign even bigger than ever!

www.canoewales.com info@canoewales.com 01678 521 199 National White Water Centre, Frongoch, Bala, Gwynedd, LL23 7NU #canoewales

CEUFAD

19TH – 27TH OCTOBER

The Autumn Beach Clean event is part of a movement by national charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), which aims to protect coastlines, create cleaner oceans and clean up inland areas.

CONTACT CANOE WALES

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SAS AUTUMN BEACH CLEAN CAMPAIGN

You can join a Beach Clean event or organise and host your own waterways clean up. All clean leaders will receive a step-by-step guide and all of the equipment needed to organise clean ups free of charge from Surfers Against Sewage. Head to Beach Clean section at www.sas.org.uk to find out how you can get involved.

CANOE WALES MEMBERS MEET & AGM 21/22 SEPTEMBER 2019

THE SCHEDULE HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AND BOOKINGS ARE OPEN FOR THE 2019 CANOE WALES MEMBERS’ MEET AND AGM Based at Broneiron, near Llanidloes, and supported by Adventure Beyond, this is a weekend of paddling, skills development, inspiring talks and celebrations. There’s the Canoe Wales AGM, 14 different workshops, stands from Canoe Wales partners and the chance to win prizes in a special prize giveaway. Throughout the day on Saturday there will be a selection of courses and information sessions plus a guided river trip from Newtown. In the evening it’s the Canoe Wales AGM, followed by a two-course Awards Dinner, which will celebrate the greatest achievements in Welsh paddlesport in 2019 and honour those who have gone above and beyond in their service to our sport. On Sunday there will be a selection of outdoor workshops and another opportunity to enjoy the River Severn with a guided trip from Newtown. Here’s a taste of what’s on offer ... WORKSHOP A1 - INTRODUCTION TO PADDLEABILITY We all want to help make paddlesport accessible for everyone - including disabled people - but sometimes it can be hard to know where to start. This workshop will give you the skills and knowledge to feel confident that you’re taking all the right steps to make your activities inclusive for disabled people, and help you know where to go for more information and ideas. Plus, if you’re a coach, you’ll get 18 months of CPD. WORKSHOP C1 - GUIDED TRIP ON THE RIVER SEVERN As you may have seen in the news, paddlers can now take advantage of new access points on the River Severn in Newtown. Join us on this trip and you’ll enjoy a guided tour of this lovely grade 1/2 river and the new access points with trip leaders from Welshpool Canoe Club and Canoe Wales. Saturday, Sunday and Weekend passes include access to workshops on those days - so take a look at what interests you and decide which day or days to come join us! Bookings for the sessions close on 13 September. To find out more and to book your place visit www.canoewales.com

ADVENTURE BEYOND

Adventure Beyond is proud to be the premier sponsor of this year’s Members Meet. Over the years, we have assisted paddlers from all backgrounds to improve their paddling. Adventure Beyond offers paddlesport coaching, coach and leader development, and safety and rescue training across all disciplines. We are based in the beautiful Cardigan Bay in West Wales and, as well as skills-based paddling courses, we also offer guided trips and expeditions on the sea and river, in kayaks, canoes, rafts and on SUPs. For more info visit www.adventurebeyond.co.uk

WIN AN AQUA-BOUND

WHISKEY FIBERGLASS PADDLE Aqua-Bound is giving you the chance to win a Whiskey Fiberglass paddle in Sunwave, worth over £200. All you have to do is tell us the colours the paddle is available in. The Whiskey Fiberglass paddle has the same beefy blades as the Whiskey Carbon paddle, making it perfect for high-angle, high-energy paddlers. Hand-crafted and compression molded with multi-laminate fiberglass resin and a lightweight foam core, it comes in three eyepopping colours. The Whiskey Fiberglass paddle has the same super-light and durable, 100% carbon T-700 shaft. It is available in a 100% Carbon Posi-Lok® ferrule system which clicks into position firmly and securely. The Posi-Lok® features strong, corrosion-free construction, convenient dualbutton release, and infinite feathering angles. The Whiskey Fiberglass is available in lengths from 200cm to 240cm in increments of 5cm. For more information visit www.aquabound.com

COMPETITION

COMPETITION WINNER!

AQUA-BOUND WHISKEY FIBREGLASS PADDLE

Plugged Audio is run by Sonja Jones, a keen paddler and clinical audiologist who is on a mission to help protect paddlers’ ears! She offers custom-made plugs which are handmade in Cardiff and protect against surfer’s ear and water borne infection. A percentage of the profits go to Karma Seas CIC and Waters of Wales, so every purchase helps two great paddling causes. Sonja will be launching in Wales at the Canoe Wales AGM, and will also be at the Wet West Paddlefest and the SWWK End of Summer Festival (Langollen), so if you’re around drop in for a chat.

Martin Williams! We’re running another competition this issue; a chance to win a set of custom-made ear plugs from PluggedAudio. Check out the details on p33.

For more information visit www.pluggedaudio.com

COMPETITION TO ENTER

The Whiskey Fiberglass paddle is available in three colours (we’ve already named one of them ...) – all you need to do is tell us the two other colours (there may be a clue on the Aqua-Bound website...). To enter either: a) fill in this form & then post/return it to: Aqua-Bound Competition, Canoe Wales, National White Water Centre, Frongoch, Bala, LL23 7NU or b) email the answer (the two colours) and your name to ceufad@canoe.wales with ‘Aqua-Bound competition’ as the subject title. Using my powers of deduction I declare the colours the Whiskey Fiberglass paddle is available in are:

The name of PluggedAudio’s plugs that protect you against surfer’s ear is: .............................................................................................

Sunwave, ............................................................... and ..............................................................................

and they are manufactured by: ...............................................................................................................................................................

Name:................................................................................................................... Tel no: ......................................................................

Address:..................................................................................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................................................................................ E-mail:.....................................................................................................................................................................................................

PluggedAudio are giving you the chance to win a pair of custom-made ear plugs worth £75. All you have to do is answer a couple of simple questions.

Last issue we gave you the chance to win an set of paddles from Aqua-Bound. Well, we’ve done the prize draw and can announce that the lucky winner is ...

TO ENTER

Terms & conditions Closing date is 1st August 2019. Only one entry per person. Prize is one Whiskey Fiberglass paddle, 2-piece straight shaft, in Sunwave. The exact specification of the Whiskey Fiberglass paddle will be agreed between the winner and Aqua-Bound/CanoeWales. Prize is non-transferable. Prize is as offered – no cash alternatives. To enter; complete and return entry form to Canoe Wales (Bala), or email your name and the answer to ceufad@canoe.wales Entries received after the closing date will not be considered. No responsibility is taken for lost or delayed entries. The winner will be drawn at random from all correct entries. The editor’s decision will be final. The winner will be contacted after the closing date and will also be announced in the September issue of Ceufad. Entrants’ details will only be kept by Canoe Wales and will not be shared with any other organisation or third party.

WIN A SET OF PLUGGEDAUDIO CUSTOM-MADE EAR PLUGS

AUTUMN 2019

E-mail:.....................................................................................................................................................................................................

Terms & conditions Closing date is 1st November 2019. Only one entry per person. Prize is one pair of custom-made plugs. The exact specification of the plugs will be agreed between the winner and PluggedAudio/CanoeWales. Prize is non-transferable. Prize is as offered – no cash alternatives. To enter; complete and return entry form to Canoe Wales (Bala), or email your name and the answers to ceufad@canoe.wales Entries received after the closing date will not be considered. No responsibility is taken for lost or delayed entries. The winner will be drawn at random from all correct entries. The editor’s decision will be final. The winner will be contacted after the closing date and will also be announced in the winter issue of Ceufad. Entrants’ details will only be kept by Canoe Wales and will not be shared with any other organisation or third party.

NORTH WALES PERFORMANCE COACHING PATHWAY WE’RE LOOKING FOR NEW FEMALE COACHES!

DO YOU WANT TO GET INTO COACHING? JOIN THE NORTH WALES CANOE SLALOM PERFORMANCE COACHING PATHWAY AND PLAY YOUR PART IN A THRIVING GB TALENT PATHWAY! The Outdoor Partnership have teamed up with Canoe Wales to encourage and support more females to become coaches. They are running a 12-month coaching and mentoring programme for women who want to become coaches. You don’t even need to have previous paddling experience! They are running a pilot project with the aim of increasing the number of female performance coaches involved in canoe slalom in North Wales. They are looking for enthusiastic and passionate individuals (age 17+) who desire to develop as a performance coach and support the next generation of canoe slalom athletes to reach the podium. You don’t need previous paddling experience although some knowledge of coaching sport is desirable. You will receive National Governing Body qualifications in coaching paddlesport providing you reach the required standard. Selected participants will be working in a professional paddling environment alongside the North Wales Canoe Slalom coaching team. The programme gives young North Wales paddlers a clear pathway from grassroots level through into the Welsh performance group and then on to junior GB selection. You will receive a personalised coaching and mentoring programme to reach your full potential as a performance coach. Training sites include Mold (Tuesday evenings), Llyn Padarn (Wednesday evenings) and Plas y Brenin (Thursday evenings). It is expected that you organise your own transport to every session. There will be no formal schedule but rather a flexible programme to let the individual shape their own development as a coach. The expectation is that each participant will commit to 10 hours per month but the more you put in, the more you get out. Spaces are limited to 4 people, so expect there to be a lot of competition for the places.

RUSSELL SCAPLEHORN

To join the programme, complete the application form via: https://forms.gle/viwxuoEgDSHy5wn98 Applications close at 5pm on 13th September 2019.

NEW PERSONAL PERFORMANCE AWARDS AND LEADERSHIP PATHWAY START YOUR NEXT AWARD TODAY!

The NEW Personal Performance Awards are designed for paddlers wanting to gain recognition of their learning and development, in the craft and environment they choose. 3 awards are available in 12 disciplines including everything from SUP, Touring to Freestyle, so the choice is yours! Find out more on the British Canoeing website. Check out ‘My Pathway’, the interactive tool that guides you through all of the qualifications and awards so you can find your first or next step on the awards pathway. INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PROVIDER OF THE NEW PERSONAL PERFORMANCE AWARDS? Every Instructor, Coach, Leader, Bell Boat Helm and Raft Guide will be able to run some of the NEW Awards. Find out more about the Personal Performance Awards Provider eLearning, which also provides 3 years’ CPD, the British Canoeing Assessor Training and a range of logos for your marketing! Find out more on the British Canoeing website!

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WATERWAYS & ENVIRONMENT UPDATE

#ClearAccessClearWaters – Join the Campaign! Our campaign is now underway to confirm access to the rivers and inland waters of Wales and we need as many of you as possible to get involved as we develop our strategy and approach. As a first step, why not… »» visit ClearAccessClearWatersWales for all the latest news; »» sign-up for our newsletter to get a monthly digest of news delivered direct to your inbox; and »» follow us on Facebook or Twitter?

WELSH GOVERNMENT PLANS FOR ACCESS REFORM While we’re disappointed that the Welsh Government has decided not to implement right now its 2017 proposals to extend ‘access land’ to cover all inland waters in Wales, we are delighted that the Minister has now “emphasised [to us] that legislation was still a possibility in future” and confirmed our key role in “focussed discussions in the coming months”. We hope these Government-led discussions will lead us closer to our vision for the waters of Wales being open for all sustainable recreational pursuits to all responsible recreational users. Our new Places to Paddle Manager – who should have been appointed by the time you read this – will be busy over the next few months preparing our strategy and seeking your opinions.

CAMPAIGN T-SHIRTS, HOODIES AND MUGS ... now available from the Official Canoe Wales shop (proceeds help to fund our campaign).

JOIN THE #PLASTICSCHALLENGE The Canal & Rivers Trust has set a challenge: “The next time you visit a waterway near you: 1. Pick up just one piece of plastic 2. Take a photo of you with it and share it with the hashtag #PlasticsChallenge 3. Take it home with you and either bin it or recycle it correctly” Why not add the hashtag #ClearAccessClearWaters at the same time!

JOIN US AT THE MEMBERS’ MEET As part of the Canoe Wales Members’ Meet on 21 Sep we will be running a: »» One-hour briefing to introduce the #ClearAccessClearWaters campaign in Wales and the role that paddlers can play in raising the profile of access difficulties and in protecting the environment. We hope to see lots of you there!

#PlasticsChallenge #ClearAccessClearWaters

AUTUMN 2019

#CROESYKIDS @ LLANDYSUL RIVER FESTIVAL WORDS: CROESYCEILIOG CANOE CLUB P H OTO S : J U ST I N B U NN

We have just returned from our annual club trip to the Llandysul River Festival, a fabulous 4-day paddlesport extravaganza with coaching and activities for all. It was amazing to see so many club members in attendance with over 20 people representing the club in one way or another. The #Croesykids were kept busy with a plethora of fun sessions including river swimming, freestyle training, rafting, and SUPing to name but a few. This year’s event also saw the return of the popular Kayathlon race involving swimming, kayak-

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ing and running which many of the more energetic kids took part in. Our evenings were spent by the campfire, recounting the highlights of the day’s activities. Even the torrential rain and flooding of tents didn’t dampen the atmosphere! Notable results in the slalom race included Harvey gaining promotion to Division 3 in kayak, as well as plenty of action from the multiple C2 pairings on the lake, as well as a first slalom event for Olivia and Gwennie Sellers. Not to be outdone by the kids Damian and Will decided to have a Dad’s race, well done to Will for winning! Maybe see you both in suitably sized slalom boats sometime soon? The River Festival is a fabulous event hosted by Llandysul Paddlers each year and has become a must-attend festival for many of the club members. Special thanks to Etienne Chappell and Matthew ‘Pod’ Houghton for keeping the #Croesykids entertained! See you there next year?

EVENTS S E P 7

S E P 7

S E P

TEIFI TOUR IESTYN HUGHES

WALES SURF KAYAK OPEN COMPETITION Haverfordwest Depending on the surf, the Welsh Open is at either Newgale or Whitesands in Pembrokeshire, with the rerun Saturday 21st September. The AGM is on the Saturday evening of the competition.

YOUTH CANOE POLO COMP Barry Dock Bridgend Canoe Club is hosting a Youth Canoe Polo Competition at Barry Dock. Open to all youth paddlers whether individuals or teams - the focus is very much on taking part and having fun whatever your ability.

MEMBERS’ MEET & AGM

Llanidloes Bronieron is the base for this year’s event, with on-water workshops and guided trips on the nearby River Severn. 21-22 This weekend is a great opportunity to up-skill, socialise and meet the CW team. There are workshops, info sessions, trade stands, prize giveaways, the AGM and Awards Dinner. This event gets bigger and more popular each year, so don’t hang about booking your place. S E P

PAN CELTIC AND WELSH SLALOM CHAMPS

NWWC, Bala The penultimate round of the Pan Celtic Cup is on the Graveyard at the Tryweryn, along with the Welsh Slalom Champi28-29 onships. Which paddlers will take the titles this year?

O C T

TEIFI TOUR

Llandysul The Teifi Tour offers something for everyone and is perfect for club paddlers, freshers and old boys alike. Prepare for 25-27 two days of kayaking along the Teifi with river safety and shuttle buses provided, plus two legendary nights of partying in the River Legacy party marquee complete with indoor pool! And thanks to the wonderful sponsors there’s more prizes up for grabs than you can shake a stick at. Make sure to pack your ‘Outer Space’ themed fancy dress, your pool wear and your paddling kit in preparation for the wildest paddling weekend of 2019! O C T

WELSH OPEN CANOE SYMPOSIUM

Bala Returning to Bala this year the symposium caters for all open boaters, from novice to the most experienced. There 25-27 is a stellar group of coaches who will be delivering a wide range of workshops, plus guest-paddler James Raffan. A fantastic open canoe and social event with loads on offer both on and off the water. O C T

BRITISH SURF KAYAK CHAMPS

Freshwater West 2019 sees the British Surf Kayak Champs land in Pembrokeshire, at Freshwater West, with GB’s top surf kayakers 26-27 competing for the British title. The rerun is scheduled for the 9th and 10th of November. Check out a film of last year’s Champs from Thurso

AUTUMN 2019

COMPETITION SPRINT JUNIOR & U23’S CANOE SPRINT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS The Junior and U23’s Canoe Sprint World Championships started on the 1st of July in Pitesti, Romania. The racing began with the heat of the Junior Women’s K4 with our Welsh representative of Elise Churchill, from Seren Dŵr Sprint. The K4 had tough competition racing against the strongest teams of Hungary and Germany, in an Olympic discipline. The K4 raced through to the semi final and gained a place in the B final, coming home with an 18th position. The Great British team came home with some fantastic results, with majority of athletes making an A or B final racing against 51 countries with the world’s greatest athletes. The team stepped up massively from their European Championships only 3 weeks before the Worlds.

NATIONAL SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIPS The National Sprint Championships were held in Nottingham at the end of August. This was a tough event with strong competition. Two Welsh paddlers were in the mix; Hannah Stephens (Swansea) and Elise Churchill (Seren Dŵr) in U18 K2 500m. They stormed through the competition to take silver!

HANNAH STEPHENS, ELISE CHURCHILL CANŴ CYMRU / CANOE WALES

SLALOM U23 SLALOM EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS Welsh paddler Megan Hamer-Evans the only GB athlete to make it through to the finals at the Euro Champs. Megan was the third paddler to race and, after posting the fastest time, had a long wait to see if she could hold on to a podium place. Unfortunately her time put her in sixth place, however, it was a solid performance, especially when combined with back-to-back semi-finals at World Cups 2 and 3 with the senior team.

EXTREME SLALOM

MEGAN HAMER-EVANS

BRITISH CANOEING

Extreme slalom may be a pretty new discipline, however, one Welsh paddler is dominating the scene. At the GB selection event at the start of the season Etienne Chappell won Junior, U23 and Senior. He went on to win Gold at the first round of the Senior ICF World Cup in Lee Valley. Reached the quarterfinals at the second round. And then took Junior Gold at the Junior and U23 World Champs in Krakow. Etienne has had a great season so far, with more races to come. Check out his Paddler Profile on p32.

FREESTYLE BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS The last weekend in August saw the big names in British freestyle take to the twin wave at Holme Pierrepont, with the hope of being crowned British Freestyle Champion. Welsh Junior K1 paddlers Ben Higson and Owen Maddox put in strong performances with some great runs, but were just beaten to the top spot by Toby Marlow. Top Welsh freestyle paddler Lowri Davies was on the hunt for a title after a season dogged with injury. And she made it look easy giving the crowd plenty to cheer for. She finished her run as the top Brit, taking the title of British Freestyle Champion. Huge congratulations to Lowri and all the freestyle paddlers. It was an incredible atmosphere with superb runs from every competitor.

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

LOWRI DAVIES

TOM CLARE PHOTOGRAPHY

Lowri, Ben and Owen also headed out to the European Championships in Sort as part Team GB. Check out p34 for a full competition report.

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COMPETITION CANOE POLO JUNIOR INTERNATIONAL, BELFAST Three Welsh representatives attended the Junior International in Belfast: Katie Howes (GB U21 Ladies), Gareth Howes (United Nations U15) and Elan Winter (refereeing team). It was an amazing event with 48 teams from 18 countries, meaning lots of matches against international standard teams, so great preparation for the upcoming European Championships for Katie. Gareth’s UN U15 team played amazingly well against physically bigger and stronger teams, making it through to the final where they faced the undefeated German team KC Wetter. They pushed them all the way, taking it to 5-4. However, the German team maintained their winning streak taking Gold, with an outstanding Silver for Gareth and his team. Katie and the GB U21 Ladies sailed straight through to the Ladies finals, to take on New Zealand. They put in a great performance, winning 4-2 to take Gold. It was a competition masterclass and they are one of the favourites heading into the European Championships. GARETH HOWES, KATIE HOWES CANOE WALES POLO/CANW CYMRU POLO

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

5 Welsh players were selected for the European championships in Coimbra, Portugal: Bethan Littlewood and Louise Saxon for Senior Ladies, Henry Clark and Ben Muller for U21 Men and Katie Howes for U21 Women. Elan Winter and Zoe Anthony were also representing Wales at the Championships as part of the refereeing team. UNDER 21 MEN Although the U21s were the World Champions, all but two of the team had moved up an age group, so this was going to be a tough competition for this new-look team. They played hard with three hard-fought draws, two narrow defeats and convincing wins over the Czech Republic and Denmark, finishing 11th overall. U21 WOMEN Having finished fourth at both the most recent World and European Championships, a victory over France in the semi-final ensured GB would finally stand on an international podium. Only Germany stood between them and the Gold medal, but it was going to be a hard fight against the favourites. GB took it to within 1 goal, however, Germany pushed forward to take the win. Despite the loss, it was a sweet victory to finally stand on the podium with a well-deserved Silver. SENIOR LADIES AND SENIOR MEN On a historic day both senior teams reached the finals, with the chance of becoming European Champions. And both teams faced Germany … who had beaten our U21 Women’s team ... and who had beaten the senior womens’ team in the finals of the World Champs two years ago … The stage was set for two epic finals. For the men it was a close match, with neither team giving anything away. With 19 seconds to go it looked like it was going to extra time, until Germany scored, taking Gold with GB claiming Silver. The women faced a repeat of their World Championship, but could they take the win this time? It was a tense final with the score 1-1 as the whistle blew. Meaning it was overtime and time for the golden goal. With a foul from Germany GB were given a penalty; giving Bethan Littlewood the chance to win the Championships. And she did – firing the winning shot and taking the Gold and the Euro title.

U21 WOMEN

BRITISH CANOEING

SENIOR MEN

BRITISH CANOEING

SENIOR WOMEN

BRITISH CANOEING

Full details of the 2019 ECA Canoe Polo European Championships are available: Official championships website: http://www.canoepoloportugal.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/canoepoloportugal/ Results: http://coimbra2019.spotfokus.com/event/games/48

AUTUMN 2019

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If you love being on the r

iver, being a raft guide i

The first step to becoming a raft guide at the National White Water Centre is to attend a British Canoeing (BC) River Raft Guide training course.

s the perfect job for you!

BC RIVER RAFT GUIDE AWARD TRAINING COURSE Price: ÂŁ195 per person Duration: 3 days Minimum age: 16 years old Prerequisites: None

COURSE DATES 6th - 8th March 2020 1st - 3rd May 2020 3rd - 5th July 2020 4th - 6th September 2020

www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk info@nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk 01678 521083

IN THE FLOW WHAT3WORDS – THE REVOLUTIONARY LOCATION APP Now you only need three words to quickly refer to any exact location Not wanting to tempt fate, but as paddlers we can end up in some pretty remote locations, sometimes in need of ‘outside assistance’. When the time comes to call for help getting the exact location to the emergency services can be tricky, which is why What3Words has been developed, and why the emergency services are urging people to download it. It’s developers have divided the world into 57 trillion squares, each measuring 3m by 3m (10ft by 10ft) and each having a unique, randomly assigned three-word address. For instance the reception desk at the National White Water Centre is otter.innocence.brownish. The first aid room is faced.quits.compliant. That makes it more accurate than a six figure grid reference, (10m by 10m), and more user-friendly than latitude and longitude.

this summer

There is the potential issue of those remote locations not having phone signal, however, the app can get your location without a signal (it works offline). So at you can send someone to get help with the exact location. So far 35 English and Welsh emergency services to have signed up to the system, and it has been successfully used in search and rescue operations by mountain rescue teams, the police and fire and rescue service. Find out more and download via www.what3words.com

For expert advice on the RTM range visit an approved Test Centre 24/7 Boardsports Southampton North Shore Watersports Stockton-on-Tees Windermere Canoe & Kayak Bowness-on-Windermere

24-7 nswa wind

LISTEN UP - PLUGGEDAUDIO ARE H’EAR TO HELP! PluggedAudio, created by paddler and Clinical Audiologist Sonja Jones, has been set up to provide you with affordable custom made ear plugs, Aqua Plugs, to protect you against water borne infections and surfer’s ear.

RTM products are distributed in the UK and Ireland by Lyon Eq

PluggedAudio

You can visit Sonja in her clinic in Cardiff, or invite her to events, clubs, or venues across the UK, so that she can check your ear health, and make you some custom made plugs. She will have a stand at the Canoe Wales Members’ Meet and will also be at the SWWK End of Summer Festival (Llangollen) and the Wet West Paddlefest. So if you’re around drop in for a chat!

PluggedAudio, cre Clinical Audiologi been set up to pr affordable custom Aqua Plugs, to pro water borne infec

You can visit Sonja in invite her to events, UK, so that she can make you some cust PluggedAudio's plug using local master cr

All PluggedAudio’s plugs are made in Cardiff, using local master crafts people. This year a percentage of profits from each sale is split between Karma Seas CIC, an inclusive surfing project in Porthcawl, and Waters of Wales, an organisation promoting fair and sustainable access to Welsh waters.

Orders from across t

This year, a percenta sale is split between inclusive surfing pro Waters of Wales, an fair and sustainable

If you’d like to win a pair of custom made plugs from Sonja check out the competition on p33. To learn more and to keep an eye on her events diary, check out: www.pluggedaudio.com Facebook:@pluggedaudio

To learn more and to keep an eye on her events diary, c

RYA SAFETRX APP

www.pluggedaudio.com l Facebook: @pluggedaudio l Email: hello@plugg To advertise email: ads@thepaddlerezine.com or call +44 (0)1480 465081

Although this app has been available for a few years, it has gone through a number of developments and is a great resource for sea paddlers. It is the official app of the RYA and is an easy-to-use a planning and tracking tool, that also has some very handy additional features.

It enables you to register your boat, plan and track your trip. It also allows friends and family to track your realtime location, and can alert them if your journey exceeds its ETA (a useful safety feature). It relies on the phone’s GPS, not on phone signal (which usually disappears offshore). Although this can deplete the battery life it only logs the location every 5 minutes, so isn’t running continually. And you can change this interval to save your battery. Other useful features include: »» Find info on nearby ports, marinas, lifeboat stations and VHF channels »» Access location-based and real-time weather »» Check valuable maritime safety information when both online and offline »» Activate an Emergency call from within the app (iPhone only) This app is freely available (you don’t need to be an RYA member), is free to download and there is no charge to use it. Find out more and download via www.rya.org.uk

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Going for Gold Duke of Edinburghâ€™s Gold Award Expedition A R T I C L E : P E T E R W E LT O N

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“IT WAS EXCITING, I WAS VERY NERVOUS AT THE START BUT I IMPROVED AND GOT BETTER. IT WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING THING I HAVE EVER DONE”

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EVEN A SEVERE WEATHER WARNING FOR THE LAST DAY DID NOT STOP THIS GROUP, 50KM WAS THEIR TARGET AND THEY NAILED IT!

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Pupils and past pupils from Ysgol Heol Goffa Special School have started the journey to achieve their Gold DofE Award and are already showing great commitment and having a great time. Ysgol Heol Goffa is a Special School in Carmarthenshire that caters for pupils with severe and profound educational needs. The DofE group includes pupils with hearing impairments, communication difficulties, physical difficulties and additional learning needs. We have been very fortunate to receive funding through from DofE Wales and Burns Pet Nutrition to enable pupils to take part in their Gold Awards. Some people thought a 4-day canoe trip down the River Wye was too ambitious and not an achievable goal, but not for this group! They started their training with Llandysul Paddlers back in February. This year they were looking at doing 10 days training, a practice expedition of 3 days and the full 4-day expedition travelling 50km down the River Wye. The first pool session went very well, pupils learnt how to paddle a canoe and what to do if they fell out, but the most challenging part of the day had to be putting a wetsuit on and taking it off!! Capsizing a canoe can be very scary; pupils

overcame their fears and made it look easy!! The practice expedition was a good test of their skill. On day one they paddled 10km down the Brecon Canal, manoeuvring past canal barges and wildlife. On the second day they travelled 15km down the lower Teifi and on the last day conquered the Llandysul rapids. Camping came easy for the group as they had already experienced this during their bronze and silver awards. The expedition was by far the most demanding activity I have ever completed with a group of young students. We had set out to challenge the group and they overcame every obstacle in their way from rain, wind, cold, fatigue, rapids, rocks and not to mention overcoming their own personal challenges. With every mile they seemed to grow stronger. They generated smiles in everyone they met with their personalities, positive attitude and singing. Their spirit was not dampened by the torrential rain, in fact it enhanced it. They got to day 3 and Monmouth was in their sights. Even a severe weather warning for the last day did not stop this group, 50km was their target and they nailed it!!! Josh â€œIt made me feel happy because I enjoyed going down the rapids. It was the hardest thing

I’ve ever done. I am very proud of myself” Thomas “It was exciting, I was very nervous at the start but I improved and got better. It was the most challenging thing I have ever done” We are all so proud of their efforts in completing this incredible Gold DofE Expedition. Da iawn. We would like to thank the Duke of Edinburgh Award Wales; the Youth Support Service and local businesses for their support in helping us achieve our goal of reaching the Gold Award. A massive thank you to Llandysul Paddlers who gave these young people a chance and an experience they will never forget and demonstrated the huge benefits outdoor learning has in the curriculum. Pawb yn Gallu!!!

THE SUPPORT TEAM

Peter Welton - Ysgol Heol Goffa Dan Rogers - Youth Support Service Sarann West Youth - Support Service/Ysgol Heol Goffa Rachel Charles – Ysgol Heol Goffa

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Y O U N G U N S

F R E E S T Y L E

& B O A T E R X

ARTICLE: JUSTIN BUNN GB FREESTYLE

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The Younguns Freestyle tour is a series of events aimed at encouraging paddlers and their parents to participate in the sport of freestyle kayaking in a fun, friendly and safe environment

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s the rest of the UK basked in sunshine, the Younguns tour headed to Canolfan Tryweryn, The National Whitewater Centre near Bala, where there was a more traditional Welsh take on the weather, with moments of promise, followed by glimpses of sunshine, but definitely not the promised heatwave! The Younguns Freestyle tour is a series of events aimed at encouraging paddlers and their parents to participate in the sport of freestyle kayaking in a fun, friendly and safe environment. The tour visits many varied kayaking sites across the country making it accessible to paddlers of all abilities, whether youâ€™re a novice kayaker or a seasoned competitor. The whole ethos of the events is about encouraging participation and features coached sessions followed by a scored competition. Despite some of the elite juniors being absent due to them attending the World Freestyle Kayaking Championships in Sort (Spain), the standard of competition remained high, as did the camaraderie. With grass roots development an important part of the GB Freestyle 4 year plan, this year there was an offer of free entry if you brought along a friend (for both you and your friend!), and it was pleasing to see some new faces at this

years event, with many happy memories created. A particular highlight came from one of the youngest competitors taking their first steps on whitewater, and paddling confidently into the stopper, capsizing, swimming, and surfacing waving jubilantly, and loudly exclaiming YES! As if it was all intentional. This is absolutely what these events are all about! The weekend kicked off with some coached sessions on Saturday morning, with the youngsters split into groups of similar abilities, providing an opportunity for those new to the river to familiarise themselves with the features, and for everyone to explore the multitude of playspots the Afon Tryweryn has to offer. There were plenty of thrills, and not too many spills! After the ubiquitous lunchtime water fight (water pistols are a necessity at these events!) it was time for the BoaterX races. Starting from the rafting get out, racing down under the NRA bridge, then a sprint all the way to the finish line at Chapel Falls. After numerous head-to-head races to establish the running order, the finals race produced the BoaterX results: Girls - Jasmine Kinsman narrowly beating sister Chloe into 2nd place, U12 boys James Wheadon beating Taylor Horsley, U14 Boys - James Ward taking the win from joint 2nd place Rhys Oakley and

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Peak UK have been proud to support the event over the last few years and this year provided an amazing prize of a custom Racer PFD to three Younguns paddlers; sisters Chloe and Jasmine Kinsman, and Megan Dunn

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Oliver Bunn, and finally in the U18 Boys Daniel McCarthy 1st, with Iestyn Davies coming a close 2nd. Sunday saw the main freestyle event taking place on the top hole (above the chipper). The morning was dedicated to some coached development sessions, before the main competition in the afternoon. The gathered spectators were treated to an impressive display of freestyle kayaking from all the competitors. The standard of paddling a credit to all, with some impressive routines and combinations on display. The competition is divided into age categories, the Girls results, Jasmine Kinsman taking the victory, Iestyn Davies winning the U18 Boys category with the highest overall score, U16 Boys Sol Parrette, U14 boys with James Ward taking the win. The Younguns series is run entirely by volunteers, a huge thank you to Matt Chadder and Bev Chrimes who are the backbone of these events, as well as to the raft of freestyle paddlers who’ve progressed through the series over the years and continue to travel across the country to support future generations. The tour is also kindly supported by a number of great companies, including Palm, NRS, Immersion Research, Jackson Kayaks,

Pyranha Kayaks, Surfplugs, GB Freestyle, and Peak UK, without whose support these events would not happen. A special award was made at this event with the winners selected by the judges for their progress over the course of the series. Peak UK have been proud to support the event over the last few years and this year provided an amazing prize of a custom Racer PFD to three Younguns paddlers; sisters Chloe and Jasmine Kinsman, and Megan Dunn. Congratulations to these three young ladies who each get to design their very own unique custom printed buoyancy aid.

GET INVOLVED Please don’t forget,

to encourage even greater participation this year, paddlers will be given FREE entry if they bring a friend who enters, and has never paddled at a Younguns event previously! They too will even get FREE entry. Next event is at Boulters Lock on 14th September – See you there!

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STEP 6

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

Inside out HAVING A ROLL THAT WORKS WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST IS THE HOLY GRAIL OF PADDLING. THIS ARTICLE AND THE ASSOCIATED VIDEO ARE DESIGNED TO HELP YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY TOWARDS A BOMBPROOF ROLL.

STEP 4

A R T I C L E : P E T E C AT T E R A L L

ABOUT Pete Catterall is Head of Pad-

STEP 5

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dlesports at Plas Y Brenin, the National Outdoor Centre. A Level 5 Coach he’s been paddling and coaching for over 30 years and has travelled extensively, paddling some of the world’s best rivers. For more details contact Plas Y Brenin: www.pyb.co.uk

TOP TIP PRACTISE FRESH AND RESTED FOR EACH ROLL. PRACTISING TIRED WILL LEAD TO MISSED ROLLS AND A DROP IN CONFIDENCE! Learning in the controlled and comfortable environment of the swimming pool is a great way to get a basic pool-roll sorted, but how does this relate to a roll that works outside in cold dark water? Try following these simple steps to make the transition from pool to whitewater. STEP 1 Get confident in you pool roll. Minimal kit to give the freedom of movement. STEP 2 Start to make things more realistic. We don’t fall in in the set up position, so practise setting up as you go over by attacking the roll. By that I mean just before you’re fully submerged you are already in the roll position and committed to a roll. This is more effective than trying set up once you’re under. STEP 3 Same again but on the move. Take a few paddle strokes and as you go over attack that set up on the way in. Try it forwards, backwards and whilst turning on the move. Variety in speed and position during this step is essential. STEP 4 Go back to step one but this time with kit. Start with your helmet, then add your cag and then your PFD, working up to your normal paddling kit. Once you’ve worked through these steps and your roll is working well with all your kit on at different speeds and orientations, it’s time to go outside! STEP 5 Find a flat pool or eddy and get someone to cover safety. Practise your basic set up roll again. If that is all good go for some rolls on the move. Like we did in step 3! STEP 6 Time to step it up; find a friendly jet to practice on (with safety cover). Again start by falling in set up to give you a confident start, then repeat step 3 by falling in on the move. This step is where the magic happens! Variety is the key to developing a solid reliable roll; practise left, right, forwards, backwards and paddling into jet, fast and slow. Really mix it up! STEP 7 Every time you go for a paddle find a good safe place and practise rolling. This may sound extreme, however, it will make rolling a normal thing to do. It will also make your roll more reliable and build your confidence; knowing that you can count on your roll when you need it most. Check out the film for more rolling tips

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MAWDDACH MARATHON 2019 ARTICLE: ALAN COLE

The Mawddach Paddlefest is an estuarine extravaganza staged in Barmouth, North Wales and features the popular 20km Mawddach Marathon. Alan Cole would be on the start line for a third time â€“ could he win it this year?

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“THE PROCEEDS OF THE FESTIVAL GO TO THE HOPE HOUSE CHILDREN’S HOSPICE IN NORTH WALES, SO AS WELL AS HAVING A GOOD TIME ON THE WATER YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE HELPING A GOOD CAUSE TOO”

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It was my third year competing in the Mawddach Marathon at the weekend and yet again it was a good day out. The 20km paddle marathon is part of the Mawddach Paddlesports Festival run by the Merioneth Yacht Club in Barmouth. As well as the ‘race’, which in itself is a fairly low-key event, there are all sorts of other things going on; guided kayak, open canoe and SUP trips and lessons. There are have-a-go sessions in Celtic Rowing Boats and raft races. It’s a weekend of fun on the water and once again this year fun in the sun too. The proceeds of the festival go to the Hope House Children’s Hospice in North Wales, so as well as having a good time on the water you know that you are helping a good cause too. Barmouth isn’t too far for me so this is my local race. This means there is no need for an overnight stay or even an early start so I can take my time and take a leisurely drive to Barmouth on Sunday morning. Registration was between 9:30 and 11:00. Typically for me I arrived at around 8:30am so had plenty of time to stroll along the prom, have a coffee in the camper and get a bacon bap. Barmouth was in fine form this morning. The sun was shining and there was a carnival atmosphere in the air. The road along the seafront was closed for the festival and there were various stalls set up along it. The cafés remain open and do a good trade as people pass by to see what is going on. On the beach a group of kite fliers had been asked to attend and their huge ornate kites fluttered overhead in the light breeze. There was music playing over the PA system and occasional announcements from the organis-

ers. As the excitement grew the local samba band Batala Bermo, in their funky red and black outfits fired up and brought the place to life . It was time to assemble on the beach ready for the start. MAWDDACH MARATHON As usual, there weren’t many people signed up for the race. Most people tend to do the guided paddles rather than the race and this year it also clashed with another race at Hilbre Island so some of those who might normally race were at that instead. A shame really as it would be nice to see more people take part but I guess West Wales is a long way for most people to travel to. The guided paddlers set off before we did. Most of them go one way to The George III at Penmaenpool, a distance of 10km aided by the incoming tide. Those of us who were racing set off a little later and paddle there and back. The sun was shining, there was a light westerly breeze and the waters were fairly calm as we set off from a relaxed start line. The samba band started up once again as we set off, beating out a fast rhythm for us to maintain.

Steven was next to me off the line but I soon picked up the pace a little and pulled out a lead. Under Barmouth Bridge the water was swirling and the incoming tide was helping us on our way. The mountains of Snowdonia were bathed in sunlight and shadows as fluffy white clouds scuttled across the sky. The water sparkled and turned from greens to dark indigo as the clouds passed overhead. There were lighter sandy coloured areas of shallow water over the sandbanks but it was never too shallow, even for my surf ski with its large rudder. I headed across to the southern side of the estuary to follow the deeper channels. The longer faster way or the shorter slower route? It’s always a bit of a decision as to whether I should follow the faster flowing waters in the channels or take a more direct route over the tops of the sandbanks. The former means faster

speeds but a longer distance. The latter is slower as you don’t have so much help from the tide and the shallow water slows you down too. It is a shorter, more direct route though. Last year I took the more direct route at times and did make up ground on those ahead of me but this year I was enjoying the speed of the channels too much so stayed with them. I had set my watch to beep at me every quarter mile. At an average pace for a longish paddle such as this I’d expect it to beep at me every 2.30 minutes. In a shorter, faster-paced race then anything around 2:15 is pretty good. Today I was flying, aided mainly by the tide and wind but also by the fact that I was feeling pretty good. 2:05 for the first quarter mile split and from there it just got faster. I seemed to be averaging around 1:48 per quarter mile most of the way up the estuary, At

BEX WALTON (CC BY 2.0)

“IT’S ALWAYS A BIT OF A DECISION AS TO WHETHER I SHOULD FOLLOW THE FASTER FLOWING WATERS IN THE CHANNELS OR TAKE A MORE DIRECT ROUTE OVER THE TOPS OF THE SANDBANKS”

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times it dropped into the 1:30’s and there was even a 1:29 at one point. It just felt too fast to be true and I couldn’t get enough of it. There would be no skipping over the sandbanks to take a shorter route for me today, I was going to stick with the deeper channels, stay in the faster flow and enjoy the ride. ESTUARY SIMILARITIES The Mawddach Estuary is almost a carbon copy of the Dyfi Estuary which is on my doorstep. Once again today I was struck by the similarities. The paddle we were doing from Barmouth to Penmaenpool was almost exactly the same as the paddle from Aberdyfi to Glandyfi. The estuary looks and feels the same, the sandbanks are very similar, the main channels meander in the same way, The rocky promontories on the northern banks of the two estuaries are similar and the main bend at the head of the estuary as it becomes more of a river, sweep around to the right in exactly the same fashion. At Penmanepool we turn around a buoy in front of the George III hotel just before the bridge across the river. The people who had done the guided paddle were all congregated in a little cove just before the hotel. At Glandyfi in the Dyfi Estuary there is a buoy moored in a similar little cove just beyond the Ynyshir RSPB Reserve before the railway bridge across the river. There is a pub in Glandyfi too. The route up these estuaries look almost the same on a map but when you are in them the similarities are even more obvious. Admittedly in the images opposite I paddled from home at Ynyslas rather than from Aberdovey in the Dyfi Estuary, but had I started in Aberdovey it would be almost the same. The distances are the same too. Maybe I should try to get someone to organise a similar race in the Dyfi Estuary as part of a series of West Wales Estuary races. We could always do another in the Dwyryd Estuary further to the north. If we went from Borth y Gest to the bridge at Penrhyndeudraeth it again would be fairly similar. I’ve never paddled there though so I don’t know how feasible that would be. I feel some exploring coming on.

MAWDDACH PADDLEFEST 2020 is on the

11th & 12th July 2020 in Barmouth. It’s one of only estuarine Paddlefests staged in North Wales and is a fantastic event for all levels of paddler. Regular events include: 20km marathon, 10km guided paddle, rafted canoe race.

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BACK TO BARMOUTH I turned around the buoy and started heading back. It felt as though the tide was still coming in and I was now paddling against the wind as well so my splits soon dropped. A couple beeped at 2:30-ish and then, as I entered the main estuary and had a full on headwind, they were down to 3 minutes. It was going to be a hard slog back to Barmouth. I was in the lead though and had quite a gap over Steven in 2nd place. Hopefully the tide would turn soon and would help me out somewhat. I didn’t feel much benefit from the tide for quite some time though. In fact I didn’t really notice it until I was almost back in Barmouth. My splits were improving throughout though and soon hovered around the 2:30 mark for much of the way back. This reduced to 2:15 as I approached Barmouth and the final split was back under the 2-minute mark as I paddled into the beach and stopped my watch. I’d gone pretty hard at times and was pleased with that. All that was left to do now was pack up, eat a burger, wait for the others to finish and collect my winner’s trophy and winner’s ‘paddle’. It has to be said that the winner’s ‘paddle’ looks more like a wooden spoon! This was accompanied by a four pack of beer for the winner as well … A good day at the office! All followed by a leisurely drive home. Now that I’ve done this race 3 times it’s good to compare my times and see how I’m improving. Conditions have been fairly similar for all three so it’s good to see that things have been moving in the right direction. I think the improvements might be a little more difficult to come by now though. Is a sub 1hr 30min time possible for me? We’ll see.

YEAR 2017 2018 2019

TIME 1hr 56m 1hr 43m 1hr 36m

DISTANCE 11.2 miles 11.4 miles 11.2 miles

AVG SPEED 5.8mph 6.6mph 7.0mph

“MAYBE I SHOULD TRY TO GET SOMEONE TO ORGANISE A SIMILAR RACE IN THE DYFI ESTUARY AS PART OF A SERIES OF WEST WALES ESTUARY RACES. WE COULD ALWAYS DO ANOTHER IN THE DWYRYD ESTUARY FURTHER TO THE NORTH”

ABOUT to read more of Alan

and his family’s adventures check out his blog:A Simple Life of Luxury: tales from a downshifted family.

Live for white water?

Coaching at nwwC 2019/20 Courses BC white water safety & resCue 26/27 Oct 2019 22/23 Feb 2020 25/26 April 2020 27/28 June 2020 29/30 August 2020

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£170 pp

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£290 pp

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Please contact us for details

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£220 pp

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£195 pp £195 pp £195 pp £195 pp

If you can’t see a suitable date then give us a call.

Other COurses

We run other courses in both Kayak and Canoe, including Moderate and Advanced Water Leader Training and Assessment. We also offer White Water and Advanced White Water Coach Training and Assessment.

Private COaChing COurses

If you’ve got something in mind which you’d like to learn or you’d like a day’s guiding on the river, we can organise a day for you, whether on the Tryweryn or further afield. Please contact us to discuss your requirements. 1 to 1 coaching: 1 coach to 2 participants: 1 coach to 3 participants: 1 coach to 4 participants:

£180 per person, per day £90 per person, per day £70 per person, per day £60 per person, per day

Typhoon Multisport 4 Drysuits available for hire on all our courses only £25 per course.

Booking office: 01678 521083 email: info@nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk website: www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk/courses

PADDLER PROFILE

Welsh Slalom ETIENNE CHAPPELL

Etienne Chappell (Etie) is 18, lives in South Wales and started the 2019 slalom season ranked number 1 in the Premier Division. THIS SUMMER HE HAS ACHIEVED: Junior Selection: 3rd boat Senior Selection: 6th boat Extreme Selection: won Junior, U23 and Senior World Cup #1: Gold Extreme Slalom World Cup #2: fastest sprint in Extreme Slalom, reached quarterfinals World Cup #2: placed 25th European Champs: 3rd (U18) World Champs: Team Gold (U18) World Champs: Final 9th (U18) World Champs: Gold Extreme Slalom (U18) AND HE STILL HAS â€¦ World Cup #4 Slalom and Extreme Slalom in Leipzig and Senior Extreme Slalom World Cup #5 / World Champs Prague in September. Good luck to Etie and all the Welsh athletes for the rest of the season!

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Photos courtesy of Kim Jones Photography, British Canoeing and Nia Chappell

THE YOUNG PADDLER WHO IS PUTTING WALES ON THE MAP IN THE WORLD OF SLALOM

WIN A SET OF PLUGGEDAUDIO CUSTOM-MADE EAR PLUGS PluggedAudio are giving you the chance to win a pair of custom-made ear plugs worth £75. All you have to do is answer a couple of simple questions. Plugged Audio is run by Sonja Jones, a keen paddler and clinical audiologist who is on a mission to help protect paddlers’ ears! She offers custom-made plugs which are handmade in Cardiff and protect against surfer’s ear and water borne infection. A percentage of the profits go to Karma Seas CIC and Waters of Wales, so every purchase helps two great paddling causes. Sonja will be launching in Wales at the Canoe Wales AGM, and will also be at the Wet West Paddlefest and the SWWK End of Summer Festival (Langollen), so if you’re around drop in for a chat. For more information visit www.pluggedaudio.com

COMPETITION TO ENTER

What is the name of PluggedAudio’s plugs that protect you against surfer’s ear and how are they manufactured? (there may be a clue on PluggedAudio’s website ...). To enter either: a) fill in this form & then post/return it to: PluggedAudio Competition, Canoe Wales, National White Water Centre, Frongoch, Bala, LL23 7NU or b) email the answers (the plugs’ name and the manufacturing process) and your name to ceufad@canoe.wales with ‘PluggedAudio competition’ as the subject title. The name of PluggedAudio’s plugs that protect you against surfer’s ear is: ............................................................................................. and they are manufactured by: ............................................................................................................................................................... Name:................................................................................................................... Tel no: ...................................................................... Address:.................................................................................................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ E-mail:..................................................................................................................................................................................................... Terms & conditions Closing date is 1st November 2019. Only one entry per person. Prize is one pair of custom-made plugs. The exact specification of the plugs will be agreed between the winner and PluggedAudio/CanoeWales. Prize is non-transferable. Prize is as offered – no cash alternatives. To enter; complete and return entry form to Canoe Wales (Bala), or email your name and the answers to ceufad@canoe.wales Entries received after the closing date will not be considered. No responsibility is taken for lost or delayed entries. The winner will be drawn at random from all correct entries. The editor’s decision will be final. The winner will be contacted after the closing date and will also be announced in the winter issue of Ceufad. Entrants’ details will only be kept by Canoe Wales and will not be shared with any other organisation or third party.

Ben Higson (GB) competing in his first World Champs.

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WORLD FREESTYLE CHAMPIONSHIPS The World Freestyle Championships are held once every 2 years. This year a team of 25 athletes travelled out to Sort in Spain to represent Great Britain, including 3 Welsh paddlers. ARTICLE: LISETTE NIXON

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Slide in the centre of town.

Big tricks prize giving.

ALL PADDLERS WERE FOCUSSED ON GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE COMPETITION FEATURE, ONE WHICH EVERYONE AGREED WAS CHALLENGING

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Lowri Davies (GB) in the quarter final.

This event attracted 240 athletes from 25 countries across 4 continents and placings would be hotly contested. There were 3 Welsh paddlers who had been successful at selection and made up part of Team GB; Lowri Davies (Senior Ladies), Ben Higson (Junior Men) and Owen Maddox (Junior Men, reserve). Plus regular North Wales paddler Maya-Ray Cross (Junior Ladies). All were paddling K1 surface boat. Sort had been the venue for a previous World Champs (Lowri had competed there in 2001) but for this event, Spain, along with the ICF, had developed a new feature. One designed to be worthy of a World Championships. A few athletes and the coaches were there early, with the majority arriving the weekend before. The “early birds” had discovered that there were some last minute alterations to perfect the feature, leading to the GB group chat being named “Is there a digger in the river”. There were still a couple of small diggers on the bank, making last minute tweaks to the surrounding area, but none in the river during the last week before the event. The week before the event followed a strict programme of training schedules with country allocation based on the number of athletes. This worked out as 2 minutes per day per paddler on

the competition feature. Team training was therefore quite a regimented and time efficient event. The water was on a release so there was relatively little time outside of the allocated schedule to get any additional time on the feature and involved waits of up to half an hour for that extra ride (assuming the water lasted long enough for when you got to the front of the queue). There were a couple of other smaller features on the river, but all paddlers were focussed on getting to grips with the competition feature, one which everyone agreed was challenging. We arrived just at the start of the heat wave that was to sweep across Europe. Having been warned of cold water and rain by those out there early we were prepared for all weather conditions, but maybe not the high 30’s / 40+oC that we ended up with. The local campsite (Camping Noguera Pallaresa) had given preferential rates to the competitors and we found ourselves in a mini village of freestyle paddlers. The staff were very friendly and helpful; certainly somewhere to stop off if you are in the area. We had rented a mobile home (basic and compact) with Germans next door and French opposite. The campsite was a bit cooler than the town and had a great pool in which to cool down (and for the team to

Training time.

Clay Wright (USA) getting some serious down-time.

Joaquim Fontane I Maso (ESP) showing no fear.

think of additional competitions such as swimming furthest underwater and most ingenious way of getting out the pool). The sociable nature of kayakers soon led to communal games of ping-pong and volleyball which had no country or language boundaries. Sort is a small town and freestylers are a very welcoming group (even for kayakers) so it was not long before friendly faces could be seen in nearly every cafĂŠ or restaurant around town. The town itself welcomed us enthusiastically and were really great hosts. There were plenty of locals watching from the opening ceremony through the competition stages to the final, lining the banks to get a good view. A number of the locals also stopped by to watch during training. The central park used to be part of the old riverbed and the steps had a concrete slide down each side, which was frequented by the paddlers every evening. This and the crepe van turned out to be great meeting places. The 29th of June was both the day of the Squirt boat competition and the opening ceremony. Everyone was excited when all 6 of the GB paddlers made it through to the semis (last 10). Ottilie Robinson-Shaw went on to take Bronze (even as a junior competing against the senior

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Ben, Dane and Jen.

Ottlie Robinson-Shaw (GB) winning Gold.

Filming the squirt event.

Waiting for a training run.

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women). Alex Edwards took Silver and Sam Wilson Bronze in the Mens’. Clay Wright (USA) impressed everyone with a 24 second down time on one of his runs to regain his World title. The opening ceremony was a great opportunity for our newer and junior paddlers to get photos with the “best” in the sport and generally catch up with all the other paddlers. There was a great buzz of excitement on what was to come. It was clear that a lot of new friendships had already been made and this was just the start! Monday saw the surface boat competition kick off and Junior Men were up first. Ben Higson of Croesyceiliog Canoe Club was in heat 3, the second of the GB team to paddle. At 14, and only scraping in as old enough with a December birthday, he was the youngest and smallest competitor at the event. With the commentary and the big screens it was a step up from the UK events. His first ride didn’t go according to plan and he came away with just 10 points for a spin. A mixture of strict judging and an unfortunate flush meant it was well below what he had aimed for and not as good as he had been doing in training. With placing dependent on the total of 2 rides combined there was a lot to make up to be in with a chance of the next round (top 10 for the semis). The next ride scored 200 but wasn’t going to be enough to make the cut. His combined total of 210 gave him a final place of 21st out of 35 behind the other two GB paddlers Toby Marlow (11th) and Asha Gurung (14th). Tuesday was the Junior Women heats. MayaRay Cross also didn’t have as good rides as she had been getting in training and had scores of 0 and 6.67 for her 2 runs, giving her 6.67 overall to finish 16th. Her fellow GB teammates came 11th (Jennifer Leal with 40) and 13th (Abi Goddard with 13.3) so didn’t go through to semis. Ottlie (additional place due to medalling at the last Worlds) went through in first and maintained this place all the way to the final, to ultimately take Gold and show what an exceptional paddler she is. Wednesday was the Senior Men with no Welsh paddlers. All GB went through to the next round and 3 to the quarters (final 10), however. No one made the final (top 5), although it was close. Thursday was the Senior Women and Lowri Davies had rides scoring 190 and 146 (total 336). This got her through to the quarters (top 20) but wasn’t enough to see her into the semis and she ended with a final place of 14th (her best scoring ride was 220). Having not been truly fit due to an injury which stopped training for much of this year this was a good result. Lowri had gained her highest ICF score of 780 in selection in April. She has a lot of competition experience, so the lower scores in Sort show just how challenging this feature was.

Claire O’Hara (GB) in the semi-final.

Seeing so many struggling to complete moves to the high standards required by the ICF rules, which I have seen them do countless times on the more consistent inlet gate at Nottingham, showed not only how challenging the feature was, but impressed upon me how well our juniors had done. The heat was energy sapping and you could possibly say that acclimatising to a hot country for longer could have helped. For many it was their first big competition and nerves were showing. I saw a couple of senior men come out with 0 scores for rides, as clearly the combination of the challenging feature and nerves meant that things didn’t go according to plan. The ICF had organised a Junior training camp for the 2 weeks which any of the juniors could Claire and Sky.

get involved with and included training on a different feature, river trips and talks. This opened up even more opportunities for making friends from across the world and was a really great idea. It also gave the reserves, including Owen, the chance to get plenty of paddling in and feel part of the whole event. A great extra was adding a “big tricks” competition on finals day just for fun. The idea; get as much air as possible. It was a chance for some more paddling on the feature for anyone still keen, and some more showcasing of freestyle for the spectators. Ben Higson was proud to take 2nd and show that he could indeed fly high. I was one of the “helpers” that GB needed to supply and found my assigned job to be with the

IT RE-ENFORCED HOW MUCH MORE PADDLERS GAIN THAN JUST THOSE 45-SECOND COMPETITION RUNS

Tom Dolle (FRA) in the final.

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Dane Jackson (USA) winning Gold.

Ben and Claire discussing moves.

Emily Jackson (USA) in the Women’s finals.

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commentators pulling up the paddler information. They even got me thinking up interview questions. It was great to see everything that was going on “from the other side”, and the rota meant I was there for the final. A great view and a real buzz as there were different commentators for the local event, the live stream and Spanish TV, with the camera crew coordinator running round making sure all went smoothly. Ben also had the opportunity to have a tour of the media van and now knows what is inside those vans parked up at events and has a little insight into how it all works. As my first trip as a GB team “parent” this was a really great event and re-enforced to me how much more paddlers gain than just those 45-second competition runs. It is about team work and supporting each other, it is about learning languages and cultures, it is about trying new foods and drinks, it is about making friends, it is about learning about yourself and dealing with how things turn out so you can improve next time. It is without a doubt about an experience you won’t forget for the rest of your life. It is also about making your parents, family, coaches, club members and friends proud. Social media and the internet (and a live stream that can be watched later if you miss it – https://www.canoeicf.com/canoe-freestyle-world-championships/ sort-2019 ) make it easy to share information and it was great to see so much support from back home. Thank you everyone for all the messages of support.

Celebra

RESULTS WOMEN’S SQUIRT 1 Rose Wall USA 2 Hitomi Takaku JPN 3 Ottilie Robinson-Shaw GBR

MEN’S SQUIRT 1 Clay Wright USA 2 Alex Edwards GBR 3 Sam Wilson GBR

OC1 1 Jordan Poffenberger USA 2 Jean-Yves Moustrou FRA 3 Philip Josef GER

C1 1 Tom Dolle FRA 2 Dane Jackson USA 3 Jordan Poffenberger USA

WOMEN’S KAYAK JUNIOR 1 Ottilie Robinson-Shaw GBR 2 Olivia McGinnis USA 3 Katie Fankhouser USA

ations after the Men’s final.

MEN’S KAYAK JUNIOR

ABOUT Lisette is a life-long paddler and

GET INVOLVED The World

introduced Ben to paddling when he was just 9 months old. Having been on the Welsh Squad for both slalom and polo she’s no stranger to competition, however, watching her son compete at the Worlds was a very different experience!

Freestyle Championships will be held in Nottingham in 2021, so if you want to get involved please let GB Freestyle know. If you want to take up Freestyle then there are GB paddlers in both North Wales (Lowri and Maya) and South Wales (Ben) and others, who paddle at Mile End Mill and Cardiff International White Water Centre as well as other locations throughout the country so please get in touch.

LISETTE NIXON started paddling when she was 15 with St Albans CC, competing in slalom and polo. She qualified as a coach at 18, a qualification which she has maintained ever since (through it’s various changes). After moving to Wales and joining Bridgend CC she paddled in the Welsh Squad in both slalom and polo for several years before taking a bit of a break. Since returning to paddling with Ben she has paddled mostly with Llandysul Paddlers (great France trips), Seren Dwr (CIWW sessions) and Croesyceiliog Canoe Club (where they now have pool sessions for freestyle).

1 Mason Hargrove USA 2 Dally Kellogg USA 3 Jack Newland AUS

WOMEN’S KAYAK 1 Hitomi Takaku JPN 2 Marlene Devillez FRA 3 Zofia Tula POL

MEN’S KAYAK 1 Dane Jackson USA 2 Joaquim Fontane I Maso ESP 3 Sebastien Devred FRA

BEN HIGSON completed his first river trip in an open boat at 9 months old, his first slalom at 5 years and first trip to France at 6. Once he saw freestyle nothing was going to distract him; he got his first freestyle boat for his 9th birthday and 11 months later entered SAS Hurley! In the last year he has paddled in Canada, France, Spain, Germany and Austria (and of course England and Wales). Check out the highlights of his summer tour

Team GB.

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PARTING SHOT Prepping for a three-day trip on the River Kwai Noi in Thailand. Check out the next issue of Ceufad for the full article by John Conlin-Jones.

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2019 CANOE WALES MEMBERS MEET & AGM 21–22 September 2019 – Llanidloes This year’s MEMBERS MEET, supported by ADVENTURE BEYOND, is taking place at Broneirion, near Llanidloes in Mid Wales. • Paddle the beautiful River Severn • Attend workshops for skill development, coaching and club volunteers • Update your qualifications • Meet the staff and directors • Listen to brilliant guest speakers

• Celebrate at the CW Awards Dinner • Vote at the 2019 Canoe Wales AGM • Check out stands from Canoe Wales partners • Win prizes in our prize giveaway • And much more!

For more details and to book your place: www.canoewales.com