Issue 138 March 2019 £2.50
ceufad CYLCHGRAWN CANW CYMRU JOURNAL OF CANOE WALES
kayak
SURF KAYAK HOME INTERNATIONALS RAY GOODWIN MBE CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF KOH CHANG MAESTEG CANOE CLUB
LAST MINUTE SPEY SOLO
editorial
Location: Porth Nobla, Anglesey Paddler: Pete Catterall Photo: Vicky Barlow
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t’s been a strange start to 2019 – floods, gorse fires, snow, a heatwave ... four seasons crammed into two months. However, it did provide some amazing paddling conditions, including 5 star surf on the west coast of Anglesey. Hopefully the Welsh surf team made it out in preparation for the Worlds in Peru this summer. They had a great time at the Surf Kayak Home Internationals in October, with Welsh paddlers taking 6 podium spots (p29). And they’re always on the look out for more paddlers … If you are interested in competitive paddlesport there are other opportunities too; there’s a series of Freestyle Development Sessions at CIWW (p27), and Slalom Inspires at the Tryweryn (p32). In fact there’s so much going on this spring and summer that this issue has an Events page (p6), with festivals, symposiums, races … basically something for everyone! As usual a big thank you to all the contributors, including Emily and Dan from Maesteg Canoe Club (p8) and Ray Goodwin MBE (p14), for giving up their spare time to be interviewed. See you in the summer issue! Vicky Barlow Editor
ceufad@canoe.wales
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Ceufad Ed Ceufad
@Ceufad
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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 March, June, September and December. NEXT ISSUE: JUNE DEADLINE: 1ST MAY Ceufad welcomes all contributions but reserves the right to edit & condense to fill the space available. Design & layout: Vicky Barlow www.victoriabarlow.co.uk
Photo: Darcy Muncer
28 Surf Kayak Home Internationals 2018
20 A Last Minute Spey Solo
27 Freestyle Development Sessions @ CIWW (paddler: Vanessa Hiller)
contents
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10 Circumnavigation of Koh Chang
CANOE WALES NEWS AND WATERWAYS 20 A LAST MINUTE SPEY SOLO A New Year’s trip to clear the head AND ENVIRONMENT UPDATE Updates and info from Canoe Wales
6 EVENTS
27 FREESTYLE DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS @ CIWW
Festivals, symposiums, races ... it’s all listed here
Creating a freestyle community
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IN THE FLOW
28 SURF KAYAK HOME INTERNATIONALS 2018
The latest paddlesport products and news
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Q&A MAESTEG CANOE CLUB
32 SLALOM INSPIRES
Meet the Canoe Wales Club of the Year
‘An accidental journey into surf kayaking’ Inspiring the next generation of female paddlers
10 CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF KOH CHANG
34 THROWBAGS
Sea kayaking in the Gulf of Thailand
Chris Brain on how to use a throwbag
14 INTERVIEW: RAY GOODWIN MBE
Chatting with a canoeing legend
Front cover: Paddler: Ray Goodwin MBE Photo: David Bain
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CANOE WALES BECOME A PROVIDER!
HELP KEEP OUR RIVERS CLEAN
British Canoeing and Canoe Wales are running a number of Provider Orientations and Moderation’s to support aspirant and existing Providers.
Canoe Wales are working with Welsh Water to help keep our waterways clean – and now you can help too!
There are a range of courses available for those looking to become Providers, including the FSRT Orientation, SUP Provider Orientation, Moderation Water Leader Provider Orientation, etc. Provider courses in Wales include: Adv WWSR Provider Orientation – NWWC – 13 Jul WWSR Provider Orientation – NWWC – 13 Jul WWSR Provider Moderation – NWWC – 13 Jul WWSR Provider Moderation – NWWC – 14 Jul Adv WWSR Provider Moderation – NWWC – 14 Jul Sea kayak Leader Moderation (international) – Holyhead – 2 May Sea kayak Leader Orientation (international) – Holyhead – 2 May WW kayak Leader Provider – NWWC – 13 July Sea kayak Leader Provider Training – Holyhead – 13 July Canoe Leader Provider Training – NWWC – 13 Jul To view the complete list of upcoming Provider Events, visit www.britishcanoeing.org.uk. For more info the ‘How to Become a Provider’ document talks you through the steps to become a Provider and is available to download from www.britishcanoeingawarding.org.uk
Dwr Cymru / Welsh Water looks after 800 wastewater treatment works and 36,000km of sewers. They do everything they can to protect our environment, but sometimes things can go wrong. Equipment failures or the wrong things being flushed down toilets can cause pollution to spill into watercourses, affecting wildlife and damaging our environment. And they need your help to spot any problems.
KAYAKERS CAN HELP KEEP OUR RIVERS CLEAN We look after 800 wastewater treatment works and 36,000km of sewers. We do everything we can to protect our environment, but sometimes things can go wrong. Equipment failures or the wrong things being flushed down toilets can cause pollution to spill into watercourses, affecting wildlife and damaging our environment. And we need your help to spot any problems. HOW TO SPOT IT Tell us if you spot the following: Wet wipes, sanitary items, or things likely to have been flushed down the loo.
REPORT IT STRAIGHT AWAY
Make a note of things like the time, location and whether the pollution is still flowing into the watercourse.
WE’LL TAKE ACTION Sewage solids in the water or a sewage smell.
We’ll investigate, take immediate action to stop pollution and clean up, when necessary.
Soap suds or a milky looking liquid in the water.
We will also tell Natural Resources Wales, who look after our environment.
POLLUTION HOTLINE 0800 085 3968 (24hr)
dwrcymru.com/pollution
If you spot any of the following: • Wet wipes, sanitary items, or things likely to have been flushed down the loo • Sewage solids in the water or a sewage smell • Soap suds or a milky looking liquid in the water Report it straightaway - call the Pollution hotline: 0800 085 3968 or report it online at dwrcymru.com/pollution Flyers can be downloaded from www.canoewales.com and emailed to other paddlers or posted on social media, club noticeboards etc.
WATERWAYS & ENVIRONMENT UPDATE RIVER WYE GLASBURY-HAY UPDATE #CLEARACCESSCLEARWATERS At the time of writing, there have been no new developments with the ‘paddle permit’ introduced by one of the fishery owners on this popular stretch of river – we are still waiting to see whether he intends to proceed with the court action he has threatened against one local hire company (and what action we may need to take to support them). Canoe Wales submitted a response to Powys County Council’s recent consultation on commercial canoe launching on the River Wye at Glasbury, which was triggered by a separate legal threat they received from a second fishery owner. We told them: “While we understand that your aim is to reduce the impact of canoeing activity on fishing during peak periods [because of a legal covenant on your launch site requiring you not to interfere with fishing downstream], we urge you to take the least restrictive approach that you possibly can to this situation. We believe there is a Public Right of Navigation on this stretch of river, although we acknowledge that this has not been confirmed by legislation or in the courts and is disputed by other parties. However, we believe it is the Council’s duty not to do anything that could prejudice this right nor to inadvertently imply that no such right exists by virtue of your actions at Glasbury” and that “we would be very concerned to see any scheme put in place to manage commercial canoe launching ‘spillingover’ to affect recreational paddlers, voluntary groups, canoe clubs and responsible family groups.” We will continue to work closely with local paddlers and businesses, the Council and other interested parties to get the best outcomes we can for responsible, shared use of this critical section of river.
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Canoe Wales will soon be launching a #ClearAccessClearWaters campaign in Wales, to complement the campaign that British Canoeing is running in England. Keep your eyes peeled for details on our website and social media channels! This campaign will call on the Welsh Assembly to press the Welsh Government to make good its 2017 proposals for access reform sooner rather than later. It will also emphasise the power of paddlers to protect and improve the health of our rivers and seas, working with groups like Surfers Against Sewage on their 6th-14th April Big Spring Beach Clean: Summit to Sea – “a truly epic community response to plastic pollution on our beaches, rivers, streets and mountains” (see https://www.sas.org.uk/our-work/ beach-cleans/big-spring-beach-clean/ for details of how to get involved!).
Steve Rayner, Canoe Wales Waterways & Environment Officer, waterways@canoewales.com
CANOE WALES NEW CANOE WALES MEMBERSHIP BENEFIT Canoe Wales members can now access exclusive rates on boat and equipment insurance through Bishop Skinner Marine.
Platinum Plus – £172.50 – Up to 3 canoes or kayaks up to £5000 and £350 for any one paddle
You can choose from any of the following levels of cover and annual premiums:
Members can purchase their policy directly by filling out the online application form in the insurance section of our website. This form Silver – £26.50 – Canoe/Kayak up to £1000 and £100 for any one paddle will be sent directly to Bishop Skinner Marine, who will contact you by telephone to take payment for your policy. Silver Plus – £43.00 – Up to 3 canoes/kayaks up to £1000 and £100 for *Please note - Boat insurance must be purchased separately from any one paddle your membership and is not included with Canoe Wales membership. Gold – £57.00 – For specialist individual canoes or kayaks cover with a This is an exclusive offer for Canoe value of up to £2500 and £200 for any one paddle Wales members to purchase an Gold Plus – £81.00 – Up to 3 canoes/kayaks with a value up to £2500 additional boat insurance policy.* and £200 for any one paddle For more info: www. Platinum – £105.00 – Any canoe or kayak up to a value of £5000 and canoewales.com/canoe-wales£350 for any one paddle insurance#Boatinsurance
COURSE DATES 2019 23/24 March 6/7 April 13/14 April 20/21 April 27/28 April 3–5 May 7–9 May 11/12 May 13–16 May 1–3 April 13/14 April 4–5 May 25/26 May 22/23 June 5–7 July 24/25 Aug 6–8 September 28/29 September 5/6 October 7/8 October 19/20 October 26/27 October 26/27 October 9/10 November 23/24 November
Sea Kayak Leader Assessment Sea Kayak Leader Training Surf Kayak Leader Assessment Sea Kayak Leader Assessment BC WWSR BC Raft Guide Training Rescue 3 WRT Pro Surf Kayak Leader Training Rescue 3 WRT Adv Outdoor-Specific First Aid ADV BC WWSR BC WWSR Sea Kayak Leader Training BC WWSR BC Raft Guide Training BC WWSR BC Raft Guide Training Surf Kayak Leader Assessment Sea Kayak Leader Assessment Surf Kayak Leader Assessment Sea Kayak Leader Training BC WWSR Surf Kayak Leader Training Sea Kayak Leader Assessment Sea Kayak Leader Training
Dragon Activity Guides Dragon Activity Guides Dragon Activity Guides Dragon Activity Guides NWWC NWWC NWWC Dragon Activity Guides NWWC NWWC NWWC Ty Nant Dragon Activity Guides NWWC NWWC NWWC NWWC Dragon Activity Guides Dragon Activity Guides Dragon Activity Guides Dragon Activity Guides NWWC Dragon Activity Guides Dragon Activity Guides Dragon Activity Guides
www.dragonactivityguides.co.uk www.dragonactivityguides.co.uk www.dragonactivityguides.co.uk www.dragonactivityguides.co.uk www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk www.dragonactivityguides.co.uk www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk www.tynantoutdoors.com www.dragonactivityguides.co.uk www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk www.dragonactivityguides.co.uk www.dragonactivityguides.co.uk www.dragonactivityguides.co.uk www.dragonactivityguides.co.uk www.nationalwhitewatercentre.co.uk www.dragonactivityguides.co.uk www.dragonactivityguides.co.uk www.dragonactivityguides.co.uk
If you would like your course to be listed in future issues, submit your event at https://www.canoewales.com/events-calendar
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 Steve Rayner – Waterways and Environment Officer (Consultant)
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 – Interim Chairperson Andy Booth – Finance Director Kerry Chown Elsa Davies Lowri Davies Ian Hughes Jet Moore Eryl Richards Mary Taylor Ieuan Watkins
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events
EVENTS
FISHGUARD BAY OCEAN RACE – MAY 11TH
Before the great equinoctial winds have given up pushing those long Atlantic rollers along the North Pembrokeshire coastline, Fishguard hosts an exciting downwind race for Ocean Skis and SUPs, the first on the GB ocean racing calendar. Fishguard Bay Ocean Race - FBOR’19 - is on May 11th, the fourth race run by Pembrokeshire Ocean Paddlers. A magnificent wooden, hand-carved trophy goes to the line honours winner simply whoever crosses the line first! In the previous three years, double skis have won, but not by much of a margin! Year one was nearly blown out with the planned course much reduced due to a full gale. Years two and three have seen quite light winds and easy conditions but we’re due for a good west to SW’ly wind when the agility and acceleration of the single skis on the waves could well see the order change. 2018 was the first year that FBOR included SUPs and we were delighted to see Ryan James completely dominate the field with an epic performance against strong competition, and Ginnie Odetayo show an outstanding performance in the women’s class. FBOR’19 starts on Goodwick’s Beach in the shelter Fishguard Harbour, then heads out to Pen Anglas, the easternmost point of notorious Stumble Head before beginning the entirely exposed 10km open sea section which, at the half-way point, skims close by
the cliffs, reefs and tidal overfalls of Dinas Head. The second half of the open sea leg takes competitors round the rugged Cerrig Edrywy before the final sprint to the finish between the flags on the sandy beach under Newport Surf Lifesaving Club. At about 17km for skis and 13.5km for SUPs, it’s long enough to be challenging for topflight paddlers yet still manageable by intermediate and mid-field competitors, many of whom have decades of paddling experience. Race organiser and club secretary, Benjamin Edom, said, “FBOR is intended to be a continuous and intense test of endurance, boat handling skills, seamanship and common sense. The speed you take it is up to you and we have enough support boats to ensure at least one boat covering every ten paddlers. “Stellar Surfskis UK are sponsoring this year’s event so there will be some very useful prizes as well as the shiny trophies. “We’re delighted to have SUPs competing alongside skis again this year. Although they tend to be slower upwind, with the wind from behind a well-handled SUP can surf with the best of them! I would also love to see OCs and Spec Skis competing. If you’d like to enter we’ll create another class and order more trophies! For more on FBOR’19 see the race website: https://fishguardoceanrace.uk/ or email Benjamin on oceanskirace@gmail.com
EVENTS SPRING/SUMMER 2019 6–14 April 27–28 April 4–10 May 11 May 18 May 18–20 May 25 May – 2 June 30 May – 1 June 29–30 June 6–8 July 6–7 July 19–21 July 14–18 August
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Big Spring Beach Clean: Summit to Sea Slalom Inspires Anglesey Sea Symposium Fishguard Bay Ocean Race 2019 Montgomery Canal Triathlon St David’s Sea & Surf Kayak Festival National Go Paddling Week All Wales Boat and Leisure Show Gemau Cymru (Bala) Gemau Cymru (Cardiff) Mawddach Paddlesport Festival Tryweryn Festival Llandysul River Festival
www.sas.org.uk Facebook @slalominspires www.angleseyseakayaksymposium.co.uk www.fishguardoceanrace.uk www.montgomerycanal.me.uk/news.html www.dragonactivityguides.co.uk www.gopaddlingweek.info http://allwalesboatshow.com/ http://gemaucymru.urdd.cymru/en http://gemaucymru.urdd.cymru/en www.merionethyachtclub.co.uk www.tfest.wales www.llandysul-paddlers.org.uk
IN THE FLOW SEA KAYAKING GUIDE TO PEMBROKESHIRE & CEREDIGION – DON’T GO TO PEMBS WITHOUT IT Updated and now in colour, this guide gives you the essential information needed to paddle the coastline of West Wales. The book distils the experience and knowledge of three local paddlers who between them, have over 120 years’ experience of paddling the local waters! Access and tidal stream information, transport and camping details, together with background on wildlife, geology, legends and local history make this an essential guide for anyone planning day trips or longer expeditions along this coast. Title: Sea Kayaking Guide to Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion RRP: £20.00 Available from: seakayakguides.co.uk
in the flow
Sea Kayaking Guide to Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion
Raymond Griffiths Susan Griffiths Nigel Robinson
READ THE WATER – SECOND EDITION
SAFETY AND RESCUE ESSENTIALS
When sea kayak coach Nigel Robinson published the first edition of Read the Water he produced a unique resource that helped paddlers to understand and predict the ‘sea environment’. Following on from its success, and based on the feedback he received, he’s produced a second edition, which promises to be even more paddler-focused than the first. The aim of the book is to develop observation and understanding so paddlers can read the sea and predict the changes that will occur. It covers wind, weather and surf (and much more!), and encourages paddlers to use all their senses. He also drafted in Dean ‘Sid’ Sinfield to review the second edition and help develop its content. Available from Spring 2019 this promises to be an invaluable resource for all levels of sea kayaker. Title: Read the Water Available: Spring 2019 RRP: 10.99 Available from: www.seakayakguides.co.uk
Ceufad’s coaching contributor, Chris Brain, has distilled all his safety and rescue knowledge and experience into a fantastic new resource Safety and Rescue Essentials. Packed with useful info and stacks of photos it gives the paddler an insight into the techniques required to stay safe and perform simple rescues on moving water. Topics include: •Planning, preparation and incident avoidance • Kit, equipment and boat set up • Swimming in whitewater • Simple rescues such as shouting, reaching and throwing • Mechanical Advantage systems • Boat based rescues (canoe and kayak) • Using a chest harness • Entrapment situations • Accessing Steep ground This resource is paddler friendly and features plenty of real action pictures to bring it to life. Available at the end of March 2019 as a free digital download or as a printed copy for the bargain price of £10. For more details or to pre-order your printed copy visit: www. chrisbraincoaching.com/safety-and-rescue-essentials
PEMBROKESHIRE SEA AND SURF KAYAK FESTIVAL 2019 Spring 2019 sees the return of the exciting Pembrokeshire Sea and Surf Kayak Festival. In its third year this promises to be the best yet with a wide range of workshops and coaching opportunities for you to choose from, all located in one of the UK’s best coastal kayaking destinations. Workshops will cater for everyone from beginner to advanced in both sea and surf kayak disciplines. You will have the chance to benefit from the knowledge and experience of top coaches from the UK and abroad, combined with a range of world class surf beaches, tide races and stunning coastline trips, all in this incredible corner of West Wales. We guarantee our range of workshops throughout the three days will provide something for everyone, no matter what your standard or aspirations. While we can’t guarantee the weather, our extensive local knowledge means we can always find the perfect spot for you to get on the water and have a great time! Evenings will be filled with inspiring adventure talks from our coaches as well as the opportunity to socialise, eat and be merry! Organisers: Sea Kayak Guides and Dragon Activity Guides Venue: St David’s Bunk Barns, Pembrokeshire. (Varied food and accommodation options available here and near by) Date: May 18th – 20th 2019 BOOK NOW! www.kayakfestival.co.uk
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MAESTEG CANOE q&a CLUB When did the club get started and how many members do you have? The club in its current form was first established in 1994, although there was even a canoe club in Maesteg as far back as 40 years ago. We have nearly 70 members which consist of juniors, seniors and families. We take children from the age of 5 right up to adults of the age of 70! So this year will be the club’s 25th anniversary? And celebrations planned? We are celebrating by aiming to do a few things throughout the year. Our first event is May 12th where our coaches and members will be doing a 25-mile canoe around Port Talbot Docks where we have a partnership with the Sea Cadets. It will be a family event so all are welcome and people can sponsor either by form or via our just giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ maesteg-canoeclub. We will also be holding a fundraising and anniversary party on the 18th October in Nantyfyllon Rugby Club. There will be a disco, auction, bingo, raffle and food.
In 2018 Maesteg Canoe Club were named Canoe Wales’ Club of the Year in recognition of ‘the impressive work they’ve done to increase opportunities for disabled people within their club.’ They pride themselves on their inclusive family ethos, and in 2018 they were the first canoe club to receive the insport Gold standard from Disability Sport Wales. It was only the tenth gold award to be presented in Wales. They’ve also teamed up with Canoe Wales and Disability Sport Wales to promote inclusive paddling – in March they will be live streaming their sessions. Ceufad tracked down the club’s Chairperson, Emily, and Head Coach, Dan, to find out more about this standard-setting club. How did it feel being named Canoe Wales Club of the Year? It is a massive achievement of the club, and we feel really proud to be noticed out of the 60 odd clubs that are in Canoe Wales. We are extremely lucky to have the backing and support of all our club members and their families. You’ve been progressing towards the insport Club standards since 2014. What challenges have you faced along the way? One of the main challenges was getting all the paperwork revised and ensuring that it fitted in with each individual criteria for each club standard. What support have you received? We have been lucky to receive a Bridge FM Local Hero Award back in 2017, further more we have good links with HALO and with the community in terms of working closely with the Sea Cadets in Port Talbot to be able to use their facilities in the summer holidays. We have also had local support in our previous fundraiser and our campaign with Tesco to win a Bags for Help Scheme.
You sound like a pretty active club – what disciplines and sessions do you offer? We offer kayak and canoeing, as well as opportunities for our members to take part in sea kayaking and river paddling. Our coaches have a combined experience of over 70 years. They specialise in different areas such as sea, surf, canoe, slalom and white water.
How did it feel to achieve the insport Club Gold standard? By becoming the first canoe club to receive the award, it demonstrated that the practices we demonstrated as an inclusive club are enabling more people than ever to become involved in paddlesport.
What event gets the biggest turnout? We were lucky enough to be approached by Kaya Festival back in 2015 and did two consecutive years with them where we offered canoeing on the lake and this was an extremely popular event. We also have a good turnout in our summer holiday sessions down Port Talbot docks as well, and we were very fortunate to raise nearly £1000 for our fundraiser back in 2017.
What difference has working towards inclusion made to the club? We have encouraged people to become involved in the sport and succeed where in the past they may have found it difficult to be involved in other sports. We have also seen kids and adults make some lifelong friendships. Our motto is family friendly, family fun and I think our sessions on a Wednesday are a testament to this motto.
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What advice would you give to other clubs working towards inclusion? We have seen membership numbers increase, and our advice would be just go for it as the process would improve the experience for all the members, not just those with additional requirements. Apart from your two recent awards … what are the club’s standout moments? Bridge FM Local Hero award 2017, Dan our head coach won a BAVO award for sports coaching. In the past some of our members were active in all levels of slalom including the premier division. You’re live streaming one of your club sessions. How did that come about? We were approached by our Development Officer Gayle Penn who decided she wanted to live stream a session for other people to see what we are doing and hopefully give them ideas on how to incorporate ideas in to their sessions. This is happening on 13th March at 7pm What else have you got in the pipeline (future plans?)? We will be sending 4 of our trainee coaches on to their Coach Award course to increase our coaching team. We plan to get more grants and incentives to help us continue to grow as a club (we have recently applied for a Sports Wales Development Grant) and we plan to make 2019 our year of celebration.
Club of the Year
MAESTEG CANOE CLUB Web: www.maestegcanoeclub.org Facebook: Maesteg Canoe Club Twitter: maestegclub Sessions: every Wednesday in Maesteg pool or Port Talbot Docks Sea cadet unit in summer school holidays
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Circumnavigation of Koh Chang Island 10 | Ceufad
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was invited on a circumnavigation the island of Koh Chang by three sea paddlers who I met on a sea kayaking course run by South East Asia Kayaking. They have formed a club in Bangkok and carry out sea and river trips throughout Thailand. This club has been a great contact for me as I am always on the look out for people to paddle with in Thailand. They have all passed their three star and are now British Canoeing overseas members. The trip was to take place over four days at the end of December, and we would be camping on the islands of Koh Chang, Ko Ngam and Koh Man Noi. Koh Chang lies in the Gulf of Thailand, about 7km from the mainland. Although there were plenty of ferries making the crossing we opted to paddle across, to avoid the holiday traffic. As it would be New Year the island would be full with Thai and foreign tourists, travelling in cars and minibuses, which would make the ferries particularly busy.
Words: John Conlin-Jones Photos: John Conlin-Jones, Sarinya Sangiemsak, Somjate Wattanavaekin
DAY 1 The trip started with a 500km drive from my home in Isaan in western Thailand, to meet the group on the mainland to prepare for the trip. The forecast wasn’t too promising. Strong to near gale force winds on days 2 and 3 of our trip. However, the wind be picking up in the evening and easing off around noon during the day. We could work with that. It turned out that we got off lightly; the opposite side of the Gulf of Thailand experienced the worst storm in thirty years. It cause lots of damage to property and disrupted the tourist industry, with lost of islands being evacuated. With a plan agreed we packed our kayaks and launched from Natural Beach, heading for the northern tip of Koh Chang. We stopped for a short break on Koh Chang Noi (Noi means ‘small’, and this was indeed a small island north of Koh Chang), before continuing to the main island and down the eastern side. Our campsite was at the southern end of the island, at Than Mayam Waterfall, which was run by the National Park wardens. We showered, changed clothes and then headed out for an evening meal at a restaurant which had been built over the water. Approximate distance: 24km.
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DAY 2 After some food we left our campsite at about 8.45am and continued our trip to Koh Maisi Yai (Yai means ‘big’). This was a paddle of about 20km with no landing places on the way. My fellow paddlers had arranged to meet a friend of theirs who owns a home stay and fish farm, and who also organises sea-fishing trips from his boat. They had arranged to have a meal of fresh crab and what they call preying mantis but what looked to me like a giant sea crayfish with claws like a crab. I was amazed how many fish they kept there in large netted lagoons until ready to be eaten or sold on. We rested there for a few hours after lunch, then headed off around the island, with Koh Maisi Lek on our left (Lek also means ‘small’), to get to our campsite for the night on Koh Ngam. Just as we were nearing Koh Ngam we met another friend of theirs who was staying with his family at a nearby resort. He was fishing from a sit-on-top and had just landed a large grouper fish. We landed on the island and pitched our tents on a lovely sand spit. It was lined with coconut trees and joined one side of the island to the other. We had a meal and settled into our tents for the night. At around 1am the wind started to blow very strongly with gusts near gale force. The forecast had been right. So we spent most of the night securing our tents and checking the pegs so they didn’t blow down. Approximate distance: 32km
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DAY 3 The next morning the wind was still pretty strong and gusting but was forecast to die down by about 11am. So we had some breakfast and packed our tents and kayaks ready for the next part of our journey. By about 9.30am we decided to get on the water and use Koh Chang as a windbreak, staying as close to the island as possible. We then made our way along the coast with the islands of Koh Wai, Koh Klum and Koh Lao Noi to our left in the distance. When we reached Salak Phet bay we travelled around another island called Whitesands, which had a lovely white sand spit on it, again to shelter from the wind and get back across to the coast of Koh Chang. We then stopped for lunch on a deserted beach with a salt lagoon at one end lined with coconut trees. It was then onto our next and final campsite on the island of Koh Man Noi, stopping off at Lonely Beach for a short break. It’s not lonely anymore; there were lots of tourists preparing for New Year celebrations with music already playing. We then made the short paddle to Koh Man Noi. As we pitched our tents the wind began to strengthen again. That night while we ate our food we were entertained by the many fireworks displays taking place on Koh Chang. It was another windy night but not as bad as the previous night Approximate distance: 26km
DAY 4 The wind was forecast to ease by noon so we decided to leave fairly early as we were close to Koh Chang which would shelter us from the worst of the wind until it eased off. There were still occasional gusts and a stiff breeze. We carried on along the coast to the river at Klong Prao, after passing the islands of Koh Man Nok, Koh Yuak, Koh Suwan and Koh Rom on our left. We paddled up the river for a few hundred metres to wish happy New Year to friends of mine who own a restaurant and bar set on the river. We then travelled back towards the island of Koh Chang Noi, passing the towns of Chai Chet and Whitesands. Then it was around the headland, passing through the small gap between Koh Chang and Koh Mapring for a snack on the beach at Sapparot. After the break we paddled across the bay, passing beneath the island of Koh Chang Noi, before making the crossing back to the mainland and our starting point. By this time the wind had dropped right off. We then took a wellearned shower, unpacked our kayaks and loaded our vehicles for the journey home. Approximate distance: 24km My fellow paddlers were: Sarinya ‘Amey’ Sangiemsak, Somjate ‘Jete’ Wattanavaekin and Tu Tripod Trimanka. They were great company and speak pretty good English. My next adventure is a six-day trip with four paddlers from my old club in Wales in the Koh Ckhang archipelago.
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INTERVIEW
RAY GOODWIN 14 | Ceufad
MBE
Ray Goodwin, he’s a bit of a paddling national treasure, so it’s no surprise that he was awarded an MBE this year. A highly experienced and popular canoe coach, he was the first paddler to circumnavigate Wales and has paddled in Nepal, the Arctic Circle, Canada and US. However, his native habitat is the River Dee, and he can frequently be seen with clients, friends and family enjoying some time on the water. Off the water he keeps himself busy writing books and organising the annual canoe symposium. There’s no end to his talents … Ceufad caught up with him between outfitting his canoe and meeting Princess Anne …
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How did you start canoeing? Partially out of failure. I had applied to join the British Antarctic Survey as a Field Assistant, got an interview but didn’t get the job. Because of this I went back to working in an outdoor centre. Everyone there was a real activist and I was getting lots of climbing in but as the autumn arrived along with wet weather (yep we used to have water in the rivers) they started dragging me out kayaking and the following year I got into sea kayaking as well. While I was in my mid 30’s Loel Collins came to work in the centre and in between paddling kayaks he introduced me to the joy of canoes. Lots of adventures, swims and straight out laughter. The canoe had got its hook into me. Then trips with Andy Hall in Scotland, including one with an outrageous portage out of Loch Morar and up to Loch Quoich. The stage was set then for my circumnavigation of Wales with Robert Egelstaff back in 1992. How did you get into coaching? Really from early on. At teacher training college I was lucky enough to end up with a summer job in Dolwyddelan working on six-day mountain walking courses. So from my earliest work I was involved in instruction rather than just running taster sessions. Once I started kayaking and canoeing it was natural to start coaching. I was lucky in those I met and was greatly influenced by Loel, Marcus Bailey and Franco Ferrero. At that time there was little theory to back up our coaching so I read widely on everything from Zen Buddhism and its approach to teaching physical skills to the ground-breaking Inner Game of Skiing by Timothy Gallwey. You’re one of the longest-standing ‘solo coach’ businesses in the UK. What’s the secret to your success? Some things were easy in the early days as there was little competition and I could work a whole range of things from ice
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climbing through to kayaking both sea and ww as well as canoe. In those days I even had my own page in Ceufad and was writing as much as possible which heightened my profile. I would say engagement, consistency and profile. I think you have also got to be far more than just a coach. I have an interest in history and geology, and regale clients with a whole background to their experience. Mind I have come unstuck on this: I was running a Mountain Leader course and quoted a piece from the Agricola by Tacitus. A client informed I had attributed the speech to the wrong person, corrected me and then recited the piece in the original Latin. I have had some pretty remarkable customers. Any advice to aspiring coaches? Listen, truly listen, to your clients. Too often I watch students give an answer and see the coach is not listening to what is being said but instead is filling in the answer they want/expect. Be good at follow up questions so you confirm your understanding of what the student says. Make sure you are easy to be questioned or challenged by the student when you don’t make sense either in what you show or say. And remember some of the time you will be wrong. I often explain to students that I have three levels of information that I will provide them with: stuff I regard as facts, things that are my personal opinion but are backed up with substantial experience, and things that are based on my gut feeling. I also point out that some of my ‘facts’ have changed over the years. So, understand the difference between the three and particularly understand what is opinion as opposed to fact. Finally get out and do things for yourself. All that coaching should be based on experience not on some theory or something you read in a book (even if it’s mine).
You’ve worked with a lot of coaches and clients over the years – any memorable ones? Lots! I have listed some of the ‘big’ coaches that have influenced me but it is amazing how the right person, whatever their level, asking the right question at the right moment has caused me to change in understanding or practise. I have made a point of working with or observing lots of inspirational coaches that have been at the top of their game; from each I have gained little nuggets of knowledge. Clients: again, lots from all sorts of backgrounds, from the guy who lays the kerbs to the vice president of a major international bank. All have been interesting. Some folk I try to inspire and give the confidence to get out and have their own adventures but conversely I meet a lot of people that are already inspired and are using me to help them prepare for a great adventure. Oh yes, I did coach Ray Mears over a period of years before paddling the Missinaibi with him for his BBC 2 series Bushcraft. For the last few years I have been running courses and expeditions with Paul Kirtley of Frontier Bushcraft. Our skills complement each other and I have learned a lot working with Paul. And any memorable canoeing/coaching moments? So many. Seeing that ‘breakthrough’ moment for clients, when the performance beginning to flow is always special. How has being an ‘older’ dad influenced you? Maya was a bit of a surprise, I was 57 when she was born. When she was just seven weeks old I set off on my second circumnavigation of Wales (not as a result of her being born I can assure you). It was already booked in as a guided trip leading staff from the Urdd centre at Glan-llyn. By then I had already taken on Maya on her first little paddle on a little local lake; she didn’t take
much notice I am sorry to say. My own father died when I was just 11 years old and this has driven me to share some of my world with her, to create those experiences and memories. We have paddled in a wide variety of places but the highlights have been four days on the Spey and, when she was seven, a tenday wilderness trip in Algonquin. This year we will be off to the Ardeche. It has put a bit of fire behind me to get things done and not put them off to another year. What’s your favourite river/trip internationally (and why)? Well I loved the Rio Grande for its scenery but I have to go back to Canada for a number of great ones. I did consider the Bonnet Plume that starts up in the Yukon and runs north across the Arctic Circle. The scenery is spectacular with high mountains running for over 200 miles of its length. We saw lots of bears on that trip both grizzlies and blacks. But on reflection I am going to go with the Bloodvein. I have paddled it four times now and each trip has been different, and it has been a great teaching and learning ground for me. We had a huge adventure in the middle of the last trip when high winds reignited the recent forest fires. We had one tense night camped on island with fires burning ahead and behind us. And your favourite river/trip in Wales (and why)? Hard, hard choices. Back in my 40’s I would have said the Fairy Glen section of the Conwy. The Tryweryn comes to mind for all the times I have paddled and swum on it, but it has to be my local river the Afon Dyfrdwy (River Dee). So many little hidden corner and gems. Whether bouncing down the Glyndyfrdwy section in big water with clients or with my daughter in the bow seat. And that very memorable occasion when Chris Charlton and I paddled from Llyn Tegid (Bala) to Chester weir in a single day.
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You received an MBE this year (congratulations!), how did you find out about it and how did you feel? It’s a funny old process. I think I got a first glimmer of a rumour a while back but then totally dismissed it. Then, out of the blue, in mid-November I got the official letter asking if I were nominated would I accept? Oh yes. Then it was a question of keeping quiet until the official announcement in the New Year’s Honours. How did you receive the award? Maya, Lina and myself all went down to Buckingham Palace on the 13th February. I was wearing a morning suit, this was a once in a lifetime moment so I thought I would go the whole hog. At the Palace guests and recipients are separated. We were gathered in a gallery to the side of the ballroom where the presentation was to be made. Great to chat to fellow recipients who were the most amazing bunch and it felt humbling to be amongst them. I got to talk to the Deputy Master of Trinity House and compare notes on lighthouses, to assorted Olympians, those from the arts as well as people in medical research or working with charities. At one point I was chatting to two ladies and there was a Rembrandt directly behind them. In due course I was lined up at the door to the ballroom to see Maya and Lina seated directly across from me. I had been joking with Maya about me looking like a slightly rotund penguin. I couldn’t resist. My arms went down to side with hands pointing out horizontally I did a little penguin waddle for my daughter: she went into fits of giggles. Fortunately, no one else in the room appeared to notice. Then it was forward to be presented with my award by Princess Anne; her attention was totally on each of us in our turn as she chatted and made the awards. The next morning, I was in Aldi in Llangollen. Part way around the supermarket I just stopped dead, took a breath and looked around. It all seemed surreal to go from the Palace one morning to supermarket shopping the next. Such are the rich contrasts of life.
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RAY GOODWIN Paddling Venture Canoes and using NRS gear. www.RayGoodwin.com https://www.youtube.com/c/RayGoodwinCanoe
A LAST MINUT TO “CLEAR T
Article: Je
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TE SPEY SOLO THE HEAD!”
et Moore
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A
fter an interesting year for me and the family I needed some time to clear my head. Sitting at home alone on New Year’s Eve I decided to pack some kit and head to Scotland and paddle the Spey. And to rescue my mad Uncle Terry … but that’s “another story”. I asked a few friends for some inside info, as is always worthwhile. Ray G (now “MBE”), said it was well worth a paddle. Not sure if that was for the river or the whisky? I got to the start point at Loch Insh in the early hours of the morning.
DAY 1 After heading to Aviemore for a nice coffee with a mad Uncle Terry, I headed back up to the start point at the Loch to see the ICE on the loch. Brrrr! I unloaded the van and sorted the kit for the trip; carrying all my food, bivi kit, spare clothing, safety bits and bobs … and my BIKE for the shuttles. The plan was to paddle as far as I could each day with no set distance. Setting off at around 11am the paddle from the start point at the loch was beautiful. Passing through the Gordon estate I heard a gunshot and a duck fell in the water. A group were out for a family day shooting, however, their dog did not seem keen to enter the water. So I offered to retrieve it for them, and enjoyed a nice chat afterwards. It was nice to not be shouted at or chased off.
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I carried on down the river past Aviemore, stopping for a very short lunch break just outside the town. Then paddling on past stunning mountains, which reminded me that on river trips it is often worth “looking back”. “Choo choo!” or something like that, as a steam train came past. On and on, enjoying the very fresh air along with time to think about life, or cruising down with no thoughts, each as therapeutic as the other. The kilometres were passing fast as I had no one to wait for and no reason to stop other than to take the odd photo or to look back at the Cairngorm Mountains. At around 4pm the light started to fade and it was time to switch on to the noises around me. As the light went I could hear the noise of rapids that, with the little navigation I had been doing, I knew would be the Spey Bridge rapids. I couldn’t see the rocks or river in enough detail to run them, and even when I got the torch out it was still unclear. So this was the end of the day! I think I had covered around 40km that day. Now for my less favoured part of the trip, the cycle back to get the van. This was a lovely ride in the dark with loads of deer, rabbits and hare crossing the back roads I took. The cycle shuttle took about 2 hours and by the time I got to the van I was really ready to sleep. However, I drove back to the boat, left the van parked and settled down in the bivi bag to cook some nice old rations.
DAY 2 An early start at first light, which unfortunately was a little later than I had realised, (8am) as I wanted to get to Spey Bay today! Could I do it? Seeing the river in daylight I realised it was a good thing I had stopped as even though the rapids were not big they would have given me some fun in the dark I think. Again it was so nice to be on the river alone and just cruise down with no worries (other than the thought of the cycle shuttle). Somewhere on this section I knew there was a rapid that could be fun; the Washing Machine. The river had changed a bit with lots of fishing huts and large estates on the side but all empty with no one around. I had not seen a soul on the river since Gordon estate above Aviemore. Then, when I was least paying attention, BAM! It was the Washing Machine. By which time it was too late to really stop and inspect, so down I went with a little swamping but no swim! Which was lucky as it was still mega cold. Cold enough that as the water was falling off the paddle onto the boat it would freeze. The rapid certainly woke me up and made me switch on. Not long after this I bumped into some lads on SUPs and chatted as I went on past. The river was beautiful with higher banks and some very interesting wooded sides and features. Also plenty of fun little rapids to give some challenge as the day went on.
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As I passed each distillery I checked the map, making a mental note of where I was. I had covered a good distance and still felt I had a good chance get to the end, even if it was dark. At dusk I arrived at Charlestown, however, I wanted to get the last part done so I carried on, in the dark with beautiful stars shining above. As I approached Boat o’ Brig I could hear rapids but again could not see a clear line with the limited light I had, so I decided to stop paddling and set the bivi. Then it was time to grab my bike and head for the road. Under the bridge near the water was a memorial to someone special. Even though I didn’t know them I understood the feelings they are having. It was a little weird and played games with my head. I sat in silence for a bit thinking of our little “Rar Rar” too. Then it was time for the shuttle and it was going to be long one … and uphill all the way, with a serious sugar low at one point making me almost decide to sleep in the hedge. But it was too cold; even cycling I had a thick down jacket on, gloves and a hat. The shuttle took about 3 hours I think, and on my return I was ready for my ration pack. But it was all worthwhile, sitting in the dark by the river, alone under the stars. It was such an amazing time.
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DAY 3 TO SPEY BAY I set off as early as I could. Today’s mission was to get to the end as soon as possible, as I had another mission planned! The paddle was stunning; around Fochabers I spotted an otter playing in the water (looking for breakfast?). I watched him for around half an hour, with him coming within 2 metres of the boat, either not seeing me or not caring I was there. The onto Spey Bay, arriving at around 10.30am after 3 hours paddling. The last part into the bay was again very beautiful, with an old house for sale on a large bend. The garden was getting smaller every day I think! Large gravel banks and willows scattered around them gave a wild feeling. Coming into the bay I was working out where I could leave the boat while doing the shuttle, so I decided to stop about 1km short, hide the boat and get on the bike. As I snuck out of the bush a police van pulled up and asked what I was doing! We had a great chat and they even offered me a lift back to my van. I did consider it, however, I felt that having got this far under my own steam I could cycle again. They said I was mad! The cycle didn’t take too long; then I took the van to the end point and went back up to paddle the last kilometre to the sea.
It was an amazing solo trip, paddling a river I have wanted to do for years. And why solo? I have done a good number of solo trips now, the best being 10 days on the French River in Canada seeing no one and having no comms. But the Spey, even though it was more urban, was also incredible. It is all about the mind; giving the space and time to reflect. It forces you to switch on and become focused when needed, making even the smallest of rapids mentally challenging as a swim alone is far more serious. Yet you can also switch off completely when the river eases, just enjoying the views and wildlife. After a very hard year for us, having kept my head supporting the family, I was able to use this trip as therapy; as a challenge and as time to think. I feel strongly that the outdoors/ nature has a real ability to help us. I wish we could do more with it to help others and that is why I have set up a trust in Kiara’s “Rar Rar” name to help people who have mental heath issues or have suffered bereavement, to have the opportunity I am lucky enough to have to help me through every day. I had planned to do the Loch Shiel circuit as well, but the next day the weather came in. So it was time for a change of plan; for the last few days I paddled the Nevis River and then walked the Ring of Steall - both amazing fun.
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W @ W I C S N O I S S E S T N E M P O L E V E D E L Y T FREES Are you someone who sees paddlers performing tricks in the pool, out on the river, or at your local whitewater centre and fancies having a go yourself? Don’t know where to turn for some help and guidance? Then look no further, as this may be the answer you’ve been looking for! A group of paddlers led by Vanessa Hiller have teamed up, with the aim of building a community of freestyle kayakers at Cardiff International Whitewater Centre. There are monthly meet ups planned at CIWW, as well as 2 development days, all with the assistance of Canoe & Kayak Store Cardiff, and additional support from Palm Equipment, Pyranha, Jackson Kayaks, Wavesport and GB Freestyle. The first meet up is planned for Saturday 6th April @ CIWW. The group, led by Vanessa, aim to build a regional hub for freestyle at Cardiff through a series of monthly informal meet ups which will be peer led development sessions aimed at: ◦◦ Encouraging kayakers who have basic kayaking skills and a reasonable roll to try freestyle and learn with the support of more experienced peer group. ◦◦ Providing an opportunity for existing freestyle kayakers of any level to meet up, paddle together, develop/swap skills and also to help out those who are new to freestyle in a fun friendly peer led environment.
The development days aim to dovetail with the CIWW Freestyle League competitions. The intention of the group is to build a community of freestyle kayakers, people who will be inspired to take part in the local level CIWW Freestyle League; for those new to competition, this community feel will give the competitions a relaxed and fun feel, with plenty of support on hand for those new to competitions. At the end of the year, wouldn’t it be great to have a community of like-minded paddlers, meeting regularly and learning new freestyle skills and tricks, and who knows maybe even getting a team together for the European Open … ? So if you have a desire to learn more about this exciting and growing discipline head along to one of the advertised sessions, or head over to the Freestyle Get-togethers & Development Days Facebook page to find out more about the development sessions, meet ups and community. See you on the water soon!
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Thurso. Photo: Kylie Jones Mattock
Farr Bar. Photo: Kylie Jones Mattock Paddler: Ewen Arkison. Photo: Richard Creegan-Watson Paddler: Paul Robertson. Photo: Alwyn Lamont Thurso, Kylie.
Surf Kayak Home Inte Words: Kylie Jones Mattock Photos: as credited
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I
’ll be honest; I’m not generally one for competitions: the jostle to be first; the division of people into winners and losers … For me, competitions encourage a destructive – and always unfavourable! – comparing of myself with others. I can never live up to my own expectations so competitive sports just leave me feeling frustrated with myself. However, I’ve discovered that, if I’m a bad competitor, then I am an even more terrible spectator! I can’t just stand passively on the sidelines. Last autumn, as I watched my husband compete in the World Surf Kayak Championships in Portrush, I had definite ants in my pants. It was time I joined in the fun! So when, with a few weeks to go to the Home Internationals and British Surf Kayak Championships 2018, the Welsh team found itself short on paddlers and asked whether Steve – and I – would compete, I agreed. I must have had a rush of blood to the head. I didn’t own a proper surf kayak. Other than playing around in my plastic playboat, my entire surf kayak experience extended to about 5 hours messing about at Newgale in one of the Canoe Wales development boats, during which I spent a lot of time upside down. And the surf forecast for Thurso seemed to be consistently huge … We don’t live that close to the sea, so ‘training’ involved a weekend at Whitesands competing in the Welsh Open Championships 2018, borrowing the beautifully be-dragon-ed Ride Surf Kayak boats. There are two classes of surf kayak: HP (high performance or ‘short boat’: with fins) and IC (International Classification or ‘long boat’, with no fins). Having never sat in an IC boat before, I found myself paddling out in the first heat of the day … By some miracle I managed not to come last in every round. I figured that was a victory in itself. Over breakfast, a group of people from the English, Scottish and Welsh teams who barely knew each other decided to share a house in Thurso, and with the magic of WiFi it was all booked before the coffee was downed. No backing out now! So it was that a few weeks later, ‘Team Keith House’ converged on an eccentric property in the most northerly town on mainland UK. Immediately as paddlers we had something in common: a language; a set of experiences; the knowledge that on the water, our safety depends on those around us. And we clearly had the best house in Thurso. In between warm-up surfs, we made a full Sunday roast, with left over pulled pork done in the slow cooker for tea … Competition kicked off the with the team event – the Home Internationals – held on the Monday at beautiful Farr Bay. A beach-break with a strong rip current, the
paddle-out beatings were familiar territory. Time pressure, klaxons sounding to signal progress through the relentless round of heats … this was all new to me. Of course, I had an advantage. I knew that I was just there to make up the numbers: all I needed to do was paddle out, try to catch a couple of waves and retire to pick up a point for the team. Without the burden of expectation, every wave was a bonus, every successful roll a plus, and a couple of decent point-scoring rides went above and beyond. When I came 3rd out of 4 in the IC heats, I had smashed my targets. And I wasn’t alone. There was a brilliant vibe on and off the water: we stuck together and whooped whenever one or other of us caught a wave. Everything in the Women’s heats was super-polite. ‘Your wave. After you.’ ‘No, after you!’ I spent a day getting properly rinsed, paddling frantically in intense bursts and somehow managing to come out smiling. I snapped my trusty paddle in heat 2 of 4 under a particularly heavy dumping wave and paddled with a plastic substitute for the rest of the competition. But this was ‘inside’: in that area close to shore that is rough and dirty but feels deceptively ‘safe’. It looked scary out back. More experienced paddlers told me that it WAS scary out back. The set wave faces breaking a couple of hundred metres from the beach were easily double and sometimes perhaps nearly triple overhead on a seated kayaker: bigger, anyway, than I had ever surfed before. Claire from Team England decided we should go. Zoe from Team Scotland made us believe we could do it. We made sure the safety boaters were on hand. So off we went. In our fourth heat, Claire and I used the rip to take ourselves out to sea beyond the unbroken walls of white to where the big green waves were forming. I was painfully aware of the rocks along the edge of the rip, into which I had already been back-looped. Claire had to remind me to breathe. When I breathed, I found that if I dodged the big set waves, I could actually pick up some of the ‘smaller’ waves and take off on the green, feeling that sudden mind-boggling acceleration as the kayak was lifted and dropped, speeding down the face. All the time, we kept eyes on each other, shouting encouragement and making sure each of us was safe and upright. We came off the water feeling like winners, regardless of our positions in the ranking. Wales may not have placed high in the team competition, but we had fielded a relatively ‘new’ team and we could certainly hold our heads up high after a sterling effort. When it came to the individual competition, staged
ernationals & British Championships Thurso 2018
or ‘An Accidental Journey into Surf Kayaking’
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Paddler: Steve Mattock. Photo: Darcy Muncer Thurso, Wales camp. Photo: Kylie Jones Mattock
Sam Hodgson, 3rd Junior HP and IC. Photo: Ewen Arkison
on the unattractively named but fine S*** Pipe reef break at Thurso, I knew I would be knocked out in the first heat. I was up against professional paddlers and some of the best surf kayakers in the home nations. But it didn’t matter. The camaraderie I experienced began to really change my view of competition. People who were supposed to be ‘competing’ were cheering each other on and applauding every success. One abiding memory of the competition will be the Masters Women’s final making their way off the water as the klaxon sounded, and all that could be heard was peals of hyena laughter: four women sharing a scary, challenging experience and buzzing from their collective performance/ survival of some steep and powerful waves. Regardless of nation, a gaggle of people was always at the wall, waving flags and shouting their appreciation of every performance, wherever they placed. And the women were front and centre, making lots of noise and creating an amazing atmosphere. Welsh paddlers made a strong showing, and having got wet, I didn’t mind spectating from the sea wall waving the red dragon! Across the board, the standard of surfing was outstanding and I learnt a lot just from staring out to sea, or ‘waiting in the green room’ as surfers call it. More than technique, though, I learned a lot about competition and challenged some of my preconceptions, both about competitive events and about what I could achieve. For instance, the day after the closing ceremony, Thurso awoke to clean, steep waves and dozens of people descended in the morning light to take their last chance for surf before the long trek home. Including Emma Fishleigh,
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Farr Bay, broken paddle. Photo: Kylie Jones
the Women’s HP champion whose score was the highest in the whole competition, regardless of gender. But surf kayaking is a sport where the British Champion has time to stop and give pointers to a numpty like me on boat angle and wave choice … Perhaps the enemy isn’t your competitors. Maybe the enemy is expectation … Wales needs more surf kayakers and the sport needs more women. Let’s face it, if I can represent my country, anyone can give it a go! If you have been inspired to give it a try, look up Wales Surf Kayak on Facebook or press your local club to arrange a development day by the seaside. Surf Kayak Scotland did an amazing job of hosting and running a smooth event. Thanks to all the organisers and participants for such a good welcome to the surf kayak world. So what’s next? Get ready to cheer for the Welsh team at the World Championships in Peru this summer!
Home Internationals 2018 – Results England
Scotland
Rest of the Homes
Wales*
Round 1
36
41
35
59
Round 2
38
36
45
52
Total
74
77
80
111
Position
1
2
3
4*
*In the final outcome, Wales placed 3rd, as it was agreed prior to the competition that only a single Home Nation could medal in the team competition
Mattock
Wales Team, Home Internationals. L to R: Kylie, Fran, Steve, Sam, Ewen, Ben and Liam
British Surf Kayak Championships 2018 – Finals Results* Junior Long Boat
Men Grand Masters Junior Open Short Boat Short Boat
Women’s Masters Long Boat
Waveski
1st
Archie Clarke 8.8
Ian Sherrington 15.05
Brigitte Egan 14.4
Hamish Sander Brigitte Egan 13.65 9
Ewen Arkison 13.05
2nd
Nathan Rossiter Richard Young 8.65 10.9
Nathan Rossiter Dawn Horsburgh 6.7 11.1
Mike Marsh 12.35
Greer MacKenzie 7.5
John Ross 10
3rd
Sam Hodgson 5.85
Sam Hodgson 5.8
Meg Spittal 6.85 Int’
Dave Russell 12.25
Claire Eatock 6.2
Robert Maddock 9.5
Sophie Muller 6.75
Tom Thornton 11.9
Zoe Newsam 5.8
Darcy Muncer 7.2
Andy Wildman 8.4
Archie Clarke 7.7
John Inglis 8.25
4th
Women’s Masters Short Boat
Men’s Masters Long Boat
Jim Tait 6.5
5th
Women’s Long Boat
Men’s Grand Men’s Masters Masters Long Boat Short Boat
Men’s Long Boat
Women’s Short Boat
Men’s Short Boat
1st
Meg Spittal 11.9
Gary Adcock 14.25
Paul Robertson 13.65
Gary Adcock 13.65
Emma Fishleigh 16.5
Mathew Lamont 14.3
2nd
Emma Fishleigh 10.5
Ian Sherrington 13.25
Marc Woolward Ian Sherrington 13 12.35
Brigitte Egan 13.6
Jack Barker 12.25
3rd
Aisling Griffin 8.6
Steve Watt 10.8
Steve Mattock 11.35
Mathew Lamont 12.15
Aisling Griffin 11.25
Paul Robertson 11.25
4th
Sophie Muller 5.65
Andy Wildman 9.25
Ewen Arkison 10.25
Paul Robertson 11.65
Meg Spittal 8.65
Dave Russell 11.05
*Welsh paddlers in bold
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Last October I attended the Slalom Inspires event in Lee Valley; from the minute I arrived I was totally taken aback by the number of girls paddling, coaching, supporting one another and having so much fun. There were girls that I already coach, including my own daughter, and when I saw the positive looks on their faces as they trained and paddled together, I realised that this needed to be more than just a one off event. I am now working alongside Eilidh Gibson, GB canoe slalom athlete, to help develop Slalom Inspires so that it becomes part of our sport. Eilidh explains why this is such a good thing. Jonathon Davies
WHAT? Slalom Inspires is an organisation created by myself, Eilidh Gibson, because of my passion for promoting women in sport. It is becoming an army of volunteers running events to inspire, empower and support the girls of canoe slalom.
EVENTS Each event we run is a weekend of canoeing, fun teambuilding and inspiring and informative workshops run by incredible female athletes and speakers. We are also supporting parents by running parent solution workshops. We also LOVE to give out our merchandise from T-shirts to boat stickers! Our 2019 events are: Regional Events – For ranked division 1, 2 and 3 girls ◦◦ WALES - Tryweryn, North Wales – 27/28 April ◦◦ SCOTLAND – Grandtully – 1/2 June ◦◦ ENGLAND – Nottingham – 27/28 July National event For ranked division 1 and premier girls ◦◦ Lee Valley, London 9/10 June
OUR 2019 AIMS 1. Inspire girls to participate in the sport of canoe slalom 2. Empower the girls of canoe slalom by becoming leaders, volunteering and giving back to their communities and our sport. 3. Create a sense of community within the canoe slalom girls in Britain
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WHAT NEXT? Slalom Inspires is a project that only started at the end of 2018 so we are in the very early stages of this project. In the next few years we hope to continue to grow our reach all over the UK to create a framework in the canoe slalom community that both supports and empowers females in our incredible sport. We would love for you to get involved!
WHY? There are 50% less females ranked in canoe slalom in the UK which deeply saddens us. Additionally, the number of females coaching slalom in the UK can be counted on a hand, compared to the large numbers of male coaches. Canoe slalom is an incredible sport that has shaped many of our lives and has given us incredible opportunities, many of which we would not have had was it not for our involvement in sport. Our sport is magical. It somehow empowers anyone involved, whether as a participant, coach or volunteer, to become the best version of ourselves. We want every young girl to be able to have this experience just as much as the boys. Wouldn’t it be incredible if girls were no longer drastically outnumbered in clubs and training groups and became confident that they belonged there? Wouldn’t it be incredible if young slalom girls saw lots of strong female role models on the bank coaching? Wouldn’t it be incredible if canoe slalom was the first sport in the UK to have gender equality in both participation and coaching?
HOW TO GET INVOLVED Are you a female ranked in the UK canoe slalom divisions? If yes, then have a look at our event list above and see which one you can come along to! Find us at “Slalom Inspires” on Facebook for full information and sign ups for our events. If you would like to volunteer at any of our events we would be HUGELY appreciative. Email us at slalominspires@gmail.com to offer to volunteer. If you have any funding that you may be able to give us to help us run the best events we can for the girls of slalom then please get in touch! We are looking for donations or partnership agreements with companies/people that want to make a real difference!
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THROWBAGS Article: Chris Brain
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A throwbag can be an incredibly effective rescue tool when deployed at the right time and in the right situation. However, one of the most important skills with a throwbag is understanding when not to throw it! Ropes can complicate situations and can create hazards from snagging and tangling on the bank or getting wrapped around swimmers. Just because you have a rope doesn’t mean that you have to throw it and it might not even be the most effective rescue. It goes without saying that if you are carrying a rope you need to carry a knife. It should be easily accessible, have a locking blade, be sharp and able to open with one hand.
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Throwbags come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
ALL SHAPES AND SIZES Throwbags come in all shapes and sizes, and there are some excellent bags out there as well as some poor ones, try to purchase a bag which will best match your needs. You will be looking to balance rope quality and thickness/handling, ease of packing, ease of throwing, size/weight and of course, cost. Generally, bags that have a thicker and higher quality rope are bulkier and heavier to throw but feel better in the hands and are good for some of the more advanced rescue techniques such as unpinning and hauling boats. Throwbags that have thinner rope tend to throw better and are more lightweight, but the thin feel of the rope can sometimes be tricky to hold if you don’t have much experience handling ropes in rescues. Our bags should have no handle at the throwers end (keeping our system clean and snag free) and should only have a loop small enough to clip a karabiner into (if we need to) at the bag end. Some throwbags have a sling purpose built into the bag to make it as streamlined and as easy to use as possible. Some companies still supply their throwbags with handles at the end of the rope and the bag end, these are typically easier to remove and change to a cleaner system.
Different rope thicknesses.
SHOULD I THROW? When we are making the decision to throw a line we should first think about our position, as choosing the right place to throw from is critical to the effectiveness of the rescue. • Will I be able to deploy my throwbag effectively to a swimmer from here? • Where will the swimmer end up once they have hold of the rope? • Do I have enough room to move with the line if I need to? • Are there any hazards which will cause an issue when I throw the line, e.g. trees, rocks, stoppers?
NO EXCESS OF ROPE When we are in position, we undo our bag and pull out the first few metres of rope and drop it to the floor. This gives us a bit of rope to work with and means that we won’t risk the end of the line being pulled out of our hands. We should also be mindful of how much rope we are introducing to the river, if we are holding a 20-metre
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Packed throwbag.
Lob.
Removing some rope.
throwbag and the throw required is only five metres, we can afford to leave at least 10 metres on the bank. This means that there is not an excess of rope in the water that can potentially tangle or get stuck and in fact makes the throwbag lighter, smaller and easier to get on target. Typically, we probably want too much rope rather than too little when we are throwing, as too little means it won’t reach! We need to then decide on what technique we will use to throw the bag, will we go underarm, overarm or a lob? An underarm technique can work well if we are at the level of the water as the bag will travel in a straight line to the swimmer. If we are above the water an overarm can be more direct as you will be throwing straight down towards your target. If we are looking for distance and we are using a long rope a lob can usually do the trick. However, with a lob we potentially lose accuracy as the bag stays in the air for longer and is not as direct to our target.
Overarm.
Our swimmer will not thank us for how we threw the bag to them, but they will thank us for it being on target! We are now in position and ready to throw and we can make things easier by throwing at the right time. After shouting to the swimmer and grabbing their attention we should (where possible) throw when they are upstream of our position (as opposed to when they are level with us or downstream of us) as this will give them a few extra seconds to grab hold of the rope and will give us time to get ready on the bank before the rope pulls tight.
Underarm.
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Dynamic stance.
STAY ON YOUR FEET
Throwing the bag.
Holding the rope.
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Once we have thrown the bag, we need to get ready to take the force of the swimmer which will come onto the rope. Staying on our feet, we should adopt a low strong position, similar to what you might see in martial arts. This helps us to keep our balance and will mean that we can use our body to pull against the weight of the swimmer. We need to grip the rope tight and position our hands on the rope in a way which will allow us to take a bit more load (see photograph). The swimmer holds the rope across their chest with both hands and stays on their back whilst they swing in towards the bank.
Sharing the load.
Repacking.
BE DYNAMIC
REPACKING
If we stand firm and resist any movement when the load comes onto the throwline, we risk the rope being pulled out of our hands and our body being pulled towards the river. However, if we anticipate this and when the rope goes tight we move downstream with the swimmer, we will absorb the force much more gradually, making it easier for us to hold the weight and easier for the swimmer too. We can also look to move away from the water’s edge and walk further onto the bank, which will change the angle of the rope and can bring the swimmer in faster. Even if we only have enough space to move just a little bit, it will make a huge difference. If you think you will find the weight too hard to manage, consider being backed up with another rescuer holding the line. This means that you can share the load and can make it easier to hold the rope.
So that the bag deploys effectively next time you must make sure it is packed well. After throwing, make sure the rope is in a clean and tangle free pile on the floor, take hold of the bag in one hand and push small handfuls of the rope into the bag with your other hand. I usually make the ‘OK’ sign with one hand, holding the edge of the bag with my thumb and first finger and have the rope running through the middle of the ‘O’ to keep it in position whilst I push the rope into the bottom of the bag with the other hand. With a bit of practice, you can do this quite quickly, but it is essential that you make sure it is done properly as you want your rope to be tangle free next time you throw it. If you don’t practice using throwbags, your ability at using them effectively will fade. Take five minutes before you get on the river next to throw your line and pack it up, why not challenge your paddling buddies to a throwbag showdown, fastest to throw on target and repack wins!
CHRIS BRAIN Chris has been kayaking, canoeing and coaching for the last 15 years and runs his own business Chris Brain Coaching, delivering paddlesport coaching, safety and rescue courses and REC first aid training. Chris will soon be releasing a freely available safety and rescue resource which can be downloaded from his website or if you prefer
a printed copy these can also be ordered via the site. Chris would like to thank Pyranha kayaks, Palm Equipment, VE Paddles and Go Kayaking for their continued support. chris@chrisbraincoaching.com www.chrisbraincoaching.com
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