Ceufad September 2015

ceufad CYLCHGRAWN CANW CYMRU JOURNAL OF CANOE WALES

Issue 128 September 2015 £2.50

kayak

BELOW AND BEYOND – PERU EXPEDITION SURF KAYAK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS A WONDERFUL WEEK OF ENDURANCE

editorial

Duncan Eades shredding the wave at Surf Snowdonia Photo courtesy of Canolfan Tryweryn

F

or small country Wales has got a lot to offer when it comes to boating. Stunning coastline, challenging rivers, scenic lakes … not to mention two white water centres … what more could you ask for?

How about an inland surf wave? When I first heard about this a few of years ago, I honestly thought it was a joke. Then I saw a video and was instantly sold. It looked amazing – a perfect 2-metre wave that peeled for 150 metres along a freshwater lagoon. And it was coming to North Wales! Well, it’s now arrived – the UKs first Wavegarden – a fresh water wave in the Conwy Valley. I was hoping to feature it in this issue, but unfortunately it’s currently closed because of a mechanical fault. However, the staff from the Tryweryn went to the opening and had a great time!

So, that’s one more thing that Wales has got to offer – all we need now is a bit more sunshine … and rain over the catchments …

Vicky Barlow Editor PS – Just received details of the Canoe Wales membership survey, which will help to shape what CW membership offers. To have you say visit the CW website or follow the link below: www.surveymonkey.com/r/CW_member_survey_2015 A hard copy is also available on request from the CW office.

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: ceufad@canoewales.com 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@canoewales.com – 01678 521199 Ceufad, Canoe Wales, Bala, Gwynedd LL23 7NU Ceufad is produced quarterly in March, June, September and December.

NEXT ISSUE: DECEMBER 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

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Ed Ceufad

@Ceufad

16 First descents in Peru

32 Cardboard kayaks on the Tryweryn ...

contents

20

Playing in the Grey Dog in West Scotland

34 Feeling the love after a first flat spin

4

CANOE WALES NEWS

16 BELOW AND BEYOND

Latest info and events from Canoe Wales

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IN THE FLOW

20 A WONDERFUL WEEK OF ENDURANCE

Round up of the hottest products and news

Anacondas and Condors – first descents in Peru

Sea kayaking on the west coast of Scotland

8 REVIEWS

28 THE LONG ROAD TO SPAIN

Zenith surf kayak and WWTc rescue equipment

Surf Kayak World Championships 2015

11 PEMBROKE RIVER CANOE RACE

32 TRYWERYN FESTIVAL 2015

Pembrokeshire Paddlers Canoe Club annual race

Paddling and partying on the mighty T

12 CANOE WALES SLALOM – 2015

34 GET SOME STYLE

Round-up of a very successful slalom season for Wales

Improve your river running with some freestyle skills

14 INTERVIEW: SIMON CLARKE

Ceufad meets the new General Manager of Canoe Wales

Front cover: Nathan Eades heading for the podium at the Surf Kayak World Champs in Spain Photo: Pete Blenkinsop

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canoe wales news

News

Newyddion

Canw Cymru – Canoe Wales Notice of Annual General Meeting 2015 Canoe Wales would like to invite all of its members to attend the Annual General Meeting to be held in the Cardiff International White Water Centre on Saturday 17th October 2015

Outline AGM Agenda • Chairman’s Welcome • Apologies

In accordance with the Memorandum & Articles of Canoe Wales current Comprehensive and Basic Full Members have the right to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting.

• Election of Tellers • Minutes of previous AGM

The Annual General Meeting will be held at Cardiff International White Water, Watkiss Way, Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF11 0SY on Saturday 17th October 2015 at 12:00.

• Matters Arising • Chairman’s report • Treasurer’s report

At the Meeting, the members will review Canoe Wales’ accomplishments over the past year, hear about plans for the upcoming year, and elect the Board of Directors for the next year.

• Questions • Approval of annual accounts

An Agenda for the Annual General Meeting is shown below.

In accordance with the current Memorandum & Articles motions from members should signed by two full members entitled to vote and lodged with the secretary at the registered address, not more than three and not less than two months prior to the date of the AGM. In addition, other materials to help you prepare for the meeting will be published on the website, www.canoewales.com, in due course.

• Election of Auditors • Election of Board Officers and Directors • Motions from the Board and Motions from Members • Date and venue of next meeting (proposal)

Canw Cymru Canoe Wales Annual General Meeting 2015: Instrument of Proxy A full individual member is entitled to appoint another full individual member as their proxy to speak and vote for them at a General Meeting. This form acts as the instrument of proxy and needs to be completed in full and returned to Canoe Wales by Saturday the 17th September 2015 I (insert name and Membership Number) ...................................................................................... hereby appoint the Chairman of the meeting or failing him (insert name and Membership No) ........................................................................ to be my proxy to vote and speak for me at the Canoe Wales AGM to held Saturday 17th October 2015 at Cardiff International White Water, Watkiss Way, Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF11.

Notes: Those entitled to appoint a proxy may add specific instructions as to how their proxy shall vote.

Please return to the Company Secretary, Canoe Wales, the National White Water Centre, Canolfan Tryweryn, Frongoch, Bala, LL23 7NU

Coaching Matters Event 17/18 October, Aberiddi

Canoe Wales Survey

This event will include 2 days of workshops based around everything and anything to do with sea kayaking, surf kayaking and kayaking in general.

Canoe Wales are asking all members to complete a survey, to ensure they are offering the most appropriate and consistent support available.

The results of the survey will be used to help shape the future of Canoe Wales’s memberships on offer, as well as understanding what support your venues need in order to help achieve your goals.

We have the following venues: open sea, beaches and a lake.

The survey is available online through the CW website or via: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CW_member_survey_2015

The charge for the event will be £50 per day.

If you require a hard copy of the survey please contact admin@ canoewales.com –01678 521199

If you want accommodation it would be £16 per head.

Please contact Jethro Moore for more details and booking information: fun@adventurebeyond.co.uk

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Every individual member that provides their name and membership number in the online survey can choose to be entered into a draw to win a year’s membership for free.

canoe wales news

News

Newyddion

COACHING COURSES WALES – AUTUMN / WINTER 2015 SAFETY COURSES FOUNDATION SAFETY AND RESCUE 12/09/2015 CIWW 19/09/2015 CIWW

Jon Caterer Jon Caterer

Joncaterer@cardiff.gov.uk Joncaterer@cardiff.gov.uk

WHITE WATER SAFETY AND RESCUE 14/11/2015 CIWW 14/11/2015 Llandysul 17/10/2015 NWWC 12/12/2015 NWWC

Jon Caterer Jethro Moore Coaching Office Coaching Office

Joncaterer@cardiff.gov.uk fun@adventurebeyond.co.uk info@ukrafting.co.uk info@ukrafting.co.uk

SEA COURSES COASTAL NAVIGATION AND TIDAL PLANNING 14/09/2015 North Wales

Preseli Venture

info@preseliventure.co.uk

RAFT GUIDE COURSES LEVEL 1 RAFT GUIDE TRAINING 04/09/2015 NWWC 25/09/2015 CIWW 16/10/2015 NWWC 06/11/2015 CIWW

Coaching Office Malcolm Durnan Coaching Office Malcolm Durnan

info@ukrafting.co.uk MDurnan@cardiff.gov.uk info@ukrafting.co.uk MDurnan@cardiff.gov.uk

UKCC COURSES UKCC LEVEL 1 05/09/2015 08/09/2015 17/09/2015 03/10/2015

Llangollen Llangollen Llangollen CIWW

Richard Witheridge Richard Witheridge Richard Witheridge Jon Caterer

richard@proadventure.co.uk richard@proadventure.co.uk richard@proadventure.co.uk joncaterer@cardiff.gov.uk

UKCC LEVEL 2 TRAINING 12/09/2015 CIWW

Jon Caterer

joncaterer@cardiff.gov.uk

UKCC LEVEL 2 ASSESSMENT 01/11/2015 CIWW

Jon Caterer

joncaterer@cardiff.gov.uk

STAR AWARDS 3 STAR ASSESSMENT WW Kayak

11/10/2015

CIWW

Jon Caterer

joncaterer@cardiff.gov.uk

4* LEADER TRAINING Inland kayak Open Canoe Open Canoe

31/10/2015 11/11/2015 14/11/2015

Llandysul Llandysul CIWW

Jethro Moore Jethro Moore Jon Caterer

fun@adventurebeyond.co.uk fun@adventurebeyond.co.uk joncaterer@cardiff.gov.uk

If you’d like your courses to be included in Ceufad please send the details to ceufad@canoewales.com To be included on the Canoe Wales website email admin@canoewales.com

COACHES’ CALENDAR WWSR Provider Moderation

19/09/15

CIWW

FSRT Provider Moderation

10/10/15

CIWW

Generic Assessor Provider (for current 4* star providers)

11/10/15

CIWW

Coaching Seminar

9-10/01/16

North Wales venue tbc

FSRT Provider Moderation

10/01/16

North Wales venue tbc

Generic Assessor Provider (for current 4* star providers)

date tbc

North Wales date and venue tbc

UKCC Coach Educator Moderation

date tbc

North Wales date and venue tbc

For more details contact Marianne Davies – marianne.canoewales@gmail.com

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in the flow

IN THE FLOW SOUTH EAST & CHANNEL ISLANDS SEA KAYAKING Though geographically close the two areas covered in this guide are as different in character as it is possible to conceive.

The South East of England has a varied landscape of chalk cliffs, pebble beaches, vast expanses of sand, mudflats, and river estuaries.

At one extreme the Tidal Thames runs through the densely populated City of London and at the other the deserted North Norfolk coast.

It is true that some parts of this region are more attractive to sea kayakers than others, but we have been selective. All of the routes in the guide are worthwhile and many of them are real gems.

The Channel Islands are a small number of large islands and a vast number of islets and reefs. Here we are talking pink granite, white sandy beaches and very strong tidal streams. Many of the routes here are very committing but there are also a good number of gentler paddles.

The book follows the successful format of other Pesda Press sea kayaking guides, presenting the information in a user-friendly fashion and making good use of maps and colour photographs.

As well as providing essential information on where to start and finish, distances, times and tidal information, the book does much to stimulate and inform our interest in the environment we are passing through. It is full of facts and anecdotes about local history,geology, scenery, seabirds and sea mammals.

South East England & Channel Islands A fascinating read and an Sea Kayaking inspirational book.

Available from good bookshops now.

ISBN:978-1-906095-50-5 RRP: £19.99 This is one of many titles published by Pesda Press that are available to buy Derek Hairon et al. at: www.pesdapress.com

AROUND THE UK IN 83 DAYS Having completed a solo circumnavigation on the United Kingdom by sea kayak in 2012, John Willacy attempted to repeat the endeavor this year. However, this time paddling in the opposite direction – the first person to have ever made such an undertaking. Given the remote coastline, strong tides and unpredictable weather, and the fact that it takes around 3 months to complete, it’s no surprising that no one has ever attempted both directions before!

The intention was to start and finish from a beach in North Wales, but poor weather on the day pushed the start point to Pembrokeshire. This meant the first day of the trip involved a crossing of 30 miles to the Isle of Lundy in the Bristol Channel - a challenging start to the whole affair. It didn’t get any easier from there.

However, on the 11th August, John landed at Broad Haven beach near Stackpole Head, Pembrokeshire, having completed the circumnavigation. At 83 days it took a little longer than the reverse trip had back in 2012, but was an equally impressive accomplishment.

WELSH TEAM TAKE ON THE SEAL RIVER The Seal River which drains into Hudson Bay, Northern Manitoba, Canada is a formidable open boat expedition. The South Seal has rarely been paddled, and if ever, by a British group. A team of Welsh based canoe coaches, who all work on UCLan (University of Central Lancashire) outdoor courses, are just leaving for their month-long attempt on this ‘Jewel of the Canadian Wilderness’.

The team, supported by canoe equipment manufacturers Wenonah and Palm, will be setting out upstream from South Indian Lake. Then, by a mixture of paddling against the current and portaging, will cross the watershed into the Seal proper. Days are then expected to be a persistent trial of bugs and headwinds, as progress is made into the lower reaches where Grade 5 rapids await. Not only that, but the Seal is so named because seals have been found up to 100 miles from the estuary. As is well known, seals are the staple diet for polar bears, and the team has taken a shotgun and tripwires to prevent themselves joining the menu! A boat pick-up across Hudson Bay has been arranged to escape the onset of the northern winter, to finish the expedition in Churchill, polar bear capital of Canada.

The team members, Andy Hall, Loel Collins, Chris Eastabrook, Ali Inkster, Simon Allfree and Karl Midlane will be using the versatile Spirit 11 from Wenonah and bouyancy aids and Gravity boots from Palm.

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Live for White Water?

Coaching at NWWC 2015/16 Courses BCU WHITE WATER SAFETY & RESCUE 17–18 October 2015 12–13 December 2015 27–28 February 2016 23–24 April 2016 25–26 June 2016 27–28 August 2016

£160 pp £160 pp £160 pp £160 pp £160 pp £160 pp

BCU ADVANCED WHITE WATER SAFETY & RESCUE 26–27 March 2016

£160 pp

RESCUE 3 – WHITEWATER RESCUE TECHNICIAN 9–11 September 2015

£290 pp

RESCUE 3 – ADVANCED WHITEWATER RESCUE TECHNICIAN dates tbc

£390 pp

OUTDOOR-SPECIFIC FIRST AID AT WORK 11–13 April 2016

£185 pp

LEVEL 1 RAFT GUIDE TRAINING 4–6 September 2015 16–18 October 2015

£185 pp £185 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 BCU 3 Star, 4 Star and 5 Star Training and Assessment. We also offer Moderate Water Endorsement and Advanced Water Endorsement both 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:

£160 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@ukrafting.co.uk Website: www.ukrafting.co.uk/coaching-and-courses

REVIEW ZENITH After a 6 year break from kayak surfing and purely waveski riding, I was anticipating the transition back into a kayak to be a difficult task. As my waveski was shaped by James Hawker, the mastermind behind Ride’s new surf machine, I had a sense that it might suit me and was curious to see how well it could perform… I was simply amazed by the experience I had while surfing the Zenith.

There are various behaviours the Zenith possesses which impel me to draw the conclusion that this is THE kayak to be riding right now. It has a combination of features enabling all round high performance surfing rather than pigeon-holing itself into being a one-trick pony. While some seek a kayak with phenomenal down the line speed and minimal turning capability, the Zenith serves up a fat portion of speed but uniquely delivers a side plate of manoeuvrability. Balanced with a confidence invoking stability, this kayak holds no limitations for the innovative surf kayaker.

SLASHING Slash turns have never been a manoeuvre I have enjoyed as they usually entail forcing the kayak around a tighter radius than it is capable of and dragging a large amount of volume through the water in order to flick the tail out. The resistance created by the kayak during this action often results in the loss speed and sometimes causes the surfer to stall so severely that you fall off the back of the wave. Ride have removed this resistance by decreasing the volume in the front of the Zenith, softening the front rail and cutting away even more volume from the side wall creating a concave either side of the cockpit. When I began throwing myself into slash turns with the force that used to be required in previous designs, the Zenith simply flicked around, kicking up spray and retained the wave effortlessly, even when I attempted them in weaker surf. Not only does the Zenith enable you to complete slashes with ease, it also makes them feel enjoyable, which is a whole new experience for me.

RAIL TO RAIL TRANSITION Firstly, let’s focus on the rail before moving onto the transition.

While the Zenith has fins and a planing hull - allowing you draw turns out from the tail, it also has a long gripping rail enabling you to park the boat at the top of the wave for the first few pumps to build up speed before you really start throwing it around. With a rail which provides you with so much grip in the face of the wave, you might think that releasing one rail and switching to the other would be a challenge and result in you tripping up or power flipping.

This is not the case; the chamfer on the underside of the front two thirds of the rail running from the tip of the kayak up to your thighs makes this experience more forgiving, enabling a swift flick of the boat from the wave side rail back onto the beach side, resulting in very fast, snappy turns. The concaved walls in the deck allow one last little flick to accentuate the turn and send that spray up, before gently rolling back onto the hull.

DOWN THE LINE SPEED So a kayak with the ability to flick around on the wave and swiftly shift from rail to rail must surely have a weakness … could it be the down the line speed? Prior to surfing the Zenith, I spoke to a few people who had drawn conclusions following their own comparisons between the Zenith and other manufacturers’ latest models. They

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NATHAN EADES

were quick to tell me that they did not feel that this was a fast kayak and I have to say it did take me a bit of playing around to find, but once I started to put the Zenith into the right part of the wave, I unlocked all the speed I needed. This kayak will sit anywhere you put it on the wave and when I finally sat it back in the pocket and began driving turns out of the bottom, it unleashed itself and sent me hurtling towards the lip with the speed of a gazelle. While the Zenith may not possess the instant velocity which some surfers relate to speed, those more seasoned riders among us who know where to put a surf kayak and are prepared to slot the kayak into the critical section of a wave will be rewarded with the speed they seek on a level I have not experienced in a kayak before. I did not find the true potential of the Zenith in my first session so I would urge anybody wishing to trial a Zenith to take their time and really put this kayak through its paces to give yourself the opportunity to find the magic – as I did – of the Zenith. A new waveski or surf board takes a good rider a few weeks before they click with their new craft. If the Zenith is the kayak that has managed to get closest to the performance of a waveski, then you should expect to invest a little time in your new toy and find the advantages it has over the many competitor models.

SURFING THE SLOP The Zenith looks more kayak-like than some of the other arguably more radical looking surf machines out there. The seating position is a little more central giving the appearance that the tail is perhaps slightly longer than competitor models. This gives riders the option to surf on the middle third of the kayak rather than off the back tail as you would with a ski, and while some surf kayakers might find this strange to begin with, it actually enables the kayak to stay on the plane and retain its speed even through sloppier sections. This has two advantages, the first being that you can get it going on weaker waves and the second is that when you are competing in waves with less push, the Zenith will keep its speed through your manoeuvre without stalling, as a kayak which is dependent on a hollower wave might. I think it’s this characteristic that makes this new addition to the line-up really stand out from the others, as costumers who are about to shell out on an expensive kayak want to make sure that their new toy will perform in a range of conditions and not be dependent on a certain wave type. The Zenith’s versatility allows you to ride the rail every time the wind chops up the face or the waves become fatter, then switch back to powerful bottom turns driving your momentum out of the tail to initiate big manoeuvres off the lip when the conditions wall up.

FLOATERS As far as I am concerned, a kayak wins hands down over a waveski when it comes to floaters due to the extra volume kayaks possess, resulting in greater stability when you get yourself up onto the aerated part of a wave and perform your floater. Despite looking very low volume, the Zenith still retains this advantage and due to its extra width in the front third of the hull, I found it sat beautifully up high and glided through the floater with ease. Those chamfered rails I spoke about earlier assist the landing on the other side giving you the confidence to start anticipating your next manoeuvre before you have even come off your floater and back onto the green face.

RE-ENTRIES I had wondered if the reduced rocker in the nose, exaggerated by the lack of volume up front might cause me problems when coming down from a vertical manoeuvre in the critical part of the wave. Even when I felt like I had pushed my luck too far and the nose was sure to bite and throw me over the handle bars, there was always sufficient lift to keep me out of trouble. I really enjoyed throwing the Zenith up to the top of the wave, laying down some beachside rail and letting it glide through the manoeuvre as a waveski would. The law of physics states quite clearly that what goes up, must come down and there is nothing worse than smashing the lip and feeling the release we all so desperately seek, then dropping down the wave, biting the rail and rolling up dazed feeling like somebody has slapped you across the head with a big rubber glove! I can honestly say that I did not catch a rail during the week I rode the Zenith and have to admit that despite loving a waveski, I found myself getting off the water grinning like a Cheshire cat every time I took it out for a spin.

COMFORT AND BUILD QUALITY The surface finish and logo placement certainly makes Ride kayaks look professional, and when you pick any Ride kayak up, the lack of weight is very pleasing indeed. A quick inspection of the hull informs you how stiff Ride are managing to produce these kayaks, but the attention to detail on things which have been overlooked by Ride’s predecessors started to raise my eyebrows the more I inspected their range. Let’s start at the beginning … you first unzip a professionally finished kayak bag and slide your shiny new Ride kayak out which is filled with an abundance of pieces of foam. There are different sized, pre-cut foam pieces for the footrest, an ergonomically shaped back rest and (for the Zenith) a mushroom to insert between your

legs to lock yourself in. Within five minutes, I found myself feeling fully locked into the kayak and very comfortable. Needless to say that the kayak really is an out of the bag and ready to ride product similar to the quality you would expect from a whitewater kayak.

The cockpit rim is a nice touch and I am sure that the Ride manufacturers scratched their heads for a long time trying to figure that one out, but it was definitely time well invested in my humble opinion. The Ride range has a one piece cockpit rim, integral to the top deck, meaning that there is no extra glue or filler to chip away creating leaks in the future and of course less material means less weight.

I cannot sit here and tell everybody to go out and buy a Zenith, as the truth is there are some excellent kayaks on the market and have been for a long while.You will need to go and test each one yourself and find the kayak which suits you. What I can tell you, is that this little kayak from Llanelli made me fall back in love with kayak surfing, it got me through heats with varying conditions and enabled me to complete a variety of manoeuvres delivering me to the final of the Open HP at the Pantin World Championships this year.

PROS CONS Fast Progressive Highly manoeuvrable Easy paddle out Very forgiving High quality product Comfortable

Limited space for the larger paddler

Photo: Pete Blenkinsop

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REVIEW WWTC – RESCUE EQUIPMENT When asked to review a new piece of rescue equipment I always get that sinking feeling – who’s re-inventing the wheel this time? But not this time! WWTc have recently introduced their rescue kit to the UK market, and it’s a welcome addition. This equipment has clearly been designed by people who spend a lot of time on the water, and is aimed at whitewater users, whether that’s raft guides, kayaker or rescue professionals.

THROWBAGS These have been really well thought out and have clearly taken lessons from other well-established brands. However, they also have some very simple but effective upgrades, such as the karabiner pocket, which means you can attached a krab without the worry of it swinging around and causing injury. The bags are super-quick to repack due to the well-designed shape, and there is a very simple and effective Velcro strap opening, so no need to work out how to open the thing or struggle with popper systems with cold hands. The throwbags come with a waist belt system, which again is very simple and very effective – it’s easy to pack the line onto and has a good quick release system. It even has a pocket for a sling and krab, so that all your ‘first-response’ gear is in one place.

Three bags are available: Pro – 15m (8mm) Classic – 18m (8mm) Craft – 27m (10mm) Each bag is robust and very well, with reflective strips and high visibility colours.

Overall these bags are very well thought out and very user friendly and come in a range of lengths so suit the end user.

RAFT THWARTBAG Also available is the WWTc Thwart Bag, and again, a good deal of river experience has gone into the design. The bag is large enough to swallow a 1450 Pelicase, and has two really useful mesh side-pockets, which are perfect for a throwbag or water bottle. Great when you’re guiding and you want your kit close to hand and easy to access. There’s also two handy quick release straps, which means you can strap a spare paddle or raft pump securely to the to of the bag. As with the throwbags this is a quality piece of kit that feels durable and well made.

All these rescue products are made in Hungary by WWTc and are distributed in the UK and Ireland by R3 Safety and Rescue Ltd – a rescue training and equipment company based in Llangollen. Visit www.r3sar.com for more details.

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PEMBROKE RIVER CANOE RACE Article: Rob John

On Saturday 27th June Pembrokeshire Paddlers Canoe Club held their annual Pembroke River Race in memory of Roland Perkins. This was the 21st Anniversary of the race and was, as always, well attended by paddlers from Pembrokeshire and West Wales, with 40 paddlers on the water.

A difficult start from Fort Road beach in Pembroke Dock into a head wind was ably dealt with by competitors, who then had the wind behind them for the rest of the race along the river to Pembroke Castle.

The race is 6km long and is for juniors aged 11 to 16 in kayaks and for adults in open canoes. All competitors received a medal and certificate.

The emphasis of the race is on fun and enjoyment in a safe but competitive situation. As well as the safety power boats there were many adults who paddled along as extra safety cover.

At the finish refreshments were laid on by members of the club and very welcome they were too. A presentation of trophies, medals and prizes on the slipway under the Castle rounded the day off nicely.

Thanks go to all the club members who helped out on the day and Pembrokeshire Paddlers would like to thank all those who donated trophies and the following who sponsored the race prizes: Rembrandts Jewellers, Pembrokeshire Outdoors, White Water Consultancy Thanks are also due to the crews of the safety boats; Theo Weideman and crew, Tim Davies and crew. Also to the Stackpole Centre for the loan of open canoes.

Results 1st Overall Sam Cox – Roly Perkins Cup 2nd Luke Jones 3rd and 1st Female: Rebecca MacCallum – Friends from Tarn Trophy Youngest Competitor: Iowan Thomas – Bethan Thomas Shield Best local paddler: Sam Hodgson – Davids-Watson trophy Open Canoes: Phil Davies, Owen Jackson and Bob Walker – Nigel Robinson Trophy

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CANOE WALES SLALOM Article: Richard Lee The summer kicked off for the Canoe Wales slalom training groups at Bala in late May, with a training camp attended by 25 paddlers, supported by parents and coaches, and with Mark Lewin, providing Strength and Conditioning training. The hard work paid off at the Division 1 slalom on Chapel Falls in early June, with nearly all the Division 1 paddlers gaining personal bests, while Emily Davies (Mold CC) and Peter lake (Mold CC) gained promotion to Premier after wins on the river Tryweryn. Etienne Chappell (Seren Dwr) with a win and Layton Palmer (Llandysul) with a third in K1Men put some good speed down to set themselves up for a series of good performances at the June races at Pinkston and Washburn. The Junior K1Women raced very well on a demanding course that involved crosses into Chapel Falls, with Jess Rayner (Brecon) in 4th, Bethany Carol (Bala CC) 6th, and Bethan Palmer (Bala/Llandysul) in 7th place. It was also good to see new promotes Mari Watkins (Llandysul/Seren Dwr) and Sam Davies (Brecon) making early season progress.

Pinkston Whitewater Course provided the mid season Division 1 race. The purpose built pumped site in Glasgow provided a test for Division one paddlers, with Etienne placing 2nd and Layton finishing 2nd, while Lili Bryant (Llandysul) took home the British Junior 14 prize in the C1Women. Sam Bryant (Llandysul) took home the C1M and K1M J12 British Championship prizes – both of them retaining the titles they won at Llandysul in 2014. The Division 1 paddlers then moved to the river Washburn, Yorkshire, where a tight, fast flowing course always provides a physical test for paddlers. Here Bethan Palmer (Bala/Llandysul) took 3rd place, matching her pace with a clean run Layton took another top 5 placing.

While the Division 1 paddlers were being tested in competition at home, 14 Premier Division paddlers took to the road in Europe for a four-week, 3000-mile journey to 2 races and 5 different training sites. Many of the paddlers were juniors, able to take advantage of an early school finish after exams and the first stop was the Danubia Cup Race at Bratislava, where following a week of training on one of the most demanding whitewater slalom courses on the world circuit, 2 races were held over the weekend.

Ciaran Lee Edwards (Llandysul) was consistent over the two races, taking top 10 placings in the Under 23 section, while Will Coney (Seren Dwr/Llandysul) warmed into the weekend, placing 2nd in the Junior section, which backed up his performances at the world ranking race at Krakow in May. Gabi Ridge (Seren Dwr/Llandysul), Izzy Bushrod and Megan Hamer Evans (Seren Dwr) paddled to top 15 placings in the Women’s field, showing great improvement on their previous visit to the site.

The training group them moved on to Prague, following the race, where the site of the 2013 Senior World Championships provides many options for training with over 100 gates. A quick visit to Augsburg, broke up the

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Megan Hamer Evans

Ivrea prize giving – Tom Abbott third

Grace Scaplehorn

SUMMER 2015 journey to Ivrea, where a group of 18 British boats joined 15 other nations at the world ranking race. Here the Dora Baltea feeds a channel that drops 8 metres through narrow, surging drops to provide a good test for the international paddlers. Tom Abbott (Mold CC) joined Jordan Frandtsek (Czech Republic) and fellow GB team paddler Thomas Quinn on the podium, while Megan Hamer Evans again paddled consistently to take 7th place, and 2nd Junior behind 2013 World Champion Amelie Hilgertova of the Czech Republic.

Will Coney, 7th and 2nd Junior, 3 Welsh paddlers in 11th place in their respective classes – Cara Lee (Bala CC/ QU Belfast) in K1 Women, Ciaran Lee Edwards in K1Men and James Coney (Llandysul/Seren Dwr) in C1Men. Following the race, the two minibuses zig -zagged their way over the Col Petit St Bernard for four days of training at Bourg St Maurice before some returned home to the Washburn Premier race, while others moved on to do some more training in Europe.

The Washburn Premier race provided the only summer race of the Premier calendar, and a tight, technical course provided a test for the racers, with personal bests for Megan Hamer Evans in K1Women in 3rd and Emily Davies in C1W. Ciaran Lee Edwards added to a consistent run of Premier results to take his overall GB ranking to 3rd, while 4 Welsh women – Megan, Izzy, Cara and Gabi are now ranked in the top 12 boats in the UK. As the school summer recess began, the Premier and Division 1 paddlers regrouped at three domestic training camps, with the numbers increasing as Finlay Yates Jones (Llandysul), Will Abbott (Mold CC) and Caz Lavis (Brecon) gained promotion from Division 2. Three weeks at Bala, Holme Pierrepont and Lee Valley will provide good preparation for the paddlers for the five Division 1 and Premier races in the autumn, while before that many of the paddlers will travel to France with the annual Llandysul Paddlers camp. At the same time, Rhys Davies (Bala CC) will also be in France, racing at Pau with Matt Lister (White Rose) as part of the senior GB World Cup team.

At the end of August, 8 paddlers will represent Great Britain at the European Under 23 and Junior Championships in Krakow, following selection earlier in the year. Four of the boats competed at the World Championships in Foz d’Iguacu, Brazil in April. James Cooper (K1 Men, Seren Dwr), fresh from an 8th place at the August ECA race in Krakow, Will Coney (C1M), Steffan Walker, K1M (Llandysul), and Tom Abbott (C1M) will be joined by Non Dingle (Seren Dwr, C1W), Ciaran Lee Edwards (K1M), Izzy Bushrod and Megan Hamer Evans (Seren Dwr, K1W) and supported by Geoff Forster as coach within the Great Britain squad. It is a great reflection of the paddlers’ hard work that there is the largest contingent ever of Welsh paddlers within the

Ivrea canoe slalom course

Grace Scaplehorn

Cara Lee

Great Britain under 23/18 squads, while it is also great to see promotions in the divisions for Bala, Brecon, Bridgend, Llandysul, Mold, Seren Dwr and Snowdonia slalom paddlers, supporting a vibrant slalom scene in Wales. Many thanks to all the paddlers, volunteers and coaches who have made 2015 a successful year to date, with three more months of racing to go!

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Interview: Simon Clarke Simon Clarke is Canoe Wales’ new General Manager, a role that will see him taking on the operational leadership and day-to-day management of Canoe Wales. As you can imagine this is fairly diverse (and challenging!) role that ranges from organising staff and volunteers, to sourcing funding, to ensuring CW meets it’s objectives in supporting and developing the sport. Not a job for the faint-hearted … Fortunately Simon has honed his skills at Tennis Wales, having worked there for 6 years, initially as their Coach Development Manager and then as their Tennis Development Manager.

However, his sporting experience isn’t limited to tennis, he’s a passionate golfer, plays football and also volunteers at Penarth LTC & Old Penarthians Rugby Club with the social & Mini & Junior Sections. Ceufad took time out to meet the behind the racquet, and to find out if he’ll be adding a paddle to his sporting collection …

Before we get to the more serious stuff, we have to find out about your (very!) active sporting life. You play a number of sports – what’s your biggest sporting achievement?

Aside from being named Players’ Player and Manager’s Player of the Year in 2008 for the Stanwell Old Boys Sunday league football team (the Ballon D’Or doesn’t come close), I think it would have to be running two Marathons. Las Vegas in 2009 and Nice to Cannes in 2010. The elite athletes weren’t too worried when I stood on the start line, however, it was fantastic to see what can be accomplished with hard work, commitment and perseverance. Also, doing it with some of my closest friends was brilliant!

You mention ‘hard work, commitment and perseverance’ – which are traits of some of the world’s most successful athletes. Who’s your sporting legend and why?

I’ve got some huge idols in sport, mainly for the way they competed professionally whilst also having a bit of fun whilst doing it; Andy Roddick, Sergio Garcia, John Daly. Also I look up to people like Roger Federer, Darren Clarke and Seve Ballesteros for the impact they’ve had on their respective sports, the legacies they have left or are leaving, and the way people can relate to them at home and abroad.

But my number 1 sporting idol is former USA ice hockey coach Herb Brooks. He coached the US to Olympic Gold at the 1980 games in Lake Placid, and beat the Soviet Union who hadn’t lost for 50 games previously. He was hired to coach the Olympic team and pulled together a team made up of college kids. Hand-picking his team, he named several of his Minnesota players to the team as well as several from their rival, Boston University.

To compete with the Soviet Union team specifically, Herb developed a hybrid of the American and Canadian style, and the faster European style, which emphasized creativity and teamwork - a difficult thing to do with the tough rivalry between the University of Minnesota and Boston University. He also stressed peak conditioning, believing that one of the reasons the Soviet team had dominated international competition was that many of

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their opponents were exhausted by the third period. I love how his maverick style of coaching, and incredible self belief in the programme and his players, along with his ability to foster a team spirit out of recent rivalries, led to what Sports Illustrated magazine in America have called one of the greatest upsets in sports history. I could talk about it for ages!

It’s great that you picked a coach – quite often the unsung heroes/heroines of sport. You worked as a full-time tennis coach for a number of years. What’s your proudest coaching moment?

I did a lot of disability tennis coaching; wheelchair tennis, visually impaired tennis, but the majority was with people with learning disabilities. It was without question the most rewarding coaching I ever did. Giving people the opportunities to enjoy sport when they thought they wouldn’t be able to. Sport has the power to enrich EVERYBODY’S life, and being able to focus on the person’s ability rather than the disability allows for more people to enjoy the sport that you love. I was very proud to step on court with these different groups every single time.

We know that working as a coach has its own unique challenges – what frustrates you most?

I imagine it’s the same with all sports, as a coach all you want is for the player/athlete to WANT to be there.

Unfortunately in tennis there is a culture of training but not competing, and a lot of the time, particularly children, would come to coaching and just not be interested in playing. It was a challenge finding something they could relate to from outside the court but bring it onto the court to engage with them as best possible for the time you’re together. A huge challenge but an enjoyable one at times!

You’ve made tennis your career – working as a coach before joining Tennis Wales as a Development Manager.

Why tennis and why Tennis Wales?

I’d grown up playing a lot of tennis as a kid. I stopped when I was 13 to play A LOT of golf, and started again when I went to university. I was playing at the local club

then got into coaching. I always knew that development was an area I wanted to go into, so when I saw an administration position with Tennis Wales come up, I applied for it and was successful. I’ve done everything from make the tea for the bloke that makes the coffee, through to general administration, organizing leagues/ tournaments, etc. and then coach development cross Wales and to Tennis Development across South Wales, with a number of national roles.

During your 6 years at Tennis Wales you’ve had a very positive impact. What are your biggest achievements?

Relationships and ensuring a place at the table with all key partners are very important to me. When I started my last role we had no relationship with Cardiff Council, however, after 18 months hard work we got to the point where I was asked to make a speech on behalf of 19 partner national governing bodies to celebrate Cardiff being the 2014 European Capital City of Sport. We increased club membership across South Wales year on year, opening new opportunities into educational institutions with an offer from 2-22, and encouraging more and more disabled people to participate in tennis.

All sports and NGBs come with their own challenges. What were the biggest challenges you faced at Tennis Wales?

Encouraging accessible, affordable & achievable tennis activities was a challenge as there are many preconceived ideas around it. Tennis isn’t expensive, elitist or difficult to play so we broke the game down into smaller versions; slower balls and more easily achievable versions of the game. Cardio Tennis was a hit with the fitness market (could we do Cardio Canoeing??!). Touch Tennis was on smaller courts with smaller rackets and soft balls, meaning more people of any ability could play at any time. Selling tennis as a year-round sport was also quite tough, as the perception is that it’s only a sport for 4 weeks in June.

You were a strong advocate of the use of social media at Tennis Wales – what role do you see this playing within a sporting body and within Canoe Wales?

There are so many accessible forms of social media - the ability to communicate to members and potential new members is incredible. It’s at everybody’s fingertips. I truly believe it is how the vast majority of people now find out information, so in order for them to find their way into paddlesports we need to make everything as easy to find as possible. Facebook and Twitter in particular are ideal ways to spread the message of what your club has to offer and engage with new members.

Has working for two sporting bodies revealed any trends in the way they operate?

We need to ensure that we keep the participant at the centre of everything we do. This is true of all sports, however, for us it will be about understanding the needs and desires of the participant (new and existing) and ensuring that the ‘’offer’’ is relevant for all. I’m very keen to operate on a fully inclusive level, ensuring that there is the opportunity for everyone to participate in paddlesports.

Having worked for another governing body, and worked alongside others, sharing best practice and ways around inclusive opportunities is a fantastic way for the world of paddlesports to benefit from new and fresh ideas.

What new approach are you bringing to the job?

Hopefully I can engage with new as well as existing areas of the paddling community and ensure the avenues for clear and consistent communication are available to all.

We are here to support the members and grow the sport from grass roots to elite level. I want everybody involved to be driving forward towards our shared goals of increased participation, in all disciplines, at all levels. Everybody involved - the board of directors, staff, volunteers, parents and paddlers - are involved because they love the sport.

I want to use this passion and enthusiasm to spread the word across Wales of what a brilliant sport it is.

You were obviously making positive progress within Tennis Wales. What prompted the move to Canoe Wales?

It was the next step in the career for me and I was really in need of a different challenge. I was incredibly interested and excited about exploring the opportunity to be involved with a sport that I didn’t participate in personally.

With the plethora of stunning natural resources in Wales at our disposal, I jumped at the chance to get on board with Canoe Wales.

What concerns you most about your new role?

There are inevitably challenges in any job and for me it’ll be really important to identify those as soon as possible. As an organisation we are here to service our members whilst encouraging more people to get involved in the sport. It is of course a sport for life and we have such a wide range of offers available we need to promote those as consistently and widely as possible.

What will you bring from Tennis Wales to Canoe Wales?

I like to think that in everything I do I bring hard work, openness and a huge desire to make a positive difference!

I want paddlesports to be at the forefront of people’s minds when they’re thinking about what activity the family could do on a weekend or which sport to try and satisfy their competitive appetites!

And … what excites you most about your new role?

EVERYTHING!!! The possibilities for the sport are endless.

We have such fantastic natural resources in Wales and the opportunities to engage with some many people both here and abroad in promoting that is very exciting. I can’t wait to get out there and be the best ambassador possible for paddlesports in Wales.

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BELOW AND BEYOND – ANACONDAS AND CONDORS Words: Spike Green Photos: Team Below and Beyond

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I

t’s a bit habit forming … this adventuring lark. Four of us recently returned from a trip to Peru - the third in the Below and Beyond series. The team included Paul Cripps, James Bruton (PyB instructor), Dan Butler (ex-PyB instructors), and myself (Spike Green, another PyB instructor!).

As before the aim was to explore (probably) as yet unkayaked rivers. This was the first time in Peru for Dan and James, but I think I’ve clocked up almost a year there now!

Paul, however, lives there; he runs Amazonas Explorer – an adventure travel business.

Our initial destination, Cusco, lies at 3300m. We arrive at altitude with spinning heads and a little jet lag. Paul informs us that he’s taking his kids rafting that day … we of course have to go (a new section of the Urubamba for me). We almost regret this decision, however, we don’t feel any worse for it (well, no worse than the effects of altitude and jet lag!) and it’s a great little introduction to Peru for the boys.

This year is a BIG water year! El Nino is happening (apparently). Bad news for us - we don’t want lots of water where we’re hoping to go! We can but try …

No gentle acclimatisation process for us - we’re off to the Rio Pomacanchis. This is a gem of a ditch! Paul did the first descent 10 years ago and has been waiting for a second chance since. Super steep slides and drops all piled up on top of each other. Too much for me as a warm-up, but the boys make a great job of it!

Next we head off to the Rio Mapochco. On arrival we hear that an American team were there the year before, they ran the first descent of the upper section and got out at our putin (yet another plan for the next visit!). We had intended to do an overnight on the river (it’s 90km long), but the drive there takes forever. So we end up getting in the early morning and blasting down. 8 hours of brilliant grade 4.

Now we’re into the main meat of the trip. It’s a day’s drive to Chewa Chewa (I’ve had to resort to phonetics for the spelling!).

Chua Chua (?) is one of the main tribal villages of the Q’eros Indians. They have agreed to let us have a go at paddling their river. The main stipulation is that we are not allowed to take too many of their trout! The Q’eros are a mountain tribe and it’s an amazing drive up to 4500m. The village is situated at the watershed and from it you can look down the valley from the high Altiplano into the cloud forest, beyond which lies the jungle. The locals tell us that they haven’t been far down into the jungle, they know of no-one who has, they hear rumours of (uncontacted) tribes living below!

We load up our 10 porters and head off for Hatun Q’eros – another of their villages (one that they now only use for ceremonial purposes). A day’s walk sees us 1200m lower (and warmer!). A spectacular walk along the ancient Incan trail leads us to the village. No-one lives here now, so all is eerily silent. It all looks like some medieval scene, until we go into the chiefs’ hut. Apart from his store of potatoes there is an electric light and USB charger. This is the outer limits of technology! The Q’eros Indians are genetically the closest remaining tribe to the original Incans. Their lifestyle is also (as of yet) the closest.

After a night spent amongst the potatoes the bombshell is dropped. We had been told by the headman two days earlier that it was a one day walk to the proposed put-in. We are now informed that it will take four days! We only have food for one day’s walk and three days on the river. Then we are

told that they have no food either! The trip is over before it really starts. Probably a good thing as the water levels are too high for this kind of trip – oh, and it looks really steep and scary too! The reason for this ‘change’ is that the Indians used to grow maize at our proposed put-in. They no longer do so.

The path that would have taken a day to walk has now fallen to landslides and a bridge collapse, and has been reclaimed by the cloud forest. It and would take 4 days to rebuild it.

And the reason why they abandoned the maize fields? The spectacled bears would come out of the forest and eat their crops! So the blame lies with Paddington-bloody-Bear!

As we were in the jungle we decided we might as well go and run the Rios Cosnipata and Tonno – Paul and I had done them both before (I think Paul did the firsts?). Both brilliant jungle runs. We first jump on the Cosnipata – it’s high … very

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high! After the first rapid I’m out of there. I announce my intention to get off, to which the others reply, ‘I was going to say that!’ So a blast down the (easier) Tono gives us a great day’s boating. The evening then degenerates into a splendid bar crawl around Pilcopata, with much frequenting of sleazy discos and worse!

The morning brings a quick trip down the lower Cosnipata - for those not feeling worse for wear! Then it’s back to Cusco for not enough rest and loads of rushing about!

The plan now is to run the Black Canyon of the Apurimac, partly because it’s a great river, but mainly because our next objective – the Rio Santa Tomas – is one of its tributaries. In this way we can get a ‘feel’ for the Santa Tomas, and run a quality section of the Apurimac. The Q’eros is a jungle river (anacondas), whilst the Santa Tomas is a desert canyon (condors).

Hence the name of the trip. Unfortunately I end up with heat stroke (I think?) whilst unloading at the put-in. My memories of the river are hazy, I shouldn’t have been on it, however, the transport had gone, so there was only one way out! I do remember that under normal conditions I would have loved it! That night we found a good camp spot that had a great view of the Santa Tomas - it looked a bit high but OK. A day’s drive takes us to the town of Santa Tomas.

There is still some sickness in the camp (me, maybe it’s some weird virus not heat stroke?). So the boys leave me in bed for a day and do the town. By 10am they are bored and trying on cowboy outfits!

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By the next day I can now stand-up, which must mean I’m well enough – so we’re off on the Santa Tomas. The river looks very low at the put-in, but soon it gets its act together. A nasty landslide rapid signals the main change. The river is concentrated now. It drops into a long section of box canyon – all ‘read and run’ but totally committing. Quality boating on and on and on. Until, eventually we reach a rapid that we don’t want to run. The canyon walls loom over us. Fortunately there is an eddy and a ledge system that make portage possible. At the campsite later this sets me to thinking about my reasoning for adventures like this. I find it difficult to reconcile what would have happened if that rapid had not been portage-able, with the impact this would have on my kids and possibly even the wife (!?).

Oh hell! I think I’m growing up! Do I carry on with the river or get off at the next road bridge that we expect to see tomorrow? I’m already at my paddling limit.

Let’s see what the daylight brings.

We leave the camp early the next day – and what a great campsite it was too! I’m still in two minds about the river, the others are well happy! They all have another ‘gear’ in hand over me. More great boating takes us to the bridge by lunchtime. We chat to locals about the river. They know little because it goes into a canyon – which we knew from Google Earth. We study the map (again) and (at last) we work out the gradient properly – an increase of about 30% from yesterday.

That’s my decision finally made … I’m out of here. The others are keen to see what lies ahead. So I head up to

the village and get back to Cusco by nightfall – an amazing experience, the people were so kind and helpful (they don’t get tourists in this area).

The boys meanwhile continue on.

5km and another scary box canyon later, it all goes a bit wrong! As predicted the river steepens and drops into another, but longer/deeper box canyon. Epic inspections follow. They decide to quit before it gets worse. They manage to find some local Indians who will help them to carry out in the morning. The next day only one porter appears … and so begins the epic carry out of the desert canyon! 5 hours later they reach the road.

Back safely in Cusco Dan heads off to check out Machu Picchu whilst Paul, James and myself head out for a day’s downhill mountain biking.

On the final day the boys head off to do a high water run down the Apurimac granite canyon.

Beer, medals, home.

Thanks to Pyranha, Palm, System X (Werner, Watershed) and Mountain Equipment.

We are in the process of putting a film together about the trip, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

But mostly thanks to Amazonas Explorer without whom this trip would be virtually impossible. The expertise and professionalism they demonstrate is phenomenal.

Thanks to Paul Cripps, Dan Butler and James Bruton for looking after me.

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A Wonderful Week of Endurance Sea Kayaking on the West Coast of Scotland A plan was hatched towards the end of 2014 after two failed trips sea kayaking in Anglesey due to adverse weather. I was asked if I fancied a week sea kayaking in Scotland and without hesitation, or any thought of the implications, I agreed enthusiastically.

Words: Chris Russell, Chairman, Haverfordwest Kayak Club Photos: Courtesy of all the paddlers

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THE GROUP Richard Lawrence (unofficial trip leader and planner), Simon McDowell, Ben Rudder and Chris Russell.

We are all members of Haverfordwest Kayak Club in Pembrokeshire. Richard is a very strong, experienced 5* sea paddler, Ben also a very strong paddler with experience of trips including Mull, Norway, Sky, The Scillies, a crossing to Ireland and is also a member of the Broadhaven inshore lifeboat. Simon and I, while competent sea kayakers, were the expedition rookies with Simon having camped out of his kayak for one night which was one more than me! My camping practice involved one uncomfortable night in my back garden. We prepared with plenty of paddling and various other methods of getting fit including running, cycling and Zumba classes!

on the peaks. We meandered alongside and between various Lochs and Glens knowing that we were now close to our destination. Frustratingly, as forecast, Saturday was a beautiful sunny day, which while good for the travelling and the views, was a wasted day for paddling with poor weather due the next few days.

At about 7:30 pm we reached our first destination, Inveraray, a pretty little village perched on the edge of Loch Fyne. We stayed at the Inveraray Hostel and visited the George Hotel for some excellent refreshment before bed. An unexpected surprise was a call from another Club member Tim, now living in Scotland, who was able to join us for the evening and for the first day’s paddle.

THE TRIP

We met in the Hostel reception before breakfast with maps and a weather forecast, with a difficult decision to make. Would our trip around Jura be feasible? The forecast was not good with strong winds and heavy rain forecast for several days. Jura would be committing and the risk would be getting stuck on the west side due to the poor weather. Reluctantly the decision was made to abort the circumnavigation of Jura and go slightly further north and island hop, trying to find shelter from the worst of the winds. We left Inveraray for the 30 mile journey to our departure point, Crinan Harbour, slightly deflated that our plans had been hampered by the weather again but keen to actually start paddling.

We loaded the kayaks with all our kit and food for the week and after the mandatory ‘before we leave’ photos we left Crinan and, despite Jura being clearly visible across the Sound, we paddled north. A certain angst about never having paddled my kayak fully

The plan was a circumnavigation of the island of Jura on the west coast of Scotland. All we needed was some fair weather! The longer term forecast did not look great, with a significant low due to hit just about equal to our start date. With a few days to go a more accurate forecast began to confirm our fears, with winds gusting force 8 predicted for 2 days into the trip.

We now had a decision to make, postpone and face the difficulties of rearranging or just go for it. We decided on the latter - we would deal with the weather when we arrived in Scotland.

DAY 1 (SATURDAY 9TH MAY) We set off from Haverfordwest at 8am sharp (even Ben who is renowned for being late was on time). After a long drive and a couple of stops we were alongside the beautiful banks of Loch Lomond with the imposing Ben Lomond in the background and still hints of snow

DAY 2 (SUNDAY 10TH MAY)

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First campsite at Shuna

Time for a quick selfie on the summit of Torsa

Rounding the Garvellachs

loaded turned out to be unfounded as the extra weight added stability and momentum. We followed the coast past Craignish point with the wind on our backs and the rain everywhere else, eventually reaching Craobh Haven where we had to say goodbye to Tim. The remaining four of us turned about and headed west across the Sound to try and find a campsite for our first night on the Island of Shuna. After a relatively short paddle across the Sound we scanned the coast and soon identified a site which while not ideal was adequate. The rain abated long enough for us to quickly erect our tents on the very uneven site. We ate our first meal quickly and retired to bed early to shelter from the persistent wind and rain. It felt like the adventure had really begun.

DAY 3 (MONDAY 11TH MAY) We woke early to another damp and windy day and consumed a hasty breakfast of porridge and a hot drink before decamping ready for the day’s paddle.

The forecast was again for strong winds from the south west and patchy heavy rain. The plan was to find shelter amongst the islands so we paddled downwind towards Cuan Sound. Around almost every corner were fish farms and we passed a large Norwegian vessel visiting these farms, we presumed to collect and process the Scottish Salmon. After a couple of hours we reached the Cuan ferry which takes vehicles across the short crossing from mainland to Luing. We stopped for lunch

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before a brief sortie to play in the rough open waters overlooking Mull. We paddled back up the Cuan Sound and then across to the easterly side of Torsa island where we stopped and walked the short distance to the summit. We were greeted by a short spell of sunshine which added to the beauty of the stunning vistas in every direction. A flat area sheltered from the predicted strong south westerly winds looked an ideal spot to camp for the night but would be too long to paddle back against the wind from our next destination down the Seil Sound to Clachan Bridge. Ben suggested that a visit to the pub at Clachan Bridge and a warm meal might better prepare us for the storm forecast for evening and overnight. We paddled the few miles down the relatively narrow Sound feeling strangely robbed of the uninhabited tranquillity we had started to grow accustomed to as both banks harboured what we assumed to be holiday homes. Eventually reaching Clachan Bridge, known as the ‘Bridge over the Atlantic’ because a short trip further on leads to the open ocean. We pulled in and trudged up to the pub hoping they were open and that they would let us in our multicoloured, dripping drysuits. The ‘Tigh an Truish’ is so called because in years gone by when kilts were banned locals stopped here to don their trousers before crossing the bridge to the mainland. Despite our unsuitable attire we were made welcome even after leaving a large puddle under our table. We enjoyed a warm meal and drink which felt a little like cheating but

given the night to come it was an hour of calm that was warmly welcomed by all of us. The continued paddle prevented us partaking in the local ‘Sheep Shaggers’ ale which was the cause of great amusement. Back in the kayaks we travelled back against the strengthening wind trying to find a suitable campsite which suddenly became a priority as one of the group paddled at top speed for the shore seeking seclusion for an issue that later required treatment with Immodium. Not a pleasant prospect at any time but stuck in a kayak in a drysuit was a particularly unpleasant situation. After a further short paddle we a found a spot to camp which gave some shelter from the predicted strong westerlies and some relief for the stricken individual.

DAY 4 (TUESDAY 12TH MAY)

Otter off the east coast of Luing

Torsa in the background

After a very rough night, particularly for the one requiring more Immodium, we had a brief breakfast before decamping. We climbed back in the boats in rough conditions with the prospect of a hard paddle directly into the wind. The plan was to get back to Cuan Sound for shelter and then across the easterly side of Luing before heading across to island of Scarba.

At Cuan ferry we topped up water, dumped rubbish and confirmed a weather forecast at the ferry building (thanks to the guys for their kindness). After lunch we travelled along the east coast of Luing. I had never seen an otter to this point but after a couple of hours we had seen dozens, playing in small groups their little heads popping up like aquatic meerkats. Towards the southern tip of Luing we stopped for a rest before facing a difficult crossing into the teeth of the wind to our destination. We stopped at the little harbour village of Toberoochy which had developed around slate quarrying. The quiet little village remains but the slate workings are long gone. In the harbour the large decaying timber hull of a boat named ‘Crystal Waters’ lay prone at one end, as a reminder of a different age.

It reminded me of the corroding pit wheels of the coal mines in the South Wales Valleys after the closure of the mines.

The final push across to Scarba was a head down slog. Unfortunately the illness that had beset one of the group the night before had taken its toll and half way across a little help in the way of a tow was required, particularly as the menacing Gulf of Corryvreckan between Scarba and Jura was close by and we could not risk being dragged in. With a little assistance we all reached the shelter of the east coast and found an inlet called Ban Rubha which proved the perfect campsite for our first night on Scarba. We set up our tents, ate a hearty meal and, with the forecast of high pressure the following day, slept with spirits renewed. A respite from the wind and rain would be most welcome.

DAY 5 (WEDNESDAY 13TH MAY) The 13th of May turned out to be anything but unlucky.

We awoke to beautiful blue skies and virtually no wind.

This wild camping business was actually not that bad!

Over breakfast we discussed the plan for the day and we were determined to make the most of the improved weather. As Scarba is uninhabited we decided to leave

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Playing in the Grey Dog

the camp and as much kit as possible and do a longer paddle in lighter boats. We aimed to pass between Scarba and Lunga through a tide race known as ‘Grey Dog’ and paddle to the Garvellachs, a small group of islands to the north-west. A few minutes from camp Rich spotted a large bird landing in a tree. On closer inspection there were two sea eagles which due to being mobbed by crows put on quite a show for us.

This was the first of many highlights of my favourite day of the trip. After watching the birds we moved on to the ‘Grey Dog’ and enjoyed surfing the waves in the tide race. We continued our trip towards the Garvalachs in calm water and warm sunshine. Having forgotten that it might not be cold and wet I did not alter my underlayers and by the time we reached the islands I felt thoroughly ‘boil in the bag’ cooked! After removing a thick fleece the return journey was much more comfortable. After a lazy lunch we explored the middle island (Garbh Eilach) and then paddled around the most westerly island before turning back for home via the Gulf of Corryvrecken. With the tide running easterly (the fearsome whirlpool only forms on the westerly stream) we would pass through and return to our campsite from the south along the east coast of Scarba. I’m not sure about the others but I certainly had a degree of anxiety not knowing what to expect.

As it happened we flew through with the racing tide, the only issue being a strange wave that moved directly from right to left. Ben actually clocked himself doing 12 knots down the stream on his GPS. After passing through we paddled back to our site and enjoyed

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another wholesome meal (we ate a lot all week) and for the first time were able to light a campfire, have a glass of wine and watch the beautiful sunset while picking out shapes created by the clouds. We argued whether one was a whale, a fish or a bomb! This was the end of a wonderful day with Scotland showing its true beauty. We went to bed knowing the forecast was for another dry day.

DAY 6 (THURSDAY 14TH MAY) We woke to another sunny day with the wind less strong than predicted. After a long paddle on Wednesday we planned an easier day leaving our base at Scarba again, to circumnavigate the small island of Lunga to the north of Scarba. We set off and briefly watched the sea eagles before entering the ‘Grey Dog’. Conditions were different with a faster flow and no waves so we just rode the race through and paddled the west side of Lunga.

After stopping for lunch we continued around, cutting through a small gap in the island before heading back.

We returned quite early so Richard suggested a walk to try and view the whirlpool in Gulf of Corryvreckan.

After a long walk with lots of climbing through some very marshy ground we reached the other side of the island, which presented stunning views in every direction. Almost everywhere we looked there were deer and stag with herds disappearing over hillsides like a scene from Jurassic Park. The whirlpool was not visible but the boils and eddy lines of the Gulf made for an impressive sight. We also had a tantalising view along the length of Jura with the imposing mountains

Lunch on Lunga

Antler transport

known as the ‘Paps’ in the distance (‘Paps’ is Gaelic for breasts and you can see why). And although there was a small disappointment that we had not achieved our primary goal paddling around Jura, the trips we had managed had been so enjoyable I did wonder if the weather had actually done us a favour and that our trip rather than being spoilt had been enhanced. We walked back to our camp that evening pleasantly tired and all sporting a set of antlers we had found on the walk. We sat watching another glorious sunset before retiring to our tents.

DAY 7 (FRIDAY 15TH MAY)

Sea eagle

Deer on Scarba

The weather was forecast to turn wet and windy for the afternoon and it did not disappoint. This was our last camp on Scarba as we now planned to paddle along the coast and camp on the east side of Jura to get in position for a final trip across on Saturday morning back to Crinan. We could not leave Scarba until after midday to allow the tide to start running east in the Corryvrecken. On cue the wind rose and the rain came down in buckets. We paddled across to the end of Scarba and eddy hopped into the Corryvreckan, getting much further west than expected. A bumpy ferry glide over the pinnacle that causes the rough water and the whirlpool on the westerly stream, through tightly packed waves made for an interesting but enjoyable crossing with steep waves lifting the bow of the heavy boat only for it to plough straight though the next. After reaching the coast of Jura we battled a strong westerly wind and stinging rain, occasionally accompanied by a porpoise, until we reached the area we planned to camp. Such had been the rain that several potential sites had been turned into boggy marshes and we struggled to find anywhere suitable. When we did eventually find somewhere, the camp was barely

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Trip planning

Choppy conditions

Lunch on the Garvellachs

adequate and required a difficult landing and launch off an elevated jetty in a swell. It felt apt that we should finally get to camp on Jura but with horizontal rain and a cold wind it certainly did not feel hospitable and I did start to yearn for the comforts of home. At least we had the pleasure of a dozen or more seals constantly swimming or beached in full view of our camp while we quickly cooked and devoured our final evening meal of chicken curry and rice. With no sign of the rain and wind abating, we retired to the shelter of our tents knowing we needed an early start the following morning before the tide dropped to avoid a precipitous launch.

DAY 8 (SATURDAY 16TH MAY) Our final morning. A very hurried breakfast in the strong westerly wind that would help us back to Crinan. We were less careful about packing our kit knowing that our next night would be in the comfort of our own homes. Our launch off the jetty was a little precarious but apart from a few extra scratches on our boats was managed without incident. The trip back to Crinan was a ferryglide downwind for 8km, achieved in double time.

Over the week we had paddled just over 80 miles which, although not a huge distance, in the difficult conditions was still a respectable undertaking. A big thanks to Rich and Ben for the inspired trip planning.

We saw some incredible wildlife, the highlights being the sea eagles and the otters but we also saw canadian

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geese with ‘luminous’ green chicks following behind, deer, stags, porpoise, buzzards, herons, common seals and an array of other sea birds. There were also cuckoos everywhere and while I normally appreciate the sounds of nature after listening to ‘cuckoo, cuckoo’ incessantly for hours on end I will be happy never to hear that sound again!

There had been a few incidents worthy of mention; the neck on my drysuit ripped on the second morning so I was glad not to have taken a swim. Simon thought his tent had leaked after the first night only to find he had inexplicably taken his soaking drysuit to bed! The following day the bottom of his tent did rip open completely and he had to rely on a tarpaulin to stay dry. The ‘Immodium’ moment was particularly unpleasant for the recipient but rather cruelly a source of much comical banter for the rest, although quietly we all dreaded it happening to us. Scarba was uninhabited so toilet functions were fairly uninhibited until one morning a couple of elderly walkers were unexpectedly dropped on the island by a local tripper boat only narrowly missing seeing more ‘wildlife’ than they had bargained for. Snoring was regularly at a level that could have registered on the Richter scale and the sounds around the camp were often reminiscent of a scene from Blazing Saddles!

The journey back left me with mixed feelings. I had had the experience of a lifetime, we had laughed together and our friendship had held strong in

Leaving Scarba

Typical weather on the trip

Finally a break in the weather

sometimes difficult conditions. It was not ‘glamping’ for sure. We had eaten well but barely washed. I assume we all smelt equally bad since we did not notice each other. I would miss this camaraderie but I also longed for a hot shower and a comfy bed as I had not slept well all week.

After landing at Crinan we changed quickly into clean fresh clothes having a very cursory wash with some wet wipes. We had the mandatory ‘end of trip’ photo, packed the cars and we were away. Not very far as it happened, for a few miles down the road in the little Loch side town of Lochgilphead we stopped and had a very large cooked Scottish breakfast (and it was heavenly).We drove the long journey back reminiscing about the trip and also looking forward to seeing our families. Late that evening we arrived back in Haverfordwest with a quick shower and a comfortable bed the prize after our long drive.

A great adventure over but certainly not forgotten.

On return Richard urged me to read ‘Argonauts of the Western Isles’ by Robin Lloyd-Jones which held particular significance after our trip with discussion of the same areas we had paddled. I felt that our trip had been a huge personal challenge but it was put into perspective by the journeys Robin and his friends had undertaken and without the modern technology we have available now. Even so I am proud of what we did and urge anyone that has a similar opportunity to grab it with both hands. It may not always be easy but the satisfaction and the sense of achievement is priceless.

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The Long Road to Spain Surf Kayak World Championships 2015 Author: Andrew Bailey, Team Manager Photos: as credited

It all started back in spring 2014 when the WSKA (World Surf Kayak Association) announced the winning bid for the 2015 Surf Kayak World Championships had gone to Spain, and the venue was going to be Pantin on the northern coast.

Immediately there was a buzz on social media as people realised they would be able to make the short trip across and would be able to attend. Now all they had to do was fight for their places on the Welsh Surf Kayak Team, and so the hard work began.

During 2014 every competition seemed to have more and more paddlers attending and everyone was becoming increasingly focused on gaining points to secure their place on the Welsh Surf Kayak Team. After a long year for all competitors, the British Championships waited for them as the final selection event, and as you can imagine the turnout was large and the field strong. Welsh paddlers battled it out at Freshwater West against fellow countrymen and English competitors; giving themselves the opportunity to go up against competitors who would be joining them in heats at the upcoming World Champs. The level of surfing was high and Welsh surfers did very well, with Paul Robertson winning the IC (International Class – longer boats without fins) and four other Welsh surfers taking top ten positions in the men’s HP class (High Performance – shorter boats with fins). Rachel Wall just missed out on fourth in the ladies HP and Lloyd Jackson finished fourth in the junior HP. Following some final adjustments to rankings due to the results of the British Championships, the Welsh Surf Kayak Team was formed. A few travel arrangements later and we were all set to leave Wales in convoy, catch a ferry across to northern Spain and put our training into practise.

Photo: Glyn Brackenbury

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Photo: Nathan Eades

well, with four paddlers winning their heats and going straight through to the second round, while others went into the repechage meaning that a win was now compulsory in order for them to make it through to round two.

Tuesday morning broke with a serving of slightly larger waves in the bay of Pantin. This was a perfect setting for the team event to commence which was followed by of the Juniors and Masters HP. The team rose to the occasion and completed day one in third position with many first places gained in the Men’s IC and HP, with Marc Holland kick starting the day with a massive aerial. Meanwhile, Lloyd Jackson and Ewan Arkison put in some solid work to get themselves into the semi-final of the Juniors IC and Masters HP respectively.

Wednesday was dubbed “Big Wednesday” as the surf had really picked up on the main peak, with sets pushing through at a sizable 4-6 foot. True to form, our female paddler Rachel Wall gritted her teeth and put in a gutsy performance, surfing the biggest waves of her life and finishing her Worlds experience just shy of the quarterfinals. Other notable performances were Tim Thomas, Tom Iggleden and Paul Robertson who passed through into the second round of Men’s IC. Paul Robertson and Nathan Eades linked together some solid rides in their repechages, both progressing into round two of the Men’s HP. After a second outstanding performance by Wales on day two of the team event, we were still ranked in third position and had battled our way into the final, despite being one lady short and our junior – Jac Tucker – sustaining a serious injury during a training session earlier in the week. Later that day, after the team event had drawn to an end, the Men’s second round took to the water and while some Welsh paddler’s worlds experience drew to an end; Paul Robertson, Tim Thomas, Tom Iggleden, and Nathan Eades advanced to the quarterfinals.

Friday was a rest day for some, but Ewen Arkison and Lloyd Jackson had to step up their game for the semi-finals, while Paul Robertson and Nathan Eades had their Men’s HP quarterfinals to deal with.

While it is fair to say all kayakers surfed out of their skin, advancing even further in the contest, a special mention must go out to Lloyd who pushed his surfing to a whole new level, landing an impressive re-entry and gracefully earning his place in the Junior final.

Photo: Nathan Eades

Photo: Nathan Eades

Photo: Nathan Eades

Photo: Nathan Eades

We arrived late to a very dark Pantin and couldn’t see much, but the sound of the ocean informed us that there were waves, and quite sizable ones at that.

Thursday morning shone some light onto the beach and revealed that not only were there large waves, but also large crowds due to the other countries also having the idea of training. We still got our fair share of waves under the warm Galician sunshine and even shared some waves with a large school of dolphins, not a bad start to the trip. The real training began on Friday morning when team coach Tom Iggleden starting cracking the whip, putting us all through our paces and mentoring the juniors; hard work which would pay off later. After half a week of pre-competition surfing and last minute fine tuning of technique, we grouped together on Saturday evening for some well-deserved relaxation and reflection, and enjoyed a team BBQ, prepared for us by non-other than Team Wales’ top chef and High Performance Surf Kayaker Paul Bramble.

Sunday’s opening ceremony was powerful as was to be expected with opening speeches from the Mayor and event organisers, followed by a parade of the competition site by all of the teams. The ceremony was completed with some local tapas and music before all of the teams returned home for an early night to prepare themselves for the first day of competition.

The Spanish made a good start to the contest after a great decision to run the contest on two peaks, resulting in prompt progress through each round and results being announced quickly. The Welsh Team did

Photo: Glyn Brackenbury Photo: Glyn Brackenbury Photo: Glyn Brackenbury Photo: Glyn Brackenbury

Spectators gathered on Saturday morning to witness the team final and watch as the Basque, English, Irish and Welsh teams battled it out for the title of World Champion. Wales had a blinding start with the Men’s HP winning three out of the four heats, putting us in first place. Following a few nail biting rounds during the Ladies, Juniors and Masters, we were in third place, just one point ahead of Ireland. The Men’s IC paddlers stepped up their game and surfed hard to secure the third place for Team Wales. Team Wales were third in the world and with a team member short, what an achievement! Not only had the team finished well, but a number of personal achievements had been met along the way. The evening ceremony that night ended what was both an emotionally and physically tiring week for all. While some celebrated late into the night, others escaped to bed ready for their finals and semifinals the following day.

The final day of the individual competition started well with both Nathan and Paul winning their semi-finals, securing their places in the Men’s High Performance final. The beach was packed, but our early start resulted in a good vantage point to cheer on our Welsh teammates. Lloyd’s Junior Final was next and following a strong performance he finished his first World Championships in a very impressive fourth position. Ewen Arkinson, our masters IC paddler, pushed himself to the limit in his final, also coming away in fourth position. Finally, it was time for the big show-down in the final of the men’s High Performance; two Basque paddlers against two Welsh paddlers. The Basque followers outnumbered the Welsh four to one, but the Welsh made sure they were heard. The final was one of the best displays of surf kayaking we’d seen for a long time, with each surfer nailing every wave right to the sand before sprinting back out to battle for more waves. There were some killer moves being thrown down from all competitors with Nathan Eades managing to find some air. Eventually the horn sounded the end of the final, and with it the end of the 2015 Surf Kayaking World Championships. Everybody stood poised, awaiting the final result: Edu Etxeberria of Basque country was crowned World Champion, Paul (Cheesy) Robertson finished with silver and Nathan (Yellowboy) Eades picked up bronze. What a result for the Welsh.

During the long drive home, we had time to reflect on the years that have passed with Welsh success.

There have been countless World Champions and even more Welsh paddlers reaching podium positions at World Surf Kayaking Championships over the years.

With one of the best manufacturers of surf kayaks based in South Wales, and some of the best surf in the UK, isn’t it time that you became part of the action?

Why not get yourself to one of the many demo days which Ride surf kayaks will be laying on in the future, or attend one of Team Wales’ come and try it weekends?

Check out: Welsh Surf Kayak Team (Facebook) Ride-kayaks.co.uk

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Photo: NWWC

2015

TRYWERYN FESTiVAL

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That sinking feeling - ALPKIT Card

Photo: David Steen

Photo: David Steen

Words: Sam Beesley Photos: as credited

Photo: NWWC

lasted the entire course (which included some steep class III drops). There were some amazing prizes on offer for this one, with the victors being justifiably proud of their efforts.

The final event of the Saturday was the Tryweryn Extreme Race - where the fastest racers tested themselves in a Boater-X style race from the Graveyard rapids to Miss Davies Bridge. This was the event that people had come to win and there were some serious race faces on the water. The overall victors gained ultimate glory along with some great prizes courtesy of White Water The Canoe Centre and Mitchell Blades.

To end an awesome day of paddling all that was needed was some great food, drink and a rip-roaring party … and that’s exactly what was on offer. With fire breathing, lasers, a bar and an amazing DJ, the dance floor was packed until the early hours. There were no doubt some sore heads on the Sunday morning as people arose from their tents but it was definitely worth it for the great atmosphere surrounding the Festival over the entire weekend.

Photo: NWWC

Photo: David Steen Photo: David Steen

With water all year round when many other rivers are un-runnable the Afon Tryweryn is a haven for boaters from all over the UK, so with a weekend set in mind Tryweryn Fest 2015 was sure to be an absolute blast!

Organising the event started in the early months of the year. With ice setting over the river and snow in the air it was hard to visualise a bustling centre full of trade stands and excited boaters ready to take on their next challenge. As the weather grew warmer and ticket sales started to rise it was time to put all the planning into action.

So what did the festival hold in store for the hundred or so paddlers who had made the trip? The weekend started with the Tryweryn Fest Quiz, which involved several highly competitive teams testing their paddling knowledge against the quiz hosts. It was an interesting hour of heckling, cheating and scrutinising but there was a clear team of victors who grabbed some awesome prizes donated by the NWWC. River Legacy was on hand all weekend to quench everyone’s thirst with a fantastic bar and Manon from the Riverside Café kept everyone well fed. With spirits high and the rain lashing over the marquee it was time to party into the night!

rdboard Cut-Out Race

Sprinting to the line in the Tryweryn Extreme Race Demo boat central

Saturday morning saw a glorious sunrise over the Afon Trweryn and with the trade stands all set up it was time for the competitions to begin. For the keen beans who had managed an 8.30am start, there was free coaching on offer. This was a great success, with paddlers taking their first run down the graveyard and nailing that tricky eddy they always seemed to miss. A big thanks goes to our talented coaches for their efforts.

The first event was the very popular ALPKIT Cardboard Cut-Out Race. This involved either a solo effort or team of two creating a boat made entirely from cardboard and sticky tape. This event became very competitive with some amazing boat designs that

The final day saw Pyranha Kayaks host the King of the Wave competition, which went down a storm.

With a full demo fleet in tow it was a great opportunity to test out Pyranha’s latest boats, particularly the 9R, which had been the winning boat the Extreme Race on the Saturday.

Thanks so much for all those who came and enjoyed the Festival weekend, and a big thanks to all of the sponsors and people who helped out, especially River Legacy who put in a massive effort to get the Festival running. If you missed out on the action keep your eyes peeled early next year when ticket sales will go live for the 2016 Tryweryn Festival.

See you all on the water soon.

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Michael Harper winding up for a blunt at Stanley Embankment

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Get Some Style Article: Chris Brain

WHAT IS FREESTYLE? Whilst taking a well-earned rest on the bank at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham, having just had a fantastic freestyle session on the course, I was busy watching some of the local paddlers do their thing on the water. They were busy going end over end and making their boat fly all over the feature when I overheard a conversation between a mother and her young son, Son Look mum that man is nearly falling in all the time!

Mum Yes son, they don’t seem to be able to keep their boat in a straight line Son What do you think they are trying to do? Are they trying to get back up the river?

Mum I don’t know, but it does look very dangerous don’t you think?

It was at that moment that I was once again reminded that unless you know what you are looking at, freestyle paddling is a very unique and confusing discipline in our sport.

Freestyle (or as it has been known previously playboating and rodeo) is all about performing dynamic moves, tricks and spins with your kayak (or even canoe!). It is exceptionally creative and dynamic, and like most areas of paddlesport is constantly evolving. When describing freestyle to my non-paddling friends I often refer to it as the gymnastics of paddlesport or what BMX is in cycling.

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Hugh Mandelstam competing

Chris Brain performing a rock grind in Argentiere, France

at the Younguns freestyle event

Chris Brain with an eddyline stern squirt

Chris Brain surfing his river boat at Halton Rapids

BUT RIVER RUNNING IS SO COOL THOUGH… Yes it is! We are all in agreement with that! Running rivers in a 80/90 gallon creek boat is a huge amount of fun and can be exceptionally rewarding, however, I feel that so many paddlers miss out on freestyle because the current trend seems to be for most beginners to graduate into bigger boats as their skill level increases.

This is a real change from when I was learning to paddle back in the late 90s and early 00’s, when the trend was the better you got, the smaller the boat you got in!

A friend once said these wise words when I asked him why he was so passionate about “playboating”, he said, “The reason I do it is so that when I am getting trashed in a hole at the end of a big rapid in my creekboat, I have some idea of what is going on!”

It’s true that for many of us freestyle may well be a second discipline, something that we do every now and then or when there maybe isn’t much water. It is important to remember that many of the world’s best paddlers (creeking, river running and even slalom) have at some point worked on their freestyle skills and it has ultimately helped them to develop into the paddler they are now. Many of the skills that you work on in a freestyle boat can have such a positive impact on the rest of your paddling, regardless of what your regular discipline is. It is because of these transferable skills that I am so passionate about encouraging whitewater paddlers to get into freestyle.

My top ten transferables are …

Fitness Freestyle kayaking gets your heart pumping!

Incorporating a few freestyle sessions into your paddling will certainly help with your all round fitness.

Strength Freestyle moves often require you to push the boat around or underneath you, and this inevitably makes you stronger. Freestyle naturally develops core strength,

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which is important for successful boof strokes, lifting your bow over waves and even for breaking in and out.

Balance As you spend so much time with your freestyle boat in all kinds of weird and wonderful positions, you inevitably improve your balance. The ability to hold an edge and to balance dynamically is essential to perform at a high level in any paddlesport discipline.

Flexibility With the boat making so many rotations around your body in so many different planes, a degree of flexibility is required to perform the moves. If you feel like flexibility is an issue with your paddling, a dabble at freestyle could help to loosen you up!

Co-ordination If you are the kind of paddler that paddles as hard as they can and hopes for the best, or just paddle around like a bull in a china shop, you could probably do with working on your finesse. Many freestyle moves require a set up, initiation, rotation and recovery. This does require you to be coordinated with your paddle strokes and often the timing is the key – simply paddling as fast as you can or just throwing your weight around won’t cut it.

Spatial awareness Freestyle is all about moving (and thinking) in 3D. You become aware of what your boat is doing above and below the water, horizontally and vertically! Like my friend said, when you’re getting turned over in a hole, you’ll be glad you practiced in your freestyle boat and if you make it look good, you could even claim it was intentional!

Boat control Often in freestyle paddling you are controlling a very nimble boat in some challenging situations, with every

single tiny movement of your body having an impact on the boat. You are also transitioning from edge to edge, very dynamically too, so your overall boat control will inevitably improve which will help your kayaking.

Rolling ability Freestyle kayaking = getting your head wet. It’s pretty much a fact that the more you play the more chances you will get to practice your roll. So many whitewater boaters don’t have a strong roll simply because they don’t practice it. You might take a few swims when you start out freestyling, but you’ll get plenty of chances to work on rolling.

Reading the water Once you start looking for waves to surf and places to play, your ability to read whitewater increases dramatically. You’ll be able to judge which stoppers you can get out of and which ones you can’t! You will also start to recognise that the rivers features are just a big playground that you have fun in.

Current British Freestyle Champion Gav Barker at HPP

Fun We all paddle because we enjoy it and freestyle is just another way to have fun out on the water. If you are having a bit of a lull in your paddling or a lack of motivation, then learning to surf and spin could be just what gets you back on the water with a smile.

ITS PRETTY TRICKY THOUGH ISN’T IT? “Nothing worthwhile doing was ever easy!”

At the beginning, learning freestyle moves can seem like a daunting task and without a doubt you’ll fall on your face a fair bit and will probably get quite wet along the way. However, with a little bit of determination and some hard work the results will certainly be worth the effort. There are plenty of skills and instructional videos out there (some good and some bad) and with a bit of research you will probably find the information you are looking for. Above all with freestyle keep positive, sometimes your body just needs to learn to do the motion (especially if you haven’t done it much before) and before you know it everything will seem to click into place.

Crispin Agar on his first surf at Rabioux Wave in France

THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB

Beth Hume and Dan Butler with some retro surf moves on the Tryweryn

Getting the right tools for the job is always important when it comes to kayaking and freestyle is no different.

A purchase of a dedicated freestyle kayak will inevitably help you to progress through some of the moves better and a flat-hulled boat with some edges is a must if you want to get spinning on waves. The second-hand market is always active when it comes to buying and selling playboats, so keep your ears open with you paddling pals and keep your eyes on the popular auction sites too. It is always best to demo a boat, however, as they often feel very different on carpet to what they do on the water. Also getting the right boat for your height and weight is a must, too much volume and you won’t be able to get vertical, too little and you’ll be sinking all the time.

Remember when you are starting out you most likely don’t need the newest, most expensive design

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Brad Porch after his first flat spin at Hurley Weir

and in fact some of the older style freestyle kayaks are actually easier to learn in. You shouldn’t need to spend much money to get started with a second hand freestyle boat.

USE WHAT YOU’VE GOT You could of course use what you’ve got! If you have a river running or creek type kayak, you can still use the river as a playground, doing some downriver freestyle.

Using your creekboat to play on the river can open up moves like rock splats, grinds, 360’s and you can even surf your river boat too. It is never going to be as dynamic as using a dedicated freestyle boat, but if you take the playboater’s mindset to your local river you’ll be surprised at how much you can push yourself and how differently you’ll view the water.

TAKE IT FURTHER Once you have got a taste for freestyle paddling you may well want to take it further. One thing that may appeal to you is competition. Many competitions take different formats, but the norm is to follow the ICF rules, which give you 45 second runs on the feature where you can strut your stuff and rack up points. The atmosphere at freestyle events is always incredibly supportive, with many paddlers cheering on their competitors from the eddy. It can be also be a fun way to meet other paddlers and to find some people to get on the water with too.

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As with any other discipline of paddling, getting some coaching can also help to move your performance forwards and can give you plenty of ideas on how you can progress. A recent development with British Canoeing is the Freestyle Star Award scheme, which runs alongside the other star award disciplines such as whitewater, canoe, sea, surf etc. This can be a fun way to get some coaching, benchmark your performance and can be very good for setting goals for the future too.

So get out there, get in a short boat and start having fun spinning around and going end over end!

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 coaches with the GB Freestyle Team and delivers the British Canoeing freestyle award scheme.

Chris would like to thank Pyranha kayaks, Immersion Research, VE Paddles and Robin Hood Watersports for making fantastic kit and their continued support chris@chrisbraincoaching.com www.chrisbraincoaching.com

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If you’re interested in joining the club then please email Cardiffcanoepolo@gmail.com or search Cardiff Canoe Polo Club on Facebook.

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