Ceufad Winter 2024 by Ceufad @ Canoe Wales

Rhifyn / Issue 157 Gaeaf / Winter 2023 £2.50

ceufadKAYAK CYLCHGRAWN CANŴ CYMRU JOURNAL OF CANOE WALES

ISLE OF SKYE

COSTA SMERALDA

SEREN DŴR SLALOM CLUB LIFE AS A SLALOM TAXI CHILL-PROOF PADDLING

ALEXANDER KENNAN MATT KENNAN

golygyddol editorial T G wnaeth y llun golygyddol i mi wenu; y llygadrythu wedi’i ffocysu, yn edrych i lawr yr afon, yn benderfynol o hoelio’r llinell. Mae'n olwg a wisgir gan badlwyr dŵr gwyn ledled y wlad. Ac, os bydd pethau dilyn y cynllun, fel arfer caiff ei ddilyn gan wên eofn ar waelod y dŵr cyflym. Y rhuthr adrenalin o lwyddiant, mae'n anodd ei guro. Nid chwaraeon padlo yw'r hawsaf i'w meistroli; Fel arfer, bydd mentrau cynnar mewn cychod ac ar fyrddau yn cyd-fynd â llawer o simsanu, nofio, a’r dryswch 'Roedd i weld mor hawdd o’r lan!' Ond gyda dyfalbarhad, penderfyniad a rhai sgiliau newydd, daw sefydlogrwydd, ac enillir gwên gyntaf llwyddiant. Dyna un o'r rhesymau pam fod chwaraeon padlo mor werth chweil - maen nhw'n cymryd amser ac ymdrech ond maen nhw'n werth pob trochiad. Rhaid cyfaddef nad y gaeaf yw'r amser gorau i nofio, fodd bynnag, mae rhywfaint o gyngor ar sut i gadw'n gynnes ar y dŵr (t30), a allai hefyd roi rhywfaint o ysbrydoliaeth i chi ar gyfer anrhegion Nadolig munud olaf ar gyfer ffrindiau a theulu sy’n padlo! Vicky Barlow Golygydd

Ceufad Ed Ceufad

ceufad@canoewales.com

@Ceufad

Ceufad yw cylchgrawn swyddogol Canŵ Cymru ac mae’n rhad ac am ddim i’w aelodau. Cynhyrchir y cynnwys gan Canŵ Cymru, ei aelodau a chyfranwyr eraill, felly nid yw’r safbwyntiau a fynegir o reidrwydd yn rhai Canŵ Cymru na golygydd y cylchgrawn. Cynhyrchir Ceufad bob chwarter yn y Gwanwyn (Mawrth), Haf (Mehefin), Hydref (Medi) a'r Gaeaf (Rhagfyr) RHIFYN NESAF: GWANWYN DYDDIAD CAU:16 CHWEFROR I gael gwybodaeth am DANYSGRIFIADAU, HYSBYSEBION a CHYFLWYNIADAU: www.canoewales.com/ceufad ceufad@canoewales.com

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he editorial photo made me smile; the focused stare, looking downstream, determined to nail the line. It’s an expression worn by whitewater paddlers across the country. And, if things go to plan, it’s usually followed by a cheeky smile at the bottom of the rapid. That adrenaline rush of success, it’s hard to beat. Paddlesports aren’t the easiest to master; early ventures in boats and on boards are usually accompanied by lots of wobbles, swims and the confusion of ‘it-looked-so-easy-from-the-bank!’ But with perseverance, determination and some new skills, stability is established, and the first smile of success is earned. Which is one of the reasons why paddlesports are so rewarding – they take time and effort but are worth every capsize and swim. Admittedly winter isn’t the best time to be racking up the swims, however, there’s some advice on how to stay warm on the water (p30), which might also give you some inspiration for last-minute Christmas gifts for paddling friends and family! Vicky Barlow Editor

Ceufad Ed Ceufad

ceufad@canoewales.com

@Ceufad

Ceufad is the official magazine of Canoe Wales and is free to its members. Content is produced by Canoe Wales, its members and other contributors, so the views expressed are not necessarily those of Canoe Wales or the magazine’s editor. Ceufad is produced quarterly in: Spring (March), Summer (June), Autumn (Sept) and Winter (Dec) NEXT ISSUE: SPRING DEADLINE: 19 FEBRUARY For info on SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADVERTISING and SUBMISSIONS: www.canoewales.com/ceufad ceufad@canoewales.com

Newyddion Canŵ Cymru Gwybodaeth a diweddariadau fan Canŵ Cymru

Canoe Wales News Info and updates from Canoe Wales

In the Flow What's new in the world of paddlesport

Isle of Skye A tale of the Scottish midge

Meet the Team Kerry Skidmore, Lead Safeguarding Officer

Life as a Slalom Taxi A parent's guide to the benefits of slalom

2024 Year Planner Pull-out guide to what's happening next year

Meet the Team Emily Evans, SUP Lead

CYNNWYS CONTENTS 25

Canoe Foundation Helping to improve places to paddle in Wales

Dalsand Sweden's 'canoe country'

Cadw’n Gynnes Beth i'w wisgo ar y dŵr y gaeaf hwn

Chill-proof Paddling What to wear on the water this winter

Q&A Seren Dŵr Slalom Club CW Club of the Year 2022

Costa Smeralda Sea kayaking in Sardinia

CLAWR / COVER VICKY BARLOW COSTA SMERALDA, SARDINIA PETE CATTERALL

GAEAF / WINTER 2023

CANŴ CYMRU — EIN TÎM Alistair Dickson

Prif Weithredwr

TÎM GWASANAETHAU AELODAU Andy Turton Rheolwr Hyfforddi Val Ephraim Swyddog Gweinyddol Suzanne Parkin Cynorthwyydd Llywodraethu ac Aelodaeth Bonnie Armstrong Arweinydd Cyfathrebu a Marchnata Paula McKenna Cydlynydd Cyfathrebu a Marchnata Ellen Roberts Swyddog Cyllid Phil Stone Rheolwr Lleoedd i Badlo Kerry Skidmore Swyddog Arweiniol Diogelu a Chydraddoldeb Lydia Wilford Swyddog Datblygu Emily Evans Arweinydd PAD/SUP TÎM PERFFORMIAD Alistair Dickson Rheolwr Perfformiad Dros Dro Jonathan Davies Swyddog Llwybr Talent (Gogledd) Gareth Bryant Swyddog Llwybr Talent (Gorllewin) James Pigdon Swyddog Llwybr Talent (De) Andrew Kettlewell Prif Hyfforddwr Slalom Giacomo Leighton Talent Slalom - De Emily Davies Talent Slalom – Gogledd CYFARWYDDWYR Kerry Chown Cadeirydd Jet Moore Is-gadeirydd Andy Booth Cyfarwyddwr Cyllid Elsa Davies Lowri Davies Rhys Green Alun Davies Allan Binstead Ruth Hall Tanya Neilson Dave Kohn-Hollins David Eade

CYSYLLTWCH Â CANŴ CYMRU www.canoewales.com admin@canoewales.com 01678 521 199 Canolfan Dŵr Gwyn Genedlaethol, Frongoch, Bala, Gwynedd, LL23 7NU @canoewales

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CYFARFOD CYFFREDINOL BLYNYDDOL CANŴ CYMRU DYDD LLUN 15 IONAWR – AR-LEIN Cyfarfod Cyffredinol Blynyddol Canŵ Cymru yw eich cyfle i glywed am ddiweddariadau dros y 12 mis diwethaf a datblygiadau yn Nghanŵ Cymru yn y dyfodol. Byddwch yn gallu gofyn cwestiynau yn uniongyrchol i'r staff a'r cyfarwyddwyr a chlywed adroddiadau manwl yn ymwneud â'n gweithgarwch a'n cyllid. Mae'r adferiad ar ôl COVID-19 yn amser arbennig o bwysig i Ganŵ Cymru gefnogi'r gymuned padlo. Byddwn hefyd yn lansio ein strategaeth newydd, yn clywed am ddatblygiadau gyda PAD(SUP) ac yn trafod newidiadau mawr eraill i'n cymdeithas. Felly, os hoffech chi glywed beth mae Canŵ Cymru yn gwneud, neu os oes rhywbeth rydych chi'n meddwl y dylen ni fod yn gwneud mwy ohono - dyma'ch cyfle chi i roi gwybod i ni! Bydd ein staff a'n cyfarwyddwyr wrth law i ateb unrhyw gwestiynau ar lafar neu yn y sgwrs. Byddwn hefyd yn cynnal sesiynau holi ac ateb drwy gydol ac ar ddiwedd y trafodion. Mae gan holl aelodau Ar y Dŵr ac Ar y Banc dros 16 oed hawl i bleidleisio yn y Cyfarfod Cyffredinol Blynyddol - ac mae croeso i holl aelodau eraill Canŵ Cymru fod yn bresennol. Wrth archebu eich lle, gofynnir i chi gyflwyno unrhyw gwestiynau ar gyfer y sesiwn holi ac ateb ymlaen llaw, i'n helpu i gynllunio'r noson a sicrhau ein bod yn ateb cwestiynau pawb. Bydd hefyd cyfleuster sgwrsio ar-lein ar gael i ofyn cwestiynau ar y diwrnod, ond byddwn yn rhoi blaenoriaeth i gwestiynau a gyflwynir ymlaen llaw. Os ydych chi'n aelod gyda’r hawl i bleidleisio ac yn methu bod yn bresennol, mae gennych hawl i benodi dirprwy i fod yn bresennol. Mae manylion am sut i benodi dirprwy ar y ddolen isod. I archebu lle ar y Cyfarfod Cyffredinol Blynyddol neu am fwy o fanylion, ewch i: www.canoewales.com/agm-2023

GWEMINARAU DATBLYGU CLWB ADDYSGIADOL, RHYNGWEITHIOL AC AM DDIM! Mae Canŵ Cymru wedi cynnal cyfres o weminarau, addysgiadol a rhyngweithiol am ddim dros y gaeaf i'r rhai sy'n ymwneud â chlybiau. Mae'r ddau olaf yn rhedeg ym mis Ionawr a mis Chwefror 2024. Gweminar Datblygu 4 11 Ionawr 24 7- 8:30pm » Beth yw'r ffordd orau i bob arweinydd clwb ddod yn arweinwyr/hyfforddwyr/ cyfarwyddwyr cymwysedig » Diweddariad Dim ond Mynd Gydag Andy Turton (Arweinydd Hyfforddi) a Lydia Wilford (Swyddog Datblygu) Archebwch yn: www.bit.ly/3N2FRYq Gweminar Datblygu 5 8 Chwefror 24 7-8:30pm » Gwirfoddoli Cynhwysol » Clybiau yn gweithio gyda'i gilydd » Pam nad oes gennym fynediad gwell Gyda Phil Stone (Rheolwr Lleoedd i Badlo) a Lydia Wilford (Swyddog Datblygu) Archebwch yn: www.bit.ly/3sQeXfD Am fwy o wybodaeth am y gweminarau neu ddigwyddiadau eraill, ewch i: www.canoewales.com/events-calendar

WALED DDIGIDOL CANŴ CYMRU MAE CARDIAU AELODAETH DIGIDOL YN MYND YN FYW! Beth mae hyn yn ei olygu? Bydd Canŵ Cymru (CC) yn cyflwyno cardiau Aelodaeth Ddigidol o DATE.. Bydd hyn yn caniatáu ichi lawr lwytho cardiau Aelodaeth Ddigidol CC yn uniongyrchol i'ch Apple neu Google Wallet. Yn y dyfodol bydd ar gael ar gyfer cymwysterau hyfforddi a rhai cofrestriadau i ddigwyddiadau hefyd. Sutfydda i'n derbyn fy mhecyn Aelodaeth CC nawr? Byddwch yn derbyn e-bost gan ein tîm a fydd yn cynnwys pecyn aelodaeth ar ffurf PDF. Bydd eich pecyn aelodaeth hefyd yn cynnwys unrhyw godau disgownt aelodaeth gyfredol sydd gennym i'w cynnig. A yw'r waled ddigidol yn ddiogel? Google Wallet FAQ’s https://wallet.google/intl/en_uk/faq/ Apple Wallet Info: https://www.apple.com/uk/wallet/

Cerdyn ar ddyfais Android (Google)

Beth os nad oes gennyf ffôn symudol neu ddefnyddio waledddigidol? Cysylltwch â ni a gallwn anfon cerdyn a phecyn Aelodaeth gorfforol atoch ar gais. Pam mae Canŵ Cymru yn gwneud hyn? Rydym am leihau gwastraff papur a phlastig, arbed amser ac arian ar bostio, ac mae adborth gan ein haelodau wedi dweud wrthym fod aelodaeth ddigidol yn haws i'w defnyddio. Bydd ymarferoldeb Digital Wallet yn cefnogi ymhellach ein hymgais i fod yn sefydliad mwy cynaliadwy sy'n canolbwyntio ar yr amgylchedd. Un o fanteision mwyaf cael cerdyn aelodaeth ddigidol yw ei fod yn cael ei ddiweddaru ar unwaith. Gallai'r cerdyn corfforol fod yn 'hen' i bob pwrpas cyn gynted ag y caiff ei argraffu. Felly, byddwn yn gallu diweddaru gwybodaeth yr aelodau ar unwaith (e.e. math o aelodaeth, cymwysterau ac ati) a byddant yn gallu dangos adlewyrchiad cywir o'u haelodaeth gyfredol sy'n bwysig ar gyfer yswiriant, gweithgareddau (sy'n gofyn am gymwysterau) a dangos bod gan yr aelod drwydded dyfrffyrdd.

Cefn y cerdyn aelodaeth

Sut fydd yn edrych? Dangosir enghreifftiau o'r cerdyn aelodaeth fel y mae'n ymddangos ar ddyfais Android (Google) ar y dde. Gellir dangos manylion ychwanegol ar y cerdyn trwy dapio 'gweld manylion (ar ôl iddo gael ei ychwanegu at eich waled). Cod QR Gellir sganio'r cod QR gydag unrhyw ffôn camera ac mae'n wiriad amser real o ddilysrwydd yr aelodaeth yn JustGo. Dangosir enghraifft o sut mae'n edrych ar ôl ei sganio ar y dde. Rwyf eisoes yn aelod sut ydw i'n cael fy ngherdyn digidol? Byddwch yn cael eich e-bostio o JustGo gyda'ch dolen bersonol i gael eich cerdyn Aelodaeth Ddigidol Bydd hyn yn digwydd yn awtomatig os byddwch yn gwneud cais am Aelodaeth Canŵ Cymru newydd drwy ein gwefan oni bai eich bod yn ymeithrio.

Mae sganio'r cod QR yn dangos statws aelodaeth yn Dim ond Mynd

Bydd mwy o wybodaeth yn dilyn yn fuan...

FFORWM DIOGELU CANŴ CYMRU DYDDIADAU AR GYFER 2024 Mae'r gweminarau hyn, sy'n cael eu rhedeg gan Swyddog Diogelu Canŵ Cymru, Kerry Skidmore, wedi'u cynllunio ar gyfer Swyddogion Diogelu Clybiau ac Aelodau'r Pwyllgor a hoffai gael yr wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am newyddion diogelu a chyfleoedd dysgu. Dyddiadau'r fforymau ar gyfer 2024 yw: Dydd Mawrth 23 Ionawr Dydd Mercher 17 Ebrill Dydd Llun 8 Gorffennaf Dydd Mawrth 19 Tachwedd

7.30-8.30pm 7.30-8.30pm 7.30-8.30pm 7.30-8.30pm

Am fwy o fanylion, ewch i www.canoewales.com/events-calendar neu cysylltwch â: kerry.skidmore@canoewales.com

GAEAF / WINTER 2023

CANOE WALES – OUR TEAM Alistair Dickson

CEO

MEMBER SERVICES TEAM Andy Turton Coaching Manager Val Ephraim Administrative Officer Suzanne Parkin Governance & Membership Assistant Bonnie Armstrong Comms & Marketing Lead Paula McKenna Comms & Marketing Coordinator Ellen Roberts Finance Officer Phil Stone Places to Paddle Manager Kerry Skidmore Lead Safeguarding and Equality Officer Lydia Wilford Development Officer Emily Evans SUP Lead PERFORMANCE TEAM Alistair Dickson Interim Performance Manager Jonathan Davies Talent Pathway Officer (North) Gareth Bryant Talent Pathway Officer (West) James Pigdon Talent Pathway Officer (South) Andrew Kettlewell Slalom Lead Coach Giacomo Leighton Slalom Talent Coach DIRECTORS Kerry Chown Chair Jet Moore Vice Chair Andy Booth Finance Director Elsa Davies Lowri Davies Rhys Green Alun Davies Allan Binstead Ruth Hall Tanya Neilson Dave Kohn-Hollins David Eade

CONTACT CANOE WALES www.canoewales.com admin@canoewales.com 01678 521 199 Canolfan Dŵr Gwyn Genedlaethol, Frongoch, Bala, Gwynedd, LL23 7NU @canoewales

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CANOE WALES AGM MONDAY 15TH JANUARY – ONLINE The Canoe Wales AGM is your chance to hear about updates over the last 12 months and future developments at Canoe Wales. You will be able to ask questions directly to the staff and directors and hear detailed reports relating to our activity and finances. The recovery from COVID-19 is a particularly important time for Canoe Wales to support the paddling community. We will also be launching our new strategy, hearing about developments with SUP and discussing other major changes to our association. So, if you would like to hear what Canoe Wales is up to, or if there is something you think we should be doing more of – this is your chance to let us know! Our staff and directors will be on hand throughout to answer any questions verbally or in the chat. We’ll also have the Q&A sessions throughout and at the end of the proceedings. All On the Water and On the Bank members over the age of 16 are entitled to vote at the AGM - and all other members of Canoe Wales are welcome to attend. When booking your place, you will be asked to submit any questions for the Q&A session in advance, to help us plan the evening and ensure we answer everyone's questions. There will also be an online chat function available to ask questions on the day, but we will give priority to questions submitted in advance. If you are a voting member and are unable to attend, then you are entitled to appoint a proxy to attend. Details of how to appoint a proxy are on the link below. To book onto the AGM or for more details visit: www.canoewales.com/agm-2023

CLUB DEVELOPMENT WEBINARS INFORMATIVE, INTERACTIVE AND FREE! Canoe Wales have run a series of free, informative and interactive webinars over the winter for those involved in clubs. The final two are running in January and February 2024. Development Webinar 4 11 January 24 7- 8:30pm » What is the best way for all club leads to become qualified leaders/coaches/ instructors » Just Go Update With Andy Turton (Coaching Lead) and Lydia Wilford (Development Officer) Book at: www.bit.ly/3N2FRYq Development Webinar 5 8 February 24 7-8:30pm » Inclusive Volunteering » Clubs working together » Why don't we have better access With Phil Stone (Places to Paddle Manager) and Lydia Wilford (Development Officer) Book at: www.bit.ly/3sQeXfD For more information on the webinars or other events visit: www.canoewales.com/events-calendar

CANOE WALES DIGITAL WALLET DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP CARDS ARE GOING LIVE! What does this mean? Canoe Wales (CW) will be introducing Digital Membership cards soon. This will allow you to download CW Digital Membership cards directly to your Apple or Google Wallet. In the future it will be available for coaching credentials and certain event entries too. How will I receive my CW Membership pack now? You will receive an email from our team which will include a membership pack in PDF format. Your Membership pack will also include any current membership discount codes we have to offer. Is the digital wallet secure? Google Wallet FAQ’s https://wallet.google/intl/en_uk/faq/ Apple Wallet Info: https://www.apple.com/uk/wallet/

Card on Android (Google) device

What if I do not have a mobile phone or use a digital wallet? Please contact us and we can send you a physical membership card and pack upon request. Why is Canoe Wales doing this? We want to reduce paper and plastic waste, save time and money on postage, and feedback from our members has told us that a digital membership is easier to use. Digital Wallet functionality will further support our quest to be a more sustainable and environment-focused organisation. One of the biggest benefits of having a digital membership card is that it is instantly updated. The physical card could be effectively ‘out of date’ as soon as it’s printed. Therefore, we will be able to update members’ information instantly (e.g. type of membership, credentials etc) and they will be able to display an accurate reflection of their current membership which is important for insurance, activities (which require qualifications) and demonstrating the member holds a waterways license.

Back of membership card

What will it look like? Examples of the membership card as it appears on an Android (Google) device are shown on the right. Additional details can be shown on the card by tapping 'view details' (after it has been added to your wallet). QR Code The QR code can be scanned with any camera phone and is a real-time check of the validity of the membership in JustGo. An example of how it looks after scanning is shown on the right. I’m already a member how do I get my digital card? You will be emailed from JustGo with your personal link to get your Digital Membership card. This will happen automatically if you apply for new Canoe Wales Membership via our website unless you optout. Scanning the QR code shows membership status in JustGo

More information will follow soon ...

CANOE WALES SAFEGUARDING FORUM DATES FOR 2024 These webinars, run by Canoe Wales Safeguarding Officer Kerry Skidmore, are designed for Club Safeguarding Officers and Committee Members who would like to be kept up to date with safeguarding news and learning opportunities. The forum dates for 2024 are: Tuesday 23rd January Wednesday 17th April Monday 8th July Tuesday 19th November

7.30-8.30pm 7.30-8.30pm 7.30-8.30pm 7.30-8.30pm

For more details visit www.canoewales.com/events-calendar or contact: kerry.skidmore@canoewales.com

GAEAF / WINTER 2023

British Canoeing We offer British Canoeing safety, leadership and coaching awards, for kayak and canoe. The White Water Safety and Rescue course has been revamped and is now White Water Safety: reflecting a higher safety to rescue weighting. This is the course for supporting paddlers running grade 2 (3) to be independent participants and useful group members. BC has also added an Introduction to White Water Safety for those starting out on their white water journey. This is a one day course covering basics such as preparing for a trip, river features and swimming in white water. We are making both courses available during the same weekend, thinking that this might be useful for clubs to get everyone included on the same trip.

Outdoor 1st Aid Why not update your 16hr first aid course in our beautiful setting?

National White Water Centre Canolfan Tryweryn

You probably know us best as a paddling venue, but did you also know that we run an increasingly large range of white-water courses, both here at CT and further afield? Skills coaching Looking to improve your personal paddling? We have a good variety of courses starting from just half a day, both on the Tryweryn and in other locations. Whether you’re new to white water, you’re after a skills boost or you want to up your playtime and give freestyle a go, you should be able to find the right course for every stage of your development.

Booking

Rescue 3 Europe Rescue 3 courses are the international standard for technical rescue training, aimed mostly at those working or volunteering in the industry, including emergency services, mountain rescue and our staff. We run most of the Rescue 3 Europe water-based courses. If you’re looking for something more technical than BC, it’s definitely worth a look.

Course dates, prices and further information is on our website. If you can’t see what you’re looking for, give us a call or drop us an email – all our courses are available on a bespoke basis and if you’re looking for something different, we will work with you to tailor the perfect fit!

www.nationawhitewatercentre.co.uk

IN THE FLOW PACKRAFTING – A UK MANUAL The complete guide to packrafting UK-style Packrafting is a growing discipline in the UK; these lightweight, packable rafts open up almost endless paddling and adventuring possibilities. Being able to switch seamlessly between hiking over land, paddling over water and using public transport opens up a whole new way of paddling. This book introduces the reader to a range of knowledge and techniques required to safely, and effectively, undertake appropriate adventures in a packraft. It covers all aspects of packrafting: choosing your kit and packraft, what to carry and how to carry it, journey planning, paddling on open water, rivers and whitewater, expedition skills, incidents and rescue, packrafting with dogs, and with children. The author, Jason Taylor, shares all of his experience and knowledge, and the book is packed with useful information and top tips. Plus stacks of photos and diagrams which bring the content to life. This is a fantastic book, that will not only benefit the novice but also enlighten the established paddler as to the nuances of packrafting. It may just introduce you to a new paddlesport discipline … RRP: £19.99 ISBN: 9781906095918 Available from: www.pesdapress.com

BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR Inspiring and extraordinary adventure films are coming to a screen near you! The Banff Mountain Film Festival brings to life the spirit of extreme adventure and the world’s last great wild places - all through the big screen. This flagship festival has been running since 1976, but it’s not just confined to Banff – each year the Festival goes on a world tour, reaching more that 45 countries, making it the largest adventure film tour on the planet. With wild journeys, adrenaline-packed challenges and incredible cinematography, the tour features two collections of inspirational films from remote areas of the planet. As well as thrilling films, each event features a free prize draw for outdoorsy goodies from the tour’s partners. The line-up will be confirmed in December, but the tour dates and locations have been confirmed. The tour will be visiting Wales in March, with other dates in the UK throughout the year: Cardiff – 8/3/23, Llandudno – 17/3/23, Llanelli – 23/3/23, Brecon – 28/3/23 www.banff-uk.com

ACCESS ON THE USK Sennybridge access point is available again Launching from the access point at the left-hand corner of the farmers market carpark, is available once again having been closed for several years. The access should only be used for as a drop-off or pick-up point, cars are not to be left parked there. Inconsiderate parking was cited as one of the reasons to withdraw the access in the first place. Turn down by the Red Lion in Sennybridge and follow the lane around to the right. The turning is very tight and best approached from the Brecon direction. ///swims.armed.underway Please follow any signage that may be giving instructions of where to park. Those who require long-term parking should use the public car park in the centre of Sennybridge above the Usk and Railway Hotel.

GAEAF / WINTER 2023

Isle of Skye

A tale of the Scottish midge W O R D S : A L E D E D WA R D S P H OTO S : K E L LY D E L A NE Y

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he Scottish midge is a curious creature. Measuring in at approximately 2.5mm and weighing not much at all it would seem quite innocuous. Add to this the fact that only the females bite (to gain energy to lay their eggs while the males are out and about sucking on plant nectar) and it should be an issue to forget about. But ... as winds drop (they thankfully cannot fly in windspeeds above 7m/s) and light fades around dawn and dusk, it becomes all-out feast time. The simplest task becomes frustratingly difficult, and even the calmest characters can crack with their heads engulfed in, quite literally, a cloud of midge It was into such a cloud that the sea kayak group stepped off the bus at Camping Skye in Broadford, on the Isle of Skye. Comments like ‘glad there’s no wind’ and ‘isn't it a nice evening’ quickly turned to ‘what is this!?’ and ‘aaagh, get them off me!’. Comedy scenes ensued as tents were rapidly put up (to varying standards) and occupants dived in not to be seen again until the morning. In a way I suppose as expedition leaders we should be thanking the midges, it was a lovely quiet evening! We were on Skye with the Year 10 sea kayak expedition team with the aim of circumnavigating Scalpay, Raasay and Rona, off the north-east

GAEAF / WINTER 2023

“IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE THE SEALS CAME OUT TO PLAY, FOLLOWED BY A LONG-FINNED PILOT WHALE AND A WHITETAILED SEA EAGLE. THE WHALE STAYED ALONGSIDE US FOR A WHILE, SEEMINGLY KEEPING PACE, ALTHOUGH WE CAN’T HAVE BEEN MOVING VERY FAST AS ALL ATTENTION WAS ON THE WHALE!”

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coast of Skye. Launching from the pier at Broadford, the group had a fun and bouncy crossing to Scalpay, with big grins all round as we landed on a stony beach for a breather. With a northerly wind, we headed to the south of the island for some shelter, before battling a headwind up the more sheltered west coast, and were rewarded with some playful otters and seals as we paddled round this stretch of coastline. Our camp on the north coast of Scalpay would have been idyllic, but the wind dropped as we made landfall, and it was all-you-can-eat buffet time again for the midges. We must have made a strange sight, with everyone either pacing constantly to keep moving or wrapped up in a midge net. It wasn’t long before everyone had retreated to their tents. The next morning was another stunner, and we enjoyed mirror calm conditions crossing over to Raasay. It wasn’t long before the seals came out to play, followed by a long-finned pilot whale and a white-tailed sea eagle. The whale stayed alongside us for a while, seemingly keeping pace, although we can’t have been moving very fast as all attention was on the whale! The wildlife spotting kept everyone paddling north, past a waterfall tumbling into the sea and onwards to a camp on the north point of Raasay. We spent the evening enjoying fine views from this lovely camp

and took a short walk to visit a nearby bothy. It was to Rona next, which provided plenty of interest (including an interesting landing and scramble up to a church in a cave, complete with stone pews and an alter) and a feeling of ‘where’s the next bit of land!?’ as we rounded the exposed north point and exploring the skerries and inlets that litter the coastline of this little island. Having failed to find a suitable camp spot for everyone on Rona, we returned to our camp on Raasay where thankfully we had a breeze and a relatively midge free evening. Over the next two days we continued south, past some big sea caves and arches (some being guarded by angry cormorants, which we left well alone). Several eagles were spotted, along with dolphins and porpoise. After an ice-cream at the small community shop in Inverarish, we made the crossing back to Scalpay where to our horror the wind dropped again, and the midges had another free meal. Having said that, two brave souls did manage a swim! As we landed back at Broadford, we had paddled approximately 100km and experienced top-quality sea kayaking. Feeling a little crusty under several layers of sun cream, midge repellent and salt we retreated to a bunkhouse for the night for a welcome shower and the opportunity to reflect on a fantastic (just forget the midges!) paddling adventure. Well done to all involved!

MEET THE TE AM

Lead Safeguarding Officer

Kerry Skidmore Kerry is one of the newest members of the CW team; taking up the role of Lead Safeguarding and Equality Officer earlier this winter. As well as ensuring CW maintains the highest standards in safeguarding and child protection, she is also responsible for the implementation and review of procedures to safeguard children and adults within the organisation. She will also be reviewing and embedding our new Equality Policy. Ceufad caught up with her to find out more …

What does your role involve? My role encompasses all things safeguarding and equality! I am here to support clubs and members to make paddling in Wales a safe and enjoyable place for everyone. As well as looking after the Canoe Wales policies and procedures, I am here to support clubs to have the highest level of safeguarding in place. I will also be reviewing the Equality Policy and leading the strategy to tackle barriers to paddlesports and make our clubs equitable spaces for all. I also look after the Young Volunteer Scheme, so I have plenty to keep me busy!

possibly be. I will be holding the Quarterly Online Safeguarding Forums, and this will be a great place to learn more about safeguarding and share best practice. If someone is new to the Safeguarding Officer Role, I am happy to run inductions, so they have a clear idea of what they need to do. Once the new Equality Policy is in place, I will also be working with the clubs to look at their current provision and see how we can make this more accessible. But mostly, I am there to be a sounding board and give advice and help as and when it is needed!

What prompted you to join the CW team? I was a secondary school teacher for 17 years, and most recently taught in an Academy in Peckham, South London. I recently moved back to Wales to have my son, having lived here a few years back, and wanted to work in safeguarding and equality – two of my passions. Canoe Wales is a fantastic organisation, with a real drive to provide the highest quality provision for their members, and this really attracted me to the post. The part time and flexible nature of the post allows me to still teach one day a week (in a primary school in the Rhondda Valley) and to spend time at home with my baby son.

What are the biggest challenges you face? The vision for sport in Wales is to foster a lifelong love of sport. There are currently many barriers to achieving this for everyone, for many reasons, and the greatest challenge is understanding what these barriers are and putting measures in place to create equitable spaces. From a safeguarding perspective, ensuring paddlesport in Wales is sector leading in its safeguarding practice by encouraging all clubs to have the best practice level of provision in place and not just the legal obligations. I hope to support everyone to show that it isn’t much more work and to help everyone to have the most effective provision in place.

The job has the potential to be quite stressful, what do you do to relax? Well, with a baby at home too, I don’t get a huge amount of time to relax …! But, at the moment, I enjoy getting out and walking with the baby and the dog. I enjoy reading and watching the odd binge-worthy series on Netflix! I am the new Chair of Music Theatre Wales, so am looking forward to getting involved in strategic planning in the arts. In my pre-baby life, I played football and was captain of Peckham Town Women. As a music teacher, I enjoy listening and play music and love going to the theatre. What support can you offer clubs, coaches and centres? I have a lot of experience working with young people and in safeguarding, and I am always at the end of an email or the phone for any support you need. Everything you need to fulfil your legal obligations can be found on the website, but I am on hand to help you contextualise that for your club and help you put the preventative measures in place to make your activities as safe as they can

What message would you like to get out to the CW members, clubs and coaches? I have so many messages! But these are the key ones for now. 1. There are no stupid questions when it comes to safeguarding and equality! If you’re not sure, then reach out – I am one email away! 2. While we don’t like to think about it, with safeguarding it is essential that you have the mindset that ‘it could happen here’ and then do everything in your power to try to prevent this. 3. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. 4. Look after the physical and mental wellbeing of yourselves and each other. Above all, this is the most important thing. If you have any questions or concerns regarding safeguarding you can contact Kerry: kerry.skidmore@canoewales.com

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Life as a Slalom Taxi “AFTER THREE YEARS OF SLALOM PADDLING WITH MY KIDS, I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT THIS SPORT OFFERS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG PADDLERS. I AM THE PROUD PARENT OF TWO PADDLERS, BOTH OF WHOM ARE DEVELOPING EXPONENTIALLY THANKS TO THE CANOE WALES SLALOM PROGRAMME.”

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fter three years of slalom paddling with my kids, I can honestly say that this sport offers an amazing opportunity for young paddlers. I am the proud parent of two paddlers, both of whom are developing exponentially thanks to the Canoe Wales Slalom programme. Yes, I spend a large proportion of my weekends taking my kids to training, but it’s definitely better than sitting on the side of a football pitch or swimming pool. It’s not all about getting to the Olympics either. It’s about the development of a solid paddling base that can then be built on. It’s about being part of a community of paddlers of a similar age. What you might not see from a plastic perspective whilst paddling alongside the slalom paddlers is the eight-year-old that has worked their way up to running the whole of the Graveyard, or the young paddler surfing their first wave in order to make a critical move. "But isn’t slalom just about paddling the same stretch of water, doing the same section of river over and over again, as fast as you can?" I am a plastic boater. I love bouncing off rocks, spinning and playing, and if I got in a slalom boat, I reckon it would probably last about twenty minutes before I killed it. So you could rightly ask why would I encourage my kids to paddle slalom? It’s only now, with the benefit of hindsight, that I fully appreciate what slalom can do for your paddling. As a child I spent most of my paddling time

A R T I C L E : M AT T K E NN A N

with adults, not with kids of my age. This meant that as a thirteen-year-old I was sitting in the pub after paddling with adults with a coke (eventually beer) and a packet of crisps, and I lost out on the community with other younger paddlers. This means I lost out on a peer community. When I started paddling, I was heavily influenced by the Topo revolution; I wanted to paddle waterfalls like Shaun Baker. My local club had a slalom group, but I couldn’t join it until I had been promoted into Div 3. At the time I just wanted to do bigger, harder water, and I just didn’t see the appeal of how fast I could get round slalom gates on almost flat water. By starting my paddling journey this way, I also missed out steps in developing core skills. It wasn’t until I started to paddle harder water that I realised I needed the skills that slalom would have taught me. But slalom wasn’t for me. Well, it wasn’t what the people that took me paddling encouraged. So instead of developing good approaches to planning moves and developing core skills, I spent hours playing at Mile End Mill, Stanley Embankment and the Tryweryn. Slalom paddlers were just the paddlers that got in the way of me surfing waves and doing pop outs.

SO HOW WOULD MY KIDS GET INTO SLALOM? In my late teens and early twenties, when I started spending my summers in the Alps and my winters

running the hardest sections of river I could find in Wales and Scotland, I soon realised that bouncing down a river was not the way to do it. I discovered I needed to pre-plan moves to avoid the hole or syphon; I needed to reinvent myself as a paddler. I needed the skills I would have learned in slalom. Fast forward two decades, when I started to teach my kids to paddle, I wanted them to have a community of paddlers of a similar age. I also wanted my kids to have a strong technical base to build on and to understand the importance of hitting the right line and putting strokes in at the correct point. Trying to teach that to an eightyear-old on a river isn’t easy. Slalom does this in a fun and structured way that empowers kids and supports their development. As they progress through the programme from flat water to harder moving water, the structure and the courses are set up help them to cope with increasing levels of water difficulty.

HOW DID I GET MY KIDS INTO SLALOM? Canoe Wales have an excellent programme that provides exceptional grass roots entry into canoe sport/slalom from beginner all the way through to top level racing. They do this initially free of charge and it is run by Jonathan Davies in North Wales, Gareth Bryant in West Wales and James Pigdon in South Wales

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When my kids joined the slalom sessions, they had already had experience with moving water paddling on the Dee at Mile End Mill; running down the river, making eddies, ferry gliding etc. I had tried to teach my kids concepts that the late Bill Taylor had given me as an aspirant coach. But trying to teach your own kids has its challenges and I am forever grateful to Jonathan Davies for taking over. I have two children the programme: Lorelei is thirteen years old and currently in Div 1 in both K1 and C1, and she is coming up to her third year on the Canoe Wales Talent Squad; Alexander is just ten, and is currently in Div 2 and about to start on his second year on the regional programme, having progressed from grass roots into the regional development programme. Our first experience of slalom was mid-week training and weekend sessions run by Jonathan Davies. We borrowed a slalom boat to train in and soon progressed to competing in our first slalom at Marple Canoe Club in Stockport and the journey began. Lorelei got a promotion on her first race into Div 3 and she quickly progressed. For the next 12 months we used a slalom boat from Mold Canoe Club/North Wales Slalom and then slowly built-up kit and equipment over the next 12 months. Using a slalom boat to develop at this point had its advantages as composite slalom boats are a lot easier for an eight-year-old to carry and manoeuvre around. Whilst there are a number of good childspecific plastic boats for young paddlers, they are twice the weight of a slalom boat.

WHAT DOES THE SQUAD OFFER? MIDWEEK There are 2 midweek sessions, normally one is flat water based and one is on moving water. Occasionally, these are supplemented with pool sessions. WEEKENDS When there are no camps, there is normally a Saturday session at a local venue for us in North Wales. Typically the Tryweryn or Mile End Mill, but could also be a river run on the Upper Conwy. CAMPS Typically there is at least one training camp per month. These are spread around to allow access to different venues. The programme over the winter can take the paddlers to Holme Pierrepont, Lee Valley, Cardiff International White Water Centre, Llandysul, Pinkston White Water Centre and Canolfan Tryweryn. Friday night normally involves travelling to the training venue. Accommodation can be varied depending on location. As there are lots of camps, I try to save on accommodation where

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I can by booking into glamping pods, Airbnb, Premier Inns and Travel Lodges. Llandysul is a favourite camp as we can stay in the Llandysul Paddlers bunk house and the cost is affordable. Saturday and Sunday mornings invariably involve an early start with having to get paddlers on the water. Sometimes I will also jump on the water to provide rescue cover to allow the coaches to focus on coaching and not get caught up in retrieving boats, paddlers, or kit. This duty is shared between parents, and generally depends on how many libations have been consumed when the parents have been catching up the night before. For many, camps will be their first experience of different moving water venues. For others, it will be a chance to develop technical skills at different venues. As the paddler progresses through the programme, the coaching moves from developing white water confidence to developing technical skills. The kids will do between two and three water sessions each day along with classroom sessions on topics like nutrition, race day prep, mindset, etc. The days are filled with regular, useful, timely coach feedback.

OPPORTUNITIES This year the summer programme took Lorelei to Bratislava for a week to do her first international race. As a parent, naturally I had my concerns about sending my child off to another country without me. The coaches did an amazing

job of navigating the myriad necessities and precautions, and Lorelei had a great experience and came back buzzing with enthusiasm. The additional cost of this trip to Bratislava of £400 was split into four monthly payments. When compared to a school trip to France, it was excellent value. This year was also the first year that we attended the summer training camp and it was amazing. Split between two venues, Sault-Brénaz and Bourg St Maurice, it was a real turning point for both Lorelei and Alex. The warm water and the artificial course at Sault-Brénaz provided new and enjoyable challenges. It’s an excellent artificial course with a campsite right next to the river. The course provided challenging water for those at the top end and easier sections for less confident. It also had some great features for paddlers to develop their freestyle skills, rolling and river running. During this week, Alex’s moving water skills developed at an incredible rate and really supported his ability to play and surf features. From here we moved to Bourg St Maurice and the cold glacial waters. The course is tough and challenged all paddlers. Lorelei learned to appreciate the power of alpine rivers and Alex progressed onto good grade 4 water. During the week, the whole group did river trips down the Isere in plastic boats, enjoying the bouncy highvolume river.

“THIS YEAR WAS ALSO THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE ATTENDED THE SUMMER TRAINING CAMP AND IT WAS AMAZING. SPLIT BETWEEN TWO VENUES, SAULT-BRÉNAZ AND BOURG ST MAURICE, IT WAS A REAL TURNING POINT FOR BOTH LORELEI AND ALEX.”

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“THE SELF-CONFIDENCE MY KIDS HAVE DEVELOPED THOUGH SLALOM HAS BEEN PRICELESS. THEY UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR TRAINING AND SELFREFLECTION. THEY HAVE LEARNED THAT SUCCESS COMES FROM TRAINING AND HARD WORK. THEY ALSO KNOW THEY HAVE A BEDROCK OF SUPPORT FROM THE WHOLE TEAM OF PADDLERS, PARENTS AND COACHES.”

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WHAT I THINK MY KIDS HAVE GOT OUT OF SLALOM 1. Water time that is focused on children’s needs Sessions are typically 60-90min long and they will normally do two of these a day. Compare this to a typical club river trip that can last 3-4 hrs, generally don’t happen that often, and are usually aimed at adults. Kids need something different. 2. Moving water confidence As a paddling parent, I took great pride the day my twelve-year-old daughter handed me my arse on the Olympic course at Lee Valley. She moved around the course with confidence and ease, while I flailed inelegantly. 3. Self-confidence The self-confidence my kids have developed though slalom has been priceless. They understand the need for training and selfreflection. They have learned that success comes from training and hard work. They also know they have a bedrock of support from the whole team of paddlers, parents and coaches. 4. Friendship Parents and young paddlers alike have found friendship both within the North Wales team and across Wales and beyond. They have been able to make connections and forge relationships, across abilities and ages, based on mutual respect, shared interest, and a healthy dose of competitiveness. There is a community of parents and paddlers, a nationwide community/

network, that supports each other in many aspects of the sport and life. Whether it’s jump starting your car or an emergency boat repair, the community is always willing to help. I want to say organisation and taking responsibility for their own equipment, but we are still working on that one …

COMMITMENT Like any sport or special interest, as your child progresses, more and more time commitment is required from parents. Yes, often canoesport can be viewed as an expensive hobby, but all sports at national level are expensive and require investment of time and money. Canoe Wales do make costs easier by providing free coaching at grass roots level and talent squad fees (at the time of writing) are capped at £360 per year and cover all river access fees and coaching. Equipment can be expensive, but Canoe Wales, through partner clubs such as North Wales Slalom, Llandysul Paddlers and Seven Dŵr Paddlers, provide access to all beginner equipment required. When compared to the cost of some football clubs and swim clubs, it’s excellent value. The main costs come from travel and accommodation at venues. This will be down to individual budgets and how much you are prepared to rough it!

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED? » I would like to see Canoe Wales providing training where parents are not required to attend much like that of the Scouts and Army Cadets. » It would also be great if they offered packages to athletes on the program that allow access to new equipment with the costs spread out so large capital expenses can be avoided. » More links that allow plastic boaters to come and train alongside slalom paddlers could also benefit everyone.

FINAL THOUGHTS I’m aware that I have barely mentioned any racing. Racing is, of course, a big part of it all, but watching my kids develop through the training is far more relevant than the racing. Watching both my kids run down Ski Slope for the first time when they were only nine years old, progressing onto running the whole of the Tryweryn, listening to them plan their runs on a course walk, and invest the energy into the next challenge is uniquely special. Watching my child support other paddlers and interact with other kids in a healthy environment away from their devices is great. Even with an exceptionally proactive club, I don’t believe my kids would have had the water time and access to the level of coaching without this. They certainly would not be as good as they are without being part of the Canoe Wales Slalom programme. It provides structure, community and a sense of self-belief that is unmatched. Slalom numbers are falling, which is worrisome, as I do firmly believe it has so much to offer younger paddlers in their paddlesport development. Modern boats and paddling styles require a good technical base … not like the bad old Topo days. I challenge you to try and make the gates next time you paddle down the Graveyard or the side channel at Mile End Mill. Plan your strokes and don’t worry about time. It can only improve your ability to run the river. If you see slalom as a way of improving accuracy and technique and not just about the racing, then it can make sense. Most races are run in the summer when the rivers are low. Slalom provides a way to maintain and develop skills through the summer months. Courses on easier sections of water like Bala Mill and Mile End Mill can provide a great way of turning grade 2 water into a challenge. If I went back in time, would tell 11-year-old me to try out slalom? Yes. Yes, I would. Give slalom a go …

FOR MORE INFO on slalom or for

details on the Canoe Wales Slalom programme or clubs offering slalom in your area visit: www.canoewales.com/slalom

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20 IONAWR JANUARY

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SUP FEST

AFON MENAI GAEAF / WINTER 2023 | 21STRAIT

#SHEPADDLES CYMRU

MEET THE TE AM

SUP Lead

Emily Evans Emily Evans is one of the latest CW recruits, joining the team in September as SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) Lead. This newly created role is in response to Canoe Wales being recognised as the NGB (National Governing Body) for SUP in Wales, and Emily’s role is to help develop SUP governance, training provision and training standards in Wales. Emily has an impressive paddlesports background: she was part of the GB rafting team that won the 2016 World Championships and the 2018 European Championships. She has numerous successes on the GBSUP racing series, and a bronze medal in the sprint event at the 2022 European SUP Championships. Emily has also been supporting others with their SUP development and provided bespoke tuition to SUP clubs and individuals, including Cardiff Bay Racers and Canoe Avon. She has also been involved in SUP development programmes, including designing youth development programmes. Ceufad managed to catch her off the water to find out more …

“SUP BRINGS ME SO MUCH JOY. IT IS A SPORT THAT I AM SO PASSIONATE ABOUT AND I SEE THE AMAZING ABILITY IT HAS TO IMPROVE PEOPLE’S MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH. I HAVE HEARD SUCH WONDERFUL STORIES FROM PEOPLE THAT I HAVE COACHED AND RACED AGAINST. ”

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How and when did you start paddling? I started paddling when I was 10, in kayak. There was a great outdoor centre where I grew up – Herts Young Mariners Base. I had the chance to experience all kinds of watersports and other activities, including caving and climbing. What are your preferred disciplines and environments and why? I really enjoy single blade paddlesports. I think the skills and technique required to paddle a canoe, SUP or raft need such awareness of the feel of the water and your craft. I love the technical side to these disciplines and love testing myself by paddling in different environments. You also have a competition background – triathlon, whitewater rafting, SUP ... Why do you enjoy competitive paddlesport and what are some of your best moments? I mostly enjoy challenging myself! I like the preparation as well as the competition. I believe a lot of success during competition comes from the preparation and mindset, as well as physical performance. I love the focus for competition, completing the training, working hard and then seeing how that translates when I’m pitched against other people. In SUP and rafting, there are amazing social elements to attending the competitions. I’d say those competition weekends are just as much fun from that aspect as well as the racing.

My best moments … I would say have number one would be our 2018 European Championship rafting title. As a team (GB women) were all so in tune with each other, we were fit and strong and we had put the work in. I remember we won the endurance event by 1 minute, we couldn’t believe it! But it was credit to our hard work. Personally, my favourite SUP achievement this year was completing Brendon Princes’ SUP 12 event. 12 hours of non-stop paddling – as many laps you can complete in that time. I didn’t know that I could paddle for that length of time. It was such a challenge, from picking the right clothing to organising my nutrition for the entire day. Why did you take the role of SUP Lead? I took the role of SUP Lead firstly, because I wanted a personal challenge in my career and I felt like it was time to do something different. I have wanted to work in sport again for a while, but it has taken me a while to come back to this kind of work. Secondly, and more importantly, because SUP brings me so much joy. It is a sport that I am so passionate about and I see the amazing ability it has to improve people’s mental and physical health. I have heard such wonderful stories from people that I have coached and raced against. The sport is so incredibly diverse, has many disciplines and I have had so much fun in the 6 short years that I have been paddling. To have the opportunity to help develop that sport was a no brainer.

AMANDA ROBERTS PHOTOGRAPHY @GEORGIESUP

SUP JUNKIE

What does it involve? The job involves quite a lot of detailed research into the way that the sport operates within Wales and the UK (through joint work with British Canoeing) .Then working within the areas of training and safety to make improvements that will benefit the sport at all levels. Although there are many elements to the role, the main focus over the next year will be to focus on the recommendations that came from the MAIB report following the Haverford West accident. I am hoping to keep everyone up to date with how the job is going through blog updates this year. I think it is really important to be transparent about the work we are doing to help develop SUP. SUP is a popular and fast-growing discipline – how do you see SUP developing and how can Canoe Wales respond to this? It is great that SUP is growing so fast in the UK. I believe it is now important to create great pathways for people to develop their skills in the sport. Many people own a board and it would be a shame for people not to know the possibilities that are out there. I believe, as the National Governing Body for SUP in Wales, it is important to listen to the voices of the paddlers in Wales, both our dedicated SUPers and our casual/ holidaymakers.

“IT IS GREAT THAT SUP IS GROWING SO FAST IN THE UK. I BELIEVE IT IS NOW IMPORTANT TO CREATE GREAT PATHWAYS FOR PEOPLE TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS IN THE SPORT. MANY PEOPLE OWN A BOARD AND IT WOULD BE A SHAME FOR PEOPLE NOT TO KNOW THE POSSIBILITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE.”

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“WE HAVE JUST HAD THE BRITISH CANOEING SAFETY CONFERENCE, WHICH IN PART WAS A CHANCE FOR PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS AND TAKE THE TIME FOR JOINED UP THINKING. SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER IN SUP WITH A CONSISTENT APPROACH TO SAFETY MESSAGING IN THE FUTURE.”

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What do you hope to achieve in your role? There are a lot of elements to the role and it has been important to do them in a logical order. One of these being the creation of our working groups which will help with decision making. I’m especially excited about these groups because it means bringing SUP specialists for the first time into discussions about the development of SUP within Canoe Wales. These people and their input is going to be so valuable when it comes to developing the sport. Other than aiming to meet as many of the recommendations of the MAIB report as possible, I am just really hoping to continue getting to chat to paddlers, and working with like-minded people!

How do you see CW coaches, members and clubs working with you? I would love all coaches, members and clubs to work with us. We are really reliant on the information that is fed back to Canoe Wales on their wants and needs in order to make improvements for the future. This includes using the incident reporting system linked from our website. These reports help to shape the safety messages for the future, so if you have something you want to raise, it is definitely worth it. For members and clubs to give feedback is really valuable. For example, if you take the time to fill out the membership survey this gives us a chance to reflect on how we are serving the paddling community.

What are the challenges? There are a few challenges. They mostly revolve around how we can keep people safe on the water and how we get the message across to everyone who paddles. It is easy to influence people who paddle regularly because they are usually members of paddling organisations. However, we want to stop people getting into trouble who don’t know where to look for information! Luckily there is a lot of opportunity for collaborative working with partners such as the RNLI, who have great access to data, and have had successful campaigns in the past. We have also just had the British Canoeing Safety Conference, which in part was a chance for people to express their concerns and take the time for joined up thinking. So hopefully we can move forward together in SUP with a consistent approach to safety messaging in the future.

What’s your message to the CW coaches, members and clubs? We have some amazing coaches in Wales and they are great role models for the sport, so just for them to continue to be so, and for them to show paddlers what the sport of SUP has to offer. They have the ability to inspire and point their students towards paddling development opportunities. Our members and clubs have the chance themselves to be ambassadors and advocates for the sport. They too can direct grassroots SUP paddlers to great safety resources, or simply inspire new SUP paddlers to continue in the sport. If you have any questions about SUP you can contact Emily: emily.evans@canoewales.com The incident report form can be accessed at: www.canoewales.com/report-an-incident

CANOE FOUNDATION

Help us improve places to paddle in Wales Are you passionate about canoeing, kayaking and/or paddleboarding? Do you want to enjoy the beautiful waterways and coastlines of Wales in a sustainable and accessible way? If so, you might be interested in the Canoe Foundation, the official charity partner of British Canoeing.

WHO WE ARE The Canoe Foundation is a registered charity that aims to improve places to paddle across the UK, including in beautiful Scotland. Our mission statement is simple, to improve places to paddle. We raise money through your donations and give it away in the form of grants of up to £10,000 to clubs, community groups and other organisations that are trying to improve places to paddle in their local areas. Over the last few years, the Foundation has awarded hundreds of thousands of pounds in grants to projects across the UK. In spring 2023, we awarded over £30,000 in grant funding to seven fantastic projects aimed at sustainably improving physical access to paddling across the UK. These projects aim to improve access for all paddlers and regenerate local areas through paddlesport: 1. National Trust – Cotehele Quay, Cornwall – £10,000 A large-scale project to replace an existing access steps structure with a new accessible platform. 2. Cambois Rowing Club, Northumberland – £5,000 The club plans to replace their current landing, which is over 30 years old and does not float when the water levels are low, with a new pontoon that will allow for disabled access. 3. Runcorn Rowing Club and Runcorn Canoe Club – £5,000 The clubs plan to improve parking by providing a better surface which will allow all step-free access to the river. 4. River Waveney Trust – £3,989 The trust plans to focus on wildlifefriendly management of fallen trees and removal of excess river vegetation. 5. Carmarthen Boat Club – £3,350 this thriving Club plans to extend their existing quayside pontoon. The grant will significantly increase water access and maintain safety. 6. Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, Canoe Discovery – £3,000 the Trust, in partnership with British Canoeing, received funding from the Canoe Foundation for their Canoe Discovery project as part of the Transforming the Trent Valley (TTTV) landscape partnership scheme. The funding has enabled the creation of portage points along the Rivers Tame and Trent, improving access and allowing paddlers to connect with nature and appreciate the many nature reserves in the area. 7. SUP Yorkshire: Access To Water and Safety – £1,000 SUP Yorkshire will use their funding for the construction of a floating pontoon to provide better, safer access and egress on the River Aire. They’ll also install safety signage and escape ladders at the weir. We would love to invest in more projects based in Wales, so if you have an idea for a project that could benefit from our funding, we would love to hear from you. Our next funding window will open on 1 November 2023 and close on 31 January 2024. You can find out more about our application process and criteria on our website.

THREE WAYS YOU CAN HELP THE CANOE FOUNDATION 1. Donate! We can't make these projects happen without the generosity of paddlers. Please consider giving a one-off or regular donation to ensure this important work can carry on for years to come. Every donation makes a difference and helps get more people on the water more often. Make a donation here > 2. Leave a gift in your Will. If you believe in the access improvement work that the Canoe Foundation is undertaking, and would like to see your legacy carried on through improved waterway access, please consider leaving a gift in your Will to the Foundation. You can find more information here. 3. Share our work! Let people know about us and what we're doing. We're a niche charity and every voice helps when talking about the work we do to help more paddlers access the water sustainably and safely. We love making friends on social media so please like, share and follow! Instagram: @canoefoundationuk Facebook: facebook.com/canoefoundation LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/canoe-foundation YouTube: @TheCanoeFoundationUK APPLYING FOR A GRANT Canoe Foundation grant applications open twice a year for grants of up to £10,000 and our latest funding window is open 1 November 2023 to 31 January 2024. Applications are open to clubs, centres, parish councils and other local organisations looking to make a change to benefit the wider paddling community and beyond. Again, we are keen to invest in Scottish paddling projects so we would love to hear from you! You can find out more about our application process at canoefoundation.org.uk/apply Thank you for your interest in the Canoe Foundation and for reading this far. Together, we can make paddling more accessible, sustainable and enjoyable for everyone in Wales!

Pontoon at Llandysul lake; part of funded work at Llandysul in 2021

GAEAF / WINTER 2023

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SWEDEN'S 'CANOE COUNTRY'

DALSAND

t has been a while since we have been able to visit Sweden as part of our Year 10 expedition programme, and it was with a very excited group of Year 10 canoeists that we got on a bus from Gothenburg bound for Bengtsfors in the Dalsland region of Sweden. A vast area of lakes billed as Sweden's ‘Canoe Country’. After an overnight stop and a shop in Bengtsfors, we jumped into our canoes and headed North up Lelang, a huge lake measuring 40km or so in length, with a trip objective of eventually paddling into Norway and then back down to Ed at the bottom of the 50km long lake, Stora Le. The first days of the trip gave us clear, flat-calm conditions, with glassy water reflecting sky and trees. It was easy to get lost gazing at reflections only to look up and be heading in totally the wrong direction!

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WORDS: P H OTO S :

A L E D E D WA R D S KELLY DEL ANEY

With a clear sky and light winds, we decided to make the most of conditions and covered the 40km length of Lelang in two days, spending a night on an island right at the northern tip of the lake. The next morning saw our only portage of the trip, and it was onto the portage trollies for the canoes as we by-passed a hydroelectric station and some canal locks at Lennartsfors. This put us onto Foxon lake, where we were able to swing south again and find an island in Norway on which to camp. As we made our way south the wind began to build, and some heavy rain set in. Our intended camp was awful, small and already crowded. With the group tired after paddling 16km, we built a ‘mothership’ raft, got some sails out and blasted down the lake to quickly cover the remaining 9km to the next possible camp spot.

The camp we found (after 9 hours in the canoes!) was a lovely meadow in a nature reserve, well stocked with firewood and a perfect place to celebrate a group member’s birthday. Sadly, with a very windy forecast, we had to leave this perfect camp early the next day to play ‘dodge the wind’. We got to our camp on Skotton Island for lunch, just in time for the wind to go from Force 1 to Force 4/5 in a matter of minutes, into which we would have been paddling. Isn’t it great when a plan comes together! With a whole afternoon in camp to fill, the group set about washing and drying kit, having a swim and building a sauna. It was a great last evening round the fire, recounting stories from our time in the wild. The wind was still strong in the morning but had swung round to the north to become a tail wind. The group has asked for another early start to give them time to explore Gothenburg, and just before lunchtime we landed in Ed at the end of our trip. The total trip distance just tipped over 100km as we touched the bank. It was super to be back in Sweden, and we had a wonderful week exploring another area of Dalsland. Hopefully the group picked up many skills and lessons which they might transfer to other aspects of life, and that maybe one day they embark on more adventures of their own making. Well done to all involved.

GAEAF / WINTER 2023

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C A N L L AW O F F E R

CADW’N GYNNES

beth i'w wisgo ar y dŵr y gaeaf hwn ERTHYGL: HANNAH VINEER #SHEPADDLES CYMRU AMBASSADOR

“MAE HAENU YN ALLWEDDOL I GADW'N GYNNES. EFALLAI Y BYDD ANGEN SAWL HAEN ARNOCH, YN DDIBYNNOL AR YR AMODAU. MAE YNA RHAI HAENAU GWYCH AR Y FARCHNAD AR GYFER PADLO, SY'N TYNNU DŴR I FFWRDD O'CH CROEN, YN EICH CADW'N GYNHESACH PAN YN WLYB, AC YN SYCHU'N GYFLYM.”

Wrth i'r tymheredd ostwng, does dim angen cadw'ch caiacau, canŵod, rafftiau a phadl fyrddau! Gall dyddiau gaeafol fod yn rhai mwyaf hudolus ar y dŵr, ac os ydych chi’n mwynhau disgyblaethau dŵr gwyn dyma ddechrau’r tymor o hwyl! Gyda'r offer cywir a chynllunio o flaen llaw, gallwch barhau i fwynhau ein dyfrffyrdd hyfryd yn ddiogel. Gall fod yn anodd dewis dillad padlo addas ar gyfer y gaeaf, yn enwedig os ydych chi’n newydd i badlo, wedi arfer â thywydd cynnes neu’n gwthio’ch terfynau ac yn debygol o wlychu. Mae'r erthygl hon wedi'i anelu at badlwyr hamdden sydd am uwchraddio eu cit gaeaf neu fentro allan yn ystod y gaeaf am y tro cyntaf.

C Y N L L U N I WC H A R G Y F E R Y R E L F E N N A U Gall gwynt, glaw ac eira effeithio eich dewisiadau dillad, a pha mor bleserus a diogel fydd eich taith badlo. Bydd oerfel gwynt yn gwneud iddo deimlo'n llawer oerach nag y mae tymheredd yr aer yn ei awgrymu, yn enwedig os ydych chi'n wlyb. Gall gwynt hefyd newid yr amodau padlo’n sylweddol, er enghraifft gall Llyn Tegid fod yn badl lonydd a gwydrog rhyfeddol, neu fe allech fod yn padlo yn erbyn tonnau a cheffylau gwyn. Cyn i chi fynd allan, gwiriwch ragolygon y tywydd gan ddefnyddio'ch hoff wasanaeth tywydd, neu un o'r nifer o apiau gwynt-benodol a llywio-benodol. Cynlluniwch deithiau byrrach mewn amodau tawel nes eich bod wedi darganfod eich cit gaeaf perffaith. Ac os ydych chi'n teimlo’n oer, dywedwch wrth rywun! Peidiwch â chymryd yn ganiataol bod pawb arall yn teimlo’r un peth, gall ffactorau fel amrywiaethau corfforol, beth maen nhw wedi'i fwyta, beth maen nhw'n ei wisgo, a pha mor wlyb ydyn nhw, i gyd effeithio ar ba mor oer ydyn nhw. HAENAU CYNNES Mae haenu yn allweddol i gadw'n gynnes. Efallai y bydd angen sawl haen arnoch, yn ddibynnol ar yr amodau. Mae yna rhai haenau gwych ar y farchnad ar gyfer padlo, sy'n tynnu dŵr i ffwrdd o'ch croen, yn eich cadw'n gynhesach pan yn wlyb, ac yn sychu'n gyflym. Ar gyfer opsiwn mwy cyfeillgar i'r boced (neu os ydyn nhw, fel fi, eisoes yn rhan o'ch cwpwrdd dillad), gellir haenu thermolau, cnu a haenau sylfaen sydd ar gael o'r stryd fawr ar ben ar gyfer cynhesrwydd ychwanegol. Osgowch gotwm, sy'n cadw lleithder, a dewiswch ferino a deunyddiau synthetig yn lle hynny. CADW’N SYCH Eich haen allanol yw eich amddiffyniad yn erbyn y dŵr. Mae dewis enfawr o gagiau (topiau sy’n atal

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dŵr), trowsus a siwtiau rhannol-sych (“semidry”) a sych ar gael, gydag amrywiaeth yr un mor enfawr o brisiau! Mae eich opsiynau'n dibynnu ar eich disgyblaeth padlo a pha mor debygol ydych chi i nofio. Mae'r prif wahaniaethau rhyngddynt yn tueddu i fod y math o seliau gwddf ac arddwrn, deunyddiau, systemau gwasg a sipiau. Mae gormod i’w drafod yma, ond os ydych chi’n bwriadu buddsoddi yn eich darn “mawr” cyntaf o git yna mae cag yn lle da i ddechrau. Ac fe ddylai eich manwerthwr chwaraeon padlo lleol allu eich cynghori ar yr opsiynau gorau ar gyfer eich camp a'ch cyllideb. Mae siwt wlyb neu drowsus neoprene/”long john’s” gyda chag hefyd yn lle da i ddechrau – efallai eu bod ar gael i'w benthyg o’ch clwb padlo lleol. Fodd bynnag, gall siwtiau gwlyb deimlo’n anystwyth ac ni fyddant mor gynnes â system “sych”. Ystyriwch ddod â haen ychwanegol fel siaced wrth-ddŵr rhad i’w wisgo yn ystod seibiant o badlo i’ch diogelu rhag oerfel gwynt ac ychwanegu haen arall o gynhesrwydd.

Haenau ar gyfer y môr yn y gaeaf

Diwrnod oer ar y Ddyfrdwy

Ci tar gyfer taith ar Lyn Tegid PEN, DWYLO A THRAED Gall dwylo a thraed oer fod yn rysáit ar gyfer diwrnod gwael ar y dŵr, gan effeithio ar eich cysur a'ch gallu i badlo'n effeithiol. Os ydych chi'n gwisgo siwt wlyb yna mae'n syniad da buddsoddi mewn sgidiau gyda haenau o sanau cynnes sy’n tynnu dŵr oddi tanodd. Os ydych chi'n gwisgo trowsus sych neu siwt sych, yna gall sanau neoprene a wisgir ar eu pen fod yn ffordd o gadw eich traed yn gynnes a gall hefyd amddiffyn eich siwt werthfawr rhag tyllau a achosir gan greigiau yn mynd y tu mewn i'ch esgidiau. Os ydych chi'n dueddol o ddioddef o ddwylo oer, mae yna lawer o opsiynau, gan gynnwys pogies, menig heb gledrau a menig neoprene llawn. Mae pobl yn tueddu i garu neu gasáu defnyddio menig a pogies, felly peidiwch â chymryd gair eich mêt, rhowch gynnig arnynt. Os nad ydych chi’n hoffi gwisgo unrhywbeth are eich dwylo, ceisiwch wisgo haen gwaelod gyda llawes hirach na’r arferol; bydd cadw'ch breichiau yn gynnes weithiau yn helpu i

Pogies neilon

Amodau'r gaeaf ar Lynnau Mymbyr gadw'ch dwylo'n gynnes hefyd. Gallwch chi roi’ch dwylo rhwng eich siaced arnofio a’ch corff ar gyfer cynhesrwydd, neu bacio cynheswyr dwylo yn eich cwch neu’ch siaced arnofio. Er bod y myth ein bod yn colli’r rhan fwyaf o’n gwres trwy ein pennau bellach wedi’i chwalu, gall cadw’ch pen yn gynnes helpu i gynnal eich tymheredd corff, felly mae penwisg yn hanfodol ar gyfer padlo yn y gaeaf. Mae capiau fel “skullcaps” neoprene yn ffordd rad o gadw’n gynhesach o dan helmedau. Os nad oes angen helmed arnoch ar gyfer eich padlo, paciwch het gynnes neu lapiad pen. CRYNODEB Mae padlo yn y gaeaf yng Nghymru yn wych! I aros yn gynnes: » Gwiriwch yr amodau a chynlluniwch ymlaen llaw » Gwisgwch haenau gwaelod cynnes sy’n tynnu dŵr » Dewiswch haenau allanol o ansawdd dda i'ch cadw'n sych » Peidiwch ag anghofio eich dwylo, pen a thraed » Diogelwch yn gyntaf: gwisgwch siaced arnofio a (lle bo'n berthnasol) helmed bob tro. Maen nhw hefyd yn cynnig ynysiad ychwanegol ac yn amddiffyn rhag yr oerfel Ydw i wedi anghofio unrhyw beth, neu oes gennych chi awgrymiadau eich hun? Ymunwch â ni ar grŵp Facebook #ShePaddles Cymru i rannu eich gwisg ar gyfer eich anturiaethau padlo gaeaf!

“OS YDYCH CHI'N DUEDDOL O DDIODDEF O DDWYLO OER, MAE YNA LAWER O OPSIYNAU, GAN GYNNWYS POGIES, MENIG HEB GLEDRAU A MENIG NEOPRENE LLAWN. MAE POBL YN TUEDDU I GARU NEU GASÁU DEFNYDDIO MENIG A POGIES, FELLY PEIDIWCH Â CHYMRYD GAIR EICH MÊT, RHOWCH GYNNIG ARNYNT.”

GAEAF / WINTER 2023

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GE AR GUIDE

CHILL-PROOF PADDLING

what to wear on the water this winter ARTICLE: HANNAH VINEER #SHEPADDLES CYMRU AMBASSADOR

“LAYERING UP IS KEY TO STAYING WARM. YOU MAY NEED SEVERAL LAYERS, DEPENDING ON THE CONDITIONS. THERE ARE SOME FANTASTIC BASE LAYERS ON THE MARKET FOR PADDLESPORTS, WHICH WICK WATER AWAY FROM YOUR SKIN, KEEP YOU WARMER WHEN WET, AND DRY QUICKLY.”

As temperatures drop, there’s no need to stow away your kayaks, canoes, rafts and SUPs! Winter days can be some of the most magical days on the water and if you’re into whitewater disciplines this is really when the season starts! With the right gear and planning, you can continue to safely enjoy our wonderful Welsh waterways. Winter paddling clothing can be difficult to get right, especially if you’re new to paddling, are used to warm weather, or are pushing your limits and likely to get wet. This guide is aimed at recreational paddlers looking to upgrade their winter kit or venture out during winter for the first time.

PLAN FOR THE ELEMENTS Wind, rain and snow can all affect your clothing choices, and how enjoyable and safe your paddle will be. Wind chill will make it feel a lot colder than the air temperature suggests, especially if you are wet. Wind can also drastically change the paddling conditions, for example Llyn Tegid can be a wonderfully still and glassy paddle, or you could be up against waves and white horses. Before you head out, check the weather forecast using your favourite weather service, or one of the many wind-specific and navigation-specific apps. Plan shorter journeys in calm conditions until you’ve figured out your winning winter kit combination. And if you do get cold, tell someone! Don’t assume that everyone else is just as cold as you, because their body types, what they’ve eaten, what they’re wearing, and how wet they are, will all affect how cold they get. L AY E R U P Layering up is key to staying warm. You may need several layers, depending on the conditions. There are some fantastic base layers on the market for paddlesports, which wick water away from your skin, keep you warmer when wet, and dry quickly. For a more budget-friendly option (or if, like me, they are already part of your wardrobe), thermals, fleeces and base layers available from the high street can be layered on top for added warmth. Avoid cotton, which retains moisture, and go for merino and synthetic materials instead. S TAY D R Y Your outer layer is your defence against the water. A huge range of semi-dry and dry cags (waterproof tops), trousers and suits are

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available, with an equally huge range of price tags! Your options depend on your chosen discipline and how likely you are to swim. The main differences between them tend to be the type of neck and wrist seals, materials, waist and zip systems. The combinations and features are too many to summarise here, but if you’re looking to invest in your first “big” piece of kit then a cag is a good place to start, and your local paddlesports retailer should be able to advise you on the best options for your sport and budget. A wetsuit or neoprene trousers/long johns paired with a cag is a good entry-level combination, and might be available to borrow from your local paddlesports club. However, wetsuits can feel restrictive and won’t be as warm as a “dry” system. Consider bringing an extra layer like a cheap waterproof jacket to put on during extended breaks – it could protect you from any wind chill and add an extra layer of warmth.

Layering up for the sea in winter

A cold day on the Dee

Kitted out for a trip on Llyn Tegid HEAD, FINGERS AND TOES Cold hands and feet can be a recipe for a bad day on the water, affecting your comfort and ability to paddle effectively. If you’re wearing a wetsuit then it’s a good idea to invest in neoprene shoes with layers of warm, wicking socks underneath. If you’re wearing dry trousers or a dry suit, then neoprene socks worn on top can be a game changer for your warmth and can also protect your precious suit from holes caused by rocks getting inside your shoes. If you tend to get cold hands there are many options, including pogies, palmless gloves, and full neoprene gloves. People can have a love-or-hate relationship with gloves and pogies, so don’t take your mate’s word for it, try them out yourself. If you don’t get on with gloves or pogies, try wearing an additional long-sleeve base layer; keeping your forearms warm will often help keep your hands warm. When you’re taking a break from paddling,

Nylon pogies

Winter conditions on Llynnau Mymbyr you can tuck your hands between your buoyancy aid and body for warmth, or pack some hand warmers in your boat or buoyancy aid. Although the myth that we lose most of our heat through our heads has now been debunked, keeping your head warm can still help to maintain your core temperature, so headwear is a must for winter paddling. Neoprene skullcaps are a cheap way to gain some extra warmth underneath helmets. If you don’t need a helmet for your paddling then pack a warm hat or head wrap.

“IF YOU TEND TO GET

SUMMARY Welsh winter paddling is too good to miss! To stay warm: » Check the conditions and plan ahead » Layer up with warm, wicking base layers » Choose quality outer layers to keep you dry » Don’t forget your hands, head and feet » Safety first: always wear a buoyancy aid and (where relevant) helmet. These also offer additional insulation and protection against the cold

GLOVES. PEOPLE CAN

Have I missed anything, or do you have your own recommendations? Join us on the #ShePaddles Cymru Facebook group to share what you wear for your winter paddling adventures!

COLD HANDS THERE ARE MANY OPTIONS, INCLUDING POGIES, PALMLESS GLOVES, AND FULL NEOPRENE HAVE A LOVE-OR-HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GLOVES AND POGIES, SO DON’T TAKE YOUR MATE’S WORD FOR IT, TRY THEM OUT YOURSELF.”

GAEAF / WINTER 2023

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Q&A

Seren Dŵr Slalom Club

Club of the Year 2022

Seren Dŵr is a competition paddlesports club based at Cardiff International White Water. They were founded in 2010 when the facility first opened. 2022 was a great year for Seren Dŵr. They overcame a post-Covid drop in coach and membership numbers by training and supporting a new generation of coaches. This enabled them to increase the sessions and activities they offered, which in turn increased their membership. It was a great year for their slalom paddlers too, with 7 club members racing in Prem, and 2 paddlers selected for GB squads, Etienne Chappell (U23) and Megan Hamer-Evans (U23). And it wasn’t just success in slalom, Ben Higson, won silver in the Juniors at the World Freestyle Championships. The club also ran 3-week intro-to-slalom courses for beginners through to advanced ww paddlers, as well as trips to the Tryweryn and a day surf coaching on the Gower. No wonder they were named CW Club of the Year! Ceufad caught up with them between trips and training sessions to find out more and to see how 2023 is progressing …

“ONCE CIWW REOPENED IN JUNE 2021 AND WE COULD START CLUB SESSIONS AGAIN WE HAD TOO FEW COACHES TO INCREASE OUR MEMBERSHIP AND TOO FEW MEMBERS TO BE AN EXCITING AND FUN CLUB … WE FELT WE WERE TRAPPED!”

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2020 and 2021 were a tough couple of years for everyone. How did Covid impact your club? Covid left our club in a difficult place. Our main coach left the club and we also lost a significant number of our members. Once CIWW reopened in June 2021 and we could start club sessions again we had too few coaches to increase our membership and too few members to be an exciting and fun club … we felt we were trapped! How did you manage to resolve this? Realising that our lack of coaches was limiting us, we started by training up our existing members – and especially our youth members – as coaches, with the help of support from The Outdoor Partnership (TOP). In early 2022 we ran a BC Core Coach course for 4 youth and 2 adult members, and at the same time 1 youth and 1 adult member also qualified as Paddlesports Instructors. One of our more established coaches also did the Slalom Specific Coach training. Suddenly we had a group of keen coaches who could support and learn from each other! Since then those members have been coaching regularly for us, emphasising skilful paddling alongside having fun, and they are now really beginning to hone their coaching skills – in part thanks to a Canoe Wales grant for coach development. One youth paddler who did the Core Coach course – Ben Higson – now regularly coaches our youth slalom paddlers. He is an

incredible role model for them all. This year, 2023, we’ve followed those early courses with another Core Coach course, a Paddlesports Instructor course, and we are in the process of running discipline specific coach courses in both slalom and freestyle! We now have a core of about 15 keen and dedicated club coaches all on their way to assessment. What impact has this had on the club? With those new coaches and some dedicated volunteers – new and old – we’ve increased our membership to more than 60 active members ranging in age from 8 to 70s; 50% are youth members, 40% are female and more than 50% are new since Covid in 2020. We have four further potential members doing trial sessions with us and we expect our membership to continue its upward trend over the next few months. We’ve

also hosted groups of beginners from other clubs and universities to give them experience of competing and training at slalom.

“CARDIFF CANOE CLUB

As well as hosting paddlers from other clubs you’ve also been running joint courses? In September 2022, with support from TOP, we ran a youth+ BCWWS+R course for 9 youth paddlers (aged between 11 and 17) and 3 adult club members. TOP funded us to run this for 12 paddlers, so we invited youth paddlers from Cardiff Canoe Club (CCC) to train with us. This has opened a new collaboration between our two clubs, and we have since welcomed several of their club members to try slalom at our regular sessions. CCC have enabled our club members to attend their pool sessions too – it’s much nicer when the weather is colder to be able to practice and learn rolling in a warm pool than in cold water at CIWW!

MEMBERS TO ATTEND

HAVE ENABLED OUR CLUB THEIR POOL SESSIONS TOO – IT’S MUCH NICER WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLDER TO BE ABLE TO PRACTICE AND LEARN ROLLING IN A WARM POOL THAN IN COLD WATER AT CIWW!”

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“WE’VE HAD 6 PROMOTIONS IN THE LOWER DIVISIONS, AND WE NOW HAVE 19 PADDLERS RANKED IN DIVISIONS 2 AND 3 IN BOTH CANOE AND KAYAK DISCIPLINES, AND WE HAVE NEW SLALOM PADDLERS IN THE WELSH TALENT AND REGIONAL SQUADS.”

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One of your primary focuses is slalom – how has the season been for your paddlers so far? Pretty good! We’ve had 6 promotions in the lower divisions, and we now have 19 paddlers ranked in Divisions 2 and 3 in both canoe and kayak disciplines, and we have new slalom paddlers in the Welsh Talent and Regional Squads. We’ve also held three Div 4 races, which has enabled some of our new paddlers to get race experience and to test their skills. We’ve innovated and have tried holding evening races mid-week – and this way we’ve been able to increase the number of people trying slalom racing. Moving forward we aim to get more paddlers ranked and moving up the divisions into the Regional and Welsh Squads. In May this year you ran the Cardiff Prem and Div 4 slalom, along with one additional event – a freestyle competition! How did this go? The freestyle competition was fantastic! It was great to see our members and visitors enjoying a different discipline. The overall winner was Seren Dŵr’s Oli Cooper (age 17), who like several other competitors, stepped straight out of their slalom boat into a playboat to compete. First woman was Lisette Nixon and the junior winners were club members Libby Young and Math Cradock – both of whom also represented the club at the GB Freestyle Summer Camp this summer. All the

winners got great prizes as the event was kindly sponsored by PeakUK. And we can’t leave May 1st without mentioning the slalom Prem race winner, club member Etienne Chappell, and all the hardworking coaches who got a record number of new paddlers on the water for the first time, many of whom are now new club members. Have you run any other events or activities over the summer? As usual we’ve had great club trips out. A large group of us went to the River Festival at Llandysul, which is always fantastic! Everyone spent 4 days in and on the river – camping, swimming, arking, paddling, racing – and we also went coasteering together. One of our members got promoted into Div 2 there and one of our new paddlers did his first ever race on the river in Div 3. Everyone had an absolutely fabulous time – I can’t recommend it enough. In fact, we all love Llandysul so much we have been having a monthly slalom training day there using the lake, river and the local pool! And we are about to take 25 members to Llandysul for our club Christmas celebration and dinner! A group of our more experienced members also went to the Tryweryn. For several paddlers it was their first time on the river, in fact for one paddler the Lower was their first ever river trip, but that just

meant everyone had a really great time and learnt loads paddling both the Lower and the Upper. We’ve also had some great evenings on the River Taff, exploring new places to paddle. This has enabled us to keep momentum with our new members over the summer. You offer a lot of disciplines – how do you manage with kit, boats, paddles etc? We struggle! We’ve been lucky enough to be awarded two Sports Wales grants for kit. However, our membership has grown really fast this year, so we always seem to be just a tiny bit behind having enough kit, paddles and boats. So we’ve end up borrowing kit so that new members can get afloat – both from our members and also from neighbouring clubs. I have to give a shout out here to Andrew at Glam Boaters, Gareth at Llandysul Paddlers and Lydia at Canoe Wales who have all loaned us kit at times! Thank you! What are your plans for next year? Our home water is the pumped facility at Cardiff and the costs of water have increased substantially. Our partnerships with CIWW and Canoe Wales allows us to remain at the centre and enjoy the facility. These partnerships will need to be maintained more than ever to meet our goals and dreams over the coming years.

Overall, we need to keep growing in order to have financial stability … But that suits us just fine as we are very keen to get more people on the water – and especially to get new junior and teenage paddlers competing in slalom and freestyle. 2024 will definitely see us working hard to support paddlers in both disciplines. At the moment our club is about 50% junior paddlers (U18) and about 40% women and girls, and we want to maintain both as strong components of the club as we expand. We are really proud to be a #ShePaddlesCymru champion club. Overall, we are super keen to maintain and indeed build on the wonderful, supportive atmosphere that makes Seren Dŵr paddlers such an amazing group of people and meant that we won the Club of the Year Award 2022. Come and join us!

ABOUT Seren Dŵr is a competitive

paddlesports club based at Cardiff International White Water Centre. They specialise in slalom, kayak cross and freestyle and run regular sessions for all ages and abilities. Facebook: serendwrslalom

“OVERALL, WE NEED TO KEEP GROWING IN ORDER TO HAVE FINANCIAL STABILITY … BUT THAT SUITS US JUST FINE AS WE ARE VERY KEEN TO GET MORE PEOPLE ON THE WATER – AND ESPECIALLY TO GET NEW JUNIOR AND TEENAGE PADDLERS COMPETING IN SLALOM AND FREESTYLE.”

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Costa Smeralda WORDS: VICKY BARLOW P H OTO S : V I C K Y BA R L OW P E T E C AT T E R A L L

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t wasn’t the best start to a sea kayaking trip … flying into Olbia airport in Sardinia the captain announced ‘Apologies in advance for the rough landing. The wind is currently gusting at 40mph.’ We looked down to see a stampede of white horses on the sea below us. Looked like our trip might be delayed by a day … The original plan was a 6-day trip in northern Sardinia, visiting La Maddalena islands, the Costa Smeralda and Isola Tavolara. The logistics had been sorted by Clark at Sea Kayak Sardinia, who was meeting us at the airport with the sea kayaks in tow, ready to take us to our launch site. Clark, who had the horizontal attitude of someone who had fully embraced 'la dolce vita', suggested dropping us at a campsite, so if the wind dropped we could still set off, if not we could pitch the tent and wait for calmer conditions. Seemed like a sensible idea, so when we arrived at the campsite and the wind looked set for the day, we pitched the tent and headed to the campsite bar for a planning session. DAY 1 The next morning the wind had dropped, the sea was still choppy but nothing too major – it was a ‘go for launch’! First, we had to sort our boats and bags. Cue an explosion of kit. The family camped opposite watched first in amusement, then in interest and finally in awe, as the carnage of kit packed down into drybags and then into the hatches of our boats. You could almost see them looking round for where we had left the rest of our kit! Our route for the day was a crossing to Isola Maddalena, then paddling to the north end of the island, where there were a few tent-friendly beaches. The first challenge was timing our crossing with the ferries; which left the port every 20 minutes. A case of slow, slow, slow … go! The town of Maddalena was a pretty jumble of pink-washed houses sprawled along the coast. The sea was surprisingly warm for April – which made for pleasant paddling and, with warm sun but a cool breeze, the question of the day was; ‘shortie cag on or shortie cag off?’ As we headed up the coast it was clear this was exposed to the worst of the weather – with amazing rock formations sculpted by the wind and water. The north end of the island narrowed into a sandy spit, with a low ridge of rock running along the spine. There was a beach on either side and, with the wind picking up, we opted to camp on the west side, in a super-soft drift of dried sea grass. Not great for getting tent pegs in, but incredibly comfy! DAY 2 The next morning it was blowing force 6. We took our time getting ready, as the wind was beginning to drop. To avoid paddling around the exposed headland we carried across the spit to the east beach – a short stagger of 100m! The plan was to head down the east coast, across to the island of Caprera and then find a nice beach to camp on. We needed to resupply with water but knew there were a couple of harbours along the way, so it shouldn’t be a problem … With the wind dropping we headed around the Punta Marginetto, the most northerly point of the island. With steep slabs of rocks jutting into the sea and open water to the north it felt wonderfully remote, and we took our time exploring all the inlets and overhangs. So it was a surprise when we rounded a small headland and entered a pristine harbour, circled by some very expensive looking houses and hotels. Welcome to Porto Massimo. This was more of a resort than a port. We were hoping to

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resupply with water but it was a ghost town - everything was closed, not a single boat in the harbour. We spotted a woman standing on jetty by a closed restaurant. She was very helpful and told us it was still ‘out-of-season’, with everything due to open the weekend we were leaving. Even the restaurant she was working at … which was only accessible by boat … and had a strict reservation policy. We assumed that policy didn’t include sea kayaks … Time for Google maps and a search for a supermarket. Bingo! With a slight detour down a large inlet that we had been planning to paddle across, we could get to a supermarket that was right next to the water. However, the inlet turned out to be more of a canal, so not the most scenic paddle, especially with a naked sun-bather who decided to stand up to take photos of us. Not the view we were looking for. However, it was kind of worth it for a resupply of water and frittata. Not wanting to repeat the journey out of the canal we looked for a cut-through and spotted a narrowing. If we could portage across it we’d be in the main bay and back on route. However, there was no portage required as there were 2 kayak-width culverts! With a bit of balancing on rocks and shoving we managed to push them against the flow and into the bay beyond. And what a difference a culvert makes. The bay on the other side was stunning. Crystal clear water above brilliant white sand. And the most amazing natural rock sculptures. Henry Moore must have holidayed here. It was totally unexpected and breathtakingly beautiful. Reluctantly we pulled away from the shore and crossed the channel to the island of Caprera. Paddling north, we rounded a couple of rocky ‘puntas’ then began our journey down the east coast, where the rocks rose up into sheer cliffs and the chop picked up, slowing our progress. We had a choice of two sandy beaches to camp on that night. With the chop we opted for the closest one; a pocket-sized sandy beach at the back of a small bay. It was pictureperfect, with a great view across to the headlands and islands that we would paddling to over the next couple of days.

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DAY 3 ‘Scusi signora.’ At 7am, 2km from the nearest road, I wasn’t expecting to be interrupted whilst cleaning my teeth. Least of all by a uniformed Polizia complete with sidearm. Dental hygiene could wait. I hurried over to PC Polizia, who was standing next to the tent. ‘What’s going on?’ the conversation had woken Pete. ‘It’s a rozzer.’ I shouted back. ‘Think you need to get up.’ Once Pete had exited the tent the policeman explained that there was no camping allowed on this beach, and that we would need to leave immediately. I could see Pete weighing up departing before his breakfast vs angry policemen with gun. I was having a similar thought and wasn’t certain which was the scarier option. However, the policeman was pretty insistent, so we dropped camp in record time and pushed off into the bay. Heading to the next beach for coffee and porridge. That was a wakeup call we didn’t want to repeat so we decided to camp on the mainland that night! Once we’d crossed back the mainland the scenery changed dramatically. We were approaching the exclusive resort of Porto Cervo and the ‘residences’ along the coast were unbelievable. Big modern houses, with immaculate gardens, beach-houses, and guest bungalows. Like Chester-on-Sea. We thought it was worth dropping into Porto Cervo to resupply, however, there wasn’t a EuroSpar in sight only Prada, Versace … this wasn’t the port we thought it would be. We paddled on, heading towards Porto Rotondo, with the aim of finding a tent-worthy spot along the way. Progress was steady and the paddling developed into more of a slog. Looking at the map we spotted a small bay with a beach at the back so we headed in to investigate. And found a tent-sized spot tucked between the bushes. We sat in the sun and revisited our plan. After 3 nights of wild camping we could do with a campsite and a proper resupply, but nothing was open till the weekend. So it was either another wild camp or a hotel. With the weather looking to

deteriorate maybe a hotel … Golfo Aranci was a 25km paddle, which would keep us on track. Pete made a phone call. Result – a hotel near the beach, with space for the kayaks in the garage. DAY 4 To avoid any visits from law enforcement we were up early, packing everything into the boats, leaving the tent to dry in the sun whilst we ate breakfast. The plan was to paddle to Capo Figari then round to Golfo Aranci. There wasn’t a breath of wind and we could see the cloud hanging low over the cliffs of the cape, which made it seem even more atmospheric. The coast was beautiful – empty and remote, and we ate lunch on a deserted beach guarded by an old gun turret, whilst 3 barracuda hunted fish in the bay. As we approached Capo Figaro we realised that the town of Golfo Aranci was on a spit of land leading to the cape. Probably only 200m at its narrowest point. It seemed strange to see the back of the town we are aiming for, when we still had around 10km to paddle round the cape to get there! We could have finished there, and carried the boats and kit to the hotel, but the cliffs of the cape look too inviting, so we paddled on. And we were glad we did. The limestone cliffs rose sheer above us, broken by the occasional valley of trees, where we saw a small herd of deer. A different feel to the previous days. The cloud thickened and, as we round the cape, it started to drizzle. We paddled past Isola di Figarolo and a large fish farm, and onwards to the port, where the Sardinia-Corsica ferry was moored. Then it was on towards the town, the beach and our hotel, where we received a very warm welcome and a very welcome shower! After an unexpected (and unplanned!) fine dining experience we revisited the maps. We only had 1 full day of paddling left, and the plan was to paddle to Isola Tavolara, then onto Porto Taverna, where we would camp for the night before being picked up by Clark. Happy with the plan and buoyed by a couple of glasses of wine we headed to bed. DAY 5 After a good breakfast at the hotel we ferried our kit back to the water and headed back towards the fish traps, where we would turn and start our crossing to Isola Taverna. As we reached our turning point, the wind picked up and the cloud dropped further, obscuring our destination. With white horses and the cloud rapidly descending into fog, we realised the crossing was a no-go, and our spirits sank. We turned and headed despondently back to the hotel. An anti-climactic end to the trip … until we saw a pod of dolphin breaching by the fish farm! They headed towards us, playing and launching into the air, then diving and spinning into the water beneath us. We were treated to an hour of spectacular dolphinwatching, as they hunted around the fish farm. On a major high we headed back to the hotel, where we repeated the ferry of kit and boats, and apologised to the hotel owner as we carried wet sandy kit through the hotel again. We may have missed out on Isola Tavolara but the dolphin display had definitely made up for it!

MORE INFO There are direct flights from Manchester and Birmingham to Olbia in the summer (Easyjet, Jet2 and Tui). Sea Kayak Sardinia hire sea kayaks and equipment and can arrange transport to/from the airport: www.seakayaksardinia.com

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SHOT OLAF Afon Mellte Lyndon Williams Andy Kettlewell, Pistyll Productions

PARTING SHOT River Mellte Lyndon Williams Andy Kettlewell, Pistyll Productions