Introduction to white water

Key Whitewater Skills

The following is a list of skills that all good white water paddlers use. All can be practised on the basin on a Tuesday night and once nailed will make the world of difference when you venture onto moving water.

Forward Paddling

2* Skill - With regards to ww, the key to forward paddling is to be going flat out after 4-6 paddle strokes. Sitting in an eddy a paddler will often have a small space to gain as much speed as possible. After 6 strokes you'll be crossing the eddy line exactly where you need to be, flat out. Remember SPEED = STABILTY

Draw Strokes on move

2* - avoid the rocks – boat to blade not the other way round – show your bum to rock

Support Strokes

2* – when Skill 1 & 2 fail you will need to prevent a capsize, keep shoulders safe (hands lower than elbows, elbows lower than shoulders)

Rescues

2* – Water based, bow presentation, X rescue, T or escimo rescue, etc...

Edging

3* – if you don’t you get wet – Importance of connectivity with boat, edging not leaning. Commitment - you can’t edge too much!

Bow Rudder/Bow Draw

3* – great way to get from moving water to eddies and steer your way through moving water.

Rolling

3* - When everything goes wrong you normally end up upside-down

Basin Exercises

Exercise 1 – loads of different forward paddling tips, however start with Boat Body Blade and make it fun – Tug of war, see how far they can get with 6 paddle strokes, see which works better 6 fast or 6 slow...

Exercise 2 – Figure of 8 edging, edge until capsize, change edge every stroke, use combination of Skill 2 & 3 to go straight only paddling on one side

Exercise 3 – Sculling draw stroke at front of boat, also known as ‘Duffek’ and very useful in open boating as well. Use each other/buoys as a rock, pretend there is a flow and break out. Get on river, break out behind things (stantions, boats, rocks) - Care needed

Exercise 4 – Hanging draw is really hard to get, start by pairing up placing blade and someone else not in a boat pushing you away from pontoon. T draw on the move – boat to blade to avoid head on collision with buddy

Exercise 5 – See who can edge furthest – don’t stop edging until you need to low brace. Don’t rely on momentum, make sure you are off balance!

Exercise 6 & 7 – in pool, maybe in 4th week

What Next

Look out for river trips – find a local river and go explore it, Thursday night Lee Valley trips, Medway, Thames weirs – find moving water!

Useful Contacts/Links

Club WW Reps – Paul Carter, Emily Handley

Professional Coaches – Google, UK Rivers