Introduction to white water
Contents
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.
Week 1
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* Skill - avoid the rocks – boat to blade not the other way round – show your bum to rock
Bow Rudder/Bow Draw
3* Skill – great way to get from moving water to eddies and steer your way through moving water.
Week 2
Edging
3* – if you don’t you get wet – Importance of connectivity with boat, edging not leaning. Commitment - you can’t edge too much!
Rescues
Support Strokes
2* Skill – prevent a capsize, keep shoulders safe (hands lower than elbows, elbows lower than shoulders)
2* – Water based, T or Eskimo rescue with bow and with paddle presentaion, X rescue, etc...
(possibly spin rescues off as a sepperate session?)
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