This week’s discussion point from me is about competitive paddling. There are many paddlers who are content with recreational paddling, such as a slow and relaxing SUP down a meandering river with a picnic halfway or a whitewater kayak day with friends followed by fish and chips. But for others, there’s a whole other world out there – competitive paddling. Competitive paddling is a whole body-and-mind experience that uses all types of water from rivers through to whitewater to the sea, and gives exciting opportunities to have your skill, judgement, fitness and stamina challenged and tested against others. From juniors to adults, males & females are able to train and compete in this next level aspect of paddlesport. British competitive paddlesport has and continues to have great success with impressive hauls of medals from national, international and Olympic stages.
Just some of these competitive disciplines are:
Slalom:
A timed 300-metre whitewater course paddling through and around up to 25 suspended poled gates that must be done cleanly without hitting or missing them with time penalties incurred for doing so. Speed and precision is the name of the game! There are 4 categories: men’s and ladies’ single kayak (K1) & single canoe (C1) and men’s double canoe (C2).
Sprint & Marathon:
Both disciplines take place on flat water and are about speed, stamina and fitness with sprint courses running from between 200m to 5000m with marathon courses running over a much larger range from 4 miles upwards and can involve portaging boats around locks, weirs or sluices. Boats are long and slim made from fibreglass and classes include K1, K2, C1 & C2. Sprint paddling also has classes for K4, a four-person kayak, and more rarely C4, a four-person canoe. In kayak events, the paddler is seated and uses a double-bladed paddle, in canoe events, the paddle is single-bladed and the paddler is in a more upright position by kneeling on one knee with the other leg forward and foot flat on the floor inside the boat.
Surf Kayak:
This discipline runs hard and fast offering challenge and excitement as with regular surfing but in short, flat bottomed boats with a double ended paddle surfing the waves in judged heats of 20 minutes where style, skill, focus and technique is key.
Freestyle:
Where kayaking meets gymnastics! Flips, loops, turns and cartwheels are knitted together in a 45 second run of incredible speed, skill, versatility and flexibility in thrashing whitewater! Most freestyle competitors both male and female, juniors and seniors compete in the K1 class but there are also other classes, including C1 and OC1 (open canoe).
Canoe Polo:
A fast paced, explosive, refereed ball sport by kayak held either indoors in swimming pools or outdoors on still water. Two teams of 5 players each battle it out trying to score by getting the ball in their opponents’ goal, a feat made more difficult by a player only able to have the ball for 5 seconds! A match is split in to two halves of 10 minutes each. The pitch area can be up to 35 metres in length but the goal itself is merely a metre high and 2 metres above the surface in the water. Ramming is not permitted however capsizing, pushing and shoving are commonplace.
Wildwater racing:
A dash to the finish race event against the clock that is usually held on fast flowing rivers or over a series of rapids. A true test of speed, skill, technique, agility, power, planning and tactics in a twitchy, lightweight fibreglass raceboat. Races are individually timed against other competitors across classes including K1, C1 & C2.
The world of competitive paddlesport is there for the taking for those with the motivation, determination, commitment and the skill. Do you have any experience of participating in these disciplines? Share with us your experiences as a competitive paddler. If not, is this world something you’d like to try or would like to have tried in the past? Like to get involved but don’t know where to start? There’s lots of videos available online to view these disciplines and check out the links below for further information and clubs local to you that can help steer and support you in the right direction on your pathway. If you weren’t aware of these different disciplines has anything surprised or perhaps inspired you?
For further information and how to get involved:
https://www.canoewales.com/competition
https://www.britishcanoeing.org.uk/competition