For a while now we have been running a “Get Your Club Playing” scheme, the idea of which is to enthuse clubs about playboating and show how basic playboating can be introduced at any flatwater session. We provide inspirational demonstrations by GB Team paddlers, expert coaches and a load of demo playboats. This is a little write-up of one such session we ran for Tandridge Canoe Club at Thames Young Marinas.
After introducing our coaches and helpers for the day, our GB Team paddlers put on an inspirational display of flatwater acrobatics to get everyone fired up and to show what freestyle is all about.
We then split into groups depending on experience and ability. The beginner group was all about the first experiences of playboating. Trying lots of boats, playing with edging, enders, tailies, lean-cleans, rolls and some even got on to double pumps!
The more experienced group worked on double pumps, flatwater cartwheels, bow stalls, loops and flatwater pistol flips with Bren Orton and Matty Nicholas. Video feedback was used to breakdown some of the more advanced moves and track progression.
At the end of the session paddlers of all abilities not only had a big smile on their face, but had plenty of skills to work on with a clear idea of how to progress towards their next goal – whether that was consistent tailies or learning the flatwater McNasty.
The following day the more experienced paddlers had a follow-up session on Hurley Weir, where we again split into groups depending on ability and worked on anything from catching the wave and front-surfing up to blunt-to-pistol flip combos!
If you’re thinking that this looks like fun, why not organise a session for your club? Details here.
