Within the club we are fortunate to have coaches who can assess for a number of the British Canoeing awards:
Paddle Discover – Enables to paddler to develop decision making and fundamental skills, a paddler holding this award will have basic control of their craft and be confident getting out on to the water.
If you would like to undertake this award, please speak to your coach at the session. This award normally takes about 6-8 sessions to achieve if you have never paddled before.
Paddle Explore – An award that empowers and supports the individual paddler. For this award the paddler will decide with their coach what craft they want to do the award in and will work towards the skills and decision making that is needed to be able to undertake journeys safely with support.
If you would like to undertake this award, please speak to your coach and arrange to sit with them and design your action plan which will be personalised for you.
It is hard to suggest the timeline for gaining this award but on average paddlers who hold the Discover Award, would probably take a further 10-12 sessions to achieve this award.
There are then a range of Personal Performance Awards that can be undertaken in different craft such as:
White Water Award, Stadium White Water Award, Canoe Award, Sea Kayak Award, Touring Award, Stand Up Paddleboard Sheltered Water Award, Flat Water Freestyle Award, Flat Water Raft Racing Award, Slalom Explore Award.
Gaining these awards shows a paddler is confident and competent to look after themselves in the environment and that they have good control of their craft and a thorough knowledge of the environment that they will be paddling in.
Further Awards can then be taken in all of the above disciplines, moving on to progressively more challenging environments including moderate and advanced water.
For any of these awards, please speak to your coach who will help you plan your progression, and will support you with an action plan.
For information on the British Canoeing coaching, leadership and instructional awards please go to Paddlesuptraining.com where you will find lots of information about how to develop your skills and paddling.