The next Canoe Wales (formerly known as WCA) Freestyle Development Day will be held on the Morriston Weirs on the Tawe in Swansea. Directions can be got here: http://www.swansea-canoes.co.uk/map-directions.htm – as soon as you come off the roundabout, go past Wychtree Street and park on the left hand side near the foot bridge. Walk across the foot bridge and up the path to access the weirs.

There are three weirs, water level will dictate which weirs we use and what sort of features they produce. This is a friendly spot so people of all abilities welcomed, but confidence on white water is highly recommended.

We welcome anyone with an interest in freestyle and particularly youngsters, anyone who’d like to get into competing or coaches who wish to learn how to deliver better playboat coaching. Those wishing to attend as a student should live in Wales and/or be a CW/WCA member. Coaches are welcomed from anywhere; those wishing to observe and get coaching tips can come for free. If you would like to help with providing the coaching, please get in touch and we’ll also cover your expenses.

The day costs £15 for adults and £10 for U18s, which includes quality coaching from a range of experienced coaches and use of a small range of demo boats.

Meet at 9am outside Swansea Canoes.

Please let me know if you plan to attend by dropping me an email on wca-freestyle@flowfree.co.uk or joining the facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=50563572846

I have some hot news for you… I am able to release to you first, here on FlowFree, the dates for WCA Freestyle Development days over the next 6 months or so. Full details of locations and times etc will be announced for each one as they approach. Keep an eye on this website for details.

7th February : North Wales

22nd February : South Wales

4th April : North Wales

2nd May : South Wales

Other dates may be added.

All of these dates are open to all Welsh residents / WCA members. Any coaches wishing to gain more experience or learn new techniques for teaching basic playboating are more than welcome to come along. Any questions, email wca-freestyle@flowfree.co.uk

On top of this, an informal playboating league will be set up in North Wales – inspired by the old Sunday league at Tryweryn and the current league held on the Thames Weirs.  The basic premise being to get people together to have a play and help each other progress while having fun! Details to follow…

All of Tom’s photos are online at http://www.digibug.com/tlphotography/ – select the album “WCA Freestyle Development – Llandysul”. Full high resolution copies and prints are available to order.

The video from the weekend is online here – Matt Cooke’s put it on facebook so you may have to ‘make him your friend’ before you can view it. I will try and get it on youTube or similar soon.

The aim of the WCA’s Freestyle Development weekends are two-fold. Firstly, we want to provide opportunities for all paddlers to try out freestyle and get quality coaching without cost being a barrier. Secondly, we want to take those with talent into a Welsh Freestyle Squad for further development and to represent Wales at competitions across the UK (and abroad).

Jake having fun in the rapids

The first of these weekends took place in Llandysul on September 27-28th. FlowFree coaches Lowri Davies (me) and Jon Davies worked with International Freestyle paddler Matt Cooke and white water specialist Tom Laws to provide a range a sessions to cater for all abilities; from those with only basic white water skills, to those able to cartwheel and loop.

Video feedback and analysis

I also ran sessions for coaches to give guidance on how best to deliver freestyle coaching, easy ways of breaking down the moves and using land-based activities to aid understanding – on top of developing their personal freestyle skills.

Coaching the coaches in the morning mist

By Sunday afternoon, it was time for everyone to bust out their best moves for the first of our Welsh Freestyle Series competitions. This event was done in a “freestyle through the rapids” format, with points for everything including catching eddies, tailies, front surfs, cartwheels, bowstalls and even making the judges laugh. With eddyline moves and a 30-second flatwater section at the end, the course proved to be hit with all abilities – scores ranging from 100 up to 435 per ride!

After two runs each, it was time to head back to the Llandysul Paddlers HQ for tea and medals…

JUNIORS

1. Jordan McGrath
2. Josh
3. James Cooper
4. Katie
5. Euros
6. Steph
7. Jake Jones

ADULTS

1. Rob Gale
2. Gavin Cooper
3. Paul
4. Steph
5. Becky Smith
6. Chris

Congratulations to the winners, but well done to everyone who took part. There were some imaginative runs and if we can harness that enthusiasm then Wales will have a Welsh Squad to be proud of. Particular big-ups to Katie for the paddle over the boat trick and little James for his super slick technique – he’s definitely one to watch for the future!

All Tom’s photos and Matt’s video footage will be online over the next few weeks and I’ll be sure put a link up on here.

Next one: 15th-16th November, Stanley Embankment, Anglesey. Welsh residents with a fairly reliable roll welcomed. We are especially keen in getting juniors who already enjoy white water or freestyle and coaches wishing to get experience or tips on how to coach freestyle more effectively. Full details, including times, to follow – stay tuned.

Any budding freestyle paddlers, or white water paddlers wanting to give freestyle a try, should come along to one of the WCA Development Weekends I’m organising. It’d be great to see as many youngsters there as possible!

Dates so far:
Sept 27-28th – Llandysul
Nov 15-16th – Stanley Embankment, Anglesey

Drop me a line if you want any more info.

See you on the water,

Lowri