Training Weekend 1 – Club Representatives Weekend 1st & 2nd February 2014. This weekend is primarily a networking opportunity, a discussion around the events logistics and an opportunity to paddle the event venues. Club representatives will be presented with an event booklet detailing all of the training weekends and discipline competitions at the club champs. The points system will be explained and discussed, if any changes are necessary they will be decided on a vote basis. Representatives will have the opportunity to visit and paddle all of the event and training venues over the course of the weekend, a general purpose boat is recommended for this. There will be a social evening on the Saturday. We will also use the opportunity to work on club development plans, improved networking solutions, training opportunities and club collaboration.
Training Weekend 2 – Wild Water Racing Training Weekend on the 8th & 9th February 2014. This weekend will focus on the skills of Wild Water Racing. Consistently efficient forward paddling in a turbulent and dynamic white water environment in a fast but unstable boat is the speciality of the Wild Water Racers. Inherent balance and accurate edge control allow Wild Water Racers to direct the boat onto the ideal line in rapids catching the fastest water and the cleanest lines. This weekend will be one not to missed with the opportunity to take part in a local Wild Water Race as part of the training. The Wild Water Racers providing the training will offer a wealth of international experience from coaches and rivers around the world. This weekend is sure to make you faster and put you in control on white water.
Training Weekend 3 – Canoe Polo Training Weekend on the 15th & 16th February 2014. This weekend will focus on the skills of Canoe Polo. Canoe Polo requires a broad range fitness bases, paddling skills and ball control. Polo requires endurance to last the duration of a match mixed with explosive power to sprint for the ball and drive boats hard in offensive and defensive manoeuvres. Polo players turn quick, paddle fast and drive hard while maintaining tactical awareness and that’s before we even consider the ball skills. This weekend will consolidate peoples manoeuvring and forward paddling skills to increase power and speed. Using the ball as a focus allows the subconscious to take over and create great opportunities for deep skill consolidation. Tactical awareness and set plays will be covered to give polo teams the edge in competitions. Ball skills will be trained and a range of drills provided for training on your home turf. Pool sessions will be included on this weekend with opportunities to try out some of the wetter skills and tactics in the warmth of the pool, including handoffs, and hand rolls. Expect to be wrecked and very entertained on this Polo training weekend with experienced coaches and excellent athletes to work with.
Training Weekend 4 – Canoe Slalom Training Weekend on the 1st & 2nd March 2014. This weekend will focus on the skills of Canoe Slalom. Canoe Slalom is one of the most challenging competitive disciplines in paddlesports and combines speed and manoeuvrability with fluid white water skills. Athletes have to complete fast and controlled descents through a series of gates staggered through challenging rapids. Canoe Slalom requires excellent technique and boat control matched with explosive power to sprint down the slalom course and charge out of upstream gates. This weekend will be one of the most technical and physically challenging weekends of the lot with training and practice runs on short and full length slalom courses on both flat water and through rapids. Skills, Tactics and physical training drills will be explained and tested to get the most out of your future training sessions.
Training Weekend 5 – Kayak Surf Training Weekend on the 8th & 9th March 2014. This weekend will focus on the skills of Surf Kayaking. The surf kayak training weekend will be held in Tramore. Surf kayaking in Ireland usually involves surfing specially designed boats on the swells and waves of the Atlantic Ocean. One of the most under appreciated disciplines in Ireland despite the world class conditions the full length of the west coast of Ireland. We are home to many of the best surf spots in the world. Surf kayaking requires excellent edge and boat control combined with wave tactics and accurate timing. Rides often involve controlled accelerated turns at the top and bottom of waves, which can translate to big aerial moves on top turns for the skilled paddler. The speed and glide of a surf boat on a wave is like nothing you have ever experienced, but be careful it is totally addictive! The weekend will focus on surfing skills and tactics which are unique to this discipline to maximise participant’s success on the waves.
Training Weekend 6 – Freestyle & Boatercross Training Weekend on the 15th & 16th March 2014. This weekend will focus on the skills of freestyle kayaking and boatercross skills and tactics. The freestyle training weekend will be based in Kilkenny where two ideal features sit side by side on the one weir face. The birth place of the local lads, Billy Brett & Dave McClure’s, freestyle career which saw them ranked 9th and 10th at the 2013 world championships. Freestyle kayaking requires unparalleled agility, balance, coordination and speed while being retained in a single feature, usually a wave or a hole. Freestyle paddlers need massive core strength and boat control to throw the boat around in the features often launching the boat clear out of the water combined with refined stroke work and balance to recover and link moves. The weekend will begin with fundamental freestyle concepts and simple freestyle moves and tactics to help participants score points at comps but also include a build up to some more advanced moves on one of the features for those who have a solid roll and want a challenge.
Training Weekend 7 – Marathon & Sprint Training Weekend on the 29th & 30th March 2014. This weekend will focus on the skills of K1 paddling across marathon and sprint canoeing. The fundamental skill of all of the paddling disciplines is the forward stroke and nobody does it better than these guys. Perfection in set up, catch, pull, release and recovery while sitting in one of the fastest and most unstable boats on the water. The K1 paddlers have the fundamentals of forward paddling broken down to every muscle movement and associated body angle to create the most effective & powerful forward movement. The K1 boats create a perfect platform to get rid of any bad habits in your forward paddling including bobing of the boat (forward and back motion), swaying of the boat (side to side motion) and poor body tension (leaning back). Your core is guaranteed to get a work out and your boat balance is certain to improve as you work some of Irelands best and fastest paddlers to tweak your forward stroke to perfection to get every ounce of power out of the energy you put in.
Training Weekend 8 – River Safety & Rescue Training Weekend on the 5th & 6th April 2014. This weekend is sure to be one of our most popular weekends with coverage of the full RSR 1 & 2 syllabus plus some sneaky tactics and techniques added from the RSR 3 to help keep you and your mates safe on the rivers. The weekend will focus on the main safety tactics to keep you out of trouble in the first place and follow up with the bread and butter rescue skills you need to be proficient at to sort out problems that arise quickly and efficiently. There will be plenty of scenarios on offer to practice and hone your skills on. There will be paddling and swimming on this weekend so make sure you bring your paddle and boat plus some warm gear and prepare for full River Safety and Rescue immersion!
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