April 2015

THE WORLD CHAMPS ARE COMING!

September 16-20 2015 sees Lee Valley White team who will be on hand at the event. Plus there will Water Centre host the ICF 2015 Slalom World be FREE kids activities including Bungee Trampolines, Championships, bringing 300 of the world’s best Canoe Bouncy castle and Climbing wall. Slalom athletes from 55 different countries to England to battle out for the title of World Champion 2015.

The event will also see athletes take a huge step on the ‘Road to Rio’ as the Championships are the last qualifying race to decide who will make it on to Team GB for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Not only is the event a huge step for many of the world’s elite, it also offers a fantastic day out for the whole family. Encourage those who have never Tickets are now on sale, so be part of the story and paddled before to ‘give it a go’ with the Go watch our athletes live. Buy your tickets here.

IN THIS NEWSLETTER... The World Champs are coming! | Go Canoeing news | This Girl Can | Lifeguard courses

www.britishcanoeing.org.uk NEWS

THIS GIRL CAN!

You may have seen or heard about the ground-breaking ‘This Girl Can’ campaign recently. Developed by Sport England to promote confidence in women in sport, it is a celebration of women and girls in sport, who embrace taking part no matter how they may look doing it.

To celebrate women in canoeing, in addition to our monthly photo competition, in April we are hosting a #ThisGirlCan photo competition with three special prizes up for grabs. The prizes courtesy of Palm Equipment are a ‘Halo’ women’s buoyancy aid and two ‘Seti’ women’s longsleeve thermals.

#ThisGirlCan is all about every girl and woman getting involved in sport and realising you can do it. We know there are some brilliant women in and we want to continue to share that, so please send us your photos of women and girls canoeing, or stand up boarding. NEWS

One entry per person will be allowed and the images will be shared on our Facebook page throughout the month before the winners are selected. Those who entered images in the #InternationalWomensDay competition will automatically have one of their images entered. GO CANOEING SPRING HAS SPRUNG SO GET CANOEING! Spring is finally here and with it come longer days, lighter mornings and evenings and lots more brilliant opportunities to get out on the water.

There are lots of great tours happening around and KESWICK MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL after Easter so be sure to check out our Seasonal Keswick, Thursday 14th to Fun page for details of activities happening all over Sunday 17th May 2015 the country! Your ultimate outdoors weekend! Outdoor activities, world class speakers, sporting events, camping and live music in the evening- Events For Your Diary something for every adventurer. From river paddling trips to moonlight canoeing, there will As well as lots of great Starter Sessions and Guided be a fantastic range of outdoor activities both for Tours, we’re supporting some fantastic events this us water-lovers and for those who prefer to stay spring, including... on dry ground.

MIDLANDS CANOE SHOW Among the brilliant speakers at the event will Northampton, Sunday 10 May 2015 be survival expert Ray Mears. Don’t miss this 10am-4pm compelling theatre show in which Ray will share Taking place at the in stories from his career surviving the wilderness and Northampton, this promises to be a jam-packed day its colourful wildlife. of canoeing and kayaking fun. Whether you’re an avid paddler or just looking for something different There will also be a thriving festival village where to do, there’ll be lots for you to enjoy. you’ll be able to sample delicious food, try out a range of exciting outdoors activities and enjoy live Have a go on water rollers, enjoy the competitions, music from big names like Badly Drawn Boy and the maybe even discover a new hobby! Entry is FREE and Peatbog Faeries. Go to keswickmountainfestival. food will be available on site to keep everyone happy. co.uk for tickets and more information about this fantastic event! SOUTH WEST CANOE SHOW Devon, Saturday 16 May 2015 10am-4.30pm THE FOURTH ANNUAL PADDLE 2 THE HEART There will be loads on offer at this great event! Birmingham, Saturday 6th June 2015 The South West is home to some of the UK’s most Paddle your way to the heart of Birmingham in amazing paddling. So come and see all the latest this fun event! Choose from one of the many canal boats, and equipment you need to get networks leading into Birmingham City Centre and out there and enjoy it. Some of the activities on enjoy a day of paddling the local waterways. Fun and offer will be: free demos, an Ergo Challenge, Taster boat-based games will be at Brindley Place from 2pm Sessions, Rolling Coaching Sessions, Fishing onwards. For route information and more information Demos and an After Party. contact [email protected]. GO CANOEING

JOIN US FOR FUN ON THE WATER!

Finally.... With the 2016 Rio Olympics on the Of course, we horizon, we want everyone to feel part of the excitement! can’t talk events without mentioning There are lots of ways for you to get our very own top involved; from Starter Sessions to event of the year: personal challenges. There’s something for everyone! National Go Canoeing Week, May 23–31! Go Canoeing Week www.gocanoeingweek.org.uk is an event that anyone can get involved in, from complete beginners To tempt you further, we’ve got some great to seasoned pros. All forms of paddlesport are prizes lined up for the top group and individual celebrated, from stand-up paddleboarding to white- paddlers, and five people drawn at random. All water kayaking and open canoeing! you have to do to be in with a chance of bagging a prize is by registering the miles you paddle There are only a few weeks to go til it all kicks off on during Go Canoeing Week on the website. May 23, so we’re getting really excited. Already so many fantastic activities have been registered, and Stay tuned for more updates in the coming weeks. we’re busy working on even more exciting events. We hope you’ll join us on the Road to Rio! NEWS

GB STARS IN THE RUNNING AT WPA AWARDS

The World Paddle Awards will take place on Saturday 9 May 2015 in Augsburg, Germany. The first of its kind, the awards celebrate excellence within paddle sports, the achievements of its athletes and those involved in the sport. Voting closed in January, with the top three in each category – sportsman, sportswoman, lifetime achievement, sports team, sports junior, media ambassador and paddlesport professional – announced, and there are a few GB faces in the mix for the prizes….

Not quite making the top three was the official photographer of the team Antony Edmond in the Media Ambassador THE GB PARACANOEING TEAM have been category; and legend Ginny Coyles in dominant in the world and European spotlights the lifetime achievement category. Well done to over the last couple of years, including picking both for being nominated. up six golds at the ICF World Championships in Moscow. Still flying the flag are the Great Britain paracanoeing team in sports team of the year. Twitter Steve West as media ambassador and Claire Instagram O’Hara as paddlesport professional. W Website

CLAIRE (www.claireohara.blogspot.com.au) has five ICF World Championship titles to her name, making her the most successful British freestyle kayaker in history and the most successful female freestyle kayaker in the world. She also has STEVE WEST is an all-round ocean-paddling guru experience in almost every discipline of the sport, as from Hayling Island, Hampshire, who is a pioneer, well as coaching, mentoring and supporting paddlers explorer, entrepreneur, culture-promoter, role model and athletes in events and projects around the world. and writer, with scores of books and DVDs published She is an inspiration to many people across the globe worldwide over a 40-year career. because of her attitude, image, success and lifestyle. NEWS

THE LONDON KAYAKATHON 2015 The London Kayakathon, taking place on spectacular London landmarks en route. 19 April, provides a unique opportunity for experienced sea kayakers to raise money Importantly this event is not a race and for causes that are close to their hearts by those wishing to take part should be paddling the challenging 26.2mile distance experienced and possess the appropriate along the river Thames. skills to paddle the distance as part of a group. The minimum requirement to take The kayakers will travel 13.1 miles upriver part in this event is a BCU 3* or equivalent with the flood tide to Chiswick Bridge where experience. Paddlers must be proficient at there will be a short stop to grab some rescues and be able to swim fifty meters lunch and stretch those legs before heading wearing a buoyancy aid. back to Tower Bridge on the ebb tide, passing the Houses of Parliament, London To find out more on how YOU can get Eye, the Tower of London and many other involved, click here. OUTSTANDING CHALLENGE AWARD 2015

A new national award is being launched to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the achievements and pioneering spirit of John MacGregor.

The award is open to individuals or groups who have undertaken or set themselves an exceptional challenge in 2015 or the latter part of 2014. This is a wide-ranging award to recognise “an outstanding challenge” for those whose endeavours and experience is inspirational to others.

We hope you will find the time to apply and share your experience with us and the wider canoeing For this award you can be nominated by someone world. We want to hear about: else or you may apply yourself. If applying yourself, please include two referees who can • Your experience, so tell us about what support your application. you achieved • What challenges were overcome Applications should be made using the John • What impact it has had on the sport or MacGregor, Outstanding Challenge Award those involved nomination form. They are available from here • Have you achieved something that has not been and should be returned, along with any supporting done before? information, to aimee.sallis@britishcanoeing. org.uk no later than 4th September 2015 The award recognises any of the following: endurance, adventure, exploration, overcoming Further information please contact adversity and performance. [email protected] NEWS

SOCIAL SCENE

Some of the recent tweets that we think you should know about...

GB Canoeing Well done to all Paracanoe athletes who raced at our squad selection assessment day yesterday. Some great racing & results #challengingbest

with UNLIMITED activities! Adam Burgess Official team announcement BOOK A from WEEKEND @GBCanoeing

PACKAGE ATER ENTW DERW G ON this evening. TODAY! OEIN CAN Brazil, here keswickmountainfestival.co.uk I come! #u23worlds2015 #canoeicf #fozduiguacu

GB Canoeing MANVERS PADDLE TRIATHLON Some great insight from @RichardHampson1 on the adolescent brain at our Sprint parent and coach If you’re feeling energetic, why not enter the workshop this morning. @chimpmanagement Manvers Lake Paddle Triathlon in South Yorkshire on Saturday 18 April. It’s a 1.5k paddle, a 20k bike ride E McAllister Jepps and a 5k run and the boats will be mainly sit on tops #IWD2015 to help people access this new sport and assist with #Girls4Gold an easy transition, although more serious athletes #thesegirlscan may bring their own boats. with thanks to @GBCanoeing The race starts at 10am you can find out more at @TNLUK and www.mwbc.org.uk or contact The Boathouse on @uk_sport onwards 01709 878984 or Mark on 07704 111414. to @Tokyo2020

BCU LIFEGUARD GB Canoeing SESA COURSES Sports Minister @HelenGrantMP The BCU Lifeguards are hosting a series of Swim meets squad Event Safety Award (SESA) courses throughout members the UK this spring. The course is aimed at those & officially providing on-water safety support for open water opens the elite swimming/triathlon events & activities. training centre

Click here for more details. NEWS WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS

What do you love about canoeing? What attracted questionnaire is for people who currently take part in you to our wonderful sport in the first place – was canoeing whether or not they are affected by disability. it just by chance, through a friend, family or maybe school or university? How easy and accessible was it This questionnaire should take no longer than 15 to get started? We would really like to hear from YOU minutes. All those completing it will be entered in a so get in touch! draw to win one of two prize bundles each containing a £50 Cotswold Outdoor store voucher and tickets to the We are keen to understand more about people’s 2015 ICF World Championship. Whether perceptions and experiences of canoeing as an activity you are a canoeist, parents, coaches or volunteers, we for people with a disability so that we can improve would love to hear from you. our promotion and programmes and encourage more disabled people to start canoeing. The following short Click here to start survey. PADDLE-ABILITY SYMPOSIUM REPORT

Thirty-eight delegates from clubs and centres around the country came to the British Canoeing head office on Saturday 21 March to participate in the Paddle-Ability Symposium. The coach and volunteer development opportunity focused on the theme of communication and included a range of workshops covering a variety of topics including reaching out to community groups to promote activity and communicating with paddlers Have you taken up canoeing in with hearing impairments. Feedback from the event has been really positive, highlighting the opportunity the last two years? that this event gave clubs and centres to share their challenges and experiences. Thank you to all who British Canoeing would like to hear about people attended and delivered workshops on the day. who have taken up canoeing in the last two years as part of its ongoing research about disabled people’s If you would like to support the organisation or experiences with canoeing. If you are available from deliver of future Paddle-Ability coach and volunteer 6.30pm to 9pm on either of the following dates please development opportunities, have any particular topics contact [email protected] you would like to see covered or have an idea of a workshop you would like to deliver, please contact • Manchester: 27 April [email protected]. • London: 29 April PARTNERS

ENJOY THE SPRING WITH COTSWOLD OUTDOOR Here at Cotswold Outdoor we have the clothing FREE RUCKSACK FITTING and equipment you need to make the most of Your body shape is unique so our staff will make your time outdoors this spring. Enjoy every simple adjustments so that your rucksack sits moment – with over 250 brands we offer the comfortably and disperses the weight evenly. UK’s widest range of outdoor clothing and equipment. And don’t forget, BC members AFTERCARE FOR YOUR PRODUCTS receive 15% discount*! You’ll get years more from your boots and waterproof clothing if you know how to look after FREE KIT TALKS them. Our staff can give you expert advice on how If you are part of a group or club that’s planning an to maintain them. adventurous trip, get our advice on the benefits of layering and different fabrics as well as tips on STAFF KNOWLEDGE AND ADVICE maintaining your equipment. Our staff have a passion for the outdoors and a wealth of personal experience. You can have FREE BOOT FITTING SERVICE confidence in their advice – they’ve been there Our trained staff will measure your feet, select the and done it. best boot and make any necessary adjustments so you have maximum comfort and support. Shop online now or find your nearest store.

*Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount. Only valid on production of BC members card at the till point or valid discount code online. Offer expires 31.12.15. PARTNERS

ENDOMONDO GET INVOLVED WITH THE NEW BRITISH CANOEING CHALLENGE Join the new British Canoeing Have you ever thought about tracking your paddling activities on your smartphone? community on Endomondo, and British Canoeing have launched a challenge on check out our new website (coming Endomondo, the global sports tracking app. It will run throughout 2015, and we want to see soon!) for the latest news. We will just how many miles can be paddled! By the time be running specific challenges you read this we’re sure it’ll have moved on apace but we’ve already logged 700 miles and 80,000 throughout the year so stay tuned! calories! Will you join us? PHOTO COMPETITION WINNER Our favourite photo from March belongs to Julian Nicolls, who took this fab shot on the Great Ouse near Huntingdon. Congratulations Julian, a £25 Cotswold Outdoor voucher is on its way to you.

www.britishcanoeing.org.uk