A note from Amanda Simper – our ex-Olympian flatwater coach:
This Saturday 14/5/2016, I will be talking flatwater paddling technique. Upstairs at the club at 1.30pm, for about an hour. This is primarily for paddlers on skis or in kayaks with rudders, using wing paddles, but all members are welcome. This is a general talk (rather than individual stroke correction), where I’ll go through posture, hand position, stroke shape etc. I’m aiming the conversation mostly at paddlers with some experience, but will definitely touch on the things that novice paddlers need to know.
Then getting on the water about 2.30pm for a couple of 3km time trials to test out what you’ve taken in! I’m not expecting to get the opportunity to give much technique feedback on-water this Saturday, but plan on paddling at 8am on Saturdays after this with a group of ski paddlers from Swanbourne Surf Club with fairly diverse range of paddling ability/fitness. Swan paddlers are welcome to join in. Sessions will be organised so that faster paddlers can work at their ability level without leaving slower paddlers behind (i.e., frequent re-grouping and paddle-backs). I’ll be doing my best to give everyone in the group individual technical feedback on a regular basis. You don’t have to be fast, but these will be sessions for paddlers who have enough experience to manage their craft – if you fall off/out, you need to be able to get yourself back in your craft without help, and then catch up with the group once you have sorted yourself out.