Surfski is a unique paddling activity, taking place on the sea. Whilst there are similarities to river canoeing, marathons and even slalom, it is a distinct sport, offering a broad range of opportunities for recreational and competitive endeavours… A surfski is a versatile watercraft, designed especially for use in the open sea environment and the […]
Rules provide the framework for your training sessions, enabling you to derive the optimum benefit from them. Working to rules ensures that you don’t suffer from the illusion of fitness, only to undergo a reality check when competing in an event. Few individuals have the flexibility to train at the times he or she wants, […]
Imagine a boxer who never spars with a training partner. He skips rope and punches a punch bag to prepare for fights. The only time he ever gets to learn and experience fighting, is in an actual fight. Imagine a rugby team that runs around the field for fitness. They stand in a circle and […]
Helping a paddler in distress is top priority, not only good etiquette. Assisting someone should be less traumatic than affecting a self-rescue. You might help a paddler one day and another day be grateful for some assistance. All paddlers, even in a group, should have the ability for self-rescue. They should be similarly equipped with […]
In the 25-odd years that I’ve been involved in competitive paddling, many things have changed. One thing certainly hasn’t: the ego-driven idea that anyone who is paddling a stable boat is somehow inferior. The reality is that most K1 paddlers in South Africa are paddling boats that are actually too unstable for them. If a […]
When I first began paddling in 2003, there was very little technology to work with as a measure of efficiency and performance. Coaches worked on stopwatches set to alarm every 60 seconds so that you knew where you were in your interval. Regular routes in similar conditions, combined with said stopwatch habits, helped to gauge […]
Down on the southern tip of Africa we love summer. The reason we love summer is that the South Easterly winds blow. And when it blows it really can knock your socks off, just think of last years Argus Cycle Race! While this fact has a lot of people moaning and wishing for winter, the […]
Let’s talk about your warm up before paddling… oh wait, we don’t warm up do we? Let’s face it, other than maybe a handful of brave paddlers willing to jump on early for a few minutes of paddling before the start of the race, it’s hard to find anyone actively warming up on the bank […]
A good start is essential, because it provides clear water into which you can move. Not only do you want an unobstructed path, but also don’t want your stroking action to be impeded. It is to your advantage to get away quickly. There is not much speed differential between competent paddlers, so if you get […]
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