Hi All,

Some great news. The new BCU Freestyle Awards are going live with the introduction of the 3 Star Award and Level 1 Module. For those of you wondering about the freestyle awards here is some info that may help;

What are the benefits of freestyle star awards?

I guess the first thing to say is that the BCU awards in general provide a hub for gathering the current thinking in paddlesport skills and techniques. This allows the star awards to draw on the knowledge of high-end specialist coaches and athletes from around the UK and pass this knowledge onto all levels of coaching from grass roots club coaching to future national team coaches.

The freestyle star awards provide a clear development pathway. They offer recreational paddlers the opportunity to gain a range of core elements that provide a foundation for the latest moves in freestyle and allow them to benchmark their ability against a national and international standard.

For those who already involved in freestyle competition, the new awards and modules will provide improved training and support services, either through direct participation in the awards scheme, or through the indirect precipitation of coaching techniques and resources that will surround these programmes.

How do I get involved at a coach level?

If you are coach UKCC level 2 (moderate water) or Level 3 and higher and are interested in coaching the new BCU 3 Star Freestyle Awards you will need to sign up for the new freestyle level 1 module. This is done through application to the BCU coaching office, please email; info@bcu.org.uk

I’ll keep you in the loop (pardon the pun) with the release date for 4/5 Star as it happens.

Happy paddling

Hi All,

I’m proud to announce my new company and website Sweetwater Coaching. For those who don’t know me, I’ve been a professional guide and coach for almost a decade now. Over the last several years I’ve been working as a coaching director with my good friend and colleague Andrew ‘jacko’ Jackson, leading the way in developing white water coaching programmes and running adventures all around the globe. Historically we have worked together to ensure a balance between work and our personal growth. We have reached a point where, in order for us to focus on the things that matter most to us, it is necessary for us to explore new avenues. I’m still working with Jacko on joint programmes so keep an eye out for future collaboration and initiatives!

This year’s been non-stop with all the new changes and developments in the broader paddlesport industry.  Likewise I’ve been enjoying an exciting start to the year. Here’s a short snapshot of 2009…

I’ve just returned from an expedition to the Arun Gorges in Nepal with Daz Clarkson.  Unfortunately a mixture of political climate and acts of God prevented us from getting to the put-in point near Everest, so this will be one for another date. Needless to say we made the best of our situation, taking in the local rivers and even trying to paragliding over to the Marsyanghi from Pokhara. There will be more on this recent adventure soon.

The transport!

Riding the thermals over Pokhara

Warm up run on the Marsyanghi

I’m just about to gear up for a trip out to the States to explore the rivers of Colorado for a few weeks, before returning to the UK to coach the GB freestyle team.  Then I’m out to Tanzania taking some time-out to climb Kilimanjaro – never let your girlfriend plan a holiday! August sees me going to Canada to spend some time working on the Ottawa.

As you can see it’s a busy year and most of the summer is busy with prior commitments, but I will be back in the UK and running courses in late August…dates will be appearing on the calendar soon.