It will be very clear to readers of this blog that kayaking is something which is Very Important to me. Five years ago I barely knew the difference between a canoe and kayak, let alone having any idea about the different types of kayaking - and indeed the kayaks which are used for each, and how distinctive they all are. But last month saw the fifth anniversary of my first tentative paddle, and it feels as though that's passed in the blink of an eye! I got drawn into it by a colleague who was a keen paddler, and invited me and the Chaos Gremlin to come along one Saturday and give it a try. We did, and were immediately hooked! The coach took us on a wonderful trip downriver a bit, then back up some of the backwaters - including a portage over a weir, which felt like the best adventure ever, and gave us a glimpse into the peace and stillness on the river, even so close to the city centre.
The following weekend we were on holiday in Gothenburg, but at my husband's encouragement booked on to a kayak tour of the city. We were amazingly lucky, and noone else booked into that session, so it was just the Gremlin and me with the leader - and although the weather was a bit blowy and the water rather choppy for the paddle up the huge river, it was a great experience.
We've tried sea kayaking too - on holiday last summer off the east coast of Scotland. It was fun, but the waves were a bit challenging for me even on a very calm sea and I feel a bit nervous about the current. I'm very glad to have tried it, and would definitely do it again, but am not feeling deprived by living too far from the coast for this to be a regular thing.
The big development for me in the past year or so is that I've started racing. The club I belong to is focussed on flatwater marathon racing, and although noone is ever pressured to race, there is lots of encouragement for anyone who's thinking about giving it a try. Last June, to celebrate the fact that I was still well enough to paddle, I took part in my first 'Hasler' race - and enjoyed it so much (to my great surprise!) that I persuaded Chaos Gremlin to race with me in a K2 (tandem kayak) last September, for the first race of the new season.
As a bit of background, Hasler races are the national club championships for canoe marathon racing in the UK. The series gets its name from Major Herbert 'Blondie' Hasler, a Royal Marines officer who in World War II led Operation Frankton, in which he and a small unit of marines paddled 85 miles upstream at night in occupied France in order to carry out a commando raid on German ships. Although the raid was successful, sinking two of the ships and damaging four others, of the 12 men involved, only two survived - Major Hasler, and Bill Sparks, the other man in his kayak.
For the modern races, paddlers are ranked in divisions, from Division 9 (the slowest) to Division 1 (seriously fast). Divisions 7-9 race over about 4 miles, 4-6 over 8 miles, and 1-3 paddle a huge 12 miles - the distances aren't absolute, but depend on where there are suitable start/finish and turning points along the relevant stretch of river. For Divisions 7-9 there is usually no portage (place where you have to get off the river, and carry the kayak to a re-entry place - usually the other side of a lock!); for people like me this is very important, as getting in and out are the trickiest and slowest parts!
As with other races, each competitor has a race number - 3-digit numbers mean a solo paddler, and 4-digit numbers indicate a K2. The first digit of each number shows which division the paddler is in. Safety is very important - all paddlers in divisions 7-9 are required to wear buoyancy aids; above this it's the paddler's choice. There are also marshalls stationed on the bank or on the water along the course, to help anyone who needs it. There's a briefing before the races start, to talk through the course and make sure everyone knows where they're going. Briefing over, paddlers head onto the water to warm up, and then find the right group to start with - this is where understanding the race numbers is very helpful, so it's easy to make sure you're lining up with the right division.
Points are awarded for finishing places - the first gets 50 points, second 49 etc. and so on down the rankings; paddlers whose club is based in a region other than where the race is held do not score points. The top 12 boats for each club score points for their club, and the clubs are then awarded points in order of their finishes! Confused yet? It certainly took me a while to understand it. As an example, if club SuperSpeedy has seven first place finishers with 50 points each, four second places with 49 points each, and eight thirds with 48 points each, they will get a combined total of (7x50) + (4x49) + (1 x 48) as their top twelve scores (totalling 594 points); their local rivals, the PowerPaddlers have three first place finishes, ten second place, and two third place, so score (3x50) + (9x49), giving them 591 points. The top scoring club for each race gets 10 club points, second gets 9, all the way down to tenth and below who get one point each.
Why do the points matter? Because each autumn, the Hasler Finals take place - the qualifying clubs from each region compete against one another. This strongly appeals to me, as it means that the experience of national racing isn't just restricted to those who compete at the top levels, but that even paddlers like me can join in. That said, I'm sadly not able to go to finals this year due to a diary conflict, but will keep my fingers crossed for next year...
I had set myself two personal goals for the year: to qualify for the Hasler finals, and to start paddling a wobblier kayak. I achieved the third in June, as the qualifying criterion is simply to have taken part in three Haslers in the season. So once that was out of the way, I decided to try a different kayak for the summer. Instead of my usual Arden (wobble factor 8), I tried firstly a Raven - the popular choice at the club, but uncomfortably small for me. One of the coaches suggested trying a Kirton Tor which is another stability 6 boat, but with a wider cockpit. Success! I fit in it properly, but it's definitely less stable than the Arden. So that's what I've used a bit over the summer. Yes, I've fallen in a couple of times, but not nearly as much as I'd have expected. And using the wobbly boat more often means that when I've used the Arden, if the river's been a bit choppy or fast flowing, it's felt so much more comfortable and secure which is a lovely side benefit.
I keep trying to work out what exactly it is about kayaking that appeals to me so much, and still don't really know. There's definitely something about being on the water, and away from everyday life and stress. Being able to push myself as much or as little as I want each sessions is important too - there are times I want to work super-hard to improve my technique or speed, and times I just want to paddle gently, chat with the person next to me, and enjoy the tranquility and secret side of the city. Maybe that's it - the ability to decide what kind of session I want and to make it happen. Even on the days when it's a struggle to get there after work, or to get up in the morning and get out, it's worth it for the mental reset it provides.
So all in all, I'm a keen advocate for the sport. It's enjoyable at all levels, and there's scope to take it as lightly or as seriously as each person wants. In terms of accessibility, it's far better than might be assumed; I know that a visually impaired paddler in our region has raced (with a guide) several times, as well as paddlers with other physical limitations or disabilities. For mental health it's a huge help for me, and I know can make socialising easier for at least some autistic people as there's no need for face-to-face conversation since most chatting is while paddling down the river together. In short, if you're even tempted to give it a try, contact your local club and see what they can do. Who knows - you might discover how much fun it is too!
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