CI Freestyle and Boaterx Weekend

[Ross]

Hey guys, anyone interested in the Freestyle & Boaterx weekend in Kilkenny this weekend?

The Plan for the weekend (weather, water levels and participation numbers depending):

Saturday:
Freestyle Basics - choosing the correct size kayak, basic tricks, core concepts and knowing the score (sheet). Training routines, drills, hints, tips and bad habits. Practice comp.

Sunday:
Boatercross Essentials - kayak design and max dimensions. Race tactics and rules (or lack of!). Learning the course, boat positioning and the importance of getting a good start. Practice race.

We understand that some participants may not be able to attend both days and depending on numbers, we may not have enough playboats for everyone on the Saturday. If resources allow, we will try and run both freestyle and boatercross clinics on both days in order to maximise time on the water.

So it's still a bit up in the air as to the running of it, but if anyone is coming down, they can stay in my house, it's about an hours drive from Kilkenny City.

This seems suitable for beginners too, so any freshers interested in coming, don't be deterred! There will be freestyle boats for you and everything!

The facebook event is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/595664347169367/

Helena/Aoife need to know by Wednesday night I believe as to who is going, so there are two days to decide and organise lifts and stuff!

[Jocano]

This sounds interesting...

[Aoife S]

This is definitely worth going to! I know that if I could, I would be going! 

[Jocano]

Well if anyone's going and driving I would consider it... don't have a car. Although all I can do is roll a polo boat in the pool...

[DervM]

Yes! Please! Is there a formal registration through canoeing ireland?

[Ross]

Yes! Please! Is there a formal registration through canoeing ireland?

Yeah, just tell Helena or Aoife I think and they'll do all the dirty work.

[Ross]

Oh, and did I mention that the training is free?

[Jocano]

That's great! Do you think I would be ready for this?

[Ross]

That's great! Do you think I would be ready for this?

How comfortable are you with your roll? Have you ever done it on a river? I'm sure you won't mind swimming a bit, but it wouldn't be good form if people had to rescue to regularly enough...

I'd say try it out in a playboat on Wednesday and see how you get on, but that might not be enough time for Helena/Aoife.

I'm not sure what exactly is involved with the Boaterx part of it, but for the freestyle, I think the wave is a fairly shallow and not tippy feature, so the likelihood of capsizing would be smaller than normal, but that doesn't mean you won't be...

I'll ask one of the organisers and see what he thinks anyway...

[Jocano]

Thanks! Well no problem if not - I'm curious but rather on the safe side

[Aoife S]

The boaterX will be held on either the Nore or Clashganny, neither of which I'd see as a major issue to you Johannes.  The freestyle will be held on whichever of the three waves on the Nore which is working...the one I saw was shallow, but that was during flood so I'm not sure what one would be working now.  If you want I can register you straight after the pool session on Wednesday?

[HelenaC]

Yea once we have ye registered by midnight Wed i think its all good...

[Peter O'Sullivan]

Looks like I will be in the middle of nowhere near Letterkenny this weekend.

[Jocano]

Sure I will take a playboat tomorrow and see what I can do... Then we can discuss my participation in this - who is going anyway? Any lifts?

[Ross]

I'm going anyway if there was any doubt!