Youth Adventure Kayaking Initiative

[Sick Boy]

the icu are running a summer paddling course in the french alps. the course will be aimed at people from ages 16 to 20. it is aimed at people who are of level three standard(even if you dont have your profiency cert).

it will run for a week (near the end of june i think). it will coat a mere €500 (not including flights). it will cover everything from playboating, river running and slalom. participants will be taught basic camping skills how to cook and good meals to cook.

if you dont have your l3 when going over then there will be an assessment in the first few days. after that you will begin training for the l4 proficiency and hopefully most of the participants will have their l4 certs by the time they head home.

this sounds like a savage course. if i was a few years younger id be on it like a fly on shit.

for more information look here.
http://www.canoe.ie/YouthAdventureKayaking/tabid/1296/language/en-GB/Default.aspx

[Dave B]

I was helping out on this course last year and it was fantastic- I'm actually a bit sad that I'll miss it this year. The group consisted of people aged 14 up to 18. Most had never done any proper whitewater paddling.They were taught river running technique, slalom, whitewater river rescue, and freestyle.  It was amazing to see the rate of progression in just on week. After just a couple of days myself and the other instructors were able to sit back while the group did all their own scouting, signals, safety-setup, and rescues. At the start we were paddling the likes of the durance (grade2/3) and by the end of the week we were running the middle guil and the ubaye racecourse (grade3/4). It's a really brilliant course for anyone looking to progress quickly, and it's extremely cheap for an alpine coaching course. I know all the instructors who are heading out this year, they're all class instructors and paddlers and I can guarantee you would not be disappointed. I seriously recommend this to anyone who really wants to improve or who just loves paddling. (It's also a really cool experience)

[Nuala]

I am thinking of heading over on it. I was talking to Benny and he says you would need a level three cert beforehand, but it still sounds like a great course.

[caz]

sounds like a brilliant course but since im 20 i'm afraid i might be a bit old 

[Sick Boy]

nope caz get on to benny. id say you willl be fine.

[kmck]

Lie about your age cian. Caz go for it.

[Sick Boy]

i think benny knows.

[Dave B]

cian-edit your post so he'll never find out, then lie! and nuala get onto roger to organise an assessment before then, my da and I will do one if I'm free before i leave, if not he'll still do one for you guys

[Nuala]

Thanks Dave, Roger's on it but it will probably be after you go because of the exams.

And yes, go for it - they don't ask for your date of birth on the application form and you could easily pass for young enough Cian. 

[Asho87]

Cian.... back away from the underagers.....

[Sick Boy]