Level 3 Flatwater Racing Skills
General aims
- The Level 3 Flatwater Racing Skills Award aims to enable participants to
- To prepare the candidate for sprint and marathon racing competition and prepare for high performance racing on flat water or rivers where there are obstacles.
- Controlling the speed of the boat whilst paddling over a race distance.
- Foster further participation in sprint and marathon competitions.
Requirements
- Candidates must hold a minimum of Level 2 Skills Award.
- Candidates must have competed in a minimum of 3 sprint or marathon races.
Equipment
Β
- The assessment should be taken in a single racing boat which has sufficient buoyancy to remain afloat in a capsize
- BOAT – Single K1/C1 Racing boat
- PADDLES – for canoe: Flat paddle / for kayak: Wing paddle.
Skills
Β
Β·Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Sprint 50m from a standing start, increasing speed throughout
- Demonstrate positive balance and trim over 100m
- Demonstrate balance by various exercises
- Paddle 1000m in a straight line, turn and paddle back
- Demonstrate the ability to wash-hang
- Turning, demonstrate the ability to turn 180 degrees using the rudder
- Demonstrate ability to start a simple race of 4 boats
Safety
- Capsize and swim to the bank with all equipment
- Assist a swimmer to the bank
- Assist in retrieving a swimmerβs boat
Β
Theory
Demonstrate a basic level of the following physiological principles as they affect novice competitors[1]
- Components of fitness
- Principles of Training
- Energy Systems
- Warm-up / Cool Down
- Injury prevention and recovery
- Nutrition and the use of complementary performance enhancing supplements for paddlesport
- Strength Training and Conditioning
Assessment
- All techniques, skills and rescues must be demonstrated to an assessor’s satisfaction in order to achieve this award.
- No part of an assessment can be taken in a swimming pool. All assessment criteria must be demonstrated outdoors on water of Grade 1 difficulty.
- Generally, required assessment rescues will be kept until the end of an assessment.
Assessment Guidelines
- It is recommended that a Level 3 Flat-water Racing Skills Award is assessed by a coach other than the coach who normally trains the candidate leading to assessment
- The Level 3 Flatwater Racing Skills Award can only be assessed by a currently registered Canoeing Ireland Level 2 Flatwater Coach.
- The assessment will be carried out with a maximum of four candidates to one assessor.
- Generally guidelines will be given, should a candidate fail an assessment, as to the areas that they need to improve on.
Notes for Level 3 Flatwater Racing Skills Awards
Β
Safety Rules of Canoeing
- You must be able to swim.
- You must always wear a buoyancy aid.
- You must always ensure that there is adequate kayak buoyancy.
- You must never canoe alone.
Entry and Exit
Can be carried out with or without the use of paddles, depending on what is most appropriate to the situation.
If a spray deck is used it must be fitted
Balance Exercises
The following are examples of exercises to demonstrate balance and should be carried out without capsizing
- Paddle with the feet in the water.
- Throw the paddle in front of the kayak: kayak and paddle with the hands to the paddle, continue paddling and repeat at least three times.
- Paddle with the paddle upside down.
- Paddle with the hands β forward, backwards and sideways.
- Paddle with straight arms.
- Paddle with closed eyes.
TURNING
- The turn should demonstrate good use of the rudder.
- The turn should be completed without breaking the normal forward stroke in a turn with a radius of about 20m.
Starter Duties
- Identify the best place for the starter to be positioned and have a good mark to decide on false starts.
- Line up 4 paddlers at the start of a race.
- Take responsibility for decisions about false starts.
- Able to give right orders to start the race as indicated by the assessor.
WASH-hanging
- The candidate should maintain paddling rhythm
- The candidate should maintain the appropriate distance from the other boat
- Wash-hanging should take place on both sides of the boat
[1] Novice Competitor A paddler who is at a minimum Level 2 performance standard and is beginning to participate in competition.