Paddlesurf Skills Awards

Paddlesurf Skills Awards

Level 3 PaddleSurf Skills

Level 4 Paddlesurf Skills

Level 5 Paddlesurf Skills

Level 3 PaddleSurf Skills

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General aims

The Level 3 Paddlesurf Skills Award aims to enable participants to:

  1. Be comfortable paddling in small surf (2-3 feet or waist height) conditions with belt fastened (ski) or wearing spray deck (kayak).
  2. Assist in rescues.
  3. Have a basic understanding of etiquette and surf safety.

Requirements for the Level 3 Paddlesurf Skills Award

Strokes

  1. Efficient forward paddling form.
  2. Forward paddling with feet in foot loops (ski).
  3. Forward and reverse sweep strokes and a combination of both.
  4. Low brace.
  5. Stern rudder.

Techniques

  1. Turning on the move.
  2. Take off on an unbroken wave.
  3. Surf left and right in whitewater and green waves.
  4. Surf left and right from an unbroken wave takeoff.
  5. Bottom turns and top turns.
  6. Controlling edge
  7. Controlling form
  8. Coordinating speed when paddling out and paddling for position
  9. Coordinating waveski or kayak and wave speed
  10. Wave selection.
  11. Looking in the direction of travel – leading with head and paddles/arms.

Safety & Rescue

  1. Can release belt or spraydeck when capsized.
  2.  Can surf in lying on ski or boat holding paddle.
  3. Can control ski or boat and paddle in whitewater.
  4. Can remount ski from waist depth water. Can paddle swamped boat to safety
  5. Swim to shore from behind the breakline.
  6. Can surf in with 2 paddles.
  7.  Wade out and retrieve equipment.
  8. Can piggyback rescue a swimmer and shepherd a swimmer to shore
  9. Identify potential hazards in marine environment.
  10. Can carry out an X rescue behind the breakline.
  11. Can roll

Theory

  1. Surf etiquette & Knowledge of Safety Rules.
  2. An understanding of the effects of the wind on the sea with particular reference to the danger of offshore winds.  The candidate should show an understanding of what is meant by a leeshore. dumping surf, riptides and tide races.

Assessment

  1. During an assessment a participant must explain and demonstrate all techniques and skills at a level higher than that required for the Level 2 Kayak Skills Award. All techniques, skills and rescues must be demonstrated to an assessor's satisfaction in order to achieve this award.
  2. All strokes should be demonstrated in relevant situations i.e. stern rudder on a wave to correct course.
  3. Generally, required assessment rescues will be kept until the end of an assessment.
  4. The assessment is to be carried out with a maximum of four candidates to one assessor.
  5. Participants for this award must be at least 12 years of age.
  6. Candidates should have unrestricted access to a Waveski or surf specific kayak.

                Level 3 Paddlesurf Skills Award Strokes Guidelines

Forward paddling form (active position)

Head over knees, cycling action, navel pushed forward, not hunched and head down. Shoulder back & head up.

Turning and paddle for broken waves

It is not acceptable for athletes to have feet down whilst turning or paddling for waves (Waveski)

Turning static

Use a combination of reverse and forward sweep strokes and reverse pry’s with some awareness of support from the reverse strokes.

Turning on the move

Appropriate use of forward sweeps/rapid forward strokes and edge control.

Surf left/right in whitewater and green waves

Some tripping on the rail is acceptable but should be outweighed by successful runs.

Surf left and right from an unbroken wave takeoff

Wave selection should be in evidence with appropriate angle of takeoff. Athletes should demonstrate a knowledge and use of suitable bottom turn in reference to the wave i.e. turning high on the wave if it is fast and steep, a mid-wave turn or a bottom turn in the trough should the wave allow. The kayaker or waveski rider should trim the wave face until the wave closes out. Continued control in the whitewater athlete should surf left and right in a zigzag until wave loses power. Use of stern rudder/pry/low brace rudder to maintain and change direction.

Bottom turns and top turns

Turns should be executed with some thought to maintaining the run. An inappropriate use of turns is not a fail but should be highlighted.

Level 4 Paddlesurf Skills

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General aims

The Level 4 Paddlesurf Skills Award aims to enable candidates to:

  1. Be comfortable paddling in moderate surf*.
  2. Able to deal competently with rescue situations that might occur in these conditions.
  3. Develop group awareness.

*Moderate surf can be defined as:

Beach break or reef (3-4 feet or waist/shoulder high) wave face or whitewater.

Reef breaks should be very forgiving and free from prominent rocks or ledges. There should be a safe channel out and conditions should be free of larger set waves

Requirements for the Level 4 Paddlesurf Skills Award

To obtain the Level 4 Paddlesurf Skills Award, a participant must successfully explain and/or demonstrate the following techniques and skills at a skill level higher than that required for the Level 3 Paddlesurf Skills Award.

Skills & Techniques:

  1. Paddling out with feet in foot loops. (Waveski)
  2. Turning static and on the move with feet in foot loops. (Waveski)
  3. Catching and surfing unbroken waves.
  4. Surf left and right on an unbroken wave until it closes out.
  5.  Maintain directional control.
  6. Deliberate choice to surf from left to right and vice versa.
  7. Closing scissors’ connection of upper and lower body.
  8. Bottom turns.
  9. Top turns.
  10. Cutbacks.

Safety & Rescue:

  1. Can roll.
  2. Can surf in lying on ski or boat holding paddle.
  3. Can control Ski or boat, and paddle in breakzone and whitewater – holding ski upside down, nose to waves and by foot loops until safe to remount. Holding boat by the toggles and remaining ocean side of capsized boat.
  4. Can remount ski from deep water or re-enter swamped boat and paddle to safety.
  5. Piggyback rescue a swimmer from breakzone- Demonstrate with swimmer on the tail and on the front of ski or boat.
  6. Swim back to shore or to the channel from the breakline with ski or boat and paddle and remount/re-enter.
  7. Can X rescue, Stern supported T rescue.
  8. Can identify significant hazards and take appropriate steps to reduce risk.

Theory:

  1. Weather Forecasting, obtaining and understanding forecasts.
  2. Understand and identify the hazards associated with the environment.
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of etiquette.
  4. An ability to recognize several of the significant flora and fauna in the seashore environment.
  5. An ability to choose suitable venues based on information gained from tides and surf, wind forecasts.

Applying to attend a Level 4 Paddlesurf Skills Assessment

  1. Before applying to attend an assessment, a candidate must:
  2. Have obtained the Level 3 Paddlesurf Skills award.
  3. Be a member of Canoeing Ireland either as an individual member or as a member of an affiliated club.
  4. Have unrestricted access to a waveski or surf specific kayak, personal equipment and any additional equipment.
  5. Have a working knowledge of First Aid, to include the symptoms and treatment of exposure and an awareness of the technique of CPR. It is recommended but not mandatory that the candidate attend a First Aid course such as REC3.
  6. Be at least 16 years of age.

Level 5 Paddlesurf Skills

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General aims

The Level 5 Paddlesurf course aims to provide the candidates with the necessary skills and knowledge to paddle safely in advanced surf conditions* and help promote awareness of safety procedures within a group of peers.

*Advanced surf can be defined as:

Beach break or reef (4’- 5’ or shoulder to head high) wave face.

‘however if wave size is small on reefs then beach breaks or sand bars that offer suitable conditions can be used’

Requirements for the Level 5 Waveski Skills Award

  1. The Level 5 Paddlesurf Skills Award requires that a candidate attend a training course prior to assessment. The course for the Level 5 Paddlesurf Skills may be held over one or two weekends.
  2. The training course aims to provide the candidates with the necessary skills and knowledge to help develop Paddlesurfing and help promote awareness of safety procedures.
  3. Paddling out through surf. Managing set waves and using a repertoire of skills to get out back- These will include timing, sprinting, climbing whitewater and rolling under waves.
  4. Pivoting turns and late take offs – Athletes control a tight tail pivot and use the buoyancy of the ski or boat to aid take off.
  5. Catching unbroken waves. Athletes should demonstrate a variety of take offs to gain best position and maximum power from wave. Athletes should also demonstrate critical take offs under the lip with the intention of setting up advanced manoeuvres such as barrels, re-entries and aerials.
  6. Surfing an unbroken wave- Athletes must demonstrate a solid interpretation of the waves ridden. A maximum change in speed, direction and height should be evident. The wave must be used to its full with the rider extracting as much power and potential from the wave as possible.
  7. Maintain directional control- Floating whitewater to regain green wave.
  8. ‘Closing scissors’ connection of upper and lower body – Athletes should move weight and pivot point of ski to correspond with wave and desired outcomes/manoeuvres.
  9. Bottom turns- Demonstrate a variety of bottom turns appropriate to wave, to maintain run and set up for advanced manoeuvres.
  10. Top turns- Executed on the lip to gain as much height as possible. The ski or boat should be snapped loose where top turns are on fatter or softer sections of the wave.
  11. Cutbacks-. The ski or boat should turn to face the whitewater and if possible snapped from the water to release the hull.
  12. Roundhouse cutbacks- At this level athlete’s must demonstrate a full carving roundhouse cutback. The ski or boat should be driven off the shoulder into the whitewater in an ‘S’ pattern.
  13.  Floaters- Paddlesurfers must demonstrate floating small sections of wave to maintain speed and wave.
  14. Re-entry- Riders at this level should be presenting the hull of the ski or boat to the lip to gain height before dropping back in to the wave with more speed to continue ride. This should be demonstrated off the lip and off oncoming shoulder/whitewater.
  15. Attempting aerials- Hitting the lip or oncoming whitewater with the intention of throwing the craft airborne. The paddler should show commitment and control throughout. It is not acceptable to surf to the lip and hope for the best.
  16. Attempting regains- Riders should be deliberately climbing whitewater with the intention of regaining the green wave.
  17. Rolling-Consistently rolling in surf and under set waves whilst paddling out or maintaining position in the line-up.

Show beginnings of:

  1. A high awareness of trim line and riding a high line.
  2. Rail control & pumping rail during diagonal run.
  3. Aerials.
  4. Cover ups and barrels.
  5. Re-entry off a roundhouse cutback.
  6. Regains - Whitewater climbing to regain green wave.
  7. Re-entrys.
  8. Paddleout take offs.

Safety:

  1. Can surf in lying on ski or boat holding paddle.
  2. Can control craft and paddle in breakzone and whitewater – holding ski upside down and by foot loops until safe to remount. Holding boat to the beach side of the paddler by the toggles, performing a re-entry and paddling swamped boat to safety
  3.  Can remount ski or re-enter boat from deep water.
  4. Piggyback rescue a swimmer from breakzone- Demonstrate with swimmer on the tail and on the front of ski.
  5. Swim back to shore or to the channel from the breakline with craft and paddle and remount/re-enter.
  6. Understand and identify the hazards associated with the environment.
  7. Demonstrate knowledge of etiquette and awareness of other water users.
  8. Can maintain position in the line-up.
  9. Paddlers should be able to liaise with emergency services.
  10. Paddlers should be able to demonstrate basic first aid for common paddlesurfing injuries.
  11. Paddlers must be able to demonstrate curl rescues, X rescues, stern support T rescues      in varying conditions and situations. Take charge of rescues and co-ordinate others to affect rescues as efficiently as possible.
  12. Paddlers should be able to demonstrate rescuing an unconscious casualty from the surf zone from a ski and a boat. Paddlers should demonstrate the use of a Peterson tube.
  13. Candidates should demonstrate safe group awareness, control and dynamic risk assessment.

Training Course

  1. The Level 5 Paddlesurf Skills Award requires that a candidate attend a training course prior to assessment.  The course for the Level 5 Paddlesurf Skills may be held over one or two weekends.
  2. The training course aims to provide the candidates with the necessary skills and knowledge to help develop paddlesurfing and help promote awareness of safety procedures within the surf environment.

Applying to attend a training course

Before applying to attend a Level 5 Paddlesurf Skills Training Course a candidate must

  1. Hold the Level 4 Paddlesurf Skills Award.
  2. Have unrestricted access to a fully equipped waveski or surf specific kayak, personal equipment, and additional equipment as deemed necessary.
  3. Be at least 18 years of age.

Assessment Requirements

Before applying to attend a Level 5 Paddlesurf Skills Assessment, a candidate must:

  1. Have attended an approved Level 5 Paddlesurf Training programme within the 24 month period preceding a selected assessment date.
  2. Have recorded in a Level 5 Paddlesurf Skills logbook a minimum of 10 Skills Logbook, following the completion of a Level 5 Paddlesurf Skills Training , a minimum of at least 10 surf sessions (2 – 3 hours min) in advanced surf conditions in at least 3 different locations (reefs/beach-breaks).
  3. Possess a current and approved First Aid Certificate (for example REC Level 3).

Assessment Guidelines

  1. A Level 5 Paddlesurf Skills Award can only be assessed by a registered member of the Level 5 Paddlesurf Skills Assessor Panel.
  2. It is recommended that the award is assessed by an Instructor other than the Instructor who has run the training course leading to assessment.
  3. The assessment ratio is a maximum of 4 candidates to 1 assessor with a minimum of 2 candidates to 1 assessor.
  4. Clear guidelines should be given in writing should a candidate fail an assessment as to the areas which need to be improved upon.
  5. Candidates cannot depend on any assistance (material or practical) during the course of an assessment.
  6. No other award or qualification can be assessed during a Level 5 Paddlesurf Skills Assessment.