This report was kindly submitted by one of our talented junior paddlers. Our thanks to them.
Yesterday evening, Lee Valley Paddlesports Club hosted a Kayak Cross event.
Kayak Cross is a sport where people go down a flowing water course in plastic kayaks, going around massive poles as they go. 4 paddlers are released at a time, often sliding down ramps, and try to go round the poles whilst staying in the lead. If the poles are green, you must go to one side of them, if they are red, you must go around them. Sometimes it even includes a roll zone, where you have to roll under a horizontal bar!
The event saw a great turn out, with 32 under 16s, 12 of them LVPC members, showing up to have fun on the Lee Valley Legacy course! The competitors all tried their hardest, especially when faced with a roll zone, other competitors and white water.
This event was hosted in order to allow young people to try out a different kind of paddlesport to the ones they are used to. It also boosted many of the paddlers’ confidence on the white water course as they knew they were not alone as they came down. Aside from the obvious competitiveness, there was a high level of team spirit. Participants and spectators alike were shouting and screaming for their friends and family as they were going down.
Special Mentions For:
+ Jake Brown for organizing and hosting the event;
+ All the people on the sidelines ensuring the safety of our paddlers;
+ The friends and family of the competitors cheering on our fellow kayakers, and setting the course up;
+ Finally, the paddlers who faced the white water with confidence and camaraderie.