International Webinars – Paddling in France

During 2023, BCAB will be sharing a range of webinars aimed at those looking to paddle overseas or exploring places to paddle.

Each webinar will cover the opportunities to paddle throughout the country, including types of environment available and grades, visa requirements and byelaws, logistics of getting to and in and around the country, as well as local guide top tips.

Join our first webinar on 15th February, led by Bob Timms, exploring paddling in France. Book online here.

Bob Timms

Bob has been kayaking and canoeing for 41 years, having started aged 11 in East London. He has worked in the Outdoor Leisure Industry since 1988 in both Paddlesport and in the Mountains (walking , climbing and biking) as a Leader, Guide, Coach and Trainer. His paddlesport passions span sea kayaking, canoeing and white water kayaking and have taken him to Peru, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Nepal and India, but it is Europe, and especially France, that has always held his passion since he first visited to work on the Ardeche River as a canoeing Instructor in 1989. Over the following couple of years, he fell in love with France – skiing, climbing, ice-climbing, white water kayaking and rafting, sometimes working, or just for fun.

When a few years as the Director of Coaching at the National White Water Centre in Wales came to an end, he took a year off and sea kayaked from the UK to Athens in Greece.

A full time Instructional post at the National Mountain Centre in the early 2000’s was his final jumping off point to live permanently in France. He moved to the Southern French Alps in 2004, as self-employed Adventure guide, starting a family with his wife.

A few years later he relocated to the Ardeche in France to work as the full time technical advisor for PGL Travel, the UKs biggest Outdoor Activity company. He has remained there since, working for PGL full time and private guiding and training in his own time. Bob remains an active white water paddler and professional, having gained French equivalence for his UK Qualifications for advanced white water leadership and training, road and mountain biking and International Mountain Leading.  You can find him paddling in the Alps and Verdon in the summer and waiting for rain at home in Joyeuse (Cevennes) in the winter.

 

Join us on 15th February, 7pm – 8.30pm UK time, to hear about paddling in France.

Book online here

Keep an eye out for more overseas webinars throughout 2023.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
modal close image
modal header

Paddlesport Safety and Rescue Course

This course was launched on the 4th January and aims to provide paddlers with the key safety and rescue skills required to operate safely and be able to deal with common problems in a sheltered water environment.

The course content focuses on rescuing from the paddlers specific craft and covers equipment, safety frameworks, as well as a range of rescues such as contact and towing rescues, self-rescues and deep water rescues.

Find out more about this course!

default

modal header

Stand Up Paddleboard Instructor

This course was launched on the 4th January and aims to support Instructors running SUP taster/starter sessions and short journeys in very sheltered water environments.

The 2 day course helps to prepare candidates for their first SUP instructing role, ensuring they are ‘primed and ready’ to deliver safe and enjoyable sessions for people new to paddleboarding, within the safety management systems of clubs, centres or other organisations.

Find out more about this course!

default

modal header

Inclusive Language eLearning

This eLearning was launched on the 11th January and will cover the importance of using inclusive language and the impact it can have on those around you.

This module provides an understanding of key terms, definitions and examples of inclusive language; supports learners on how to identify and tackle inappropriate or exclusive language such as banter and microaggressions; and how to challenge it when it happens.

Find out more!

default

modal header

International Webinars

We have held several International webinars throughout the year the first being Paddling in France which was on 15th February 2023, this was then followed by the United States of America on 15th March 2023 we then had Nepal, Norway and the latest one Austria which was on 21st June 2023. 

If any resources were used in the webinar you can now find them on the BCAB Digital Library along with the recording of the webinars. Unfortunately Paddling in Norway wasn\’t recorded so that wont be on the Digital Library.

default

modal header

Manual Handling eLearning

This eLearning was launched on the 31st January and will cover different types of manual handling, how we can consider and manage risk and shows the steps we can take when manual handling to better protect our bodies. 

Throughout paddlesport, there are many occasions when we are lifting, carrying and moving craft, as well as performing rescues.  It’s essential we reflect on current practice and consider whether we are putting ourselves and others in potential danger of damaging joints and muscles, particularly when moving or lifting equipment or people.

Find out more!

default

modal header

Sea Kayak Safety and Rescue Course

This course was launched on the 2nd May and aims to provide paddlers with the key safety and rescue skills required to operate safely and be able to deal with common problems on the sea, in both sheltered and moderate conditions.

Find out more about this course!

default

modal header

New eLearning platform

On the 14th June we moved over from the Sarola shop to our own new eLearning platform on BCAB. We made this change because learners have asked us to reduce the number of our websites they need to use.

default

modal header

Inland Open Water Safety and Rescue

This course was launched on the 1st June and aims to provide paddlers with the key safety and rescue skills required to operate safely in a moderate inland open water environment.

All of the modules are interactive, practical sessions, discussing and using equipment, and exploring possible solutions to common issues. Modules include safety frameworks, clothing and equipment, self rescues, as well as rescue scenarios.

Find out more about this course!

default

modal header

Euro Paddle Pass (EPP)

British Canoeing Awarding Body attended a meeting with other National Federations to consider the framework of paddle sport competency in all disciplines across Europe.  

The Euro Paddle Pass (EPP) as it is known has members from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Each National Paddlesport certification system maps across to the requirements of the EPP standard within a specific discipline and ranges from levels 1 to 5.

The BCAB relatively new personal performance awards (January 2019) have now been mapped, verified and agreed at specific levels within the framework.

default

modal header

Pathway opportunities for Slalom Coaches

British Canoeing Awarding Body is pleased to announce that it has developed an alternative pathway for Slalom Coaches, and is now offering two regulated qualifications:

  • Slalom Coach (Grade 1/2) 
  • Slalom Coach (Grade 2/3)

During a review of the existing pathway for Slalom Coaches it was evident that many clubs do not operate within the environmental definitions of moderate water (Grade 2/3) and the need to provide opportunities for those coaching slalom within clubs to gain a regulated qualification.

Find out more!

default

modal header

Surf Kayak Safety and Rescue course

This course was launched on the 1st July. This course replaced the Advanced Surf Kayak Safety and Rescue programme. Modules include beach management, safety frameworks, self-rescues, deep water rescues and more.

The Surf Kayak Safety and Rescue course has replaced the Advanced Surf Kayak Safety and Rescue programme and is a 6 and a half hour programme that consists of 7 modules.

Find out more about this course!

default