WHY YOU NEED A


NATIONAL PADDLING WEEK EVENT


JUNE 15 TO 23, 2013


AS THE WINTER THAWS and rivers flow again, we begin our annual migration back to the water to paddle, teach and guide the growing ranks wanting to learn our trade. National Paddling Week (NPW) is organised by Paddle Canada, Rapid Media and the Canadian Canoe Museum to promote engagement between instructors, clubs and pad- dling businesses with the public. Any paddling related events, courses or workshops can be registered at NPW’s website (www.nationalpaddlingweek.ca) and will benefit from um- brella promotions and the media attention that a nationally- coordinated event will receive. Additionally, Paddle Canada is waiving course fees for NPW events.


The launching of NPW could not have come at a bet-


ter time for the paddling business. Our Executive Director, Graham Ketcheson, takes every chance to remind us of the growing number of participants in Paddle Canada courses. This growth is not limited to paddling; it is part of a larger trend of an expanding adventure tourism market. The 2010 Adventure Tourism Market Report by George Washington University found that the $89 billion spent annually on adventure tourism is expanding rapidly and regular travelers are increasingly in search of more authentic and adventurous travel options. National Paddling Week is an exciting opportunity for


Paddle Canada members to engage this trend and make pad- dlers out of a growing number of Canadians looking for an outdoor pursuit. The key is to make NPW events accessible and get first-time paddlers excited about our sport. As Scott MacGregor, the founder of Rapid Media, said, “It’s not about teaching proper strokes—they have the rest of their lives to learn that—but they won’t if we don’t inspire them to paddle.” As experienced paddlers, we sometimes forget that


NPW meets Paddle Canada’s vision and mandate by promot- ing paddling safety awareness, reaching out to new communi- ties and promoting skill development. On a more practical basis for the membership, NPW “is a very solid promotion, and for many recreational paddlers, an introduction to Paddle Canada and associated members.” From the perspective of an instructor, I am very excited by Paddle Canada’s pioneering involvement in National Paddling Week. It presents concrete benefits to instructors by enhancing the recognition of Paddle Canada certifications and helping us connect with our com- munities.


I had the opportunity to chat with Mia Oliver of Great North Surf, a recent Paddle Canada SUP instructor from


TEACH A SIMPLE TECHNIQUE THAT CAN BE LEARNED QUICKLY AND THAT PARTICIPANTS WILL BE EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING


we often use advanced techniques that can create barriers for newcomers wanting to enter the sport. We should be focusing more on inspiring newcomers to paddle. If you are offering an on-water event, an easy way to do this is to teach a simple technique that can be learned quickly and that participants will be excited about learning. National Paddling Week owes its existence to multiple sources. National Canoe Day was a project of the Canadian Canoe Museum. The idea to expand it into a full week event came from a dialogue between Scott MacGregor, Paddle Canada and the Canoe Museum with the aim of combining a celebration of paddlesports with an opportunity for communi- ties to engage with local shops, instructors and clubs. Paddle Canada secured funding, hired Dawn Callan as the NPW Co- ordinator to gather ideas and connect people with potential.


Sudbury, Ontario. She is very optimistic that National Pad- dling Week will be the perfect opportunity for her to spread the word about her SUP lessons and engage with the com- munity. I also talked to Doug Taylor, an organiser with the Comox Valley Pro Bono Safety and Rescue Clinic in British Columbia (June 19, 2013). The Clinic has run for the last four years and has had great success offering the public a fun and accessible opportunity to learn the basics of kayak rescuing. In past years, Doug says the Clinic has had up to 45 boats in the water. He is expecting even more participation from the community with the added publicity that National Paddling Week will bring. —Adrian Camara The 2010 Adventure Tourism Market report is available at: www.xolaconsulting.com.


www.rapidmag.com 59


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64