DISABLED PADDLERS

Paddlesports are an amazing way for people with a range of different impairments to get active outdoors and enjoy the Welsh countryside, and there are clubs and centres across Wales who can support you to get started. If you're interested in competition and you have a physical impairment, there are opportunities to compete in paracanoe, with regular regattas and international competitions.

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If you require any information on our website or any of our publications in large print or alternative formats, please contact us at admin@canoewales.com or call 01678 521 199.

Getting started at a local club

We have more than 55 affiliated paddlesport clubs across Wales which provide a fun, welcoming place for beginners to get started in paddlesport. Many of our clubs have volunteer coaches who have had some training in supporting disabled paddlers to get started and you can easily find these clubs by using our Club Finder. Just type in your postcode and tick the box which says 'trained to welcome disabled paddlers' and you'll find contact details for your nearest clubs.

When you contact a club, make sure you explain any special needs you might have - whether this involves needing some adaptations to equipment, some one-to-one support or training, or advising the coach or leader of a session how best to communicate with you. Our clubs are friendly and welcoming, but it's useful to remember that many will not have had much experience of welcoming a disabled paddler - or perhaps not one with your impairment - and you'll have a much better first experience if they have some knowledge about your specific needs and interests.

If you have any trouble getting started at any of our clubs, please get in touch with our CEO Alistair Dickson (alistair.dickson@canoewales.com) and he can provide some further support.

Find a club

Getting started at an outdoor centre

There are literally dozens of outdoor centres in Wales - probably one right on your doorstep! We don't currently have a listing of centres, but we can give you some advice about how to have a successful trip or training session with a local centre:

Call up or email the centre before you book and explain any special needs you might have - especially if you would like some adaptations to the equipment, need support getting in and out of the boat, or if you have alternative communication needs. All centres should be happy to support these needs - and you should contact us if you encounter any difficulties.
Ask the centre if any of their instructors have done a Paddleability course or had similar training. This will ensure that you get an instructor who has some specialist knowledge about disability. However, even if they haven't had this training, all instructors who have a British Canoeing qualification will have had training in how to adjust their session to respond to the needs of the individual paddler.
During the session, don't be shy about explaining what will make the session or equipment work better for you. Even if the instructor has a lot of knowledge about adaptive paddling techniques, the only person who is an expert on your needs is you - and it will really help your instructor if you explain important information about your strength, balance, fatigue, communication needs, etc.

Opportunities to compete

Interested in competing? If you have a physical impairment, you may be eligible to compete in Paracanoe.

Paracanoe is a Paralympic sport and Great Britain is a world leader in Paracanoe. You can find more information about Paracanoe and the GB Paracanoe programme on the British Canoeing website.

If you'd like to get started in Wales, just get in touch with our Performance Manager, Thomas Power, and he will arrange a phone call with you to discuss what opportunities are available and how you can get started.

Contact our Performance Manager

COURSE FINDER