Canoe Wales is the national governing body for paddle sport in Wales. We:

  • Manage the National White Water Centre which is located on the river Tryweryn in Bala, North Wales
  • Represent the interests of our club and individual members
  • Advocate on behalf of the interests of the sport in Wales
  • Provide coaching and development programmes from local to international level
  • Stage national and international competitions.

Performance and Leadership Awards

Canoe Wales supports a range of awards to suit paddlers of different ages, background and disciplines; including awards for encouragement, to show progression and to allow those with an appropriate level of skill to lead others in suitable environments. Most importantly, the scheme encourages you to go paddling!
Below is a brief overview of the awards available, click on the links to find out more about each award, or use the sub-menu links to the right:

PaddlePower

Paddlepower is an exciting and colourful scheme that has been designed to meet the needs of young people. The scheme allows young paddlers to experience all aspects of the sport, including competition and adventure elements. These awards are recommended for paddlers under 15. For more information on the awards available, how they compare to the BCU star awards and what you need to do to provide the awards, click here.

Paddlesport Start

The Paddlesport Start Award is designed to provide a framework for a paddler's first session. It is very much an encouragement award and can be used by coaches who offer taster sessions, or as the first session of a series. It is an adult version of Paddlepower start.

Star Awards

The Star Award scheme best suits paddlers aged 16 and over. The 1 star and 2 star awards are generic, encouraging paddlers to experience the various disciplines of Paddlesport available, with paddlers 'specialising' in particular disciplines from the 3 Star Award onwards. The emphasis of the 1, 2 and 3 star awards is developing personal skills and gaining independence; while the 4 star and 5 star awards are now leadership awards and enable paddlers to lead groups in appropriate conditions. As such, they are usually referred to as 4 Star Leader and 5 Star Leader.

The BCU 1 Star is a flat water award that demonstrates an individual has basic boat control and foundation skills.The one star can be taken in any kind of paddlesport craft (e.g. sit-on-top, slalom C2, polo boat, sea kayak, racing canoe etc.)

The BCU 2 Star is an improvement award that helps paddlers develop fundamental paddlesport skills on flat water. The emphasis is on gaining a breadth of experience, creating the desired movement of the boat and developing an understanding into how the paddle, boat and water interact.

Successful performance at BCU 3 Star level indicates that a candidate can consider themselves an intermediate paddler rather than a beginner. The award is available for white water, touring, canoe, sea and surf.

Leadership Star Awards

The BCU 4 Star Leader shows that a paddler is competent within a particular discipline, able to lead groups in moderate water environments and familiar with the relevant safety and rescue techniques for that discipline. The award is available for white water, canoe, sea and surf. There is a touring 4 Star Leader award due out soon.

The BCU 5 Star Leader awards shows that the paddler is very competent and skillful within a particular discipline; they able to lead groups in advanced water environments and familiar with the relevant safety and rescue techniques for that environment and discipline. The award is available for white water, canoe, sea and surf.

Cross Stream Challenge

Cross Stream Challenge is a programme we've put together to help paddlers use their boats in a different way. Slalom, freestyle, downriver racing and more - you can learn the fundamental techniques for all these disciplines with the cross-stream challenge.Our starter pack gives you 30 challenges - 5 starter challengers and 25 more specific challenges. All you need to get started is any canoe or kayak (single or double), five slalom gates or five sets of buoys. Then you're ready to go! Some of the challenges will allow 2 boats (or teams) on the water at the same time to race head-to-head. First team across the line is the winner! The challenges are great fun, get everyone involved and are ideal for developing skills in younger paddlers.

Placid Water Racing Awards

The Placid Water Racing Awards are intended to recognise and encourage improvement in canoe and kayak performance. They can be attempted in any canoe or kayak, although the aim is to encourage the use of placid water craft in an individuals progression to racing modern boats.