Learn the theory and skills for safely handling a stand up paddleboard in easy Class 1 rivers and surfing on river standing waves. The emphasis is on mastering the fundamentals of river paddling, along with a strong grounding in water safety and safe paddleboarding practices. Topics include: river hazards & safety awareness, eddy turns, ferries, river reading, river dynamics, efficient use of the river, and surfing standing waves.
Course runs Friday evening and all day Saturday. Check out the Course Agenda tab below for more details. Contact us to discuss availability and to register.
Upon successful completion of this course, paddlers will be awarded with the Paddle Canada River 1 SUP Skills Certification, which prepares you for our other SUP skills courses, such as River SUP Skills Level 2 and private guiding for river surfing on different standing waves such as Sturgeon Falls and Whitemud Falls.
If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to paddle rivers and/or surf standing river waves, then this is the course for you!
Special Warning: You will have lots of fun and you will definitely get wet during this course!
More Details
- Prerequisites: This course is intended for stand up paddlers with previous experience and who have completed an Advanced SUP Flatwater course or equivalent. Participants must be at least 16 years of age.
- Course includes: A combination of dry land and on-water SUP instruction from certified and experienced Paddle Canada instructors
- 6: 1 student to instructor ratio: Giving you the best in personalized instruction and feedback.
- All technical paddling gear: Please see the Gear and Clothing tab.
- Course fee: $175
Please note that the course does not include personal clothing or gear, food, or travel. Please see the Gear and Clothing tab.
Course Cancellation: It is rare that we cancel a session due to weather considerations however we will do so if, in our judgement, the conditions are dangerous or are likely to present a poor learning environment.
Course Agenda
Please arrive about 15 minutes early, so that you are unloaded, changed, and ready to begin at the start time. Arriving late will cut into your instructional time, and that of others on the course.
- Friday Evening Session (6:00PM – 8:00PM): We will spend the evening reviewing some basic and advanced flatwater SUP skills such as running draws, off-side stroke, bracing, edging, and foot positions. This evening session will be held on Cooks Creek in East Selkirk, Manitoba.
- Saturday (9:00 AM – 5:00 PM): Saturday will be spent on the Whitemouth River near Elma, Manitoba. Participants will learn about river safety and river paddling skills (eddy turns, ferries, surfing standing waves, etc.). We will conclude the day with a river run down the Whitemouth River.
Attention: Course runs Friday evening and all day Saturday. Although we do our best to work through all course content, please note that logistics, location, timing, itinerary or anything else, may be adjusted by your instructor to ensure group safety, comfort and success, over the duration of the course.
Gear and Clothing
We provide the technical paddling gear that you will need appropriate to the course as part of your course costs:
- Brand name paddleboards by Badfish and Blue Planet.
- Adjustable paddle, leash, PFD, signal whistle, throwbag, helmet.
- You are welcome to bring and learn on your own paddling gear if you have it. (Please note course fees remain the same.)
You will need to bring your own personal gear and clothing for the session:
- Cold water immersion clothing is a must. As a minimum we recommend a shorty style neoprene wetsuit or one-piece neoprene paddle top combined with neoprene shorts or leggings. And that’s for warm weather conditions.
- For warmer season/conditions: quick-dry or warm-when-wet outdoor athletic gear. Think paddle tops, rashguards, breathable hiking layers, merino wool, boardshorts ,athletic swimwear.
- Insulating layers, weatherproof shell layers.
- Towel and warm, dry change of clothes (just in case!)
- Secure protective footwear such as water shoes, paddle shoes, neoprene paddle/surf booties or sport sandals.
- Headwear: sun hat, toque (warm hat), sunglasses with straps.
- Any personal first aid, medications, sunscreen etc.
- Waterproof and floatable camera.
- Food for the day, high energy snacks, drinking water.
- Thermos with hot drink for cool days.