A Grade II Certificate is a requirement if you are going to be doing the kayaking section of the Coast to Coast. During our 4 day 'Grade II Certificate Course' we will teach you all the basic moving water skills you need to get your kayaking started. Our course covers all the essential paddling and safety skills you will need. The sooner you complete a course, the sooner you can begin your paddling journey!

Before you arrive to your Grade II course, consider seeing us for a quick 'Intro to Kayaking' session and we'll help you get started and prepared for your course. If there are no dates available we could still organise something for you.

If you do not have a boat yet, then a kayak is a great place to test out some first and meet people to paddle with. In Christchurch this is the Arawa Canoe Club on the Avon. Arawa has a full range of kayaks and paddles that are available to members to paddle all year round. They have a good selection of multisport boats so you can start to work out which one may suit you. The club also offers group-training sessions www.arawacanoeclub.org.nz

There is also the Downriver kayak club: https://www.sporty.co.nz/drkc/

Not in Christchurch? If you need tips on where the nearest kayak club or local paddlers are to you: Please get in touch! We have contacts all over NZ, Australia and many parts of the world. We'd love to help you.

By the end of this course you will have experienced and been run through everything you need to know about river kayaking in multisport kayaks for the Kathmandu Coast to Coast race, specific to their Grade II Certificate. You may not remember absolutely all of it but 4-days of quality kayaking is just the beginning! You'll come out of it a much better paddler than you started and be well on track for success. Your guides will make sure you leave the course with a plan on how to continue you kayaking journey through your own practice/training. The key is to carry your knowledge from this course by getting back on the water as soon as possible.

If you haven't already then after your Grade 2 course is complete you will need to find a boat to train and race in. We often recommend you wait until after your Grade II course to decide which boat is right for you. There are some great novice kayaks around with our picks being the Ruahine Shadow, Flow Aspire, the Barracuda Beachcomer or the Barracuda Enigma  These boats can all be purchased new or second-hand. The JKK Eclipse 5.7 & 5.2 are excellent boats too but currently they can only be bought 2nd hand. If you are looking at buying a new kayak you will need to allow for manufacturing time, which can often be months rather than weeks. When looking at second hand boats it is a great idea to get one of our team to check it out prior to purchasing it. That way we can make sure it is going to suit you. Getting the right boat that works for you is essential.

You will also need:

A kayak paddle, airbags for your kayak (unless you have a bulkhead e.g. Barracuda), Whitewater specific helmet, thermal underlayers, kayaking specific waterproof/splash jacket, river specific PFD (personal floatation device), Spray skirt, river footwear e.g. wetsuit booties or running shoes, dry bag for all backup/emergency gear.

Our friends at Further Faster can help you with pretty much all this gear as they KNOW multisport (among many other outdoor activities). Rasdex are also multisport kayaking gear gurus and will provide you with high quality hand made gear that is made specifically to suit a multisporter doing coast to coast. They make: kayak spray skirts that will fit your boat and waist perfectly, PFD's that are approved and fit well and with all the handy pockets for snacks during the race + many other handy gadgets you will need.

Your goal should be to get to Step Four a minimum of 6 months out from your race.

Now that you have done your course and got a boat + gear you need to get out and start training. Get your roof racks sorted so you are mobile. Reach out to the paddlers you have meet on your Grade II Course or at your local club and start paddling together.

If you need a training plan consider our affordable and high quality Coast to Coast training plans here.

There are plenty of great training spots in Christchurch offering a variety of different types of water. Talk to our team about the spots they recommend you start with. We often run free sessions on a Wednesday morning at the Arawa Canoe Club, a mix of speed work, technique and flatwater skills.

You should aim to be kayaking 3 times a week. If on flat water, work on strength, speed or skills. Otherwise get on a river and work on river skills. If you have no river rapids nearby then look for challenging conditions (safely) e.g. rougher water (choppy waves), outgoing/incoming tidal flows and book flights to come visit us for some more river experience as soon as you can. Avoid paddling on easy flat water at a steady state too often, ensure you get enough speed/strength work and skill work!

If you want to dial in your forward paddle stroke technique then book a session here.

Gain real experience and fun at our organised river races. Catering for beginners and elite. During the winter season they are all on the lower Waimakariri River. During the Spring they are on the Woodstock section of the Waimakariri River, the same section as the final 15km of the Kathmandu Coast to Coast race.

All our courses are designed to help you build confidence, improve your boat control, river reading, rapid running and self rescue skills on the Waimakariri Gorge. This is your opportunity to really take charge of your paddling and gain some further instruction with our team. 

Options we have for skills improvements:

1) Woodstock Braids - This 1 day course will help you understand the art of braid reading to a high level. Learn how to make decisions that will enable you to be smooth and fast. Prevent yourself from getting stuck in the shallows and instead: spot the fast lines. There is often time for bluff practice too.

2) Skills + Gorge - This 2 day course suits anyone looking to upskill. You will cover the Woodstock Braids on day 1 and the Gorge on day 2.

3) Waimakariri Skills Course - This 3 day course will super boost your skills, it includes bluff and braids practice on day 1, Jet boat ride + over half the gorge on day 2 and a full gorge trip on day 3

Experience the first 56km of the Coast to Coast kayak stage, whilst safely in the hands of our experienced guides. This takes you from the start of the kayak stage at Mount White, through the 26km upper braids and the entire 30km gorge section. From October, Topsport Kayaking runs Guided Trips down the Waimakariri Gorge. A guided trip is an important part of your race preparation. Our instructors will help you to identify the best lines to look for on race day. This trip will help build on your moving water skills as you experience the Rock Gardens, Entrance rapid, Salmon Rapid, Carrington Gorge, Hamilton Rapid, Wu Tang Slam, White Rock Rapid and more.

The kayaking section of the Coast to Coast can be such an exciting and enjoyable section of the race. To have good race you need to get the right gear and put the in time to become a good kayaker. If you follow these above suggestions we know you will be more successful and increase your chances of getting that medal at the finish line!

All our guided trips include transport in our vehicles to and from the edge of Christchurch city! Gear and kayaks are available to hire. If you are arriving locally or from out of town, we have you sorted.

If you have made it this far, congratulations! There is nothing more we love than seeing people we have worked with conquer their first C2C and seeing their hard work pay off. Even better if it's done with a smile at that finish line. This event is magical and an incredible achievement. If you followed the above the steps there is no doubt that you will have a successful day kayaking the 70km of rapids. Our Topsport team are here for you. The sport of river kayaking is fun and exciting with every day the river offering unique rapids and channel changes. Many return year after year, making this sport their new favourite hobbie. We have plenty of fun races for you to do or fun days in the gorge, if you wan to keep the sport thriving in your life after C2C.