Youth Series

The new Youth Series venues have been set up to help challenge and develop the younger paddlers. Although these venues are the same as some of the established division A races the youth series course will normally be run on a less demanding part of the same rivers. The aim is to run these races on the same weekends and venues as division A events, which allows younger paddlers to see more experienced paddlers in action, gain greater experience, and hopefully allow coaching workshops to take place alongside these races.

Rules for the youth series are the same as published in the 2007 year book section 10.9 with two exceptions.

1) The ranking lists will be compiled using the best four results plus the final; there will   be 7 races plus the final race.

The Series has been set up to get progressively more difficult as the season unfolds, allowing the paddler to improve their ability. The whole idea is to promote continuing development, ultimately leading to promotion to division A.

The long term aim is to develop the youth series as a step up from the Wavehopper Challenge Series and as such there will be no handicap allowance for using Wavehopper or GP boats, although such boats can be used for if you wish. The hope is that the Wavehopper Series will develop as an introductory regional event with junior paddlers looking to move up to the Youth Series as soon as they and their coaches feel happy to do so. No promotion will be required.

1. There are four age categories, Under 16, Under 14, Under 12 and Under 10, for all of K1 Men, K1 Women, C1 and C2. Competitors must be below the relevant age at the beginning of the calendar year of the relevant race season. For the 2007 race season corresponding birth years are:

2. The date of birth must be included on the entry card.

3. In all of the kayak classes, competitors may use WWR kayaks, Wavehopper or any other kayak not longer than 4.0m and without a rudder.

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