The three golden rules of whitewater kayaking

By Ken Whiting Liquid Skills Photos: Paul Villecourt

ALL PLAYBOATERS need to understand and apply the three golden rules of whitewater kayaking. They are essential. What are these three golden rules? • Separate your body movements • Maintain control of your kayak with an active blade • Use the power of your torso.

Let’s start by looking at what these rules mean, and why they’re so important.

Rule # 1: Separate Your Body Movements

Good playboaters have learned to let their upper and lower bodies work independently, yet cooperatively with each other. What does this mean? It means that there needs to be a distinct

separation of movements at the hips between the upper and lower body. This separation of movements will allow you to control the kayak in the most efficient and safe manner possible.

Rule # 2: Maintain Control with an Active Blade

Today’s short boats are incredibly responsive. This makes them very easy to turn, but it’s also easy to lose control of them as even the smallest river feature will push them around. The only way to maintain control of your kayak is to have an active blade in the water (See photo top left).

What does this mean?

It means that it’s important to get your next stroke in the water as soon as one stroke is finished. By having a blade in the water, you can take an active role in deciding where you’ll go, rather than always reacting to the things that happen to your kayak.

Rule #3: Use the Power of Your Torso

Use much more than just arm and shoulder muscles for all paddle strokes. You need to use the power of your whole upper body for any stroke you take. Rotating your torso is how to incorporate your front and side stomach muscles into all strokes. By using these larger muscles, you’ll be able to harness all or most of your power, and will

improve stamina as your efforts are spread over more muscles. Torso rotation is also important for keeping your shoulders safe from injury.

Torso rotation involves three components: • Winding up the body • Planting a pivot blade • Unwinding the body. Winding up the body means turning your upper body at the waist so your chest no longer faces the direction that your kayak does. Once your body is wound up, your paddle gets planted in the water as a pivot. As you push or pull on this pivot blade, your knees and stomach muscles together will pull your body back to its position of rest. The act of using stomach muscles, along with your knees, to return your body to its position of rest is referred to as unwinding the body. Think of your body as an elastic band. The more you wind it up, the more power you’ll have available to you. Though there’s no need to fully wind up your body for every stroke, your stomach muscles should be involved with each and every stroke you take. About the author: Ken Whiting won the 1997/98 World Freestyle Kayaking Championship. This is a segment from his new book entitled, The Playboater’s Handbook II. For more information on any of Ken’s books or videos, visit www.playboat. com, or check out the Liquid Skills Kayak School at www.liquidskills.com.

Anatomy of a canoe

By Jason Yarrington

WE’RE CONFIDENT YOU, as a passionate paddler, know all the parts of the canoe. Really we are. But just in case you can’t remember all the definitions, we thought we’d compile a diagram to remind you of the correct terminology. If you and your canoeing partner can commit it to memory you’ll communicate better when you’re out on your next excursion.

1 – The Bow is the front end of the canoe. You can usually spot the bow by looking at arrange

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3 the seat ment. The front

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seat is further 8 from the 9 end of the 7 16 canoe to provide leg room for the bow paddler.

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2 – The Stern is the back end of the canoe where most of the steering is done.

3 – Port is the left side of the canoe.

4 – Starboard is the right side of the canoe.

5 – Beam is the width of the canoe.

6 – The Hull is the body of the canoe which displaces the water and provides the canoe's buoyancy.

7 – The Gunwale (gunnels or rails) are the upper edges that frame the upper part of the hull. The gunwale can be one piece or can consist of two pieces–an inwale along the inside of the hull and an outwale along the outer edge. This supports and adds rigidity to the hull.

8 – The Thwarts are one or more cross-pieces attached at gunwale level to provide support to the gunwales and sides of the hull. 9 – The Yoke is a shaped thwart, designed to fit the shoulders, which supports the canoe's weight when carrying.

10 – The Decks are triangles of wood that sit between the gunwales at either end of the canoe. They provide a grip for carrying

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the canoe and a

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6

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place to attach a painter (rope).

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11 – The Seats are set in wide cross pieces which are usually attached to the underside of the gunwales.

12 – The Keel is a narrow strip running along the bottom of the hull from bow to stern which provides greater tracking capability and gets most of the wear and tear when launching and beaching a canoe.

13 – The Ribs are the flat cross pieces that follow the shape of the hull, pushing it outward into its shape and giving added strength to the bottom of the hull. In fibreglass, kevlar and ABS canoes, there may be only one (or none) since the material itself gives the shape.

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Photos–Langford Canoe.

Val Hinsperger

An accomplished runner, a mother of two, and a big part of Ottawa’s running scene!

By Fiona Trip

VAL HINSPERGER HAS BEEN a fixture in our running community for a number of years. From competitive running, to teaching and coaching clinics, her enthusiasm is infectious and makes it a pleasure to be in her company.

A member of the race committee for National Capital Race Weekend, an executive member of the National Capital Runner’s Association, manager of human resources and staff development at Bustukah Great Outdoor Gear, and sharing the family responsibilities of owning and operating the Bonnechere Caves, it’s a wonder Val has time for her running and other activities.

At the age of 13, and one of five children growing up in Winnipeg, her mother insisted that each child choose an activity. Val chose track. It seemed to be the easiest team to join. She ran

800m and 1500m, but really enjoyed crosscountry because of the challenge of the terrain, with the mud and the dirt of running crosscountry. She credits her junior high school coach, George Tanner, as being a significant part of those teenage years as he instilled a positive attitude by his dedication and spirit of sport.

After moving to Ottawa as a young adult, Val would do track workouts by herself. One day, an elderly gentleman, who coached master’s runners, asked if she would be interested in joining. Danny Daniels, with a passion for training, then became coach and mentor for 15 years. But a memorable moment of running occurred at the Whitehorse Marathon. Being on target for a 3:10 finish, and in the last kilometre, Val was passed by her 66 year old coach. It left an unforgettable and inspirational feeling.

While Val has taken many breaks over the years from running, she has not restricted her outdoor activities to running but has learned to enjoy life. Though running has not been the only outlet, she’s been around the block enough to know that injuries will heal in time. This has made a difference in handling and overcoming injuries. Along the way, Val continues to enjoy crosscountry skiing, biking, swimming, walking, hiking and snowshoeing. All these are great cross training and readily accessible in our Ottawa area.

The social aspect of running also

started when Val moved to Ottawa. Any sports activity can be bonding, as Val enjoys weekly runs with university buddy Patty and former nemesis Diane and “sister” Karen. The Hash House Harriers have brought out the joy of running, and indulging has its perks. The trails of the Gatineaus are a favorite place to run, with lots of adventure.

So what motivates Val Hinsperger? Val considers her biggest asset to be her husband, friends and children. Early in their marriage, she realized that she had a partner who was as keen on challenging life as she was. They are now in their 21st year of marriage and both are as active as when they first met. A talented hockey player, youth worker and business owner, Chris has always marched to his own drummer while dancing with Val. Recognizing the individual and mutual skills within themselves has been their theme in raising their kids and choosing their friends. Respect is a key word in the Hinsperger household. Their sons, Nic and Dan, are involved in all levels within their community, which includes