What is the Organisational Set Up for Slalom Canoeing in the UK?

Slalom canoeing is fast, extreme and very fun.  It takes great skills and concentration and will open doors for your child. Many children and adults take up slalom canoeing for the joy of it, as a hobby to meet new people and get a buzz from the adrenaline released whilst on the course. However, others want to take the sport further, and luckily, British Canoe, the UK’s organisational body, has the pathway for talent all planned out. Their website has a wealth of information, but if your child is serious about the sport, here is their route to success.

Local Clubs

The first step into the sport will always be a local club. Depending on where you live, this may be easier said than done because of the need for a specialist natural or artificial facility. You can check via the British Canoe website, where your nearest centre is. 

Local clubs are for beginners and rising talent. They will get your child off the ground and teach them as much as possible. Here they will get a taste for what slalom canoeing is really about, whether they want to pursue it, and they provide opportunities for friendly, regional competitions.

Regional Development School

The next stop is the regional development school that supports club development but at a higher stage. The maximum age for this is 14, and your child will be expected to train for 10 hours a week and attend 1 slalom camp per month. It’s a great taste of the commitment needed to make it to the top.

Regional Development Squad

If your child shows exceptional talent, they may be selected to train as part of the Regional Development Squad, open to children aged 12-15 (J14–16) with enough spaces for 16 per region. They will receive training from top coaches and prepare them for the English National Talent Squad (ENTS). This is a chance for your child to hone their skills and begin competing in some top competitions for their age categories.

English National Talent Squad (ENTS)

If your child makes it onto the ENTS, they are really getting somewhere. For youths aged 16-22, it is a chance for overall improvement physically and mentally and to become a top competing performer. The main goal for children training in the ENTS is to support them to be ready for team GB. At this stage, your child will also begin competing at top global competitions.

Team GB

If your child makes it through to team GB, they truly have made it and will have the opportunity, or the reality, of representing the United Kingdom at the Olympics. At this point, they are at the top of their game, potentially the best in the country and one of the best in the world. It takes serious commitment, dedication and training, but to reach this point is an achievement beyond comparison, and they will be the best athlete they could possibly be.

Photo by Brett Sayles