paul.j said...
Now I might be way of the mark but really a piece of paper for teaching DW now? Sound like a way to make money to me!! The only people who know how to teach DW are the people who are good at it and have been doing it for a long time and understand how the ocean works!! If you think you can do a days course and get your peice of papper and teach stuff like this you are dreaming!!! Sounds like a quick grab for cash to me.
Jacko
In todays world there are instructors / lectures that have and never lived or worked in the real world yet they are the teachers, their are thousands of courses that people attend every day to get a piece of "paper" that allows them to be more informed. eg a first aid course does not make you a paramedic or a doctor but it helps you to understand and be better prepared for the unkown. To gain a level one coaching course in any sport and the piece of paper that goes with it, you do not have to be a legend of that sport, on the contray, you just have to attend the course.
Now if an organisation wants to better inform novice paddlers about the sport of downwind paddling they should be encouraged, especially by the industry as the number of paddlers / consumers will grow. I don't know the content of the days course or the instructors but what i do know is that with any basic coaching course there are certain basic elements that all athletes shoud understand and this can be taught by people with diverse backgrounds. .
Items such as basic water safety, nutrition, need for hydration, weather forecasting & understanding, the paddleboard and paddle equipment and construction. Basic training programs both on the water and in the gym and also stretching / recovery are just a few neccesatities that need to be understood before committing to serious open ocean downwind paddling.
all of the above can be taught and learnt over a day course to get the
basics and it does not have to be from a "legend" of the sport. A sport which is really only about seven years old in australia, all the "legends" that have been named in other posts above are from a diverse paddling back ground. (n.b some of the best footy players have made the worse coaches). So lets presume every one is innocent until proven guilty of "cashin' in on the sport of stand up, heaven help us there's allready enough of that & egos on the gold coast.
if this organisation can assist novice paddlers well good luck to them, I dont think their intentions are that every paddler has to have a piece of paper to enjoy downwinding.
I have no affliation with anyone, I'm just happy that some one has taken the time to organise a race.
as for the prize money
"May the best athlete/paddler win".
