Multisport kayak training courses provide comprehensive instruction in various disciplines of kayaking, including whitewater, sea kayaking, and river racing. Participants learn essential paddling techniques, safety protocols, and navigation skills. These courses offer a structured pathway for skill development and prepare individuals for multisport kayaking competitions and adventures in diverse water environments.
2hr free Flat and Moving Water session in Auckland with every course booked!
Duration:Â 1-3Â Days
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Course Overview: Our Multisport Kayak Training Course provides targeted, skills-intensive instruction specifically designed to elevate your multisport kayaking performance, whether you’re just starting your multisport journey or are already preparing for your next Coast to Coast race. This two-day program often directly precedes our Grade 2 Certificate (G2C™) course, enhancing your ability to confidently navigate Grade 2 rivers.
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Online-Theory training course components: save time and skip the in-person theory for more river time and skill acquisition by to the academia at home: click HERE
Expert guidance with extensive kayaking experience
Specialised coaching tailored to multisport demands
Ideal for newcomers and experienced paddlers seeking enhanced technique
Flexible training sessions near your location (home, school, or work)
Comprehensive instruction on both flat and moving water
Intensive kayak skill refinement
Techniques for efficient paddling and optimal river navigation
Safe and progressive skill-building approach
Nature-focused adventure and physical exercise
Welcoming community and excellent instruction
Instant confirmation email upon booking
Difficulty: Moderate – suitable for paddlers of various experience levels.
Accommodation:Â Typically campground-based with full amenities. Optional Glamping available, fully set up and hassle-free.
Meals:Â Self-catered.
Locations:Â Dependent on weather and participant needs, key rivers include:
Mohaka River (Napier)
Waioeka River (Opotiki)
Rangitikei River (Taihape)
Waikato River (Taupo)
Rangitaikei River (Rotorua)
Whanganui River (Taumarunui)
Tongariro River (Turangi)
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Performance-Focused Multisport Training:Â Our program prioritises quality practice and proper technique, recognising that targeted and supervised training significantly enhances performance. Regular assessments by experienced coaches ensure optimal form and strategic training adaptations.
Kayak Performance Levels Explained:
Stable Kayaks: Suitable for beginners, providing confidence in Grade 2 conditions.
Intermediate Kayaks: Require foundational river skills and fitness, suitable for moderately experienced paddlers.
Elite Kayaks: Designed for highly skilled paddlers, requiring excellent fitness and constant forward momentum to maintain stability in dynamic water conditions.
Kayak Refresher Training:Â If your previous Grade 2 Certificate (G2Câ„¢) was completed some time ago, our two-day refresher package helps regain river confidence, evaluate current skills, and return to peak paddling form.
Join us for your Multisport Kayak Training Course and confidently embark on your Coast to Coast adventure. Navigate rivers expertly, refine your racing strategies, and belong among New Zealand’s passionate multisport paddling community.
Secure your spot today! Click our booking tab, press the book now button, or fill out an enquiry form.
Strokes: Forward
➤ Forward ➤ Sweep ➤ Reverse ➤ Low brace ➤ Draw / sculling
Variables: â—¼ Angle â—¼ Speed â—¼ Edge â—¼ Deflection
Abilities: ⚪ Ferry Glides, ⚪ Wet-exit, ⚪ River rescue and water
Safety: ⚪ Self-rescue, ⚪ Rapid float swim  position, ⚪ Rescued by rope and boat, ⚪ Swimming, ⚪ Throw-bagging.
Interpreting weather reports and river flow data,
Clothing and equipment:
↗ Kayak ↗ Paddle ↗ Spray deck ↗ Personal Flotation Device (PFD) ↗ Helmet ↗ Dry top ↗ Insulation
River hydrology:
☼ Racing lines ☼ Rapids ☼ Eddys ☼ Wave trains ☼ Holes ☼ Buffer waves ☼ Side currents ☼ Bluffs ☼ Braids ☼ Boils
River rescue and water safety:
⚪ Hypothermia, ⚪ Hazard identification and management, ⚪ Broaching ⚪ Strainers ⚪ Foot entrapment
All of the above is available to rent / hire or buy
The benefit of a kayak training course among others ensures you are less injury prone, more efficient at paddling, with powerful and precise paddle strokes while enjoying kayaking with ease and indeed faster.
The best multisport kayaking technique engages all the right muscles at the right time to get that boat gliding through the water as fast as possible.
Kayaking can be as easy or challenging as you want, depending on your choice of on-the-water environments. You can learn the basic skills for kayaking in protected waters in just a few hours. It’s best to take a class with a qualified instructor, to get started quickly and safely.
Kayaking is not as hard to learn as you might think. You only need a few basic skills to paddle effectively. You need a good guide or instructor to help you learn how to enter and exit a kayak, how to perform the forward stroke and the sweep stroke for turning the boat, and a few lessons on safety.
The main muscles used in kayaking are your abdominals, lats, biceps and forearms. Essentially, kayaking works all the muscles in your shoulders and back. After several months of kayaking multiple times a week, you will begin to see muscle development in your lats.
While a well-executed stroke doesn’t rely on the shoulders for power, your shoulders are in constant motion throughout a stroke sequence. The pull-down exercise can help you build up the endurance to handle long stretches of forward paddling.
Paddling is as hard as other endurance sports. However due to the specific muscles involved (mainly upper body for recreational kayak) it can be more exhausting than other endurance sports for a beginner (e.g. running).
At the recreational level, paddling and rowing are primarily endurance activities, sustained for long periods of time. On the plus side, that means they’re great for aerobic fitness.
Kayaking can help you lose weight. It is for this reason that kayaking is one of the top exercises that burn more calories than the traditional weight loss workout which is jogging. So if you want to get that summer, bikini-ready body, then kayaking is the way to go. It definitely is a thrilling activity to lose weight.
We select the best staff for the job based on their skills, knolwedge and experiences. They will be an SNM staff member or we will bring in support from equally competent contractors. Sometimes we also bring in (semi)celebrity guests!
