Canoe Slalom |

Join in the Fun and the Exhilaration of Canoe Slalom!

The Sharks have a thriving Canoe Slalom section, operating from our base in at Troy Lake near Harefield.

We use the facilities of Rickmansworth Sailing Club. Access is from the A412, Denham Road, alternatively you can park at the Coy Carp and walk along the canal, over the bridge at the cut and turn left and we are on the left as you go over the wooden bridge. We meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5pm during April to October and 1pm on Sundays the rest of the year. For more information please contact us by email: slalom@thesharks.org.uk or by telephone on 07951 770241. We are always looking for new members, so please do get in touch.

For those of you who have been to Shepperton, the above video is Shepperton Slalom 1953 style.

What is Slalom all about?

Slalom Canoeing is an exciting sport which involves paddlers controlling a boat on rough (white water although at beginner level it is just a moving stream) though a course of gates (poles hanging above the water) as fast as you can. It is fun, exhilarating and challenging, you are competing, against the water conditions, against the course designer, against other paddlers, and challenging yourself! Visit canoeslalom.co.uk for more information and up to date news.

There are three classes of events: K1 – Kayak singles, sitting down using a double bladed paddle in a boat on your own, C1, Canoe singles, kneeling down using a single bladed paddle in a bot on your own and C2 Canoe Doubles, like C1 but with two people.

James, our top ranked paddler in 2019 racing at a Division 2 competition.

18-year-old Amelia, is our top ranked female paddler last year, racing in national Division 2.

The better you get the higher the standard of paddler you race against and the tougher the water conditions get. Entry level slaloms can be on flat water of gently moving streams.

13-year-old Emily Potts, our latest recruit paddling at her first ever slalom (Division 4) at Stone in 2020.

Our Slalom Coach Rick Moore paddling slightly more challenging water at the Lee Valley Olympic site.

The Sharks have a well established slalom programme, you do not need any kit of any experience, it does not matter if you have never canoed or kayaked before, we will teach you all you need to know and we will supply you with all the kit you will need. Interested? Give us a call on 07951 770241, or email: slalom@thesharks.org.uk.

Take a look at some of our paddlers who raced last year. The one thing they all have in common, is that when they started they were novices, never been in a canoe or kayak, so there is no reason why you should not get involved, is there?

Our current top ranked paddler in 2020 is 18-year-old Khaleel Ziauddin who is ranked 7th in Division 2, just one place ahead of James Read.

If you think it is just for youngsters, we currently have 4 paddlers racing at national events over the age of 60! It truly is a sport for all.

Come along join us, for more information call Neal on 07951 770241 or email: slalom@thesharks.org.uk, or turn up to one of our sessions, you will always be welcome at The Sharks.

You can paddle for fun, you can take it seriously and race to the top, you can enjoy the sport at every level, your level, there are competitions at all levels, so you will always find something to suit you. We also travel to some interesting places.

Just take a look at some of our previous pictures and videos and web pages.

Visit YouTube/TheSharksCC for more videos. we are also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, all accounts are /thesharkscc.

Pictures from the past

Paddling doubles is twice as much fun.

We have had Division One paddlers in the past, above Grant Underwood our last Division 1 paddler.

Khaleel in younger days.

There is a boat under there somewhere!

Same paddler about 40 years ago at a Division 1 slalom on the Tryweryn, notice in those days each gate was made up of a red pole and a green pole and wooden paddles!