Grade 2 Certificate + Waimakariri Gorge for First-Timers Course Combo
Suitable for complete beginners and paddlers with limited whitewater experience, this 7-day combo course provides everything you need—from grade 2 certification to your first trip through the Waimakarari Gorge in your race boat.
- Achieve your grade 2 kayak certificate
- Gain experience on the full race-route
- Race in the Coast to Coast with confidence
- Only 1 left available!
Doing Coast to Coast, but don’t have much kayaking experience?
- Do you need to gain your grade 2 kayak certificate?
- Are you new to paddling and want help getting started?
- Are you nervous about paddling the Waimakariri Gorge?
On Canterbury Kayaking's 7-day Grade 2 Certificate + Waimak Gorge for First-Timers Combo, you’ll gain the skills, certification and experience you need through a safe and structured step-by-step process. Once you've achieved your grade 2 certificate and successfully paddled the Coast to Coast race route, you'll be able to train towards the Coast to Coast with complete confidence.
Without the Right Preparation, Your First Coast to Coast Can Be Stressful
Many first-time Coast to Coast paddlers struggle through their race—swimming multiple times, taking bad lines, and swearing they’ll never get in a kayak again!
Why? Because they didn’t dedicate enough time to their paddling, gain experience on the actual race route, or train with a professional coach. Without structured training, race day can feel more like survival than competition.
On this course, you’ll build your whitewater skills step by step—progressing from foundational skills training to grade 2 certification, race-specific preparation, and finally paddling the Waimakariri Gorge with expert guidance.
By the time you complete this 7-day program, you’ll be grade 2 certified, confident in whitewater, and have successfully paddled the Gorge. You’ll feel fully prepared for race day and ready to enjoy your first Coast to Coast experience.
How to Book
- Select your dates and complete your booking at the top of this page ↑
- Download your information pack and join us for 7 days (4+3) of paddling with expert coaching.
- Earn your certification, paddle the Gorge, and show up on race day with total confidence.
Meet Your Coach
Sam Milne is the most experienced kayak instructor on the Waimakariri River and the founder of Canterbury Kayaking.
Having coached over 1,000 athletes for the Coast to Coast, Sam knows that getting certified is just the beginning—to perform well on race day, you need the skills, confidence, and real river experience to handle the challenges of the Waimakariri Gorge.
The Coast to Coast officially recommends that beginner kayakers "budget for at least six instructional days on grade 2 whitewater" and states that "a guided trip on the Waimakariri is also extremely beneficial".
That’s why Sam created this 7-day combo course—allowing first-time competitors to complete the recommended training in one structured program. This ensures you’re not just ticking the certification box but gaining the skills and experience needed to race with confidence.
By the time you complete Canterbury Kayaking's Grade 2 + Waimak Gorge Combo, you’ll have the certification, skills, and first-hand Gorge experience to approach your Coast to Coast race fully prepared and ready to perform.
What do I get with the course?
- 4-day Grade 2 Certificate Course:
- 4 days of professional whitewater skills instruction.
- Free use of a boat, paddle, and spray skirt.
- 2 nights accomodation.
- Up to 5x more experience on real rapids compared to other providers.
- Official certification for the Kathmandu Coast to Coast.
- Free second course if you do not pass by the final day.
- 3-day Waimakariri Gorge for First-Timers Course:
- 3 days of professional coaching on the Waimakariri River.
- Option to hire a kayak and gear
- Transport for the Gorge trip on the final day.
- Pre-scheduled bad weather backup day for Gorge trip.
- Exclusive discount on products from our gear shop.
- Personalized advice on which models of multisport kayaks are right for you.
- Drills you can take away and use to keep improving beyond the course.
The Coast to Coast race director says...
“If you miss out on the first round of entries you will be put on our waitlist. There will be 3 opportunities throughout the year where you may be offered an entry, and if you are offered a position, you must either have your grade 2 certificate or be able to prove that you're in the process of achieving it, so you should have started that process already. If you want to do the race you can't just sit on the waitlist and have not made a move on your grade 2, you should have actually started that process already. So when waitlist offers come out, you should either already have your grade 2, or be in the process of working towards a grade 2. My advice is to start working on that skill set now. I always get concerned when I hear of people doing their grade 2 certificates in December before the event, that's far too late, now’s the time to start”. – Glen Currie, 4/01/2024
Grade 2 certificates are valid for 2 years. If you remain on the waitlist and do not get offered a race entry in your first year, you will prioritised for the following year’s race.
No. This program is suitable for complete beginners as well as paddlers who have done a few days on a river before. We do, however, recommend that all participants do some flat water paddling before attending.
For your 4-day grade 2 certificate course, we will provide you with a boat, paddle, and spray skirt, to use for the entire course FREE of charge.
You will need to have ALL of the following items (* = hire available):
- Booties
- Neoprene shorts
- Thermal tops and bottoms
- 20L dry bag
- Helmet*
- PFD with whistle*
- Semi-dry paddle jacket*
For your 3-day Waimakariri Gorge for First-Timers Course, you can bring your own stable racing kayak, or hire from us.
You will need to have ALL of the following items (* = hire available):
- Stable multisport kayak or lightweight sea kayak*
- Wing paddle*
- Spray skirt*
- PFD (lifejacket)*
- Helmet*
- Long-sleeved semi-dry paddle jacket*
- Booties
- Neoprene shorts
- Thermal tops and bottoms
- Thermal hat, gloves, and socks
- 20L dry bag
- Waterproof pants
- First aid kit
- Duct tape
- Survival bag
All required gear is availble to purchase through us at a discounted rate and can be collected at the course.
The Grade 2 Certificate Course runs over 4 consecutive days to maximise your water time and learning outcomes.
Day 1: Meet at 6:30 a.m. Wharenui Pool in Riccarton. After your pool session, the remainder of the day is based at Lake Rua in Harewood and finishes at around 4:00 p.m.
Day 2: We will depart Christchurch at 7:00 a.m. for Murchison. You will paddle on the rivers around Murchison from 12:00 midday until around 5:00 p.m. then meet for dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 3: We meet at Riverside Holiday Park at 8:00 a.m. for a theory lesson, then go paddling on the river until around 12:00 midday. After a lunch break, we will meet for another theory lesson, before spending the rest of the day on the river until around 5:00 p.m. We will meet for dinner again at a local restaurant.
Day 4: We meet at Riverside Holiday Park at 8:00 a.m. for pre-assessment feedback from your coach(es) before going on your fourth and final river trip of the program. The program concludes with receiving your assessment outcome, plus personalised advice from your coach(es) on which models of multisport kayaks and/or sea kayaks would be best for you. We aim to finish in Murchison around 2:00 p.m.
The Waimakariri Gorge for First-Timers Course runs over 3 consecutive days and remains flexible based on weather and river conditions.
Day 1: Meet at 8:00 a.m. Lake Rua in Harewood, Christchurch. After a flatwater session, the remainder of the day is based on the Waimakariri River and finishes at around 4:00 p.m. at Waimakariri Gorge Bridge near Sheffield.
Day 2: We will meet at 8:30 a.m. at Waimakariri Gorge Bridge. You will paddle on the lower 15 kilometres of the Coast to Coast kayak route until around 4:00 p.m.
Day 3: We meet in Sheffield at 7:45 a.m. You can leave your vehicle in Sheffield for the day and we will provide transport for you and your kayak for a Gorge trip from Mt White to Woodstock (upper 55 kilometres of the Coast to Coast route). We will finish at 4:30 p.m. in Sheffield.
Your safety is our absolute top priority. While it's impossible to guarantee nothing bad will ever happen, incidents are extremely unlikely. We gradually increase the difficulty (and associated risk) throughout the program as your skills develop. You will progress from a swimming pool to a lake, then to a gentle river, and finally, to whitewater rapids. We will never put you in a situation we don't think you can handle, and you do not have to do anything you are not comfortable with. All our coaches are fully trained in river rescue techniques and our safety systems have been independently audited by AdventureMark and registered with WorkSafe.
Don't worry. Canterbury Kayaking is the only Coast to Coast grade 2 certificate provider in New Zealand to guarantee you will pass. If you do not meet the requirements by the fourth day of your course, we will invite you to another course completely free (conditions apply).
For the Grade 2 Certificate Course, this is not normally a problem. Unlike most other course providers, our program will run in virtually all weather and flow conditions. By basing ourselves in Murchison for the days of 2, 3, and 4, we can access multiple river sections, providing different options at various flow scenarios without a reduction in course quality.
For the Waimakariri Gorge for First-Timers Course, your first 2 days will be skills-based and we aim to be on the Waimakariri River so long as conditions allow. If we cannot paddle the Waimakariri Gorge on the final day due to weather or river flows, then this day will be postponed to our pre-scheduled Backup Day. If conditions also prevent us from paddling the Gorge on your Backup Day, you will receive alternative skills training on this day at the next-best available location, determined closer to the time.
Yes. If you are unable to pay in full at the time of booking, please enter the discount code DEPOSIT during checkout to reserve your spot with just a 25% deposit. We will invoice you for the balance, which will be due 21 days before your first course.