Faster Lines Course
This 4-day whitewater course will help you transform into a more capable and confident multisport paddler.
- Improve your whitewater skills
- Grow your confidence in grade 2 rapids
- Race with greater performance and enjoyment
- Only 1 left available!
When you don't have whitewater skills you can rely on...
- You have a grade 2 cert, but still get nervous on the river
- You're not enjoying kayaking as much as you should be
- You worry about whether you'll be ready for your next race
During Canterbury Kayaking's Faster Lines Course, you’ll transform your kayaking ability by focusing on skills and techniques that will boost your confidence and make paddling rapids feel fun. Once your whitewater skills are strong and reliable, you'll arrive at your next race knowing you can handle anything the river throws at you.
Without strong whitewater skills, you can't race well.
Many grade 2 certified paddlers still don’t have the whitewater skills they need to feel relaxed on the river. And that’s like going into a fight without the ability to defend yourself. Without solid river skills, you'll always feel vulnerable in rapids, and every race will feel like a battle to survive.
In this course, you’ll focus on the essential whitewater techniques you need to stay upright and in control, serving as a strong defence against grade 2 rapids and hard-to-read river features.
After developing these key skills, you'll kayak with improved confidence, enjoy the river more, and be able to achieve a race result you can be proud of.
How to Book
- Submit your booking form at the top of this page.
- Develop your whitewater skills over 4 days of dedicated training.
- Transform into a skilled and confident multisport paddler.
Meet Your Coach
Sam Milne is a fully qualified instructor and the most experienced kayak guide on the Waimakariri River. Through helping over 1,000 people complete the Coast to Coast Race, Sam has learned that every paddler needs strong whitewater skills in order to be successful.
When Sam began his coaching career, he discovered that most grade 2 certified kayakers spend almost all their time training on flatwater. If he didn't help his clients gain the whitewater skills they needed, Sam knew they wouldn't be prepared to race, leading to poor performance and paddling in fear.
That’s why Sam created the Faster Lines program. During this course, you’ll improve your multisport kayaking ability by progressively paddling larger and larger rapids in a whitewater kayak – first in Christchurch, then around the Murchison area – dramatically improving your skills and confidence in just 4 days.
After you attend your Faster Lines course, you’ll transfer your new skills into your multisport kayak, giving you the ability to handle any race route with ease, and the confidence to feel calm going into your next big event.
What do I get with the course?
- 4 days of professional kayak coaching
- Kayak and paddle to use for the entire course at no extra cost
- Accommodation for nights 2 and 3
- Personalised advice
- Opportunity to renew your grade 2 certificate
- Exclusive access to a 20-minute Gear Guide video
- An additional 5% off kayak gear from our shop
This course is suitable for multisport kayakers who hold a grade 2 certificate but still don't feel confident on the river, or satified with their current ability in grade 2 whitewater.
We can cater to a wide range of abilities and fitness levels. It does not matter if you are training for your first coast to coast, or your 10th. You are welcome to join us!
For this to be safe and enjoyable, you need to be:
- Able to swim
- Under 110kg
- Above 16 years of age (parents of minors, please contact us before booking)
Please join us. We promise it will be worth the trip!
Here’s how it works:
- Fly to Christchurch the day before your course begins, and book your return flight for the evening of the final day (or the following day, if you prefer).
- Book just 2 nights’ accommodation in Christchurch — the night before your course starts, and the night of Day 1. We provide accommodation for the remaining two nights.
- Pack light. You only need one checked bag with your personal paddling gear. We’ll supply your kayak, paddle, spray skirt. Helmet, and PFD hire is also available.
- Don't worry about food. There are plenty of opportunities to buy what you need throughout the four days.
- On the first morning, take a short taxi or Uber ride from your accommodation to the pool. From there, you'll be able to grab a ride with another participant for the rest of the course — we're happy to help coordinate this.
- On the final day, you'll be finished in time to reach Christchurch Airport by around 6:00 p.m.
Please join us. We promise it will be worth the trip!
Here's how it works:
- Fly to Christchurch the day before your course begins, and book your return flight for the evening of the final day (or the following day, if you prefer).
- Book just 2 nights’ accommodation in Christchurch — the night before your course starts, and the night of Day 1. We provide accommodation for the remaining two nights.
- Pack light. You only need one checked bag with your personal paddling gear. We’ll supply your kayak, paddle, spray skirt. Helmet, and PFD hire is also available.
- Don't worry about food. There are plenty of opportunities to buy what you need throughout the four days.
- On the first morning, take a short taxi or Uber ride from your accommodation to the pool. From there, you'll be able to grab a ride with another participant for the rest of the course — we're happy to help coordinate this.
- On the final day, you'll be finished in time to reach Christchurch Airport by around 6:00 p.m.
Day 1 – We start at 6:30 a.m. at Wharenui Pool in Riccarton. After your pool session, the rest of the day is at Lake Rua in Harewood, where you’ll work on core skills in a calm, controlled environment. We finish at around 4:00 p.m., giving you time to rest and get ready for the river days ahead.
Day 2 – We leave Christchurch at 7:00 a.m. and head to Murchison – New Zealand’s whitewater capital. Unlike the Waimakariri, which offers only one Grade 2 section (the Gorge) that is inaccessible by road, Murchison has several safe, high-quality runs within minutes of each other. This means you’ll get far more time on real rapids, and can repeat key sections to really focus on the skills that matter. We’ll be on the river from about midday until 5:00 p.m., then meet for dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 3 – Meet at Riverside Holiday Park at 8:00 a.m. for a theory session, then paddle until midday. After lunch, we’ll head back to the river for more practical training until around 5:00 p.m. Being in Murchison, we can match the day’s river choice to your needs and the conditions, ensuring the best possible training in all weather. We’ll finish the evening with dinner at another local restaurant.
Day 4 – Meet at Riverside Holiday Park at 8:00 a.m., then complete your fourth and final river trip of the program. The course wraps up with personalised advice based on your goals. We aim to finish in Murchison by about 2:00 p.m., so you have time to travel home.
We will provide (no extra charge):
- Kayak
- Paddle
- Spray Skirt
You will need (compulsory items):
- Kayak booties
- Neoprene paddling shorts
- Thermal tops and bottoms
- 20L Dry Bag
Compulsory items available for hire if needed:
- Helmet ($5 per day)
- PFD ($5 per day)
- Semi-Dry Paddle Jacket ($20 per day)
Your safety is our absolute top priority. In adventure sports, it's impossible to guarantee that nothing bad will ever happen, but incidents on professional courses like ours are extremely uncommon. 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.
Yes.
Only a 25% deposit is required to secure your spot now.
We will invoice you for the balance (due 21 days before your course). You can pay this balance via NZ bank transfer, which you are welcome to split over a couple of payments, or pay in full with a credit card (credit card processing fee applies).