Grade 2 Refresher Course
For multisport kayakers needing to renew their Grade 2 Certificate for the Coast to Coast, we offer two refresher courses:
- 3-Day Down-River Racing Skills Course for paddlers who have kayaked the Waimakariri Gorge within the last 10 years.
- 4-Day Whitewater Skills for Multisport Course for those who haven’t paddled the Gorge in over 10 years.
- Only 1 left available!
Need to Renew Your Grade 2 Certificate for Coast to Coast?
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Is your Grade 2 Certificate expired, but you’re ready to race again?
- Does the thought of getting back on the river make you a little nervous?
- Are you feeling rusty and want to sharpen your skills before race day?
With Canterbury Kayaking’s Grade 2 Refresher Course, you’ll get expert coaching, guided river time, and a certification assessment to ensure you’re race-ready for the Coast to Coast.
If you’ve paddled the Waimakariri Gorge within the last 10 years, our 3-day Down-River Racing Skills Course will refine your technique in your racing kayak on the Waimakariri River.
If it’s been more than 10 years, our 4-day Whitewater Skills for Multisport Course will rebuild your whitewater foundation, sharpen your river safety skills, and help you regain confidence in rapids.
Whichever course you take, you’ll refresh your skills, renew your certification, and return to the river with more confidence than ever before.
Without valid certification, you can't kayak in the next Coast to Coast.
Many athletes get the opportunity to race Coast to Coast again, only to realize their Grade 2 Certificate has expired—putting their entry at risk. Without official certification, you won’t be allowed on the kayak stage, and without strong paddling skills, your race-day performance will suffer.
On this course, you’ll refresh your river skills, rebuild your confidence, and renew your certification through a structured, step-by-step process. Whether you need to refine your technique in a racing kayak or relearn whitewater fundamentals, we have the right refresher course for you.
Once you’ve completed your assessment and renewed your certification, you’ll feel more confident on the river than ever before and be fully prepared to take on the Coast to Coast again.
How to Book
- Select your dates and complete your booking at the top of this page ↑
- Download your information pack, and train with expert coaching over 3 or 4 days.
- Receive your renewed certificate and send it to Coast to Coast, securing your race entry.
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, he knows that a Grade 2 Certificate alone isn’t enough—you need real skills to paddle with confidence on race day.
Over the years, Sam has seen too many paddlers treat recertification as a checkbox exercise, opting for a one-day assessment instead of proper training. But the reality is, most paddlers renewing their certification also need a structured refresher to rebuild their confidence and sharpen their skills. A single-day test doesn’t make you a better paddler—it just gives you a piece of paper if you pass, or leaves you frustrated if you fail.
That’s why Sam now only offers multi-day refresher courses—because real improvement takes time. Instead of a rushed assessment, you’ll get expert coaching, progressive training, and enough time on the river to actually get better.
If you’ve paddled the Gorge in the last 10 years, the 3-day Racing Skills Course will fine-tune your technique in your racing kayak and get you race-ready. If it’s been more than 10 years, the 4-day Whitewater Skills Course will rebuild your foundation, sharpen your river skills, and prepare you to transition back to your racing kayak with confidence.
No matter which course you take, you’ll refresh your skills, renew your certification, and return to the river fully prepared for the Coast to Coast.
What do I get with the course?
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The 3-Day Down-River Racing Skills Course includes:
- 3 days of skills coaching with Sam Milne, the Waimakariri River's most experienced kayak coach.
- Paddle the entire Coast to Coast race route from Mt White to Gorge Bridge.
- Transport and shuttle for the Gorge on day 3.
- Option to hire a boat, paddle, spray skirt, PFD and helmet.
- Drills you can take away and use to keep improving beyond the course.
- Pre-scheduled bad weather backup day for day 3 (Gorge day).
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The 4-Day Whitewater Skills for Multisport Couse includes:
- 4 days of professional skills coaching with Sam Milne, the Waimakariri River's most experienced kayak instructor.
- Free use of a whitewater kayak, paddle, and spray skirt for the entire program.
- 2 nights accomodation in Murchison.
- 1 day of pool and lake sessions, plus 3 river days.
- Exclusive discount on products from our gear shop.
It depends on your experience.
- If you’ve paddled the Waimakariri Gorge within the last 10 years, the 3-day Racing Skills Course will refine your technique in a racing kayak and get you race-ready.
- If it’s been more than 10 years, the 4-day Whitewater Skills Course will rebuild your foundation in a stable whitewater kayak, helping you regain confidence in rapids before transitioning back to your race boat.
If you’re still unsure, ask yourself this:
- Do I feel confident handling rapids in my racing kayak?
- Have I paddled whitewater in the last decade?
If you’re hesitant about either question, the 4-day Whitewater Skills Course is likely the best fit. If you feel comfortable in rapids but just need to get race-ready again, go with the 3-day Racing Skills Course.
A one-day test doesn’t improve your paddling—it just determines if you pass or fail. Most paddlers needing recertification also need to refresh their river skills. A multi-day course gives you the time, coaching, and experience toactually improve—not just check a box.
If you are doing the 3-day Down-River Racing Skills Course, you can bring your own stable racing kayak, or hire from us.
You will need to have ALL of the following items:
- Wing paddle (hire available)
- Spray skirt (hire available)
- PFD (lifejacket) (hire available)
- Helmet (hire available)
- Long-sleeved semi-dry paddle jacket (hire available)
- Booties
- Neoprene shorts
- Thermal tops and bottoms
- Thermal hat, gloves, and socks
- 20L dry bag
- Waterproof pants
- First aid kit
- Duct tape
- Survival bag
If you are doing the 4-day Whitewater Skills for Multisport 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:
- Booties
- Neoprene shorts
- Thermal tops and bottoms
- 20L dry bag
- Helmet (hire available)
- PFD with whistle (hire available)
- Semi-dry paddle jacket (hire available)
All required gear is availble to purchase through us at a discounted rate and can be collected at the course.
The 3-Day Down-River Racing Skills 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.
Backup Day: If weather or river conditions prevent us from paddling the Waimakariri Gorge on Day 3, this day will be rescheduled to a 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.
The 4-Day Whitewater Skills for Multisport 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 a check-in with your coach(es) before going on your fourth and final river trip of the program. We aim to finish in Murchison around 2:00 p.m.
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. 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.
For the 3-Day Down-River Racing Skills 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.
For the 4-Day Whitewater Skills for Multisport 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.
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.