Waimakariri Gorge for First-Timers Course (3 Days)

• Minimum Age: 15 years
• Minimum Qualification: A Grade 2 Kayaking Skills Certificate (issued within the last 2 years) is required before your course begins.
• Minimum Fitness: For your safety and enjoyment, you need to arrive with the strength and endurance for long-distance whitewater paddling. You should be comfortable keeping pace with a group over extended distances with minimal breaks.

• Three days of professional skills coaching and personalised advice.
• The opportunity to paddle the full 70km Coast to Coast race route.
• Transport for the Gorge trip on Day 3.
• Option to hire a kayak, spray skirt, paddle, PFD, helmet, and paddle jacket.
• Opportunity to purchase gear from our shop with guidance from a qualified coach.
• Flatwater and moving-water drills you can take away and incorporate into your own training to keep improving after the course.

Day 1

Meeting: 8am Lake Rua – Finishing: 4pm Waimak Gorge Bridge

Day One starts with a conversation about your kayaking experience and your goals for the Coast to Coast. Your coach will then run through a full gear check to make sure everything is safe, suitable, and set up correctly. We’ll issue any hire gear you need, and can offer advice on what to use for this course and for your future training. This is also a good opportunity to try on new gear or purchase anything you’re missing from our shop.

Once your gear is sorted, we’ll help you adjust and properly fit your multisport kayak and wing paddle — including setting your pedal position and choosing the right paddle length for you.

After a warm-up on flat water, your coach will help you with essential skills such as forward-stroke technique, steering, sweep strokes, acceleration, braking, edging, carving, bilge steering, and bracing.

In the afternoon, we move to the Waimakariri River to apply the skills you’ve developed on flatwater to a moving-water environment.

By the end of Day One, you’ll feel comfortable in your kayak on moving water, have a toolkit of practical technique improvements, and be well-prepared for your down-river runs on Day Two.

Day 2

Meeting: 8:30am Waimak Gorge Bridge – Finishing: 4pm Waimak Gorge Bridge.

Day Two is all about building your confidence moving downriver in your racing kayak and preparing you for tomorrow’s Gorge Trip. If conditions allow, we’ll paddle the Woodstock section of the Waimakariri River — the final 15 km of the Coast to Coast course.

We break into small groups (maximum of four paddlers per coach) based on paddling speed. This keeps each group together at an appropriate pace and allows your coach to give you focused support.

Throughout the day, your coach will work with you on essential river skills such as braid selection, confluences, seam lines, and understanding how the river moves and changes.

Your coach will also check that you’re progressing well and provide any guidance needed to help make your Gorge Trip tomorrow as safe, smooth, and successful as possible.

Day 3

Meeting: 7:45am Sheffield – Finishing: 4pm Sheffield.

If river conditions allow, we’ll take on the full Mt White to Woodstock run — the remaining 55 km of the Coast to Coast kayak stage.

You can leave your vehicle in Sheffield for the day and travel with us in the van. We’ll load your kayak onto our trailer and take care of the logistics so you can focus entirely on paddling at your best.

This is what the first two days have prepared you for. For most paddlers, this is the absolute highlight of the course: your first guided descent of the full route, with a coach you now trust and who understands your strengths, your challenges, and your personal paddling style. They’re the best person to show you down the river for the very first time.

As you move downstream, your coach will lead you on the safest, cleanest lines through every rapid. They’ll explain what’s coming up, tell you exactly what to look for, and keep the encouragement flowing. If you make a mistake or take an unexpected swim, they’ll be right there with safety support.

By the end of the day, you’ll feel confident, capable, and familiar with the entire race route. Most importantly, you’ll finish Day 3 knowing you’re genuinely ready to take on the Coast to Coast.

If you are flying into Christchurch, you have two good transport options:

• Hire a car, giving you complete independence, or
• Taxi/Uber to Lake Rua (10 minutes from Christchurch Airport) on Day 1, then arrange to ride with someone else in the group for the remainder of the course. This almost always works out well.

Transport and river shuttles on Days 1 and 2 are handled by the group using participant vehicles. On Day 3 (Gorge Day), Canterbury Kayaking provides free transport for you and your kayak, so all shuttle logistics are taken care of.

We recommend booking accommodation near Christchurch Airport on the western side of the city, as this keeps you close to the Day 1 meeting point and makes logistics much easier for Day 2 and 3.

We have hire kayaks and gear available, so you can reduce your luggage size.

All required gear can be purchased from the Canterbury Kayaking website in advance of your course. You can also purchase gear from us on the first day.

Required Gear

• Long sleeved thermal base layer tops
• Long sleeved mid layer tops
• Thermal gloves
• Full length thermal base layer pants
• Neoprene (wetsuit) shorts
• Waterproof pants
• Kayak Booties
• Thermal hat
• Thermal socks
• Cloth repair (duct) tape
• Dry-bag
• Survival bag
• Whistle
• First aid kit

Gear Available for Hire

• Kayak ($90 per day)
• Spray skirt ($5 per day)
• Wing paddle ($25 per day)
• Bouyancy vest ($5 per day)
• Helmet ($5 per day)
• Long sleeved paddle jacket ($20 per day)

Participating in activities such as whitewater kayaking, multisport kayaking, river safety training, and associated travel involves inherent risks and potential hazards, including the risk of serious injury or even death. These risks include, but are not limited to, capsizing, drowning, or being swept downstream by strong river currents; injury from hitting rocks, trees, submerged obstacles, other paddlers, or jet boats; hypothermia, muscle strains, or dislocations; psychological stress caused by challenging situations; falling while walking on uneven surfaces like rocks, mud, or riverbanks; environmental risks such as changing weather conditions, flooding, or natural hazards; and damage to personal property or equipment. These risks may arise from your actions, inactions, or negligence, as well as the actions, inactions, or negligence of Canterbury Kayaking staff, other participants, or third parties.

You must inform Canterbury Kayaking staff of any medical conditions, injuries, or medications that may affect your ability to safely participate in activities, as well as any other factors, such as fitness level, that could impact your safety or enjoyment. You must be physically fit and able to participate in the activities, as advised by a medical professional if necessary, and not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs (whether legal or illegal) that may impair your ability to safely undertake activities. You agree to wear appropriate clothing and use all safety equipment as required by Canterbury Kayaking staff, and to follow all instructions given by guides, instructors, and coaches at all times. You must act in a safe and respectful manner, avoiding reckless or dangerous behaviour that could endanger yourself or others. You understand that failure to follow instructions or engaging in reckless behaviour may result in your removal from activities without a refund, and you agree to comply with any decision made by Canterbury Kayaking staff to withdraw you from activities for safety reasons.

If you damage any equipment, property, or landowner belongings, you agree to cover the cost of repairs or replacement. A cleaning fee will apply if you urinate in a Canterbury Kayaking fleet kayak. Canterbury Kayaking reserves the right to cancel or modify activities at any time if we have concerns for your safety or the safety of others.

By participating in these activities, you consent to Canterbury Kayaking staff providing or arranging necessary medical treatment in the event of an injury, accident, or illness during the activity. You are required to provide emergency contact details to Canterbury Kayaking staff prior to participation.

Photos and videos taken during activities may be used for promotional or social media purposes. If you do not consent to this, you must inform Canterbury Kayaking staff before the activity begins.

You acknowledge that it is your responsibility to arrange personal insurance for any injuries, property damage, or losses that may occur. We strongly recommend arranging insurance to cover medical expenses, property damage, travel disruptions, or other unforeseen circumstances. You confirm that you understand and accept that New Zealand’s ACC scheme provides limited cover for injuries but does not cover all associated costs or losses.

This risk acknowledgment does not exclude or limit your rights under New Zealand law, including the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, and the Fair Trading Act 1986. Canterbury Kayaking will take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure your health and safety during activities, but you accept that certain risks, including the risk of serious injury or death, are inherent and cannot be eliminated.

By booking a course, you confirm that you have read and understood this Risk Disclosure and Acknowledgment, are aware of the inherent risks involved in the activities, and agree to participate voluntarily while accepting responsibility for your actions and their consequences.

Days 1–2

We run the first two days of this course in all weather conditions.

If our preferred training locations are unsuitable due to weather, river flows, or any unforeseen events, we will provide you with skills coaching at our "next best" alternative locations within the Canterbury area.

Day 3 (Gorge Day)

Paddling the Waimakariri Gorge is always our goal, but this depends entirely on river conditions on the day.

If we cannot run the Gorge on Day 3, we will attempt to offer a rescheduled Gorge Day at no additional cost. However, no guarantees can be made, particularly during busy periods close to Coast to Coast race day when scheduling constraints can limit available options.