This Paddle UK Paddlesport Touring Leader assessment can be run in one day on a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2 ratio and you can present on SUP, canoe, closed or open cockpit kayaks. This assessment will be most likely based around the Cairngorms & Aviemore area although we can travel further afield if group or conditions require us to. The Paddlesport Touring Leader Award will qualify you to lead multi craft groups on open inland water and slow moving rivers of grade 1 with the occasional short rapid of grade 2 and simple safe weirs. This includes single and tandem craft. On the day you will be expected to lead a group in the appropriate environment for the award.

If you want to lead groups in a paddlesport environment for yourself, your club or employer then this could be the right award for you. The award supports your existing skills and enables you to lead safe, fun and enjoyable trips for a variety of groups and craft. In environments of open and moving water: the open water would be in wind not exceeding Beaufort force 4 and the rivers would be grade 1 (2). Options for this would be the River Ness & Loch Dochfour where you can put on at Dochgarroch, paddle onto the Loch as a perfect warmup before heading onto the river. From here you can paddle the river Ness down a short way with a weir at the start to tackle or portage as appropriate and 1 grade 2 rapid (fast eddy) before getting out and carrying the boats 20m back onto the canal to paddle back and finish at Dochgarroch where you started. Another option would be Loch Insh and the River Spey

During the Paddlesport Touring Leader assessment you will be assessed on the following four areas (all our course providers do their absolute best to take the stress out of the assessment and will keep you fully involved in the process and decision making as much as possible): 

• Participant focused leadership skills.
• personal paddling skills
• rescue skills.
• underpinning background knowledge, understanding and experience.