The UK’s first Olympic standard pumped water canoe slalom course has opened in Cardiff and will be offering kayaking, hydro speeding and hot-dogging activities, as well as a vital training ground for the 2012 Olympics.
The £13.3m centre, which was opened this spring by Winter Olympics gold medalist Amy Williams, has a variable river flow which means it can be adjusted to the level of the user, and hopes to attract all levels of paddle sports enthusiasts.
“I was really impressed by the facility” says David Florence, Olympic Silver Medallist at Beijing 2008. “I enjoyed paddling there and I think it’s just fantastic for Britain to have such a good new white water course!”
The centre hopes to attract up to 50,000 users per year once it’s fully established, and will host major sporting events as well as supporting grassroots level events to encourage a new generation to take up water sports.
There’s a canoe and kayak shop to make any essential kit purchases, and once you’ve worked up an appetite, the onsite café offers a True Taste of Wales Menu with locally sourced Welsh ingredients. Or if you prefer to sit it out then just take a pew on the café balcony overlooking the course and laugh at your mates falling in…
Useful info
Take your pick from a two-hour rafting session from £49 pp, a hot-dog (two-person kayak) session from £55 pp, and hydro-speed (surfing down rapids on a body board) session from £55 pp. See www.ciww.com for more info.
Pic c/o www.ciww.com
What do you think of purpose built watersports centres? Are they an ideal way to attract newcomers, or are they no match for time spent on rivers, lakes and seas? Share in our comments section below.
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Hi and welcome. I'm a freelance travel and lifestyle copywriter and editor, with a passion for the great outdoors. This is my personal blog all about getting out in the fresh air and reconnecting with our green spaces and countryside.
