PYCC

Details of the end of summer presentation evening here:

Presentation Evening Invitation

Details of the Ock boatercross race here:

OCK Boatercross Invitation

Okay, so the summer may be drawing to a close but there`s loads of things to come.

 What`s been happening ?

We`ve had good attendances on Monday nights since April. We`ve also been  running weekend trips to Symond`s Yat, the Nene Whitewater Centre and River Tryweryn in North Wales.

In May,  Dan and Joe helped out at our stand at The Dragon Boat Day from which we recruited for our beginner`s course.                                        

Pathfinders entered the Wavehopper Race at Stratford Upon Avon in April and the three paddlers Joe, Lenny and Charlie somehow managed to come away with four medals! Lenny and Chyavan ripped it up at the Blastathon at Abingdon Weir in June and Chyavan and Dan made their first descent of the Upper Tryweryn.

Isaac, Charlie, Jordan, Aiden, Will and Ed have all worked on their kayaking and also their canoeing!

In July, in conjunction with the Abbey Sailing Club, Abingdon Rowing Club and Kingfisher under the auspices of the Vale Watersports Forum we ran a Watersports Taster Day, which involved 80 participants of all ages from the general public.

We welcomed four new members, Vicky, Jaz, Mia and James. The two Vale Beginner`s courses at the end of August both went really well, so we expect some more new members from these. Thanks to Joe, Dan, Jordan and Charlie for coming along and helping out on these.

Anyone that listened to The Breakfast Show on BBC Radio Oxford on 27th August would have heard an interview with the Rowing Club, Sailing Club and Pathfinders on what`s going on in Abingdon. They interviewed myself and Joe who got to do the first ever kayak cartwheel on radio whilst myself and the presenter tried to describe what was going on!

In July we ran an alpine kayaking trip to the Slovenian Alps where Joe, Harry, Dan, Chyavan and George all did fantastically over the 5 days paddled some brilliant rivers, ate bear and got to experience the joy of easyjetting kayaks and an exciting vehicle breakdown on the Italian /Slovenian border!! More on that later!! We will be running a presentation evening at The Sailing Club next door on the Monday evening 28th September when amongst other things Team Slovenia will be making a presentation.

The other big news from this year is our successful Awards For All Lottery grant. This has enabled us to buy eleven new state of the art boats, light quality paddles, new helmets and buoyancy aids as well as other pieces of equipment.

Assorted news from past Pathfinders? Lee Royle came second in The Ulla Extreme Race in Norway, Seth Townley paddled the Kali Gandaki in Nepal. Look out for the Vale Watersports flyer in your schools, it features Joe and Chyavan paddling down Swift Ditch as the main picture! Also keep a look out for Seth`s article in the upcoming edition of Canoe Focus, the BCU magazine.

So what`s a coming up?

 Here`s the plan!!

 MON  Aug 31st Club closed (Bank Holiday)

 WED Sept 2nd Three Star Training Day. 9.30

 MON Sept 7th Club night

 Sat Sept 12th Two Star Training Day

 Sun Sept 13th Todd Morris Memorial Triathlon Kingfisher/Pathfinders (morning)

                       This is organised by Dave Hodge and involves paddling up to Nag`s

                        Head Island and back, biking mostly off road on tracks to Drayton

                        Rd. and then running a similar distance. It takes about twenty

                        minutes each leg. Speak to Dave Hodge or myself if interested.

                        It is followed by a Bring Your Own BBQ. We provide the charcoal.

 MON Sept 14th Club night

 THUR Sept 17th 6pm Wavehopper familiarization/training session. Try a plastic Whitewater racer and maybe enter Sunday`s race.

SAT Sept 19th Two Star Journey Day 9.30

Sun Sept 20th Ock Boatercross and Wavehopper Race and BYO BBQ “Ockfest 09!”

                       Pathfinders, Kingfisher and Riverside at the club.

MON Sept 21st Club night

 MON Sept 28th End of Summer Club Presentation Evening. In Abbey Sailing

                           Clubroom. 7.30pm. All members , parents and friends welcome.

                           The evening will involve a presentation of what members have

                            been doing over the summer season including a powerpoint and

                            vid from Team Slovenia, a debut of “Pathfinders The Movie”.

SUN Oct 4thNene Whitewater Centre.(Provisional)  

November. Monthly pool sessions start. Thursday evenings at Our Lady`s Convent                       

                             Pool, Radley Rd. Abingdon.   8.00-9.30pm. £5 per session.

                             Dates of sessions are as follows

                             November 12th , 26th

                             December 10th

                             January 28th

                             February 11th

                             March 4th                                 

 SAT/SUN Nov 28/29th River Dart Devon. Overnight Buckfastleigh Bunkhouse.

Coming soon PYCC Christmas Event??

There is also the possibility that we may be able to arrange a one day BCU Rescue and Safety Course (FRST) for the last Saturday or Sunday in September (Sept 26 or 27th) but we need to have a firm commitment from 6 people if this is to go ahead. Vicky is coordinating this so if you are interested contact her on 01235 769675 or pathfinderssecretary@live.com  NOW, at the very latest by Mon Sept 7th.

For all these events you need to let me know IN ADVANCE if you are interested, either by phone 01865 373115 or email davidsurman@hotmail.com