Attendees (& results): Dee A (unfairly handicapped out of the prizes), Dee B (winners, with a little help from Trentham), Dee Youth, Mold Youth (& one or two not so youth ), Shrewsbury A (2nd), SPS Youth (3rd).

Return matches have been promised by Shrewsbury on 7 September at Quarry Centre, Shropshire Paddlesport and Mold Canoe Club’s pool, Connah’s Quay {dates tbc}.

While we await the full results, here’s a few highlights, including the well-deserved winner of the new Nomad paddle, presented by the organiser, Alan Owen:

Tim Bevan, SPS, wins the new Nomad paddle for best youth @ Chirk Tournament, 11 May 2013

SPS Youth @ Chirk Tournament, 11 May 2013

SPS Youth @ Chirk Tournament, 11 May 2013

Shrewsbury @ Chirk Tournament, 11 May 2013

Mold ‘Youth’ @ Chirk Tournament, 11 May 2013

SPS Team @ Chirk Tournament, 11 May 2013

Prizes @ Chirk Tournament, 11 May 2013

SPS Youth, third @ Chirk Tournament, 11 May 2013

Dee B winners @ Chirk Tournament, 11 May 2013

Dee Polo Invitation, Chirk – 11 May – Facebook invitation here & club site
- www.facebook.com/groups/deepolo/

Galway International – 1/2 June- Free entry for international teams: flyer
- www.canoepolo.ie/?q=node/427

Liverpool International – 8/9 June – www.friendsofallonby.org.uk/latest-news/118-23rd-liverpool-international-canoe-polo-tournament (actually it’s the 24th :- )

Hull International – 6/7 July – www.kkc.org.uk/?page_id=276

National Club Champs, Taff Bargoed – 20/21 July
- www.canoepolo.org.uk/index.php/7-news/118-national-champs-2013-entries

London International, Bexleyheath  – 27/28 July
- www.meridiancanoeclub.com/index.php/london-international

Welsh Open, Llanelli – 3/4 August – www.bridgendcanoeclub.co.uk/welshopen

Veurne, Belgium – 10/11 August *tbc* -  www.wkv.be/tmp2/
Dikkebus, Belgium – 17/18 August – www.de-paddel.be/
Gent, Belgium – 24/25 August – www.gekko-tournament.com/

Irish International, Kilcock nr Dublin – 31 Aug/1 Sept – has a very good offer
- www.canoepolo.ie/?q=node/277 & Facebook

Shrewsbury Inaugural – 7 Sept with referee theory & assessment to be confirmed

Trentham Pre-Season – 5/6 October *probably*
- www.trenthamcanoeclub.co.uk/index.php/on-the-water/canoe-polo/

Llangollen “Freezer” – 16/17 November – *Details to be advised*

2. The Container is beside the Cricket Pavilion and will be open from 6.30pm until 6.50pm for the issue of boats etc. We will divide paddlers up into ability based groups at the Container around 6.45pm so come there if you want to be coached even if you bring your own boat. Hire of kit will cost £4 per session payable on the night.  There is no need to book but on busy nights all the boats may be taken quite quickly.

3. Coaching is free so if you have your own boat the evening costs nothing.

4. Non members can try 2 taster sessions but after that must join the Club to continue paddling with us.

5.  Non members who are under the age of 18 must have a parent or carer in attendance to sign a Consent Form before they can paddle.

6. Warm/windproof clothing is necessary in the early and late parts of the season and cotton t-shirts  are NOT recommended except in the warmest weather and denim jeans are not recommended at all.  Shoes must be worn when paddling to protect against broken bottles etc if you swim and wade out.  An old pair of trainers or plimsolls which you are happy to get wet is fine.  The Club has a quantity of clothing/footwear in the container.

7. Sessions will wind up shortly before it gets dark.  If you use club kit it is your responsibility to get it back to the container and to help put it back inside.

8. LEPTOSPIROSIS.   All watercourses and lakes carry the risk of waterborne infections.  The Severn is a generally clean river and we are happy to teach capsize drills etc in these sessions but a few points should be be noted:
Cover any open cuts with water-proof plasters before going on the water.
(First Aid kit in the container)
If you capsize try to avoid ingesting water
After paddling, shower off in the pavilion or when you get home
(showers available in the pavilion except when the Cricketers are using it)

If you develop flu like symptoms within 10-14 days after paddling you may have picked up a water borne infection called Leptospirosos.  This is a rare event but nationally a few paddlers do catch it each year.  If you think you may have caught the infection do not delay; go straight to your GP and say that you are a paddler and that you want a bloodtest for Leptospirosis and immediate antibiotics whilst the results of the bloodtests are awaited.  Untreated Leptospirosis can develop into Weils Disease which is even rarer but is a life threatening condition if untreated.

And on these Mondays there’s also some visitors booked in:

4 Feb – Bayston Hill Explorer Scouts polo session

25 Feb – Dee Valley (numbers tbc)

11 Mar – Dee Valley (numbers tbc)

25 Mar – Meole Brace Explorer Scouts polo session

If you missed the first Grade 3/4 referees’ training course, or just missed the cut, we are organising another event for the spring. If I don’t have your name – let me know.

This is for your Grade 3/4 referee’s qualification.  This will be a 1 day Theory-only event, unless people want to help organise a mini-tournament on the canal?  Otherwise, people who pass will join the ~10 referees from the first course who still need Practical assessment at a suitable tournament – eg NW Regional for G4, or National Div 4 for G3.

Before then I will be running some short referee coaching sessions, so let me know if you’d like to attend these as well. Likely dates are all Saturday mornings at Queens Head:

• 2 Feb – immediately before both the national Div 3 & regional Div4 evenings
• 9 Feb
• 23 Feb
• 2 Mar

If you can only make Monday nights in Shrewsbury then I could setup a 7pm session before the evening’s polo.

* Shrewsbury’s pool sessions continue in the Priory pool of the Quarry Leisure Centre, SY1 1RU, Mondays 8-9pm through to Easter 2013.

* The recently formed Dee Valley Canoe Polo are starting sessions at Chirk Leisure Centre, LL14 5NF, also on Monday nights at 8pm but running to 10pm – so there’s more competition in Shropshire, talking of which…

* Shropshire Paddlesport‘s Saturday morning youth sessions continue at Queen’s Head, SY11 4EB, for as long as the canal isn’t frozen…

* A combined Shrewsbury/Shropshire (Salop?) Ladies team has been invited to play some friendlies at the Div 2 Ladies’ up-coming tournaments in Stratford-upon-Avon & Derby.

* The A-team’s National Div3 SWC & B-team’s Regional NW Div4 leagues are now halfway though, with two tournaments remaining for each.

* The referee training event got its first practical assessments – well done Chris & Phil.
More assessements & another training event are being organised – watch this space.

* Following SPS’s successful application for new boats, SCC is applying to Sport England’s Small Grants to get 4 youth & 4 high volume polo kayaks, and floating goals.  This will extend the range of people who can compete, allows all year outside training.

That’s all for now folks!

Aberglaslyn Gorge, whitewater, kayaking, 30-12-12 from Nick Newman on Vimeo.

Kit:

• Warm clothes (both for paddling in and for getting changed into after)
• Throwline, First Aid Kit
• PFD (Buoyancy Aid)
• Hot drink, food etc
• Headtorch for paddling through the tunnel.

If you need any kit from the container then please contact Brian Wenlock (via the email).

We will be meeting at the Morton Garden Centre near St. Martins, which is just off the A5 on the way to Chirk.

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