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Everyone at some point has seen someone roll off a curl of a feature, cross gracefully on the back of a stopper, or jump and get so much movement off the stopper they fly into an up.

For me this comes from understanding the water, what it is doing, what it will do to you, and what you should do to get where you want to go.

This comes into discussing our first topic

Crossing Stoppers at Lee Valley

First before we can talk about what to do, we must first understand the feature we are trying to use.

This is a classic drop at Lee Valley.

I have annotated the image so we can better understand what we are talking about.

Looking at the stopper from the side, we can see the water flows down over the drop, hits the bottom of the river and recirculates back upstream over itself. This means on top of the foam pile (on top window) water is actually moving upstream.

Looking at this at Lee Valley we see

The Up to Down concept
Now we know that the water is pulling us upstream in the on top window, we can use this to our advantage to cross the stopper.

We could just ride the stopper along in the pit, however this is a very bouncy and unstable piece of water, and we are confined in it until we get to the other end, with no options, and often unable to adjust our line until we reach other other side.

Staying on top however allows us to reposition and adjust our boat as we cross, because the boat is light due to being at the highest point of the stopper. This is important, imagine the stopper as a hump.

The other side to this is falling away. How many times have you come to cross the stopper and felt the boat falling off downstream. Often at Lee Valley with the power of the water with your bows in the air to then hit the next stopper sideways.

So we realise how important it is to be on top - How do we get there?

Watch this series of crosses and we will discuss after

Common factors - All the paddlers manage to stay on top of the stopper and have control when crossing.

To cross and stay on top

Coming up to come down to drive across is the key.

We know the water on top is moving us upstream, So when we paddle up at the stopper below the on top window, and have across stream momentum (which you must have to be able to leave the eddy/up) we will move across the river and have upstream movement due to the stopper pulling us in, and therefore will end up in the pit.

To counteract this if we pull up higher than the on top window and point a little downstream then as we drive into the feature, we can counteract the upstream pull of the stopper and go flat across the river, crossing in the on top window, staying dry and in control.

Below is a video that shows this well, and includes markers and a path both of the hips and the bows so you can see how this works.

Falling Away
If you find yourself falling away and dropping low on the cross, then this is because you haven't got "over the hump" to get on top of the stopper.

The video below shows this along with the up to down concept.

Not getting over the hump is due to some common factors

- Not having enough cross stream speed.

- Not climbing up high enough (not climbing above the on top window)

- A combination of both above.

Below also is image showing the same falling away vs staying on top.

Two Options
As we enter the stopper the bows are the first point of our boat affected by the stopper. This will mean the bows will react first to being pulled upstream into the stopper.

Coming up to come down has already helped us counteract the stopper pulling us into the pit to a degree, but I believe there are two stroke combinations that can help us with this too.

We can either draw and hold on the downstream blade, or drive on the upstream blade.

As a C1 I often prefer holding and drawing on the downstream blade, but both work.

Below is another video showing the holding draw to cross the stopper after the bridge at HPP.

This highlights how the boat can run across on the back of the stopper well. No forward stroke is taken once the boat has left the eddy, all the momentum is carried across due to the boat being sucked up and the draw holding the boat down and directing the boat across.

Conclusion
The amount we have to come up to down obviously varies with each stopper.

Some stoppers arguably we dont have to come up at all, if our cross stream speed is enough and the on top window is long, and the stopper has a flat less humpish nature then this is cool. However if the stopper has a big hump, a narrow ontop window then the more we have to come up to come down.

As we can see these two stoppers have the same features and parts but very different shapes and ontop windows.

Its about identifying how much to come up, how much to point down, and how much to drive/hold.

Of course there are other factors, where we are looking, if our weight is back or forwards, whether we are driving or waiting, but I may cover that in detail later on.

Other Points

Drills and progression - To practice the holding draw on the downstream side start on the flat.

Start paddling forwards and do a hanging draw. Move this draw forwards to sideslip and pull the nose around (as if counteracting the bow being pulled up)

Then find a smaller stopper and progress up.

Other funky stuff

As you are on top of the stopper then essentially you are in an eddy. In an eddy you can edge both upstream and downstream. See Below for some good upstream edge with downstream holding.

That a wraps for today. There is a lot of information in this article. I have tried to break it down simply and give lots of detail, but more importantly show lots of examples.

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Everyone at some point has seen someone roll off a curl of a feature, cross gracefully on the back of a stopper, or jump and get so much movement off the stopper they fly into an up.

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Why this topic?

" Using the upstream blade on the back of stoppers is something that I have been a focusing on in this years winter training. I worked on it to speed up stopper crosses and make the boat run better."

" It is very tempting to be safe and use the downstream blade for support, however balancing edges and using upstream blades is quicker."

" My coach (Louise Ramsdale) introduced it as a theme to be worked on this winter and when done right we found improvements in boat speed because I was able to drive the boat across the river rather than just support on the downstream side."

Here is a little video showing some examples.

(Ewan 1st dude in the video ;) )

Why is it quicker to use the upstream blade rather than the downstream blade?

We know it increases boat speed because we are actually driving the boat forward but why can we not just drive on the downstream blade?

To understand this and understand why driving on the upstream blade is so useful lets first look at the outline of a stopper

As we can see in the images above the water off the curl is moving into the stopper. The water on the back of the stopper is moving upstream (see previous stopper articles to reinforce this)

"I think we use the upstream blade because it stops the bow rotating upstream so that the boat tracks well on the back of the stopper into the up or next gate? and I think in some cases if you drove on the downstream side you would overrotate?"

Yep as we come off the curl to cross the stopper, effectively the bows are being sucked up and into the pit of the stopper. The tail however is still in the moving water, so the boat effectively swings. We need the upstream blade to stop the boat swinging and just rotating to point upstream and into the stopper.
" definitely felt that a few times, the boat rotating up and not moving across, so the upstream blade counters the pull upstream, gives the boat movement downstream so when countered by the stopper we travel in the desired direction"

Hit the nail on the head - stops swing and increases drive across. The upstream blade counters the pull of the stopper and creates drive across

So without that upstream drive the boat can swing up

So how you working on it?

" watching lots of other people do it, both live during the session, anytime I am on the bank, using youtube to watch others, and any video I have collected"

Ah so the Lee Valley videos I gave you have been helpfull hey.

Thats good, what other factors play a part?

"Ummmm having the correct angle, boat movement across the river and an upstream blade ready - When it all goes right gives such a nice smooth stopper move."

I know that feeling, the boat has so much pace, and just is sitting ontop of the water in the ontop window and feels like its flying across the river.

"It is quite a technical move then hey - requires practise to get right :P"
Haha, totally, having the confidence to be on the upstream blade and not rely on the downstream blade for support.
Going back to what you were saying about the upstream blades stopping the bow rotating upstream, if we are on the upstream blade but have too much pull into the stopper with the bows, this can be useful sometimes, the upstream blade stops the boat swinging on the spot and turns it into more of an S on the stopper. We can use the pull of the stopper along with upstream blade to drive down into the stopper, and with this added speed we can fly out the other end.

" I guess this is all very similar to the upstream edge article and the crosses at LV article on your blog"

Yep, pretty much, all the same concepts apply, so as we upstream blade drive, if we are nicely in the ontop window, we can edge a little upstream.

" right im going back to reread them :P"

Well done Ewan, some awesome stuff there.

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Using upstream strokes on the back of stoppers

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Why this topic? " Using the upstream blade on the back of stoppers is something that I have been a focusing on in this years winter training. I worked on it to speed up stopper crosses and make the boat run better."

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Introduction If you have read the previous article on using stoppers we should have now have a better idea of how a stopper is created and works. In this series of articles I am going to cover how...

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So now we have discussed why upstream edge is so good (and to be honest looks epic) and downstream edge causes so much instability, here is the complete U turn.

Downstream edge on the back of stoppers and be incredibly useful.

This downstream edge if controlled can effectively stop the boat from moving downstream and shoot the boat across river.

With this is mind there is no right of wrong way to cross on the back of a stopper.

Just a faster or a slower, or, a controlled or out of control cross.

Look at the recent French K1M senior selection. The stopper cross from the down 12 to the up 13. Both upstream and downstream edges were used.

As I said before downstream edge on the back of stoppers and be incredibly useful.

Have a look at these clips.

We know that we can lean downstream in an eddy and if controlled, the water pressure on the downstream edge can either push you across/upstream, or grip and hold you from falling away downstream. (refer back to the ups articles to better understand how you can lean downstream as you enter an eddy, the back of the stopper is effectively an eddy)

However we know if we are not careful when we lean downstream in an eddy it can cause the downstream edge to catch and flip us over or provide instability.

Will in this video recovers the edge and maintains height.

We must be gripped in and ready for this, if we are, we can use this grip we can use the water to effectively kick us across the river. The trick though is not to get stuck in the pit of the stopper or lose an edge. (Note its the action of the edge pushing with the bow rudder gripping rather than a drive action with the paddle)
There are a few ways of using downstream edge.

- Jumping and sweep/driving on the downstream side.

- Jumping and bow ruddering on the upstream side.

- Simply landing in the pit with movement across the feature.

- Flicking off the feature from straight with the upstream blade.

- Running the feature from straight, taking a hit to slow you down then sweeping on the downstream blade.

One of the problems is, often there is a never a "classic example" all stoppers are different and often the named ways often can blur between each other.

Here though is a video to show as many different examples as possible from various angles of the above five ways.

Spins off stoppers using downstream edge.

This is another cool little move involving stoppers and downstream edge.
The point is to spin off the stopper and gain movement across the river.
Key points

- Rotation of body and the head as you reverse off the stopper.

- Blade firmly in the water to reverse or bow rudder off

- Leaning downstream until the bows have spun over 90 degrees, then effectively switch edges (because you are now pointing the opposite direction) back to leaning downstream.

- If you switch edges too early it often leads to the bow burying.

- Avoid Leaning back, think rather about rotating around your hips and pulling the nose up with your legs, and squeezing with your core like a sit up.

In the next article on edges and stoppers we will discuss Fakies and Fakie Sweeps over stoppers,t but before that there maybe a new series started.

Any suggestions for topics to write about would be welcome.

Hope you enjoy.

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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So now we have discussed why upstream edge is so good (and to be honest looks epic) and downstream edge causes so much instability, here is the complete U turn. Downstream edge on the back of stoppers and be incredibly useful.

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Taken From - Every Crushing stroke

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Think about and label water movements?

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Download pic and add names to areas/features

You could also highlight areas/eddies you have been in and not been in.

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In this article we will look into jumping the boat over stoppers and drops.

A jump over a stopper is the creation of lift upstream of the stopper to smoothly navigate over it. There are many ways of achieving lift but we will try to look at the simplest way first.

For this article we will be focusing on jumping the entry sluice at the slalom course at Holme Pierrepoint.

We said above that the jump is just the creation of lift over a stopper, this is true, but why must we create lift?

This is the outline of a stopper.

Now imagine the stopper firstly as a hump. We must create lift of the bow to get over this hump and onto the on top window. If we create enough lift, at the right time, then the boat will run smoothly over the stopper. No matter what jump we do and what strokes we use, this is the goal.

Now often we have a few things on our side. As we can see, the water upstream of the stopper is higher than the stopper itself. So all we have to do is create enough lift to jump the gap between the lip and onto the on top window. This gap and height of changes from stopper to stopper, so no jump is the same.

Timing and lift

The timing and the amount of lift on the jump stroke is crucial. Too early a jump and we do not manage to jump over the gap onto the on top window. Too late or not enough lift and we do not get the bows over the hump and onto the on top window. The most important thing is the feeling that the bows land/smash/pancake onto the on top window. This smashing of the bows also creates displacement on the on top window creating a groove for the rest of the boat to follow through.

When we have a good jump you can sometimes hear the bow make a thump noise as it lands on the on top window.

How to create lift/jump

Let's start simple. We need to create lift and ideally forwards momentum to jump the gap and lift over the hump. In a slalom boat, in order to lift the bow we must sink the tail, so a sweep stroke with edge will be ideal.

As you can see, we edge into the sweep to help raise the bow.

Jumping

Now we know how to create lift, we can jump the boat. As we said before, timing and placement of strokes is important, and in addition to this, angle, edge control and our body positions are also important.

Let's have a look at a jump over the entry sluice and see exactly what is needed.

If our aim is to jump straight though the stopper, then we want to be landing straight and perpendicular to the stopper. We know one of the best ways to create lift is to sweep. This sweep also creates rotation, therefore we must have angle above the stopper in order to sweep and then land straight. (Lift can be created off straight, but is far harder and may be covered another time)

We can see using the protractor that boat is off straight at the start of the jump, then upon landing on the on top window the boat is straight and perpendicular to the stopper. The angle of the boat on take off will alter person to person and jump to jump. Whatever works best for you - although somewhere between 50 and 60 degrees I think is probably going to be best. Less angle (60-90) and you won't get all the lift possible off the sweep, too much (0-50) and you won't land straight.

Imagine the stopper being a hump and the length of a slalom boat. Our body position forwards/backwards is very important. Once we land the bows on top of the on top window, if our weight is further back than centre (ie leaning back) then our tail will be sucked under by the power of the water on the tail. If however, we lean forwards as the bows smash onto the on top window, then it crates a rocker/see saw effect. The tail can become light and we almost can run down the other side of the hump.

Leaning back on landing can create a porpoise effect, and have the bows fly up in the air.

We can see in the splitscreen below how not landing straight and leaning back causes the bows to fly up in the air and be out of control.

What can also help us is edging. As we sweep we are edging onto the blade we are sweeping off.

Upon landing, if we keep that edge on or flatten off, the tail can catch in the pit, water piles the pressure on the tail and again the bows fly up in the air. If we can switch edges then the tail slices up through the water like a knife with no resistance. Watch the first video to see this edge change and below for when it goes wrong.

This switching of edge upon landing is useful, however we can see in this video that although the tail is going down, the boat shoots off left. In the last example I even land pointing a little right, but because I haven't switched edge and the tail catches in the pit the bows fly back left. This can also be useful and is the start of fakies and fakie sweeps, but we will cover that later. For now though, we want the boat running downstream quickly off the jump, so it is best to roll the edge.

Angle, edge control and body positioning

We can see in the video below filmed from below the stopper,

- The angle above to landing straight
- The edge on jump and the edge on landing
- The body positioning forward on landing

We have all felt it, getting stopped by the stopper, the stopper then grabs the tail and we end up pointing at the sky - Not a nice place to be.

In my experience, jumping later is better than earlier, and lean forwards. If not enough lift is created then at least you have speed though the stopper. If you jump too early then the bows land in or before the pit of the stopper and you effectively nosedive into the stopper, which stops you completely.

Here is a quick video showing another way to create lift

So a summery of some scenarios - cause and effect
Jumping too early or not creating enough lift - so not jumping gap and landing on the on top window.

Bows fly up in the air post jump.

Not leaning forwards on landing / not switching edges / not landing straight / jumping too late
Remember this -
That is it for today, but just one more thing.

What can also help us is edging. As we sweep we are edging onto the blade we are sweeping off. Upon landing, if we keep that edge on or flatten off, the tail can catch in the pit, water piles pressure on the tail and again the bows fly up in the air. If we can switch edges then the tail slices up through the water like a knife with no resistance.

This switching of edge upon landing is useful, however we can see in this video that although the tail is going down, the boat shoots off left. In the last example I even land pointing a little right, but because I haven't switched edge and the tail catches in the pit the bows fly back left. This can also be useful and is the start of fakies and fakie sweeps, but we will cover that later. For now though, we want the boat running downstream quickly off the jump, so it is best to roll the edge.

In a few weeks time I am going to combine this jumps series of articles along with the using stoppers series and discuss fakie sweep jumps on stoppers.

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In this article we will look into jumping the boat over stoppers and drops. A jump over a stopper is the creation of lift upstream of the stopper to smoothly navigate over it. There are many ways of achieving lift but we will try to look at the simplest way first.

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Uploaded by Paddle Education on 2014-02-24.

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Playboater Troubleshooter - Episode 4 - Wave movement basics

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The Playboater Troubleshooter Series is brought to you by Wave Sport Kayaks and H2o Dreams LLC. This series looks to tackle the freestyle discipline in the same approach as Chris did in the Whitewater Troubleshooter series, through typical pitfalls, as well as a description of why the physics work, not just how.

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Playboater Troubleshooter - Episode 3 - Hole Movement Basics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Playboater Troubleshooter Series is brought to you by Wave Sport Kayaks and H2o Dreams LLC. This series looks to tackle the freestyle discipline in the same approach as Chris did in the Whitewater Troubleshooter series, through typical pitfalls, as well as a description of why the physics work, not just how.

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Uploaded by Richard Quick on 2017-05-03.

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Key points to the layby up?

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Stopper upstream

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Olympic white water slalom course in Rio - model comparison

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The white water slalom course for the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro is already built. Now is time for comparison between reality and model. From video you can see how the similarity comaprison works. From the model you can guess for the real course behaviour. Video shows how close we are....