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Will we see a return to the use of leashes ? It is very early days , and I don ’ t see the ban as a negative . There are some interesting arguments out there for and against using leashes . Now , we have private individuals putting money into testing to see if they get the same results as the commissioned research . I view all of this as a positive because it creates a dialogue to factually inform the best approach for our sport . We are only discussing this in the context of up to ( simple ) grade 3 and are not even considering complex grade 3 and above .
In my opinion , the next generation of WW SUP paddlers ( including my son ) will be so much better because they will have had to develop without using a leash . Even if we do return to using leashes , I still think we will need to commit to paddling without one as part of our training .
A few thoughts from those who participated
Louise Royle
I have kayaked for 40 years and WW SUPing for over seven years . Even though I am an experienced paddler , keeping my safety skills and knowledge up to date is essential . If you are new to the sport , the course will give you a great foundation skills and confidence as a team member . For paddlers with experience , it gives you loads to think about and work on .
Dan Crawford from DC Outdoors
The course was fun and interesting , especially as I was on a SUP , a craft I don ’ t paddle as often as my boats . I like how the two days have a greater focus on safety and prevention and lay the foundations for safe paddling , inclusivity , safe portaging , and making safe decisions even before we arrive at the river .
Paul Goodwin
I chose to do WW Safety because I want to be a competent group member . I am new to paddling SUPs in a WW environment , and the course has given me more confidence in my decision-making . I think the skills we covered are an absolute must now that we are no longer wearing leashes . It was a great course and a fun couple of days .