British Canoe Union (BCU) Awards
DCKC offers its members the opportunity to work towards a range of BCU awards. These awards provide a universally recognised skills framework and enable paddlers to build their own development pathways.
BCU updated their development framework in 2021 which replaces the old “star” awards. However many paddlers still refer to the old system as these qualifications remain valid.
- 1* – introduction to paddle sports
- 2* – basic skills across multiple crafts (sea, river, & canoe)
- 3* – discipline specific personal performance
- 4* – moderate water leader
- 5* – advanced water leader
Within the club we are fortunate to have many experienced Coaches and Leaders who can support you on your development journey. We are also able to offer some assessments in-house and have a wide network of external providers, who are able to assess at more advanced levels.
Other awards include Foundation Safety & Rescue (FSRT) which is highly recommended; White Water Safety & Rescue; Coastal Navigation & Tidal Planning. There are also some really great online resources available:
- Online Sea Kayaking
- Wide range of White Water tutorials on youtube
- Ray Goodwin Canoe tutorials