Kayak
Adventure Home Page
Calendar of Lessons & Guided Trips
Meet
Your Instructor
What to Wear & Bring
About Our Kayaks
Sound
Kayakers Club
Sustainable Living Practices
|
|
Thursday, June 3, 2010, 2-8
pm.
Fee: $150, maximum 6 students.
This six hour clinic will coach you step-by-step
to improve the efficiency of your stroke. Joe brings the techniques
of an elite racing paddler to sea kayakers to give you greater
speed with less effort. In addition to touring kayakers, we
welcome novice surfski racers to the class. We start with a
half hour orientation on land, then move to the water for drills
to learn each of the key elements of an efficient, powerful
forward stroke. Joe spends 10-20 minutes with each participant.
He follows you to see where you can most benefit from improvement,
then has you follow him to model select aspects of the stroke.
While he's working one-to-one, the rest of the class is doing
partnered practice, or getting videotaped for later critique.
I capture each student on camera before instruction and after
individual coaching with Joe. We return to home base to view
and discuss the video over supper, and receive individual feedback.
Each year, several of our participants go on to achieve excellent
results in local races. Some gain the confidence to join our
14-20 mile cross-Sound trips. Others are content to have improved
their touring performance so they can keep up better with group
trips. Read their comments below.
Pre-requisite: Paddlers should have taken at least one on-water
class, such as ACA Introduction to Kayak.
Hold your place by sending a deposit.
See Joe's bio, quotes from participants in previous classes,
and "Other Course Information" below.
Joseph
P. Shaw has been racing and coaching in canoes
and kayaks all over the world for more than 25 years. His favorite
races are multi-day marathons. He was a nine time member of
the US Marathon Canoe and Kayak Team, with five first place
finishes at U.S. Team Trials. In 2008 Joe raced in our local
Lighthouse to Lighthouse Race and finished the 14 mile course
in 1:59:59.
Joe is the racer to the left, calmly and inexorably overtaking
the paddler in front of him. Notice the high angle stroke with
no splash.
Top international results include 3rd at the 1989 Descenso Internacional
del Sella, Spain; 7th at the 1989 World Cup, Porto, Portugal;
1st at the 1991 North American K-2 Championship; 4th at the
1999 Chao Phraya International Canoe Marathon, Thailand. Was
U.S. Team leader in 1991 and 1992. ACA K-1 National Champion,
1993. 1994 winner of Blackburn Challenge. USCA 2002 ICF K-1
Masters National Champion. 2003 3rd place in Holyoke Cup Pro
Kayak Marathon. 2004 1st place in Run of the Charles Masters
Kayak and 2nd place in Holyoke Cup Pro Kayak. 2005 2nd place
in Holyoke Cup and 3rd in K2 at US Marathon Team Trials. For
2006, Joe stacked up impressive results, including fastest time
of the day in the Adirondack 40 Miler (5:09, with Dan Gelinas).
In the Run of the Charles he won the Pro Mixed Division and
in the General Clinton 70 Mile Pro Race, won the Men's Senior
Division.
Joe has multiple first place iron man finishes in Canoe Triathlons.
Professional Canoe race recent highlights include 2003 1st place
Athol River Rat Race, 3rd place St. Jerome, Quebec and fastest
overall time at Josh Billings. 2004 highlights include1st place
Westfield River Pro Wildwater Race and fastest overall time
at Josh Billings. 2005 2nd place Mixed at Ausable River International
Canoe Marathon and 3rd Mixed at Classique Internationale de
la Maurice.
Read Joe's "Tips From the Pros" on the Mayor's Cup
Kayak Championship website: http://www.nymayorscup.com/shaw.html
Quotes from participants in Joe's clinics:
- I had a fantastic time with Joe last week. I hope I
did not hog too much of his attention! I banged out 8 miles
on Saturday a.m. in 1hr 20 mins using my improved catch and
got home with much more gas in the tank than usual. I have
a lot still to learn but the tips I picked up during the session,
and even just studying his technique up close was well worth
the $. Thanks again. - Gary W, May 2009
- I enjoyed the Joe Shaw stroke clinic today. I expected
a drill sergeant who would leave us with our tongues hanging
out. But he was extremely friendly, demonstrated the stroke
real well and patiently answered all our questions. I learned
the components and now know what to practice if I want to
do better. - Bill M, May 2009
- Thank You. I really learned a great deal, and hope to
follow up with your class next year. I will have to work hard
to correct my stroke, muscle memory, and energy cycle. Humbling,
but I love to learn. - Rob C, June 14, 2007
- Joe, Your clinic was so worthwhile. I really appreciate
the thorough notes you left with us. - Henrietta
P., June 15, 2006
- I got so much out of the JS clinic yesterday. It really
made me more aware of what I was not doing with regards to
my stroke. The straight arm position, the exit by the waist
was a biggie for me. Had a blast and so good to meet new people.
Worth every penny. - Lisa E., June 15, 2006
- As usual the programs you make available to us are top
notch. The information and skills I learned in a very short
time will have a lasting effect on my kayaking. Thank you
for putting on the Forward Stroke Clinic and also for your
support in the water with us. - John F., July 7, 2005
- The lesson yesterday was fabulous. Joe, Deb and you
ran an extremely informative class. It communicated just about
the maximum amount of information I could assimiliate, which
is just how I like classes to be. - Claire D., July 14, 2005
- That was a great day last Thursday. I really enjoyed
the class with Joe and hanging out with everyone afterwards
was a lot of fun. Ed H., July 14, 2005
Other Course Information: Two weeks before
class we'll send a four page outline and resource list. Participants
use their own kayaks, or may rent one of ours for $40 for the
class. If you are training to race or want to ensure maximum
power from your paddling stroke, we recommend use of a wing
paddle. More U.S. racers use the Epic wing than any other. As
one of our participants noted, "Using the wing paddle forces
me to rotate completely, and gives me consistently best technique."
(Howard P., of Westport)
A wing paddle is not necessary! We will have alternate paddles
available for you to try in class if we feel that the one you
bring is not giving best results. This may happen due to length
(often too long), blade shape, balance, or materials.
For those interested in racing, Joe will answer questions on
boat selection and set-up, race strategy and specific skills,
training regimens and nutrition geared to the length of your
race.
Photo: Joe races a K-2 with Josh.
|