OC Camps

Hi everybody! I need some input from the experienced people here... I am a 46 year old female who took up water sports basically this May. Started with dragon boating (had to learn OC-1 to do the 500M trials for Nationals), and fell in love with OC-1 and recently also started in 6-man. (I think I'm addicted and paddle something almost every day :>) Almost all of my paddling has been in the Schuylkill (Philadlelphia PA) river, a freshwater, flatwater venue. This winter or early spring, I'd like to attend an outrigger camp of some sort. What I most want is very individualized stroke technique training. Learning to surf the ocean would be a blast but not necessarily my primary focus. In May/June 2009, I will be tested in flatwater OC-1 500M trials to try to make the US team for Dragon Boating to go to worlds. I'm looking for a very well organized/run camp provided by coaches who really, really know what they are doing and coach well. I've been to speedskating camps and cycling camps and do have a concern that the camp is appropriate for females (sometimes camps can devolve into testosterone fueled competitions... not that I'm necessarily opposed to that, but I have a LOT to learn ;>). I'm willing to travel... Florida, California, Hawaii are all doable, although I'd rather not have to go all the way to Hawaii if I don't have to... I need to save up some vacation time for next year.

What say you all??? And thanks very, very much for the input...

Cat

Submitted by catdailey on Wed, 09/17/2008 - 5:01am



catdailey

   I know of a excellent camp that will have multiple levels of training and for different levels of experience starting in January. Unfortunately it's in Hawaii. The name of the camp is Hawaii Outrigger Canoe Camp 2009 run by Pogue Sports. You can go to pogue sports website for details if not then give me youe e-mail address and i can forward you info if your interested. Aloha, Trey

#1 Wed, 09/17/2008 - 8:17am



There was a sprint camp in AZ this spring run by Water's Edge out of Canada. Don't know if it's happening this coming year. Might be a good fit given you're looking to train for a 500m.


#3 Wed, 09/17/2008 - 3:55pm


Hey,

I believe that this is the Water's Edge site, which lists the Arizona and Hawaii camps.

http://www.watersedgesportperformance.com/

And here's another that's held in Florida www.OPAdvantage.net

Sorry but I haven't attended either so I can't provide any review.

Bruce


#4 Thu, 09/18/2008 - 3:12am


Thanks for all of the good links... doesn't anyone actually go to any of these camps? I am intrigued by waters edge and opadvantage.

Thanks!


#5 Thu, 09/18/2008 - 1:16pm


Anyone? Anyone? ... Bueller?


#6 Mon, 09/22/2008 - 6:59am


Every day we train here at Casco Bay is an OC camp . We welcome all paddlers, anytime free of charge.


#7 Mon, 09/22/2008 - 7:53am


Suggest rather than spend money on a camp, spend time in your area looking for somebody who can paddle well, knows the technical details of a good stroke, and most importantly, knows how to teach well. Many great paddlers out there but finding one who can teach could be a challenge.

However, I dunno how popular OC1 is in your area so above may be very difficult, you may have to travel.

Read, read, read, and look at as many vids as you can. There's a vid recently from the world sprints this Summer that shows excellent sprint technique.

OC1 paddling is somewhat esoteric so finding a "camp" that runs curriculum for competitive paddlers, not beginners, may be difficult.


#8 Mon, 09/22/2008 - 2:11pm


While I agree that most "camps" seem to be recreational or beginner in focus, I did go to a V1 sprint camp where the coaches' resumes included:
- Olympic Team K1 (x2)
- World Sprint Gold Medalist (x2)

Participants included at least 6 paddlers who have raced world sprints at least once and at least 5 paddlers who have raced world championships in other paddle sports.

They do exist.


#9 Mon, 09/22/2008 - 4:36pm


Got to agree with chineboy. Not a lot to choose from in OC camps, especially ones that specifically cater to women. If you're paddling OC6 that's the basic stroke. Yeah, there are differences, but they are pretty close. so who's coaching your local OC6? They should be able to work with you. That and just lots of time on a single to get the balance and be relaxed.


#10 Mon, 09/22/2008 - 4:45pm


I went to the Water's Edge camp in AZ last year (OC track) and the year before (DB track). The year before last I was prepping to make the Nationals team, (same goals as you!), it was 1 year after I started paddling and it worked... I paddled with your crew out of Philly on Premier Women's crew in Sydney.

I feel the caliber of technical coaching, especially for flatwater sprinting, and for stroke mechanics, offered by the Water's Edge coaches, is excellent. There were also some good lectures on building your training plans, core stability classes, and typically 2 on water sessions daily, one with your main coach for the week and one with a guest coach. The camp had plenty of recreational paddlers but also some more competitive paddlers, and they did a good job grouping folks with similar goals together.

Last year Connie Flesuras, the coach who won the US Master's Women's bid this year, was at Water's Edge AZ as a coach - if it is the US Women's Master's DB crew you are hoping to qualify for in the spring, it might be good to go do the OC track to get your comfort and technique on OC1, but also talk to her as she typically coaches a DB track, or see if you might be able to get in her DB boat for a session or two. I can certainly put you in touch with her to see if she will be back again this year and you can get her opinion on the camp if she isn't going back to coach this year. I am not sure who won the Mixed Master's bid for DB this year - did Bob M's Philly crew qualify for that slot?

This last year I was in the OC track at Water's Edge, we focused on learning to steer and sprint rudderless V1 - you may want to check if they are planning on doing traditional/rudderless V1 again this year as that would be less critical for you at this stage. You want to be on a ruddered OC1 track as your time trials will be on OC1 with rudders, I'm sure!

Feel free to PM me and I'll answer any questions you may have. Sharon A from your area was also there if you know her and want to get her thoughts on the camp.

V


#11 Mon, 09/22/2008 - 6:32pm


Valerie:

Thank you, thank you , thank you for the great info and yes, I'd love to get in touch with Connie. I actually made Premier (open) women for Nationals and we (Bob/Philly) won that boat. I also paddled in Senior Women and Senior mixed, but we only won the Mixed boat in Senior. My goal for World's is Premier women(!) and Senior mixed. That's why the 500M OC-1 trials are so important to me. I know that Sharon A and Clif H went to the water's edge camp, but I wasn't sure if rudderless would really help at all and I didn't realize that they might offer standard OC-1 this year... I will definitely contact them and ask. And a session or two in a DB might be a huge help as well.

And to the previous posters, thanks for the advice to paddle lots here and get coached here and watch, read and learn as much as you can... trust me, I already do all of that ;> The problem is, I am going to lose my access to water and boats in just a few weeks... the real downside to living in the Northeast!


#12 Tue, 09/23/2008 - 9:31am


So there are camps for competitive OC1. Very cool!


#13 Tue, 09/23/2008 - 1:42pm


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