06/11/2025
After first taking up kayaking with her university canoe club several decades ago, Gabby noticed that many of her old skills had started to fade. Like many UK paddlers, her opportunities to kayak are dictated by the weather — often only when it rains. This sporadic paddling schedule means jumping straight from the sidelines into fast-moving water, demanding an instant recall of technique, tactics, and confidence. It’s a challenging test of skill recall under pressure.
On our day out on the River Dart’s loop section, we found plenty of excellent spots for coaching, particularly along the first third of the river. Here, Gabby is focusing on crossing the eddyline with an ideal approach angle and minimal boat edge before applying her paddle to drive an efficient and powerful across a narrow jet of current.
Notice how she looks into the move early — before even reaching the eddyline — to identify her line across the flow. This forward-looking focus contrasts with the common mistake of staring down at the kayak’s bow. Positive target fixation like this promotes smooth, decisive movement through dynamic water, whereas fixating on the bow limits the paddler to reacting rather than shaping the outcome — a form of negative target fixation.
Her entry angle is crucial. In this narrow, fast-moving jet, maintaining a strong upriver angle with a relatively flat kayak allows Gabby to slip cleanly across the eddyline. With little boat edge exposed, the downstream current has less to catch, reducing an unwanted spin and helping her glide through the transition. Momentum into the move, however, is essential for success.
Once across the eddyline, a solid forward stroke on the downstream side transitions into a stern rudder while her gaze stays fixed on the far bank — her destination. This technique creates firm pressure between the paddle blade and the kayak, as if compressing the water between them, generating both power and control for a smooth, purposeful crossing.
