Introduction
Everyone at some point has seen someone roll off a curl of a feature, cross gracefully on the back of a stopper, or jump and get so much movement off the stopper they fly into an up.
Everyone at some point has seen someone roll off a curl of a feature, cross gracefully on the back of a stopper, or jump and get so much movement off the stopper they fly into an up.
For me this comes from understanding the water, what it is doing, what it will do to you, and what you should do to get where you want to go.
This comes into discussing our first topic
Crossing Stoppers at Lee Valley
First before we can talk about what to do, we must first understand the feature we are trying to use.
This is a classic drop at Lee Valley.
This comes into discussing our first topic
Crossing Stoppers at Lee Valley
First before we can talk about what to do, we must first understand the feature we are trying to use.
This is a classic drop at Lee Valley.
I have annotated the image so we can better understand what we are talking about.
Looking at the stopper from the side, we can see the water flows down over the drop, hits the bottom of the river and recirculates back upstream over itself. This means on top of the foam pile (on top window) water is actually moving upstream.
Looking at the stopper from the side, we can see the water flows down over the drop, hits the bottom of the river and recirculates back upstream over itself. This means on top of the foam pile (on top window) water is actually moving upstream.
Looking at this at Lee Valley we see
The Up to Down concept
Now we know that the water is pulling us upstream in the on top window, we can use this to our advantage to cross the stopper.
We could just ride the stopper along in the pit, however this is a very bouncy and unstable piece of water, and we are confined in it until we get to the other end, with no options, and often unable to adjust our line until we reach other other side.
Staying on top however allows us to reposition and adjust our boat as we cross, because the boat is light due to being at the highest point of the stopper. This is important, imagine the stopper as a hump.
The other side to this is falling away. How many times have you come to cross the stopper and felt the boat falling off downstream. Often at Lee Valley with the power of the water with your bows in the air to then hit the next stopper sideways.
So we realise how important it is to be on top – How do we get there?
Watch this series of crosses and we will discuss after
Now we know that the water is pulling us upstream in the on top window, we can use this to our advantage to cross the stopper.
We could just ride the stopper along in the pit, however this is a very bouncy and unstable piece of water, and we are confined in it until we get to the other end, with no options, and often unable to adjust our line until we reach other other side.
Staying on top however allows us to reposition and adjust our boat as we cross, because the boat is light due to being at the highest point of the stopper. This is important, imagine the stopper as a hump.
The other side to this is falling away. How many times have you come to cross the stopper and felt the boat falling off downstream. Often at Lee Valley with the power of the water with your bows in the air to then hit the next stopper sideways.
So we realise how important it is to be on top – How do we get there?
Watch this series of crosses and we will discuss after
Common factors – All the paddlers manage to stay on top of the stopper and have control when crossing.
To cross and stay on top
Coming up to come down to drive across is the key.
We know the water on top is moving us upstream, So when we paddle up at the stopper below the on top window, and have across stream momentum (which you must have to be able to leave the eddy/up) we will move across the river and have upstream movement due to the stopper pulling us in, and therefore will end up in the pit.
To counteract this if we pull up higher than the on top window and point a little downstream then as we drive into the feature, we can counteract the upstream pull of the stopper and go flat across the river, crossing in the on top window, staying dry and in control.
Below is a video that shows this well, and includes markers and a path both of the hips and the bows so you can see how this works.
To cross and stay on top
Coming up to come down to drive across is the key.
We know the water on top is moving us upstream, So when we paddle up at the stopper below the on top window, and have across stream momentum (which you must have to be able to leave the eddy/up) we will move across the river and have upstream movement due to the stopper pulling us in, and therefore will end up in the pit.
To counteract this if we pull up higher than the on top window and point a little downstream then as we drive into the feature, we can counteract the upstream pull of the stopper and go flat across the river, crossing in the on top window, staying dry and in control.
Below is a video that shows this well, and includes markers and a path both of the hips and the bows so you can see how this works.
Falling Away
If you find yourself falling away and dropping low on the cross, then this is because you haven’t got “over the hump” to get on top of the stopper.
The video below shows this along with the up to down concept.
If you find yourself falling away and dropping low on the cross, then this is because you haven’t got “over the hump” to get on top of the stopper.
The video below shows this along with the up to down concept.
Not getting over the hump is due to some common factors
- Not having enough cross stream speed.
- Not climbing up high enough (not climbing above the on top window)
- A combination of both above.
Below also is image showing the same falling away vs staying on top.
- Not having enough cross stream speed.
- Not climbing up high enough (not climbing above the on top window)
- A combination of both above.
Below also is image showing the same falling away vs staying on top.
Two Options
As we enter the stopper the bows are the first point of our boat affected by the stopper. This will mean the bows will react first to being pulled upstream into the stopper.
Coming up to come down has already helped us counteract the stopper pulling us into the pit to a degree, but I believe there are two stroke combinations that can help us with this too.
We can either draw and hold on the downstream blade, or drive on the upstream blade.
Draw example
As we enter the stopper the bows are the first point of our boat affected by the stopper. This will mean the bows will react first to being pulled upstream into the stopper.
Coming up to come down has already helped us counteract the stopper pulling us into the pit to a degree, but I believe there are two stroke combinations that can help us with this too.
We can either draw and hold on the downstream blade, or drive on the upstream blade.
Draw example
Upstream Blade example
As a C1 I often prefer holding and drawing on the downstream blade, but both work.
Below is another video showing the holding draw to cross the stopper after the bridge at HPP.
This highlights how the boat can run across on the back of the stopper well. No forward stroke is taken once the boat has left the eddy, all the momentum is carried across due to the boat being sucked up and the draw holding the boat down and directing the boat across.
Below is another video showing the holding draw to cross the stopper after the bridge at HPP.
This highlights how the boat can run across on the back of the stopper well. No forward stroke is taken once the boat has left the eddy, all the momentum is carried across due to the boat being sucked up and the draw holding the boat down and directing the boat across.
Conclusion
The amount we have to come up to down obviously varies with each stopper.
Some stoppers arguably we dont have to come up at all, if our cross stream speed is enough and the on top window is long, and the stopper has a flat less humpish nature then this is cool. However if the stopper has a big hump, a narrow ontop window then the more we have to come up to come down.
The amount we have to come up to down obviously varies with each stopper.
Some stoppers arguably we dont have to come up at all, if our cross stream speed is enough and the on top window is long, and the stopper has a flat less humpish nature then this is cool. However if the stopper has a big hump, a narrow ontop window then the more we have to come up to come down.
As we can see these two stoppers have the same features and parts but very different shapes and ontop windows.
Its about identifying how much to come up, how much to point down, and how much to drive/hold.
Of course there are other factors, where we are looking, if our weight is back or forwards, whether we are driving or waiting, but I may cover that in detail later on.
Other Points
Drills and progression – To practice the holding draw on the downstream side start on the flat.
Start paddling forwards and do a hanging draw. Move this draw forwards to sideslip and pull the nose around (as if counteracting the bow being pulled up)
Then find a smaller stopper and progress up.
Other funky stuff
As you are on top of the stopper then essentially you are in an eddy. In an eddy you can edge both upstream and downstream. See Below for some good upstream edge with downstream holding.
Its about identifying how much to come up, how much to point down, and how much to drive/hold.
Of course there are other factors, where we are looking, if our weight is back or forwards, whether we are driving or waiting, but I may cover that in detail later on.
Other Points
Drills and progression – To practice the holding draw on the downstream side start on the flat.
Start paddling forwards and do a hanging draw. Move this draw forwards to sideslip and pull the nose around (as if counteracting the bow being pulled up)
Then find a smaller stopper and progress up.
Other funky stuff
As you are on top of the stopper then essentially you are in an eddy. In an eddy you can edge both upstream and downstream. See Below for some good upstream edge with downstream holding.
That a wraps for today. There is a lot of information in this article. I have tried to break it down simply and give lots of detail, but more importantly show lots of examples.