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JS Indicative Water Gradings for Slalom Courses
"Starter for ten" gradings from JS, with
contributions from oldschool, Nicky and Richard Lee . If you don't agree,
.
NB1: These gradings are more about
comparisons than about absolutes: thus ‘if you can paddle on xxx you can also
paddle on xxx’.
NB2: Some of these courses would need to
be printed as a grade-range, leaving coaches/paddlers/parents to find out what
water-levels are like at the time of the race (see RH column below).
NB3: Even courses that are usually easy can
become dangerous in exceptional high water conditions. If in doubt, seek advice
or stay off the water.
Grade Definitions
A: Pool or
otherwise completely flat water, without enough current to affect the boat.
B: Slightly
moving water, giving some eddy-lines, but not enough to worry paddlers; and with
at the most one small drop which paddlers simply have to run down.
C: Faster
current, sharper eddy-lines, some drops that can be intimidating, possible to
set crosses on small waves, often rocky.
D: ‘Real’ slalom
water. Beginners will need some practise to handle this, and some bravery simply
to paddle down it.
E: The most
difficult courses in the UK.
|
Water Grade |
Course |
2010
usage |
Grade range
where
applicable |
|
A |
Aberfeldy when low |
3/4 |
A/B |
| Darlington Dolphin Centre |
4 |
|
| Howsham Weir below the chute |
4 |
|
| Frome Market Yard |
4 |
A |
| Loddon |
4 |
A/B |
| North Walls |
4 |
|
| Tees (start pool) |
3/4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
B |
Aberfeldy when high |
3/4 |
A/B |
| Alva |
3/4 |
|
| Bala Mill below the Falls |
2/3/4 |
|
| Cardington |
2/3/4 |
|
| Harefield |
3/4 |
|
| Langham Farm (low) |
3/4 |
B/C |
| Llandysul when low |
1/2/3/4 |
B/C |
| Marple |
3/4 |
|
| Matlock when low |
4 |
B/C |
| Middleton-in-Teesdale when
low |
3/4 |
B/C |
| Mile End Mill when low |
3/4 |
B/C |
| Nene below the drop |
4 |
|
| Orton Mere |
3/4 |
|
| Oughtibridge |
3/4 |
|
| Rhug |
3/4 |
|
| Shepperton at low levels |
3/4 |
B/E |
| Seaton Park |
3/4 |
|
| Stone |
3/4 |
|
| Wagon Lane |
3/4 |
|
| Yalding Weir |
3/4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
C |
Abbey Rapids when low |
1/2/3/4 |
C/D |
| Fairnilee |
2/3/4 |
|
| Howsham 2/3 |
2/3 |
|
| Langham Farm (high) |
3/4 |
B/C |
| Llandysul when high |
1/2/3/4 |
B/C |
| Matlock when high |
2/3/4 |
B/C |
| Middleton-in-Teesdale when
high |
3/4 |
B/C |
| Mile End Mill when high |
3/4 |
B/C |
| Nene WW course |
2/3 |
|
| Sowerby Bridge |
2/3/4 |
|
| West Tanfield |
3/4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
D |
Abbey Rapids when high |
1/2 |
C/D |
| Bala Mill: the Falls |
P |
|
| Grandtully when medium/low |
P/1/2 |
D/E |
| The Graveyard, the
Tryweryn |
P/1 |
|
| Holme Pierrepont avoiding
the features |
1/2 |
D/E |
| Serpent’s Tail when quite
low |
P/1 |
D/E |
| Shepperton at medium/high
levels |
1/2 |
B/D |
| The Ski-Slope, Tryweryn on 9
cumecs |
P/1 |
D/E |
| Washburn |
P/1/2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
E: |
Cardiff Bay |
P |
|
| Grandtully when high |
P/1/2 |
D/E |
| Holme Pierrepont using the
features |
P/1/2 |
D/E |
| Serpent’s Tail when high |
P/1 |
D/E |
| The Ski-Slope, Tryweryn on 12
cumecs |
P/1 |
D/E |
|
In current use, but not yet graded |
|
Water Grade |
Course |
2010
usage |
|
| ?E? |
Lee Valley (main course) |
|
|
|
Lee Valley (recreational
course) |
|
|
| ?E? |
New Tees Barrage Course |
|
|
| ?B? |
Ogmore |
3/4 |
|
|
Courses not currently in use |
|
Water
Grade |
Course |
Traditional usage |
? |
|
|
|
|
|
A |
Capel Curig |
|
|
|
Duck Mill |
4/N |
|
|
Glasshouses/Glasshouses Lake |
N |
|
|
Grimsby/Freshney |
4/5 |
|
|
Hatfield Water Park |
4 SC |
|
|
Princes’ Quay |
5 |
|
|
Red Locks |
N |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
B |
Beaver Pool when low (riparian issues) |
3 |
B/C |
|
Blubberhouses |
4/N |
|
|
Burrs |
4/5 |
|
|
Carlisle when low |
4/N |
B/C |
|
Castlefields when low |
4/N |
|
|
Churnett Valley |
4/N |
|
|
Cockermouth Park |
4/N |
|
|
Comrie |
4/N |
|
|
Copley Village |
4/N |
|
|
Darley Abbey |
3/4/N |
|
|
Easby Abbey |
3/4 |
|
|
Elan Valley |
3 |
|
|
Finchale Abbey |
4/N |
|
|
Ironbridge/Jackfields when low |
4/N |
B/C |
|
Leny |
4/N |
|
|
Ludlow |
3 |
|
|
Martley |
4/N |
|
|
Mersey Valley |
4/N |
|
|
Monnow |
|
|
|
Myrtle Park |
4/N |
|
|
Newark Weir |
4/N |
|
|
Pipe Bridge |
4/N |
|
|
Pont-ar-Ithon (riparian issues) |
N |
|
|
Pontrilas |
N |
|
|
Pulteney Weir |
4/N |
|
|
Red Locks |
N |
|
|
Richmond Town |
4/N |
|
|
River Croal |
4/N |
|
|
Tamworth Weir |
4/N |
|
|
Teith |
4/N |
|
|
Town Falls below the Falls |
P/1 |
|
|
Tyne Valley |
4/N |
|
|
Wychnor Bridge |
4/5 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
C |
Appletreewick when low |
2 |
C/D |
|
Bala Mill - top course |
3 |
|
|
Beaver Pool when high (riparian issues) |
3 |
B/C |
|
Builth Wells |
2 |
|
|
Carlisle when high |
4/N |
B/C |
|
Castlefields when high |
4/N |
|
|
Clywedog (issues - SSSi) |
P |
C |
|
Chester Weir |
4/N |
|
|
Halton Rapids when low |
3/4 |
|
|
Hambledon when low |
3 |
C/D |
|
Ironbridge/Jackfields when high |
2/3 |
B/C |
|
Rheadr/Rhayader |
3/4 |
C |
|
River Awe |
2/3 |
|
|
Symonds Yat |
2 |
|
|
Tryweryn - campsite course |
3 |
|
|
Tryweryn - Stilling Basin |
2 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
D |
Appletreewick when high |
2 |
C/D |
|
Town Falls when high |
P/1 |
|
|
Hambledon when high |
2 |
C/D |
|
Linton Locks |
2/3 |
|
|
Stangerthwaite |
2 |
|
|
Halton Rapids when high |
2 |
|
|
Courses not currently in use and not yet
graded |
|
Grade |
Course |
traditional usage |
? |
| |
Abingdon Weir |
N |
? |
| |
Ankerdine |
4/5 |
? |
| |
Batchworth Weir |
4/N |
? |
| |
Bodenham |
4/N |
? |
| |
Cairnton |
2/3 |
? |
| |
Canford Weir |
4 |
? |
| |
Capel Curig |
N |
? |
| |
Chelmsford |
N |
? |
| |
Chippenham |
4/N |
? |
| |
Cookham |
N |
? |
| |
Dart |
4/N |
? |
| |
Dedham Mill |
4/N |
? |
| |
Denham Lodge |
N |
? |
| |
Dinnet |
3/4 |
? |
| |
Dobbs Weir |
N |
? |
| |
Durngate Mill |
N |
? |
| |
Earl’s Barton |
4/5 |
? |
| |
Egglestone Bridge |
3 |
? |
| |
Forth/Forth Canal |
5 SC |
? |
| |
French Weir |
N |
? |
| |
Head Weir |
N |
? |
| |
Holne Park |
N |
? |
| |
Hornshole |
4/N |
? |
| |
Kilkewydd |
4 |
? |
| |
King’s Mills |
4 |
? |
| |
Leamington Spa |
4 |
? |
| |
Livingston |
4/N |
? |
| |
Mapledurham |
4 |
? |
| |
Middle Mill |
N |
? |
| |
Moorland Farm |
3 |
? |
| |
Netherton Bridge |
2/3 |
? |
| |
Newbury |
N |
? |
| |
Offenham |
4/N |
? |
| |
Old Windsor |
2 |
? |
| |
Peaches’ Meadow |
5 |
? |
| |
Potarch |
3/4 |
? |
| |
River Dart |
3 |
? |
| |
River Tweed |
4/N |
? |
| |
Rockfield |
4/N |
? |
| |
Royal Deeside |
2/3 |
? |
| |
Salisbury |
5 |
? |
| |
Selkirk |
5 |
? |
| |
Sharnbrook |
4 |
? |
| |
Stratford Weir |
N |
? |
| |
Summerseat |
N |
? |
| |
Tavernham |
4/N |
? |
| |
Teviot Bridge |
4/N |
? |
| |
Vale Royal |
4/N |
? |
| |
Wensum |
4 |
? |
| |
Whorlton |
3/4 |
? |
| |
Winchester |
N |
? |
| |
Woodmill |
3/4 |
? |
| |
Yair Pool |
4 |
? |
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