Soča Camp 2

The Soča is one of the most beautiful and technically interesting rivers in Europe. The beautiful color of the water, the countless practice spots and the lush green of the Slovenian forests make the Soča valley a very special vacation destination for kayakers. The Soča and its tributaries have many sections up to the 4th level of difficulty and are therefore very suitable for our courses.

We will set up our base camp at the "Liza" campsite in Bovec.

At this camp we offer a Beginners Course Level 1, F1, F2 and Play the River course. Please click on one of the courses below to find out more details about the course content and prerequisites.

Learn to paddle in the warm south!

In the kayak course Beginners Course you will learn all the basics to be able to paddle independently on easy white water. We show you what to look out for on the river and how to use the equipment correctly. The technique you will learn in this course will give you a good foundation to get off to a flying start in kayaking! In contrast to other kayak beginner courses, we don't teach you "beginner techniques", but the basics that will accompany you all the way into the roughest white water.

The Soča is the ideal river for this! You can test your limits on crystal-clear water that is never cold. We start at the lake and increase the difficulty a little each day. By the end, you'll be fit enough to paddle easy rivers on your own.

Course content
Exercises
Rivers
Prerequisites
Goals

Learn about the safety equipment, how to adjust your kayak, and how to hold the paddle correctly.
Paddling straight ahead: efficient forward stroke and upper body posture
Paddling curves: Arc stroke, draw stroke, power stroke, weight shift and upper body rotation.
Slowing momentum and backward paddling: Counterstroke and backstroke
Small flow theory
Eddying out

We learn the basic techniques on the lake.
How to safely get out of the boat underwater.
Relaxed paddling in moving water
Understanding main paddle strokes in moving water
How to traverse across the river (ferry glide)
Boat edging to perform direction changes.
Entering and leaving moving water (Break in and Break out)

Soča
Koritnica

To be able to take part in Beginners Course , you must

Be able to swim confidently
Be in overall good health.
be at least 12 years old.

Be able to navigate easy sections of river independently
Learn all the important basic techniques

Learn to move independently and safely on WW II!

In this course, you will gain confidence on class II whitewater. The aim is that at the end of the course you will be able to ride with your friends, even without "better riders", on class II whitewater sections.

The Soča is perfect for practicing in easy white water. At any water level, there are countless switchbacks and the difficulty can be continuously increased. The ideal river for perfecting basic techniques.

Course content
Exercises
Rivers
Prerequisites
Goals

Repetition of basic techniques on the lake as learned at Beginners Course
Flow theory
Recognizing and using different currents on the river
Expand dynamic movement using weight positioning and upper body rotation.
Eddying technique using forward stroke and draw stroke
Control of the kayak by proper edging and blade pressure
Introduction to belaying with a throwbag (Basic Kit)

Rope ferry across the river (traversing)
Breaking out
Combinations of several sweeping waters or different obstacles
Quick changes of direction
Punching stones

Soča
Koritnica

To be able to take part in Advanced 1 Course , you must

Be able to swim confidently
Be in overall good health.
have first experience in kayaking, such as after our Beginners Course Level 2.
be at least 14 years old (we also offer youth courses at the Soča).

Consolidate and deepen the basic techniques
Be able to drive independently class II whitewater

WW intensive course including roller training!

Do you feel at home on class II whitewater and would finally like to enter more difficult waters? Or are you already a frequent visitor to class III whitewater but would like to be a bit more confident? Then this is the course for you. We'll show you how much fun more gradients and more water pressure can be if you simply rely on the current and your technique.
In this course, we focus on using the current, estimating lines and navigating tactics in a group, as well as on good technique. The aim of the course is to develop routine in class III whitewater .

The Soča offers us the perfect training ground for this! The labyrinths of white limestone rocks offer countless eddies, baffles and boofs. The clear water almost invites you to try an Eskimo roll every now and then...

Course content
Exercises
Rivers
Prerequisites
Goals

Flow theory
Recognizing and using different currents on the river
Expand dynamic movement using weight positioning and upper body rotation.
Eddying technique using forward stroke and draw stroke
Control of the kayak by proper edging and blade pressure
Scouting: Assessing dangers, choosing lines
Navigation tactics in the group: communication and safety posts
Boofen

Driving impact cushions
Breaking out
Punching stones
Sweeping water combinations

Soča
Koritnica

To be able to take part in Advanced 2 Course , you must

Be able to swim confidently
Be in overall good health.
paddle safely class II whitewater
be at least 14 years old (we also offer youth courses at the Soča).

Be able to drive independently class III whitewater

Learn to play with your boat and the water!

The Play the River course is all about playing: get on the river with your Riverrunner and give it your all! Here you will learn how to play your way down the river with tricks and style. Targeted exercises will help you improve your technique, get your tail under water and keep your boat tip in the air! In addition to the different variations of the undercut, we will explain and practise rock splats, rock spins, pirouettes and many other riverrunning techniques in detail.

To take part in the Play the River course, you should already have a good general technique (F2 level or higher) and a roll rate - even in unfavorable conditions - of at least 80%.

Course content
Exercises
Rivers
Prerequisites
Goals

Explanation of the most important terms and material
Tips for fitting your kayak and determining the ideal seating position
Fundamentals of flow theory
Dynamic sweeping with forward stroke and pulling stroke
"Hold" the torque on the boat and learn to use it in the various moves
Expand dynamic movement using weight positioning and upper body rotation.
Use the current: edge correctly and build up pressure on the paddle blade!
Different variants of undercutting
Rocksplats and Rockspins
Candles and pirouettes
Backdeck Roll and much more.

Dynamic sweeping with a dry tip and dry tail
"Hold" torque on the boat over several changes of direction
Undercutting when entering the current
Undercutting when entering the eddy
Positioning the kayak on the stern when crossing waves
Candles in rolls and small steps
Keep the kayak on the stern and on the tip by shifting your weight over a longer period of time
Implement Rocksplat from the drive and from dynamic undercutting
Wavewheels and kickflips over waves and shoulders and much more.

Soca
Koritnica

To take part in the Play the River course, you must

Be able to swim confidently
Be in overall good health.
safely class III whitewater (e.g. Untere Ötz, abseiling section of the Soča, Brandenberger Ache: Wiesklamm, Loisach).
master the Whitewater Roll (at least 80% roll-up rate).
be at least 14 years old.
bring a Riverrunner kayak. If you don't (yet) have one, we can lend you one.

Discover the fun of river running and learn as many moves as possible
Improve boat feel and control over maneuvers
Recognize your own "problem areas" through video analysis and feedback from the trainer
Define individual exercises that will help you personally and which you can do at any time after the course
Implement playful riding in white water