Spanish White Water SUP Course

We are proud to offer the most advanced SUP white water paddleboarding course anywhere which takes place on the Spanish Pallaresa River. This white water course is headed up by our director (Jim) who did the first successful descent of the Pallaresa and has seen it’s potential for helping others not only develop their skills from grade 3 to grade 4 but also to have an awesome time paddling on an amazing river!

It takes place at the back end of August and the water is always consistent as it is dam release every single day. We can supply SUP boards for people to bring out if you want, but you would need to collect these from us prior. We ask that people bring their own personal paddling kit and paddles as well if possible.

There are different white water sections of the Pallaresa which we will paddling including the lower gorge, classic, full classic, the slalom course and lower classic. 

Arrival Day:

Settle in to the are and get to know each other. Discuss the plans for the week and anyone’s particular aims of the course and then head out into town to have dinner.

Day 1

Lower Gorge Grade 2/+ (4+ portageable).

We will use today as a warm up and get the body moving seeing where people’s current white water SUP skills are at and what will be most efficient to work on during this course. We will focus around being as efficient as possible in paddling grade 2/2+ white water and really knuckling down into effective stroke control and timing of the strokes in particular around the eddy lines.

Day2

Lower Classic & Slalom Course. 

We will get on half way down the classic section SUP paddling the grade white water 3 rapids down into the town where we will then focus the rest of the session at the slalom course which has very precise eddy lines where our technique needs to be spot on otherwise we end up in the water. This day is a great introduction into grade 3 white water paddleboarding and what we need to do differently from grade 2, this includes things like effective height management and efficient methods of stability utilising the paddle while in the rapids. We then focus at the slalom course at how to cross tricky eddy lines and also how to surf waves effectively. For today it may help switching off certain preconceptions you have around eddy lines and how we get across them as there will be some advanced methods and ideas thrown in!

Day3

Full Classic

This is the full classic section of grade 3+ and also Roc Roc Grade 4. We will SUP paddle down to Roc Roi warming up where we will then session the rapid and break down how we can paddle grade 4 white water on a SUP. The hope would be that everyone will be able to get down on their knees and at the very least be starting to do things on their feet by the end. We will then continue on down into town following the grade 3+ rapids and waves down looking at trying to eddy out in the rapids and how in this grade of water we break back in on our off sides in particular.

Day4

Upper Classic 

We look really specifically at paddling Roc Roi on this day and really break it down to try and get people focusing on the balance transition points, how to turn the boards quickly in this grade of water without losing focus on where we need to position our SUP boards and why. Hopefully, by the end of this people are managing most of the rapid on their feet. The hardest bit is the very end of it which we will likely have to keep working the next day. We head down half way of the run we did yesterday so that we spend more time at the rapids seasoning them to develop our skills.

Day5

Full Classic into the Slalom Course. 

This is a big day where we look at putting all our skills we have learnt during the week into practice. We also throw in how to carve our boards as well. Hopefully, we can all stay upright paddling down the river manoeuvring around the rapids efficiently and effectively down into town where we can session the slalom course and start to think about really dancing on the water and making what we do look good!

Day6

Open Option to the group where you would like to go and what you would like to focus on for the last day. Normally people choose classic but it is up to you! You can choose to leave this evening or early morning the next day whatever you prefer.

Fort this course we will stay at Camping Noguera Pallaresa in their chalet style accommodation which has fridges, showers, separate beds, inside lounge and outside seating for the sunny days when we are off the river sat having a debrief, beer or perhaps lunch before a second run!

There is an onsite swimming pool, bar, restaurant and in town there are many wonderful and cheap places to eat out in quality.

If you have experience paddling grade 3 already and want to learn the skills required to manage in grade 3 and upwards white water then this is the course for you. On this course we will look at advanced SUP skills you will struggle to find taught anywhere outside of the states. This includes things like carving boards, river reading in grade 4, balance transition on the board, weight transfer and foot positioning alterations required in larger white water, cross decks strokes in stronger water, group management in grade 3 and upwards.

We ask that people have experience paddling grade 3 already to get the most of this course. The majority of the river is constant and consistent grade 3 white water with two larger rapids thrown in Roc Row G4 and Pastis G4+. Lower down the gorge provides us quality grade 2/2+ white water as a great warm up day and to see where people’s skills are already.

We pride ourselves on providing as much kit as possible for you.  However, the list below is what we recommend you should bring to your Spanish White Water SUP Course:

• Travel insurance. (We are insured for all our trips, but we recommend everyone has their own travel insurance as well.)
• Transportation.
• Food (there are supermarkets and plenty of restaurants in town that are excellent)
• Personal medication
• Sun cream
• Buoyancy aid
• Helmet
• Neoprene footwear
• Shorts & rash vest
• SUP paddle
• Sup and Leash

Here at Highland Outdoor Adventures, we pride ourselves on providing as much as we can but you are welcome to bring your own equipment if you do prefer. The list below is what we provide you with on the course.

It is expected normally when sitting courses like this people would come with at least their own personal equipment but we can supply some equipment if required. We do find that people normally prefer to use their own kit for courses like this.

• Hala Atcha 9’6 the worlds best white water SUP boards – perfect for supping on the Pallaresa. If you want to borrow one you will need to collect and return it to us in Scotland prior to the course.
• All instruction & administration fees included – you will get a white water personal performance award during this course as well.
• All first aid and safety equipment.
• Photographs of the day provided for you at no extra cost! If the weather is good we will have a DSLR professional camera  so we can take photos and videos of your adventure and you can look back at the day for years to come. If the weather is less favourable we will bring a GoPro (as it is waterproof) so we will still be able to take photos for you.
• Accommodation