RVA Paddle Sports

(804) 898-0697[email protected]

Stand Up Paddle, Kayak

Dive right into the wonderful world of Whitewater Kayaking, a sport originally thought to be accessible only to a select few. At RVA Paddlesports, it is our goal to craft unique outdoor experiences catered to each individual that walks through our doors. With our intensive beginner whitewater training program, in only one months time you can go from never before sitting in a kayak to confidently running class III rapids!

What you get out of this package:

When you sign up, you will receive 30 hours of professional instruction geared towards proper stroke technique, advanced technical maneuvers, proper safety precautions, and developing skills associated with reading moving whitewater. You will be given instruction 2 to 3 times a week. This includes our weekly lessons on how to roll a kayak which focuses on essential self-rescue techniques if your boat becomes capsized within a rapid.

With our unique position in downtown Richmond, we have a very intimate relationship with the James River. Only 10 minutes from the nearest river entry, we get more time for instruction than driving for the shuttle! The 6 mile stretch of river that flows through downtown is divided into 2 parts; The Upper and The Lower. We start off on the Upper, comprised of Class I and II rapids. This section is a perfect difficulty for developing foundational skills. After a few runs down the Upper you will graduate to The Lower, comprised mainly of Class III rapids with regards to summer flows. We will start with the easier ones and work our way up the chain as your technical maneuvering skills develop throughout the program.