Cardiff International White Water
Encyclopedia
Cardiff International White Water is an Olympic standard white water rafting centre based at the Cardiff International Sports Village
in Cardiff Bay
.
The centre opened in 26 March 2010, after taking two years to build the £13.3m venue, which is the first on-demand white water centre in the UK. The facility was designed by French company, HydroStadium, who designed similar courses for the Sydney, Athens and Beijing Olympics
The centre offers on-demand white water rafting and river system for flat water paddlers. Off site activities include gorge walking and surfing.
, Sportlot, the Welsh Canoe Association and the Heritage Lottery fund.
In November 2008, a 180-tonne crane was constructed on the site in order to start work on a temporary dam that will hold back the water for four large pumps to be installed. The crane was then floated on a pontoon in the River Ely
to create a retained water pool separating the course from the river. The CIWW centre was developed by Cardiff Council for full international and Olympic competition use. The facility could be used for some of the 2012 London Olympics events, and 50,000 people are also expected to use it each year.
The Welsh Canoe Association and the British Canoeing Association agreed to give £500,000 funding to the development. Unlike the National Whitewater Centre
in Bala
, the facility does not need to rely on the elements to run.
, Ely
and the Welsh coastline. It offers on and off-site:
In addition to the standard 2 hour white water rafting sessions , CIWW also has a Hydro Speed ride, similar to a body board which is ridden on a water float at "hydrospeed". Additionally, one or two person inflatable kayaking, known as hot-dogging, is guided initially by CIWW instructors until allowing the rider to go solo.
The course is also open to free kayakers with their own equipment.
The Paddle School is aimed at beginners of the sport for the first time, offering 'try it' days and development towards British Canoe Union (BCU) awards. The school is a National Training Centre and is able to undertake on and offsite courses using local rivers or the centre at CIWW. Training and instruction is offered in BCU Star, Safety, Coaching, Moderate Water Endorsement, and Paddlepower Awards.
The National Raft Guide School provides raft guide training and assessment. The teaching staff has experience in training and assessment to British Canoe Union raft guide standard, obtained at locations in the UK, Europe, Africa and New Zealand. The National Raft Guide School runs an annual programme of guide training, BCU Level 1 and 2 courses at the CIWW centre.
The centre can offer activities to schools and colleges as part of the GCSE, A Level and BTEC curriculum, or as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
, Cardiff Harbour Authority
, Canoe Wales, RNLI, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service
and the Welsh Assembly Government
.
of the A4232
which leads to M4 J33 (Cardiff West)
.
The nearest station is Cogan railway station
, approximately 10 minutes away by foot. There are 4tph northbound to , 3tph soutbound to and 1tph southbound to via .
Cardiff Bus
routes 9, 9A, 35 and 36 which through the village to Cardiff city centre
.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International Airport
, about 30 minutes away by road, or by rail on the Vale of Glamorgan line from Cogan railway station, which has frequent scheduled and charter flights to the UK, Europe, North America and Africa.
Cardiff International Sports Village
Cardiff International Sports Village is located in Cardiff Bay in the city of Cardiff, Wales. It is one of the largest regeneration projects currently in the UK...
in Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay is the area created by the Cardiff Barrage in South Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The regeneration of Cardiff Bay is now widely regarded as one of the most successful regeneration projects in the United Kingdom. The Bay is supplied by two rivers to form a freshwater lake round the...
.
The centre opened in 26 March 2010, after taking two years to build the £13.3m venue, which is the first on-demand white water centre in the UK. The facility was designed by French company, HydroStadium, who designed similar courses for the Sydney, Athens and Beijing Olympics
The centre offers on-demand white water rafting and river system for flat water paddlers. Off site activities include gorge walking and surfing.
History
Plans for the CIWW were revealed and approved in 2006 and the centre was originally due to open in 2008. with an original estimated cost of £8.4m and funding support from the Welsh Assembly GovernmentWelsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
, Sportlot, the Welsh Canoe Association and the Heritage Lottery fund.
In November 2008, a 180-tonne crane was constructed on the site in order to start work on a temporary dam that will hold back the water for four large pumps to be installed. The crane was then floated on a pontoon in the River Ely
River Ely
The River Ely is a river in South Wales flowing generally south east, from Tonyrefail to the capital city of Cardiff.-Course of the river:...
to create a retained water pool separating the course from the river. The CIWW centre was developed by Cardiff Council for full international and Olympic competition use. The facility could be used for some of the 2012 London Olympics events, and 50,000 people are also expected to use it each year.
The Welsh Canoe Association and the British Canoeing Association agreed to give £500,000 funding to the development. Unlike the National Whitewater Centre
Canolfan Tryweryn
Canolfan Tryweryn is the National White Water Centre for Wales, and is based near Bala in North Wales. It developed the first commercial white water rafting operation in the UK in 1986, and since then has grown to become the largest and most well-respected rafting organisation in the UK...
in Bala
Bala, Gwynedd
Bala is a market town and community in Gwynedd, Wales, and formerly an urban district of the historic county of Merionethshire. It lies at the north end of Bala Lake , 17 miles north-east of Dolgellau, with a population of 1,980...
, the facility does not need to rely on the elements to run.
Activities
The CIWW centre is situated near the Rivers TaffRiver Taff
The River Taff is a large river in Wales. It rises as two rivers in the Brecon Beacons — the Taf Fechan and the Taf Fawr — before joining to form the Taff north of Merthyr Tydfil...
, Ely
River Ely
The River Ely is a river in South Wales flowing generally south east, from Tonyrefail to the capital city of Cardiff.-Course of the river:...
and the Welsh coastline. It offers on and off-site:
- Gorge scramblingCanyoningCanyoning is traveling in canyons using a variety of techniques that may include other outdoor activities such as walking, scrambling, climbing, jumping, abseiling, and/or swimming....
- SurfingSurfingSurfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
- CanoeingCanoeingCanoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
and KayakingKayakingKayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle... - BushcraftBushcraftBushcraft is a long-term extension of survival skills. A popular term for wilderness skills in Canada, The UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the term was popularised in the southern hemisphere by Les Hiddins in Australia as well as in the northern hemisphere by Mors Kochanski and...
- Rock climbingRock climbingRock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
- Mountain BikingMountain bikingMountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
- Team buildingTeam buildingTeam building refers to a wide range of activities, presented to businesses, schools, sports teams, religious or nonprofit organizations designed for improving team performance...
challenges and courses - StagBachelor partyA bachelor party , also known as a stag party, stag night or stag do , a bull's party , or a buck's party or buck's night , is a party held for a man shortly before he enters marriage, to celebrate his "last night of freedom" or merely to spend...
and hen activities - Birthday party activities
White water rafting
The Cardiff International White Water centre is the first on-demand white water rafting faciltiy in the UK. The 250 metre hairpin-shaped course can hold up to 16 cubic metres of water per second when being used for full international competitions but for recreational use it will generally hold only 8 cubic metres.In addition to the standard 2 hour white water rafting sessions , CIWW also has a Hydro Speed ride, similar to a body board which is ridden on a water float at "hydrospeed". Additionally, one or two person inflatable kayaking, known as hot-dogging, is guided initially by CIWW instructors until allowing the rider to go solo.
The course is also open to free kayakers with their own equipment.
Training and instruction
CIWW is recognised as a centre of excellence by several bodies including Canoe Wales and the BCU. The centre is used as a training venue by Europe's rescue services. CIWW provides educational canoe and kayak courses, from an introductory level to leadership and coaching awards.The Paddle School is aimed at beginners of the sport for the first time, offering 'try it' days and development towards British Canoe Union (BCU) awards. The school is a National Training Centre and is able to undertake on and offsite courses using local rivers or the centre at CIWW. Training and instruction is offered in BCU Star, Safety, Coaching, Moderate Water Endorsement, and Paddlepower Awards.
The National Raft Guide School provides raft guide training and assessment. The teaching staff has experience in training and assessment to British Canoe Union raft guide standard, obtained at locations in the UK, Europe, Africa and New Zealand. The National Raft Guide School runs an annual programme of guide training, BCU Level 1 and 2 courses at the CIWW centre.
The centre can offer activities to schools and colleges as part of the GCSE, A Level and BTEC curriculum, or as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Staff
All instructors hold appropriate National Governing Body Instructor/Coach qualifications from British Canoe Union (BCU), and have the necessary relevant experience in the activities they supervise.Other facilities
The centre also has a café with Wi-Fi access, two conference rooms, and a retail area. The White Water Cafe's True Taste of Wales menu consists of locally sourced Welsh ingredients, organic produce, and Fair Trade products.Partners
CIWW works with industry leaders including Cardiff CouncilCardiff Council
The County Council of the City and County of Cardiff is the governing body for Cardiff, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. The council consists of 75 councillors, representing 29 electoral wards. The authority is properly styled as The County Council of the City and County of Cardiff or in...
, Cardiff Harbour Authority
Cardiff Harbour Authority
The Cardiff Harbour Authority was formed as part of Cardiff Council on 1 April 2000. It took over responsibility from Cardiff Bay Development Corporation for management of the barrage, the inland bay and the River Taff and Ely....
, Canoe Wales, RNLI, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service
The South Wales Fire and Rescue Service is the fire and rescue service covering the ten Welsh principal areas of Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen and Vale of Glamorgan....
and the Welsh Assembly Government
Welsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
.
Transport
The site is connected to the national road network via the Cogan Spur on the A4055A4055 road
The A4055 is the main road link between Cardiff Bay and Barry.The road goes through the village of Dinas Powys and there has been a call for by-pass due to the volume of traffic from Barry to and from Cardiff...
of the A4232
A4232 road
The A4232, which is also known either as the Peripheral Distributor Road or the Cardiff Link Road , is a distributor road in Cardiff, the capital of Wales....
which leads to M4 J33 (Cardiff West)
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
.
The nearest station is Cogan railway station
Cogan railway station
Cogan railway station is a railway station serving Cogan in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales. It is located on the Vale of Glamorgan Line 2¾ miles south of Cardiff Central on the way to Barry Island and Bridgend....
, approximately 10 minutes away by foot. There are 4tph northbound to , 3tph soutbound to and 1tph southbound to via .
Cardiff Bus
Cardiff Bus
Cardiff Bus is the dominant operator of bus services in Cardiff, Wales and the surrounding area, including Barry and Penarth. Its hub is Cardiff central bus station...
routes 9, 9A, 35 and 36 which through the village to Cardiff city centre
Cardiff city centre
Cardiff city centre is the central business district of Cardiff, Wales. The area is tightly bounded by the River Taff to the west, the Civic centre to the north and railway lines and two railway stations - Central and Queen Street - to the south and east respectively...
.
The nearest airport is Cardiff International Airport
Cardiff International Airport
Cardiff Airport is an international airport serving Cardiff, and the rest of South, Mid and West Wales. Around 1.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010....
, about 30 minutes away by road, or by rail on the Vale of Glamorgan line from Cogan railway station, which has frequent scheduled and charter flights to the UK, Europe, North America and Africa.