River Leader 3 Training

Target Audience: Club, school, commercial instructors or guides/leaders who wish to lead advanced whitewater trips; safety boaters, other professional paddlers, etc.

Course Duration: Two days

Prerequisites:

• AWA Member
• Minimum age 18 years
• Class III-IV (advanced) whitewater paddling skills
• Swiftwater Rescue and Safety Certification
• Certified as a NCCP River Leader 2
• Active instructors must have Standard First Aid and CPR certification

Environment: Class III whitewater

Course Outline: This course follows the same format as the Kayak Leader 2 course, but for trip planning and leading on Class III water. It includes:

• Risk management: liability, waivers, standards of care, emergency action planning
• Planning and preparation; remote runs, map analysis, GPS
• Paddler screening
• Risk assessment and decision making
• Advanced leadership skills
• River hazards and hydrology
• Group management, scouting & communication techniques including river signals
• Demonstration of rescue and paddling skills