The Disclaimer

First up, of course we are still in the transition phase from lockdown to a new “COVID normal”. We have a range of conditions that we need to meet to stay within DBACT and ACT Health’s guidelines, we will aim to keep everyone informed as these change over time, but we also expect members to keep themselves informed of expectations.

Our Season Plan has been reviewed and updated, and it is quite likely that it will need to be adapted a few more times over the season. Komodo goals are all about the team, so we ask our members to be patient with the coaching team as we strive to maximise safe paddling in line with our season goals as we navigate through unpredictable conditions.

The Rules (as at 5 October 2021)

 Effective 15 October, groups up to 25 people observing the 1 in 4m^2 rule across the venue on land is permitted.

DBACT has secured a special exception to allow us to fill a dragon boat to 22 people from this date.  Formal training can commence.  No competitions or regattas are permitted at this stage.

Easing of restrictions is forecasted for the end of October, including commencement of regattas, (quiet wooohoooooo!) and we will update this page accordingly as we get close to that milestone.

COVID Safety

• All paddlers must keep themselves up to date with the Komodo COVID Safety Plan and follow the plan at all times.
• Do not come to training if you feel unwell, always wear a mask on land, and ensure you disinfect any shared equipment.
• Komodo strongly encourages all its members to get vaccinated, to protect each other and our families.
• You must provide accurate attendance via TeamSnap.
• You must check in with “Check In CBR” if you attend the Grevillea Park facility.

Training Goals

The coaching team have decided to start with boats of 10 paddlers (plus sweep) until (at least) the end of October. Our season plan calls for a focus on strength and endurance at this time of year, and paddling heavier boats, with plenty of space, give multiple benefits.

10 paddlers in a 20’s boat:

1. Requires more work per paddler so you can build more strength
2. More space per paddler means that coaches can see and guide individual technique more effectively
3. More space provides a progressive move to full boats that we think people will feel more comfortable with given we are all used to staying away from each other for so long

As per Yellow phase in the Season plan, training will be built on long runs, with a focus on technique. Our aim as coaches is to lay the foundations of strength, endurance and timing. Strength will come from working heavy boats with less paddlers. Endurance will come from long runs, working on efficient technique (long reach, aggressive catch, effective twist, maintaining depth through the stroke, hard and fast exit, snappy return, set up at the front before you go again). Timing will come from keeping eyes forward on the strokes, feeling the boat, hitting the water in perfect synchronisation (much easier to see and do with less paddlers).

Training Plan

Komodo always trains best with multiple evenly powered boats working side-by-side on the water. We will keep that focus, even with the limit of 25 people on land at Grevillea Park. To achieve this outcome, where we have more than 25 people at a training session, we will split into groups.

The coaching team will be using TeamSnap to communicate with paddlers prior to each training session. Please bring your phone to training, and check your TeamSnap messages in your car as you arrive (and log attendance with “Check In CBR”).

If we have more than 25 paddlers then you may receive a message to ask you to stay in your vehicle until the first boats have been launched.

In this scenario, the first group will prepare all boats ready for launch, warm up, and hit the water. Once on the water, remaining team members will be signaled to leave their cars, do a quick warm up, and join the other boats.

At the end of training upon return to shore we will operate in reverse. The crews that went out first will beach their boats, collect their belongings and quickly exit to their cars — leaving the boats at the beach. The crew that waited in their cars will then put all boats away. It is of course expected that a few team mates from the first crew will stay behind and assist with putting boats away, as long as we do not exceed the limit of 25 people.

During this time, we ask all paddlers to please be flexible with their time commitments when attending training. As listed above, logistics to load and unload from shore may take longer than normal. We may also be affected by other clubs on land at our start/end times. If another club is loading/unloading, we will have to stay out on water, or in our cars, until they are clear before we can access the area to bring our boats in, or get ready to go out (DBACT have created a calendar to minimise interaction between clubs, but there is slight potential for overlap at some sesions). We will always strive to maintain an hour on water training, therefore these logistical shuffles may push the time block that you are at the lake out slightly. We will endeavour to keep to time as much as possible, but where these items are out of our hands, we appreciate paddlers being understanding and calm about the wait.

If we can’t make this work, we will have to restrict sessions to only 25 people. So PLEASE take your role in this seriously. We need you to review TeamSnap and/or follow guidance from the coaches to ensure you know if you are to wait in the car once arriving at training. This way, we can make sure we follow the ACT Health guidelines AND get us all back to training :).

We are super excited to be finally getting back on the water. 🙂

See you Friday 15 October!!!