One of the greatest place in Czech Republic to do freestyle and practice whitewater kayaking is the kayak course in Prague situated on the Vltava River. 410 m long, with a 3.6 m drop and Grade 3-4 rapids, it’s a great place to train for slalom and whitewater. It is easy to practice basic and advanced whitewater kayaking and freestyle techniques here. With every metre the course becomes harder and more fun. One third of the way down is a small wave, cool for feeling movement on a wave and when it is in normal water level (this year was low) you can even practice airscrews.
In the middle of kayak course before the bridge is my favorite place – the hole Trojska Tlama. This feature hosted the third stage of this year Euro Cup in freestyle kayaking, where me and Tomasz Czaplicki won :) This playspot is a little bit specific, but when you learn how to move in this place, it becomes much easier.
It is very cool for loops and Space Godzillas, there you can jump high, but be careful when the water level is low, as you can hit the bottom. Behind the hole is a small drop and if you fall downstream, you can’t get back up, so if you are too slow after a flush, you must walk ;) If you are a beginner and your eskimo roll is not perfect, don’t worry about it. In the end of course water slows down and it’s easy to get out.
Good to know
Upstream on the other side of the river is the underground station, only ten minutes walk. It’s nice to go to the centre of town, to try Czech food and beer. The old city in Prague is very beautiful.
Remember to try Trdelník :)
Near the kayak course is a big zoo. If you come with a family it’s cool to go there.
Information
Paddling on the kayak course cost 100 Kc per person for half-day or 200 Kc per person for all-day. The office where you can buy a ticket is near the hotel and restaurant. Entrance is across kayak storage. Before you come to this place check the schedule on the offical Troja website schedule page.
Near the kayak course you can sleep on campsite or hotel.
The kayak course is situated in Troja district in Prague in Czech Republic.
