People visiting Cardiff Bay next weekend will have a chance to try canoeing, sailing and rowing at the largest outdoor festival in the Bay this year.

Last summer more than 15,000 people attended the successful outdoor festival held in the Bay. This year we hope to provide even more people with the chance to try paddle sports for the first time.

The Cardiff Outdoor Action Show is a two day event to be held on 23-24 June and this year the event will also feature sailing and rowing. New for 2007 is the Animal Braun cruZer Bike Tour who will be performing throughout the two days.

The FREE event is hosted by Cardiff Harbour Authority, and delivered by Cardiff Bay Water Activity Centre supported by the Welsh Canoeing Association (WCA) Welsh Yachting Association (WYA), Welsh Amateur Rowing Association (WARA), and the Association of Canoe Traders.

The Canoe Village will be busy with lectures, advice and demonstrations from manufacturers and suppliers. The water’s edge will showcase kayaking demonstrations, sailing and rowing, flat water racing, canoe polo and a freestyle competition in the large demonstration pool.

Roald Dahl Plass and the Inner Harbour will be zoned into different areas, on the water and on the land.

On the water those as young as 8 years old will be able to have a go at canoeing, sailing, rowing and kayaking on Cardiff Bay. Staff from Llanishen Sailing Centre and the WYA will be on hand with a variety of different vessels for people to experience the thrill of sailing across the 200 hectare lake taking in the views of Cardiff’s skyline. Those as young as 3 years old will be encouraged to come and have a go on the water. They can experience the fun of canoeing in the safety of a 20m x 20m pool. Qualified staff will provide one to one coaching for everyone who gets involved, with a small charge of £1 payable for each activity.

On the land children and adults alike will be able to have a go on the Indoor Rowing Ergos, in the Harbour Authority tent, racing against the electronic leader board. WARA will be available for advice and information on rowing activities across Wales. There will be Canoe Ergos set up for those want to stay dry but still get involved! A series of FREE lectures from professionals will be hosted by the WCA, with talks from Nathan Eades, an internationally renowned exploratory Surf kayaker. Dave Newport will be on site to provide an elite insight into freestyle kayaking and Ashley Charlwood will address the issue of ‘access’ onto the water for paddlers. All lectures will be scheduled across both days of the event so no one should miss out!

The Association of Canoe Traders will be on site again this year, hosting the UK’s largest Canoe Village of its kind, demonstrating a variety of family friendly equipment, in three different zones – Beach, Family Adventure and Action.

The ACT Beach Zone profiles the very latest sit-on-top kayaks. These easy to use craft are the perfect accompaniment to a family holiday, a sunny surf session or even to catch a fish or two for the BBQ. Expert staff will be on hand to let you know what gear you need and where the best spots are. You can even enter our competition and win one to take away.

In the UK we have plentiful lakes, rivers and canals, plus an amazing coastline – all ideal to explore from the seat of a canoe or kayak. Whether you want to load up an open Canadian with tent, stove and the kids, or paddle to the local pub for a pint, you’ll find the ACT Family Adventure Zone a must.

For those of you who like adrenalin, high action and your water shaken not stirred then get along to the ACT Action Zone. You’ll find the latest play boats for carving up waves; sea kayaks that will let you paddle to the farthest reaches; the most advanced clothing and accessories and above all staff who’ve been there and got the T-shirt who can help you choose the right gear.

New to the 2007 show is the introduction of the UK’s number 1 mountain bike show team, The Animal Braun cruZer Bike Tour; featuring two of the worlds best professional mountain bike riders, including legendary trials rider, Martyn Ashton. Animal is one of the UK's leading freesports brand with a flagship store based right here in the welsh capital in Queens Street. With their bike tour in full swing over both Saturday and Sunday, these riders have a bag full of killer tricks and gravity defining stunts for everyone to watch and enjoy.

As a way to involve the local community, St. Cyres School from Penarth will be providing everyone with the opportunity to have a go at climbing the World Challenge climbing wall. All proceeds will be added to their fundraising efforts to raise money to enable the school to go on a local expedition to Llangattock, in the Breacon Beacons.

On site competitions will allow everyone the chance to win a full package to get started with paddling! Worth £449 rrp, the Perception Scooter is the perfect craft for those of all levels of experience. This sit-on-top design is so easy to use everybody in the family can enjoy it thanks to its stable hull and comfortable seat. The lucky winner will get a superb Originz paddle to go with it and the one size fits all Palm universal personal floatation device. In addition, the first 15 who register each day for a ‘Come and Try it’ session will receive goodie bag worth £15, and the following 250 each day will receive a goodie bag with posters, stickers and information about water activities!*

Highlights on Saturday 23rd include:
• All day ‘Come and try it’ activities for people of all ages to have a go on the water.
• Slalom competition featuring WCA Junior Development Paddlers.
• Watch the Scouts Bell Boating “Rugby World Cup” Regatta, as teams compete for the Bell Boating Cup, from 11am until 4pm*
• Free Style Canoe Competition in the 20m Canoe Pool throughout the weekend.

Highlights on Sunday 24th include:
• All day ‘Come and try it’ activities for people of all ages to have a go on the water.
• Sprint Kayak Regatta.
• Chance to try windsurfing in the pool with instructors there to assist when you make a splash!
• Canoe Polo a five-a-side game, a cross between water polo and basketball, with 10 minute halves, this fast pace sport is almost as fun for spectators to watch, as it is for the paddlers themselves!

Cardiff Bay is an area that is establishing itself as a top development and elite event site for the many forms of canoe-sport and rowing. The Bay has been identified as the area to develop as the “Home Nation Development centre” by the Welsh Canoeing Association in its submissions and reports to the Sports Council for Wales and UK Sport. The WCA manages canoeing in Wales, with 3000 individual members and 2,500 members of affiliated clubs and centres.

Richard Harvey, CEO of the Welsh Canoeing Association said, “The Bay has the ability to cater for all elements of canoeing and kayaking. There is something for everyone here from novice paddlers through to participation and elite performance athletes. Now in its third year, the Cardiff Outdoor Action Show is one of the largest and most successful outdoor paddling events in the country. We are really looking forward to a busy weekend!”

Councillor Nigel Howells, Executive Member for Sport, Leisure & Culture said, “We are looking forward to a great weekend of outdoor action throughout the Bay. There really is lots for everyone to see and do and I am certain that a lot of families will be encouraged to try out the variety of activity available! Everyone will be welcomed to attend Cardiff Bay Water Activity Centre and Llanishen Sailing Centre, should they be inspired to take up the sports and further their interest from this initial taster session.”

Bob Slee Head of the ACT added, “I had to come to the Bay whilst doing my apprenticeship many, many years ago. So to come back now and see the changes plus have the chance to get on the water AND have the chance to tell people what we do - I couldn’t ask for more! We take the Canoe Village to lots of national events promoting canoe sport to young and old alike, but it’s the fact that we can add so much more to it here in Cardiff that makes this one so special. Every year there has been something new and exiting!”

Mrs Bergham, Assistant Head Teacher from St Cyres School in Penarth said “Coming along to be part of the Cardiff Outdoor Action Show is a great for the school. This extra curricular package of fundraising and the activity expedition is fantastic opportunity for the whole of year 8, will allow over 200 pupils to broaden their learning skills. This is the World Challenge Climbing wall and this weekend’s event is addressing the shortfall in funding. Even £1000 towards the trip we will be extremely pleased. We would like to thank Cardiff Harbour Authority in allowing us to join them in this fun filled family weekend!

For further information:

Tel: 029 2035 3912
Email: wateractivity@cardiff.gov.uk
Web: www.cardiffharbour.com and www.cardiff-festivals.com

Entry on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 from 11am – 6pm
Site is opened from 11am to 6pm daily.
Come and Try it will close at 5pm.

The event is staged and managed by Cardiff Harbour Authority.

For all events general admission will be free, but some activities may involve a charge.

* Competitions exclude Council Staff and family members.

 

Disabled adults and children throughout Cardiff are set to benefit from a major lottery grant totalling almost £500,000. The Mentro Allan project has been set up to help create new opportunities for disadvantaged groups to become more involved in outdoor activities. The Venture Out Cardiff project, is aiming to create and adapt outdoor activities such as canoeing and cycling, to make them accessible for people of all ability levels. The Venture Out Cardiff project is part of the Big Lottery Fund, that aims to promote physical activity in local green and open spaces to disabled people in Cardiff. The project will run for four years and is already providing new opportunities and new accessible facilities for the target group. The project secured a grant of £450,000 from the Big Lottery Fund and a further grant of £40,000 from the Countryside Council for Wales. This money will be used to create opportunities and develop activities, in addition to purchase necessary adaptive equipment, and ultimately remove existing barriers within the community.

The launch of the scheme happened on Wednesday 23rd May, and was hosted by Cardiff Bay Water Activity Centre.

The aim - To provide full inclusion to all of the activities at Cardiff Bay, adaptive equipment will be made available to provide full mobility, including usage of a specialised hoist which can be transported to different access locations around Cardiff Bay. Those attending courses can be secure in the fact that all staff have undergone a foundation course in Disability Equality training, provided and designed by Equal Adventure, which deliver and provide specialised training and equipment for children and adults with sensory impairments, learning and physical disabilities to experience the outdoors environment and take part in Out Door Activities and Water Sports.

Innovate Trust are delighted to be working in partnership with Cardiff Harbour Authority, and other bodies such as Cardiff Institute for the Blind, Mencap Cymru, and Disability Sport Wales.
 

CBAT The Arts and Regeneration Agency and Cardiff Harbour Authority unveiled a new public arts project this week. Well known Swiss artist, Felice Varini has created a new outdoor public art commission, situated on the Barrage.

A series of 3 yellow ellipses have been painted onto the working locks, gates and even the outer sea wall. From virtually every angle these marks simply look like splashes of colour, against the backdrop of Penarth Headland and the Bristol Channel. But on closer inspection visitors to the Barrage are treated to a remarkable visual spectacle on discovering 3 perfectly formed yellow ellipses which create a powerful piece of public art.

Cardiff Harbour Authority has a longstanding relationship with CBAT ensuring the development of public art in the Bay goes hand in hand with the ongoing development of area. Harbour Authority approached the Agency to commission the new public art work for the Barrage; a piece that now compliments the other 30 open air art projects that are dotted around the Bay area.

Felice Varini created the work - entitled ‘3 ellipses for 3 locks’ - on site between the 11– 25 March in time for the summer season. The art work is the artists first in Wales and is also his first work in the UK. The commission, which has been in planning for over a year is the result of a complex process involving photography, projection, and painting, as well as a crew of professional mountain climbers who were needed to access the Barrage’s inaccessible areas.

CHA committed to fully funding Varini’s detailed design, following in the footsteps of his previous works situated across Europe, the USA and Asia. This latest project highlights the main working parts of the barrage and in particular its 3 locks. The trick is to find where to stand to make the piece come to life. The piece which is an anamorphic illusion is - like all Varini’s work - highly site specific, as the artist has stated:

“My field of action is architectural space and everything that constitutes such space. These spaces are and remain the original media for my painting. I work “on site” each time in a different space and my work develops itself in relation to the spaces I encounter”.

You can find more information on public art in Cardiff Bay at:
www.cardiffharbour.com/imagelibrary/art1.htm
 

Roald Dahl Plass, which regularly attracts large numbers of visitors to Cardiff Bay, has been re-opened. Following the frequent use of the area for major events, such as the International Food and Drink Festival, Open air concerts and the Mermaid Quay Harbour Festival, the timber pallets which had become worn and damaged have been replaced with a high quality resin bound natural gravel surface.

Many of the pallets, which have been replaced, will be reusable in the future and these will be stored and used to replace others around the waters edge as necessary.

The cost is approximately £400,000 and the work should lead to a significant reduction in maintenance operations over the next five years.

To further improve the area, the up lighters around the 18 columns around Roald Dahl Plass have been replaced with programmable LED lights, which provide an unusual and interesting, 'light show' every evening.

Following a successful tender for the project, Dawnus Construction Limited undertook the work.

Councillor Nigel Howells, Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture said, "This is an important improvement in this heavily used public area. The new surface will look really good and significantly reduce the ongoing maintenance for the area which will be good for both local residents and visitors to Cardiff Bay.”

Should you require further information, please contact Simon Howell, Operational Manager Cardiff Harbour Authority on (029) 2087 7910.