Lesson 12 – 60 minutes
Learning outcomes
- Attempt or perform an ironman/woman race transitions.
- Attempt or perform cameron relay race transitions.
Preparation
- Nipper Boards.
- Marker Cones.
- Water Safety Personnel (1:5).
IMPORTANT
- If you are not confident coaching the skills in this lesson, bring in a surf sports athlete or coach to help deliver the lesson.
- Start the lesson by discussing the surf conditions and safety considerations before entering the water.
Discuss
- Explain the rules of the Ironman/Ironwoman event:
- 4 members per team (1 Swimmer, 2 Runners, 1 Board Paddler)
- Order of legs (swim and board) are drawn ballot – see Junior Competition Events section)
Coaching Points
JUNIOR IRONMAN / IRONWOMAN TRANSITION
- Set up the board on a sand mound with front handle pointing high.
- When you get to your board bend down and grab the front handle, drive off the sand and prepare for the entry into the water.
Demonstrate
- Demonstrate to the participants how to make a sand mound and pick up their board during a swim to board transition.
Activity 1
- Have participants practice setting up a mound and placing their board on it.
- Set up a line in the sand 10m away from the boards.
- Participants run to their boards pick them up and then run 10m further along the beach.
- Repeat this exercise until everyone has had plenty of practice.
- After a couple of repetitions encourage the participants to complete the transitions as fast as they can to get used to doing them at full pace in a race.
Coaching Points
CAMERON RELAY TRANSITIONS
- Tag is made with hand (like giving a ‘5’ to someone).
- The receiving teammate must be behind their line.
Demonstrate
- Choose a participant to help with the demonstration.
- Demonstrate to the participants how to make the following transitions in a cameron relay:
- Board Paddler to Runner (Runner waits at waters edge for Board Paddller to reach them and make the tag).
- Runner to Swimmer (Swimmer is waiting on start line with hand behind them, Runner makes the tag).
- Swimmer to Runner (Swimmer wades to waters edge and makes the tag with the Runner).
- Runner to Board Paddler (Board Paddler is waiting on start line holding board in one arm with other behind their back, Runner makes the tag).
Activity 2
- Pair up the participants and give each pair a nipper board.
- Organise for them to practice one of the transitions at a time.
ASSUMED SKILLS
This lesson assumes participants have acquired previous skills from earlier awards:
- Surf swimming wading, dolphin-diving, body surfing, surf swimming techniques.
- Board positioning on a board and basic paddling technique.
- Entering the surf and bunny-hopping with a board.
- Sitting over a wave and paddling through a wave.
- Exiting the water with a board.
- Catching a broken and un-broken wave.
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