Get into Watersports with GetWetNI
The GetWetNI campaign kicks off this month with the goal of bringing people into the extremely varied and unquestionably fun world of watersports. Running in partnership between SportNI and a range of water based National Governing Bodies, local clubs from all over Northern Ireland are opening their doors to showcase the amazing opportunities that often go unnoticed on people’s doorsteps. This year’s Get Wet campaign is supported by SportNI’s Build Back Better: Project Re-boot.
Covid-19 has fundamentally shifted our relationship with the outdoors and created a new appreciation for the ability to do things, to enjoy ourselves and savour life. It is the perfect time to GetWet. The club events that will be running will be either completely free or offered at a much reduced cost, in the hope that as many people as possible will try their hand at everything from angling to sea swimming and standup paddleboarding to scuba diving.
Get Wet NI is an ideal way for those with no background in watersports to learn the basics under the watchful eye of qualified instructors through taking part in one of the many taster events and follow up training programmes that are being offered.
Qualified instructors will guide any newcomers and facilitation has been made to ensure all Covid-19 guidance is followed.
The campaign is supported by SportNI and a range of water based National Governing Bodies with the aim of getting more people into watersports. The campaign kicks off with a month of water based activity taster events organised by watersport clubs during June 2021. These events will be closely followed by a series of follow up training events to encourage people to continue in their chosen activity. So even if you can’t attend the taster events you can still get involved by taking part in one of the follow up events that are taking place.
During the taster month there will be over twenty clubs based on waterways all over Northern Ireland including the Lagan, Lough Erne, the Foyle and Belfast Lough offering taster events in canoeing, sailing, water skiing and wake boarding, rowing, angling, stand up paddle boarding and diving. The cost of these taster events are being offered at a lower price in order to make them accessible to everyone.
SportNI is one of the leading organisations behind the initiative and their Outdoor Recreation Development Officer, Mike McClure, believes it is a great way for people to get into a water sport and to eventually join a club by commenting “Get Wet is a wonderful way for people to experience the great natural water resources we have here in Northern Ireland and hopefully by taking part in this campaign it will help develop favourite past-times that participants will take part in for many years to come”.
Visit www.getwetni.com to see a full list of taster events and follow up training events that are being offered as part of the campaign to get you flowing into your next adventure!
