A chat with… Emily Davies

By Peter Tranter

A chat with… Emily Davies

Many thanks, Emily, for all your help and taking time out of what I know is a busy schedule – we appreciate it. Before we start, please tell our readers a little about yourself, your family, your background, etc.
Hello, I’m Emily, a 25-year-old kayaker and raft guide born and bred in North Wales. I grew up in a very active and outdoorsy family. Both my parents were white water kayakers, and I was brought up around their passion. I was always encouraged to try everything. In my youth, I tried almost every sport or activity in the book: pole vault, high jump, dancing, climbing, running, mountaineering, swimming, to name a few. But the one I stuck with was kayaking.

I fell for slalom. At about 12, I seemed to really gel with the sport. Being on the water was fun, and my competitive side came out. I wanted to go as fast as I could and perform my best from start to finish. As I put more and more commitment into training, I worked my way up into the Welsh team and then towards the British team, with my best British ranking bib number 2.

During this time, I also attended John Moores University in Liverpool to study for a degree in Outdoor Education. While there, I earned a spot on the extreme slalom team, representing Great Britain at the World Cup for three years. In 2019, I became a raft guide at the National Whitewater Centre in Bala. This experience exposed me to a whole new way of enjoying the river. From then on, I realised that slalom was just one small part of river life.

What inspired you to start WW kayaking, and how long have you been paddling?
I grew up on the water. But I mainly come from a slalom background. I competed in the C1 discipline for over a decade, and it put me in a really strong position when I started white water kayaking. When I wasn’t chasing those hanging poles, I was kayaking, heading out and pushing myself.

Kayaking is my place. It clears my head, makes me feel good, and is my happy place! I love the thought of the places that kayaking can take you. When you’re on the river, you only get that perspective if immersed in that environment.

Despite paddling at an elite level for many years, it has taken some huge leaps forward in the last three years. Coming from slalom and after representing Wales and Great Britain, my skills in a boat were there, and I know you can put everything I used on a slalom course into play on a river. I began to fall out of love with slalom, but in no way was I falling out of love with paddling. So, I began to go whitewater kayaking more and more. Working at the National Whitewater Centre was the perfect playground to feed my addiction to paddling.

In 2022, I was seriously sick; my breathing and heart struggled with day-to-day life. It was put down and treated as long COVID-19. This took me off the water and bed-bound for about a year, struggling to get up the stairs, never mind anything else. Kayaking was just a memory. It drove me crazy, but it made me realise how much I loved kayaking.

After a year had passed, I slowly started floating down the local class 2/3 of the River Dee; it started with paddling 50m and taking a rest. Then, it progressed to 100m until I could paddle the whole stretch without having heart or chest problems. My slalom skills, love for kayaking, newfound passion for the sport, a new group of paddlers, and a relationship have led to my continued growth on the water.

What are your favourite rivers or spots to kayak, and what makes them special to you?
I struggle to choose my favourite river or spot because each river offers its own beauty.

River Tryweryn, This is home. It was where I spent the majority of my time focusing on skills and fine-tuning, but it was also where I would go to escape and have some me time. It just feels like home!

The River Dee, also has a special place as it is the river I grew up on. From my first descent, before I could properly walk in a duo with my dad, I learned how to capsize and swim the river, and I had some good times! I have many happy memories. It’s also my local now; this river makes it possible to paddle every day of the year. I try to tick most days off. Being able to paddle to my front door certainly helps with this.

Futaleufu, my first big volume river, is something out of a book. What a river, what a place. It took me some time to get used to it. Being a contact lens user, I would lose a few pairs in a day, usually found on my cheek at the end of one of the rapids. But after gaining confidence, I LOVED IT! I loved how you moved around the river and spent time with my best friend and a cool crew.

Fairy Glen, Afon Conwy. Growing up in North Wales, I had always heard of the Fairy Glen and the name it got for itself. I ran it for the first time last year with my partner leading me down, and yes, we are still together. What a place it is in there! It is really only seen by those who kayak it. It is a very special place, and being able to do it with the people I did makes it special.

What advice would you give to other young women interested in getting into WW kayaking?
Go for it and give it a go! I know I’m biased, but it’s the best thing ever! White water kayaking is a forever learning journey, so if something doesn’t work the first time, don’t be afraid to try it again. White water can sometimes seem scary, but it’s managing that in the best way possible. Growing your skills and confidence and bouncing back from knocks is what makes the sport so amazing. Surround yourself with people you like to paddle with and enjoy paddling with, which also makes a huge difference. Paddle with your friends, it’s loads of fun.

My most practical advice would be to go on a rescue course. These involve loads of swimming and familiarising yourself with the water itself. It really helps people become comfortable in the river environment. Also, knowing whatever happens in front of you, you can deal with it as swiftly and safely as possible. It is a comforting thing to have while out on the water.

Access to white water can sometimes be tricky, depending on where you live and what the weather is doing. A trick that helps with my white water skills is just getting on the water at any and every point I can. Often, where I am based, the Dee and the Tryweryn are the only things running, so I become a bit of a nerd with my skills and get back to basics. Break down my forward paddling and examine how that could be made more efficient or stronger. Also, creating moves on the river that test your skill set, tallies, splats, and different line choices, and getting creative.

All of this can be done in flat water or the pool; don’t be put off by the lack of a river. A good paddler always has the fundamentals down and then applies them to white water.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions about women in extreme sports like WW kayaking?
Everyone has their own experience, but it’s been mainly positive for me. I have had people think I’m not physically strong enough to perform, whether on or off the water, carrying boats or paddling hard. This has been noticeable with people outside the world of paddling. Working as a raft guide means you meet people from all walks of life. Some have never experienced physically strong women. It’s great exposure to see women in mentally strong positions and physically strong.

The love for the sport should be the only measure. If you love paddling, my advice is to go paddling at any opportunity with various groups. You will find the people you want to get out with for fun and the ones who give you confidence and push you out of your comfort zone safely and healthily.

Besides ww kayaking giving you a buzz, does sea kayaking, canoeing, or SUP also float your boat?
I love being in or on the water at any chance I get. I am more than happy to jump in a sea kayak, canoe, or SUP at any point and just enjoy being out on the water. Surfing is another activity that gives me a buzz. I’m still very much on the learning curve with surfing, but that’s also what makes it so much fun! There are a lot of cross-over skills with surfing and kayaking, such as how you read the water and react to what’s happening in the moment.

Are there any specific techniques or skills you’ve found especially helpful as a female kayaker?
I haven’t found any specific techniques or skills as a female kayaker. I think it’s all very personal to you and your journey in kayaking. I came from a strong slalom background, so I am used to visualising moves on the river, reading the water, and putting my boat in places I want it to be. That has set me up well for my river skills.

I struggle with my head game. I do not believe in myself as much as I should and allow the nerves to take over. I am working on realising that things are within my capability and skill set.

Purchase the printed Paddler magazine issue 77

Taking mum out for a paddle. Photo: Aaron Kendall

You got a friend in me. Photo: Aaron Kendall

Fairy Glen river watching. Photo: Matt-Stephonson

Get out of Bridge to Bridge. Photo-Bren Orton

Last gorge of the Fairy Glen, special one! Photo Aaron Kendall

What role does social media play in promoting women’s participation in extreme sports like white water kayaking?
It plays a part in women’s participation in anything, including kayaking. I see male figures on social media and think I’d like that paddle there, or if there’s a skill they are showing, it still influences me to give it a go. However, when I see a female doing something, it hits me slightly differently. It’s hard to explain; it’s slightly more relatable when I see a female doing something. Watching a female do something is more empowering and motivating for me. I will be more likely to give something a go than watch and go; yes, that was cool!

I have always done and chosen very male-dominated activities, but I have also enjoyed that. It hasn’t massively impacted my kayaking so far! It’s a nice thing to have, though, to see more females in the sport and to paddle with. It’s super cool to see how strong the female field is getting and to be a part of that!

I coach a small group of girls in slalom, and it’s cool to see how my kayaking career influences them!

How do you handle setbacks or disappointments, and what keeps you resilient?
Setbacks and disappointment are hard things to deal with. The way I’ve found best to manage is setting myself a time where I allow myself to be mad, annoyed, cry, shout, and be emotional. That could be ten minutes, an hour, a day, but after that, I think, is this something I can control or is it out of my control? If it’s out of my control, there isn’t much I can do about that, but if it is in my control, I begin to create a plan moving forward and try to remind myself there is always something good to come out of it, even if it because we’ve learnt something or not I will be stronger at the end of it!

The people around me are also key to this. Sometimes, I just want to be with people I’m close to, and sometimes, I want to talk about my frustrations. Setbacks can make you feel relatively isolated, and taking the step to talk to someone – anyone – has helped me realise that others are going through or have been through similar things, and sharing makes things easier. I realise it’s not forever either; it’s a difficult and frustrating time, but it will end at some point, and I will get through it.

Is there anything you’d change within the industry to make it more inclusive?
The progress in equipment and boats plays a huge part in this. The progression in female equipment in the last decade and where it is heading is fantastic. A significant step was creating a kit that fitted and worked for female paddlers. Women-suited equipment also comes with targeted advertising campaigns that can be inspirational and fun to watch.

One thing I have found useful and am still excited about is having a pee zip in my drysuit that, as a female, I can use. Previously, I would have to completely undress to pee, and that is very unpleasant when you’re:

In a rush,
It’s cold and raining, and
The faff! But now it’s just an unzip of the drysuit flap and unzip of the onesie, and away you go. One of my favourite things ever!

If you could capture just one ‘feel-good’ moment whilst paddling – which would it be and why?
There are so many feel-good moments in kayaking: learning a new skill and pulling it off in the moment, running something you weren’t too sure about, and smashing the line!

But to pick just one would be on the Futaleufu this year. When we arrived, it was really high flow, and I wasn’t keen or confident about going kayaking, so I shuttled and took photos for the first week. But after some time and some TLC, my confidence grew, and in no time, I ran the classic bridge to bridge with the group, and then, to progress from that, I led people down the section. One particular lap stuck with me. My partner Aaron and I went for a high water lap and had the best time ever! It’s amazing that we can head out and experience some of the best classic whitewater in the world together. A really special memory.

Which river anywhere in the world would be on your bucket list? Is there anywhere in the world that’s got you hooked? Somewhere you want to keep going back to again and again?
There are so many on the bucket list! To pick one, for now, South America has got me hooked. There are so many cool rivers and places to experience and explore. The colour of the water and the areas the rivers are in look like something different! Also, I really enjoy that there are minimal things that want to kill you, such as no crocs, hippos, nasty snakes or nasty insects and bugs. I visited the Futa this winter, just gone and have been a few years ago; the levels were so different from each other that it was super cool to experience, and it was my first experience kayaking high volume. It won’t be the last either for Futa and high-volume kayaking! A bit further up north would be next to explore kayaking in Pucon.

Name one thing we can do as paddlers to improve our rivers and their environment.
Keeping our rivers and waterways clean. There are so many ways in which we can help with this:

River clean-ups. If that is picking up some rubbish you see or joining an organised clean-up such as Dee Valley Clean up.
Trimming any branches or trees that may be impacting the safety of river users
Washing kit before and after use so we don’t contaminate different areas
Make yourself aware of any invasive species that might exist and ways you can help to reduce them.

But most of all, just being all-round stewards and role models for how we want our special places to be treated. As paddlers, we should be the people who are improving and campaigning in these areas.

Which brands do you work with, and how do they specifically help you?
Brands I work with:
Pyranha Kayaks. Making the best boats on the market and staying true to its For Enthusiasts By Enthusiasts moto. It’s important that I have a range of boats that are reactive and fit me. Pyranha does this.

NRS. Look Good. Feel Good. NRS provides a range of kit that fit my body well, look great, and are well thought out. It keeps me dry and keeps me safe.

Surfears. Provides me with quality earplugs that keeps the water out and let sound in. Keeping my ears healthy.

Finally, where do you see your paddling going next year and why?
Where I see my kayaking going in the next year is number 1 to continue to enjoy it and have fun! It’s my happy place! I’ve got a few things in mind for the next year:

Spend more time learning some freestyle.
To be a more confident paddler on sections such as the Fairy Glen
Continue to push myself and expand my comfort zones on rivers.
Work on believing in myself and that head game.
To tick off some new rivers and areas to explore.

Any final shout-outs?
Love and thanks to my partner Aaron Kendall, who I get to share my kayaking with and who helped me take that next step in my white water kayaking. My mum, Bev Davies, and dad, Jonathan Davies, for bringing me up in the way they did, making everything as accessible as possible for me. Of course, not forgetting top dog Tilly for all the best dog walks (check out her Instagram account) and chasing me down rivers. Supporters and sponsors, NRS, for providing me with the good keeping me warm and dry on the water and kit that fits me and that I love! Pyranha helping me stay on the water and getting the chance to represent them as a whole and at events. Surfears for helping me keep my ear and hearing healthy.