What are the characteristics of a good stroke?
Being stroke is first and foremost psychologically challenging as they have the position of not being able to follow anyone and must therefore remain at all times self motivated and alert. In many respects their role is mentally more challenging than any other in the canoe, with the exception of the steerer. They must have a natural sense of timing and rhythm and have eyes in the backs of their head, being able to intuitively feel how the canoe is traveling and respond by increasing and decreasing the stroke rate where necessary. They need to be aerobically very fit as they may not pull as much water as those behind but they will be working hard on an aerobic level. Above all they need to be good natural athletes with a capacity to read the water and have an understanding of what the paddlers behind can tolerate as an effective, efficient stroke rate. Some crews have the stroke count the number of strokes per minute and call out when it is time for the crew to switch sides (around 15 –
