What is the Štvanice channel like for paddlers?

The whitewater at Štvanice was constructed by the Dukla military sports club to meet the needs of professional slalom paddlers. The water terrain is distinct from other slalom courses in many ways and is appreciated not only by slalom racers but also by creekers, stand-up paddleboarders, and rafters. Thanks to the large eddies and depth, where riders can stand on the bottom throughout the course without drowning, Štvanice is ideal for training in smaller groups. The course features an exit channel, allowing you to watch other riders tackle the course as you make your way up, which, according to Štěpánka Hilgertová, is a unique feature worldwide. On the course, you'll find angled waves and both straight and slanted rollers, with two larger jumps for preparing for technically demanding courses. The whitewater is located under the area of the surfing wave and thus does not interfere with it. Access to the course is from the lower part of the exit from Štvanice Island or from Karlín. Check out our Štvanice map on the Contact page.

Originally an Olympic channel

The oldest whitewater sport in Czechoslovakia originated not far from Štvanice, in the bends of Prague's Čertovka, where the first paddlers built their boats and the first slalom course. Most whitewater channels were created on the sites of old log flumes (Troja, Veltrusy, Roudnice). However, the Štvanice water project, during its reconstruction in the 1980s, also ambitiously aimed to create a system of two channels, A and B, intended to function in parallel and become the main venue for whitewater in Prague.

The never-completed ideas were first taken up by Filip Jančar and immediately after by Luboš Hilgert, who, with the support of the Dukla military sports club, developed the concept of a training course for elite Czech slalom paddlers, led by Štěpánka Hilgertová. They opened it in 2004, and since then, it has been used by Dukla along with the boathouse as their base. The system of two courses will probably never be realized, as socialist engineers did not account for the real water management conditions in their plans, which do not allow ensuring sufficient flow for two courses. Thus, only one course is feasible. The long-term goal of the Štvanice Waves association is to relocate the current course located in the "B" channel in the middle of the river to the "A" channel by the Karlín shore and, on this occasion, ensure a comprehensive reconstruction of the entire water terrain and safe access along the length of the course.

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Can I manage it on a paddleboard?

Did you know that the oldest roots of surfing were more similar to paddleboarding? The first surfers on Hawaiian beaches used simple paddles to help maintain their balance while moving on their boards. Today, paddleboarding is a discipline with many variations, on both calm and whitewater, and Štvanice, with its large eddies and ideal depth in the channel (most often "chest deep"), has become a favorite spot for paddleboarders. Thanks to the generosity of Tambo SUP Jan Rott, our rental shop offers the opportunity to borrow paddleboards and try out this sport with the best view of the waves.

Creek - Extreme Kayking

For enthusiasts of freestyle whitewater river running, Štvanice offers a diverse water terrain with meandering currents, rollers, and several jumps, where one can gain preparation for navigating wild rivers around the world and practice challenging descents right in the center of Prague. The roller in the middle of the channel is also suitable for rodeo play.