Our Watersports Journey

Founded in 2024, AquaForge is a watersports coaching, leadership, and award-providing company that is passionate about sharing the joy of water activities. We're dedicated to providing top-notch coaching sessions, exhilarating trips, and accredited awards.

We started this journey as an outlet for our thirst for the water and outdoors.
Join us on this incredible journey and let's make waves together!

Matt Evans

I started paddling in 2002 after years of nagging my parents to get me involved after seeing kayakers on the white water at Holme Pierrepont when I was small.

I spent a few years paddling kayaks on lakes and slow rivers before I got into slalom in my early teens; racing kayaks, single canoes, and double canoes, the latter of which I raced around the international circuit at junior and under 23 level until I was 21.

Around this time I started raft guiding and spent a few years sharing my passion for white water by dunking big inflatables full of people into stoppers, but I always loved the feeling of nailing a line or move in a few hundred kilos of rubber.

Around this time I met Beth, and a few years later she started raft racing with a team based in London, She enlisted my help to build a club setup for raft racing in Nottingham where I've been coaching our athletes virtually every week since. The teams that I and my fellow coaches at Holme Pierrepont canoe club work with have seen international success; bagging medals at IRF euro cup, European championships, and World championships. In the early stages of developing the rafting section of the club I attended a core coach training, which got me excited about the way we learn to paddle.

After a brief hiatus from paddling for myself I found my love of paddling again in creek boats running rivers, I try to bring the technical knowledge I learnt while competing onto the river enjoying powerful moves and precision. After a few thoroughly enjoyable trips I worked to get my moderate water kayak leader qualification.

The more courses I did, the more I was enjoying the journey and wanted to be able to share this with others, so I ticked of my sheltered water canoe and kayak coach qualifications, stadium safety and rescue tutor, PSRC tutor, and pursue more.

Watch this space for moderate water coaching & sheltered water coach provider.

Beth Kirby

I started paddling when I moved to Nottingham for university after a friend recommended heading down to Holme Pierrepont to give raft guiding ago as I didn't have any lectures on a Friday afternoon. Having never really done any watersports growing up, I wasn't sure this would be for me, however after just one session I was completely hooked and never looked back.

After a few years of guiding at Holme Pierrepont, I had the opportunity to join the U23 ladies raft racing team, which meant regular trips down to Lee Valley in the run up to selections, and eventually the World Rafting Championships in Japan. This was a fantastic experience and one I have been fortunate to repeat a few times over the last few years.

I got into Stand Up Paddleboarding at a point in my paddling journey when I wasn't very confident in a kayak and enabled me to get out on the water and continue paddling with friends. I love the versatility of SUP and it is a great option for those who don't enjoying feeling 'stuck' inside a kayak, or for anyone who wants the freedom of rolling up a SUP into the boot of a car and heading off on an adventure.

As a white water SUP coach, I love being able to see paddlers develop their skills during sessions, and to see the shock and excitment on their faces when they nail a rapid or feature they didn't think would be possible.