Fans of outdoor swimming and paddlesports can now enjoy a variety of features and brands specifically catering to their needs at The National Outdoor Expo in Partnership with Ordnance Survey. The organiser of the event, set to take place at the NEC, Birmingham 19-20 March 2022, has announced that watersports will form the seventh foundation of the show which will also cover running, walking, climbing, camping, outdoor excursions and cooking outdoors.
With the huge increase in popularity of open water and cold-water swimming, the event will offer an open water swimming feature in collaboration with NOWCA (National Open Water Coaching Association), providers of world leading open water safety systems and offers the largest network of open water swimming venues in the UK. The feature will provide the perfect opportunity for visitors who are curious about the benefits of open water swimming to give it a go alongside those in the know.
Expo visitors who sign up for the annual NOWCA membership at £15 will receive a free ‘Introduction to Open Water Swimming’ course (usually £39.95) and join a community of over 35K members who have access to over 40 safe swimming locations at NOWCA affiliated venues as well as other benefits such as insurance cover and big discounts from top brands. NOWCA members will also be able to participate in a special open water race on the lake in the afternoon. NOWCA will also be hosting the founders of BSA (Black Swimming Association) – Ed Accura, Seren Jones and Alice Dearing, who is currently competing in the Open Water Swimming 10K event at the Tokyo Olympics. The joint effort of NOWCA and BSA aims to advocate for diversity in aquatics and the ambition to break down barriers for ethnic minorities in water sports.
Paddle sports fans can also enjoy a Lakeside Paddlesports feature, in partnership with Venture by Pyranha, which will provide visitors with the opportunity to try canoeing or kayaking for the first time. Both features will have experts on hand and all the equipment visitors need on the NEC’s Pendigo Lake.
As well as the new features, watersport enthusiasts will have the opportunity to shop the top brands and stock up on all their favourite gear. The show will host an abundance of other exciting features including an Inspiration Stage and Outdoor Skills Theatre that will play host to industry experts including Ben Fogle, James Cracknell, Dwayne Fields, Bex Band, Jesse Dufton, Anna McNuff and Sabrina Pace-Humphries, imparting knowledge, inspiration and skills to visitors. Alongside this the show will feature a Climbing Wall with Montane X BMC, Outdoor Kitchen, Trail Running Zone with We Run Trail plus a rope walk, zip line and Bushcraft Zone to name a few.
In a bid to serve the Outdoor community, the company behind The National Outdoor Expo, Raccoon Events, has also launched Outside & Active, a digital home for the outdoor community giving access to seminars, workshops, motivational speakers and product reviews throughout the year.
To get your ticket to the event visit https://nationaloutdoorexpo.seetickets.com/tour/national-outdoor-expo. If you are interested in exhibiting at the 2022 show, please contact Esther Beal [email protected] or call 07827 815840.
National Outdoor Expo set to make a splash
