Andrew 'Jacko' Jackson: Growing Freestyle Kayaking, One Generation at a Time
Portfolio
Over more than three decades, I've contributed to freestyle kayaking as a coach, competitor, mentor, movement builder, and community leader. My story is deeply interwoven with the development of the sport itself — not through singular credit, but through a sustained commitment to growing the people, places, and support systems that allow freestyle to thrive. That includes contributing to the structures around the sport — from coaching pathways and competition formats to event organisation, rule-making, and national team support.
'If you grow people, the sport will thrive.'
Early Lessons, Lifelong Direction
My journey began at 13 with a racing K2 and a lot of determination. By 16, I was a qualified instructor, and at 18, became the youngest Senior Instructor in the UK. Self-taught, volunteer-driven, and supported by my local Scout group, those early years taught me how reflective practice and people-first coaching could lay strong foundations.
Getting Involved in Freestyle — and Helping Shape Its Direction
By the early 1990s, after competitive slalom paddling in C1 and K1, I was drawn into the emerging freestyle scene — still undefined but full of potential. In 1995, I was selected for the GB Freestyle Team for the first time but couldn’t attend the event.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
I later competed at the 1997 and 1999 World Championships, gaining perspective that would inform my future contributions.
Around that time, I became increasingly involved in supporting the development of freestyle in the UK. I contributed to early coaching frameworks, participated in committee work, and supported
national conversations about how the sport might grow.
My role was rarely about leading alone — it was about bringing energy, encouraging others, and helping create the conditions for collective progress. I’ve always tried to help people feel confident, included, and excited about where freestyle could go.
Building Systems, Events, and Youth Pathways
In 2000, I founded Kayakojacko — a community initiative focused on providing coaching and building events to support wider access and development in freestyle and whitewater.
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In 2001, I established Junior Burners — which has become one of the most successful youth freestyle programs globally. This wasn’t just a youth group — it became a structured, long-term pathway for young paddlers to learn, grow, and progress through national and international competition. Many of today’s high-performing athletes, event organisers and judges came through the Burners pathway.
Around the same time, I contributed to the creation of the UK’s first Freestyle Coaching Awards, developed relationships with government partners, and supported the early Hurley Rodeos that would later become the Hurley Classic.
Reimagining Competition and Infrastructure
Between 2004 and 2010, I worked with others to lead three redevelopment phases at Boulters Weir — restoring the wave to an international-class freestyle venue.
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From 2004 to 2024, I served as Event Director of the Hurley Classic. With the support of an amazing team, the event evolved from a local gathering into a globally recognised competition, celebrated not just for its calibre but for its community spirit.
Other contributions of this nature included:
• Supporting coach development across the UK and Europe
• Helping implement a computer-aided scoring system (2012–2024)
• Serving as a National Trainer for British Canoeing
• Supporting national teams from the UK, Spain, and Sweden
• In 2024, co-launching the Thames Valley League with a group of local paddlers — a seasonal freestyle gathering focused on playful participation, creativity, and encouraging leadership at the community level. It featured the 'Freestyle Spirit' approach, welcoming all types of craft including rafts and SUPs.
Leadership and International Milestones
In 2016, I took on the role of Chairman of GB Freestyle. During that time, we:
• Delivered a Four-Year Development Plan aligned with British Canoeing
• Launched the Inspirers Scheme to expand coaching capacity and reach out to communities.
• Successfully bid to host the 2022 ICF Freestyle World Championships in Nottingham
I served as Event Director for those Worlds, working alongside a wide team to deliver what became one of the most athlete-focused, innovative, and celebratory World Championships to date.
My coaching continued throughout — supporting athletes to multiple European and World medals between 2015 and 2025, and contributing to world-record-breaking performances. Through my programmes.
I've coached athletes from many nationalities — helping raise the standard of freestyle across the world and building global connections within the sport.
In 2020, I formalised the Super Performer Model — a 30,000-word developmental framework supported by over 120,000 words of practical resources - essentially my ongoing notes built into developmental structure from 30 years of freestyle coaching. This is now being used as the framework for our Burners Basecamp FCE coaching pathways.
Recognition from the Sport and the Community
My contribution to freestyle has been recognised through two of the most meaningful awards:
• The Lifetime Achievement Award from Paddle UK - awarded to those who have made significant long term ongoing commitment to developing canoe sport.
• The Danny O’Brien Memorial Trophy (2025), awarded by the paddling community and given to those who have made a significant impact to freestyle canoeing.
Both honours acknowledge years of collaborative leadership, innovation, and mentoring that have helped freestyle evolve at every level.
Burners Basecamp: Momentum That Belongs to Many
Today, my focus is on Burners Basecamp — a performance-driven, community-rooted movement made up of several distinct but connected strands of work. It’s a growing platform for progression, learning, and leadership within freestyle kayaking — offering more than just training; it's a culture.
For those pushing the limits, there's Jacko’s Athlete Roster — an elite coaching programme for paddlers chasing mastery, momentum, and elite performance. Serious coaching for serious paddlers.
The Freestyle Coach Education programme teaches the tools, mindsets, and methods I’ve developed through decades of coaching. It’s about building confident, capable freestyle coaches — from beginners to world-class leaders.
And for winter progression, there’s the Winter Roster — a six-month journey built around one goal: unlock your best. It’s about challenging yourself, thriving with a like-minded crew, and going way beyond what you thought was possible.
At the core is Burners — more than a youth kayaking programme, it's a coaching philosophy and a culture. This is where young paddlers become legends and unleash their freestyle. As the UK and Europe’s top youth freestyle crew, it's a place to learn tricks, build river skills, and grow with a team that lifts each other up.
We also run Camps — including Progression, development and elite — that offer next-level training opportunities with top coaches in world-class venues. These range from weekend boosts to full international adventures.
For teams, federations, or grassroots groups, Bespoke offers tailored coaching programmes designed for big shifts and real results. If you've got the crew, we’ll bring the magic.
Burners Basecamp is more than a brand — it’s a shared space where performance, confidence, and community come together.
Looking Ahead: Growth, Profile & Collaboration
From a stubborn teenager in a cold lake to helping deliver world championships and national coaching systems, my journey has always been rooted in possibility — in helping people grow, explore, and lead.
But as freestyle continues to evolve, so must I in stepping forward with greater visibility, not for the sake of spotlight, but to amplify what’s possible when the right people, projects, and partnerships come together.
As Burners Basecamp grows, I’m looking to connect with those who are passionate about shaping freestyle’s future. Whether it’s through athlete development, coach education, events, or community initiatives — I’m open to new collaborations. If you’ve got a project, idea, or energy to bring, I’d love to hear from you.
If you grow people, the sport will thrive.
That belief continues to guide my work — and the future of freestyle. As I continue to develop my own coaching and leadership profile, I’m also actively looking to build new partnerships. Whether you're an individual, club, federation, or brand — if you're passionate about making freestyle stronger, we're open to collaboration. Through Burners Basecamp and its growing community, this work is being carried forward by many — and there's room for more to join.
The future of freestyle isn’t built by one person - It’s built by all of us.