So coming off my shoulder injury the World Cup was the first stop on my list.  I was not able to paddle, but I was asked to help with the team management of the US for the event. Captain America was a bit hard to pull off, but I think I did OK. So this video shows the last 2 of the 3 world cup events. One at the Pigeon and one at the NOC. We where able to sneak some Green runs in there of course with a day of %200. These where my first days back in my creek boat which was fun and scary as hell! Add to this some funny shit from downtown Asheville and you’ve got it!  I was super pleased to meet and hang out with a few of our paddlers that came over for the event from the UK. David Wild and Bren Orton ( the Business) showed off some great skills on the freestyle end of things, but where just as impressive in their creek boats as you will see below. Great to meet you boyz!!
26
Sep
Highlight video for 2012…so far
2012 has been a very busy year so far and I have been able to get on some great runs, waterfalls, and waves. Â This video will display what kind of good Demshitz has been able to get so far in 2012. Â I really can’t say enough about the Pyranha boats, company, and family that I get to paddle for, I am so grateful that I can paddle, represent, and work for the best company out there. Â Now you can enjoy a short edit that I put together showcasing some of the goods Demshitz got into this year.
CLICK the link below.
Demshitz Dropping
25
Sep
Fall creeking
After BeaverFest + a week hiking the Monts Groulx 12 hours north of Quebec City (and discovering dozens of possible stouts) I had to get back in my boat. Mastigouche Nord river was on the low side of runnable but I decided to give a go instead of running the classics around Quebec. We rallied a small crew and drove 2 hours northwest to Lanaudiere area.
What’s nice about this section is that you can park at the last huge slide (which is the take-out) and hike up 10-15 minutes to the first slide.
When we arrived and saw Chute du Calavaire, I knew it would be super low but still…we decided to give it a try – after all, 2 guys were at their first “creeking” experience ever. Not to mention that excitation/anxiety was palpable!
Paddler : Pascal Tremblay
photo : Étienne Béland
paddler : Étienne Béland
photo : Pascal Tremblay
paddler : Pascal Tremblay
photo : Étienne Béland
I’m in love with my Shiva! Super fast, boofs well, extremely stable – especially in aerated water and surprisingly easy to roll (easiest one I paddled). Didnt have the chance to test it with slides until now. Being used to ride the Burn, I was skeptical about the rounded hull into big slides. No more worries, the Shiva is perfect in every conditions!
paddler : Pascal Tremblay
photo : Étienne Béland
We would have like more water but its always fun to be on the river with good friends anyway.
paddler : Nicolas Roger
photo : Étienne Béland
Next step, MooseFest!
24
Sep
The Youth Freestyle Series final
The youth freestyle series finale took place this weekend at the white water course in nottingham,
Nearly 100 junior paddlers turn’t up to take part, The weather even cooperated with us at this event and a combination of sun, friends and great freestyle spots made for an awesome day for the junior boaters.
Check out the video of the day below.
See you next year,
Bren
24
Sep
Elk Falls, NC – Southern Stout!
Elk Falls (or Big Falls) has been on the radar for me since I was 16 years old and still just getting into kayaking. A friend had found pictures on American Whitewater and suggested we drive up from Atlanta to run it. I said we should probably work on our rolls first. But, 6 years and a lot of kayaking later, levels looked about right so I rallied a crew and headed over after class. I fired it up first followed closely by Mac McGee ( in a pirouette and hand paddles!) Check out the video here – Shot by Tommy Penick and Wes Overvold and Muchas gracias to Emory Klesick for setting safety!
21
Sep
Skook session with Jed
Skookumchuck in British Columbia is one of the best waves in the world. It goes from flat and foamy, to tall and green by the end of the tide cycle. Its’ ocean waters are the perfect temperature, its surrounded by rugged mountains, and wildlife is more abundant than humans. These, among others, are the reasons the Pyranha van ends up there every summer.
Skook scenery
I’ve spent the last 2 summers living in the van with Craig and Dave, however last year I was unable to go because I didnt have a passport so I spent the week living in Washington in a tent while it rained non-stop. This year I was determined to make the trip and experience Skook for the first time.
where is this state called BC?
Dave had gotten hurt earlier in the summer and he was still at home mending his broke shoulder so that meant we were down a man. We did however have some friends come meet us for the trip, team paddler Pete Delosa and his wife Amy drove up with us, and we picked Brent and Kerry up in Vancouver. Craig was the only one who had been to British Columbia before, so he was stoked to show us around.
Pete soaking it in
The boyz waiting for the wave
Video of our Skook session :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDXnU3DqnwE&feature=g-upl
Thanks to Amy Delosa for hanging with us in BC, and the pictures, we couldnt have done it without ya!!!
Cheers
21
Sep
20
Sep
Return to Indonesia
Last year I took part in a rather intense expedition to explore a jungle river in Papua in eastern Indonesia. Whilst we didn’t succeed in descending as much of the river as hoped, it opened my eyes to the huge variety of cultures, wildlife and landscapes that Indonesia has to offer.
I got married in May this year (about 6 months after the Papua trip), and suggested to my better half that Indonesia might be a good honeymoon destination. Instead of the typical week-in-a-five-star hotel approach, we decided to go for a longer holiday and island hop around Indonesia – not doing things on the cheap – but making the most of the money we had!
Saving money by getting cheap local flights
But not skimping on other things
17
Sep
Southeast Summer Happenings
The southeast team taking over the nantahala wave one summer day
In the southeast in summertime, living at the Nantahala river is the place to be. With a consistent play feature and being located right in the middle of all the good dam released summer runs, the kayaking options are wide open. This summer involved playboating at the nantahala, ocoee, and pigeon, and creeking on the nantahala cascades, raven fork, cullasaja, and of course the green. Check out This har video for some footage, and enjoy the photos below.
Nantahala wave, site of 2013 world chapionships
B-rad and myself at the Green
Groove tube on the Green
the gorilla rapid
macho grubbin off nantahala falls
repping the Jed hard at NOC
flips n shitz at nantahala wave
15
Sep
Freestyle world cup 2012
The freestyle world cup is offically over.
A series of great events took place  across america over the course of three weeks.
Myself and Dave Wild flew out to take part in the series, we met some great people along the way and without the kindness and generosity shown by everyone we would most likely have been stranded, starving or eaten by local wild life.
The first event took place at Rock Island, Tennesse. I’ve grown up watching the videos of this place and so I was incredibly excited to paddle there. Set within a picturesque back drop of cascading waterfalls a small wave/hole forms, The feature was technically very challenging moves went well but sticking them was a completely different matter and a flush was likely to cost you at least 15 seconds at this spot – not ideal. Dave Wild finished well up the field in the mens category but unfortunately not quite high enough to advance to the next round.FIrst round went well for me and I came out in first with a 350 point lead unfortunately in the next stage of the competition I had 2 unlucky flushes which would put me just outside the final in 7th place, We were both pretty disappointed in our performance at this event but it provided us with some serious fire for the next event !
The second event took place at the Pidgeon river, a slow, deep and retentive hole that proved itself at this event to be one of the best holes in the world. Over the course off 5 days some of the worlds best padders threw down huge ride after huge ride. I redeemed myself after the first event and won every round, I even had the chance to throw some combos in their as well. Dave Wild finished well up the field again with some solid rides in the large Jed. Check out Paul Palmers video from the event below :
We had a few days off before the last event which gave us the chance to hang out with the Demshitz guys, After meeting the guys that work for Pyranha and borrowing boats from the warehouse we got the chance to run the Green river, I’ve been saying for a while now that I want to do more river running/creeking and this river definitely sold it on me !
After a great trip down the green river it was time to head over to the Noc site to start preparing for the 3rd and final world cup event. The Noc hole is fast, reasonably shallow and powerful, it definitely catered for the stronger paddlers and we saw more than a few beatings being dished out. I won every round once again in this event, Dave Wild threw down some awesome rides but unfortunately didn’t quite make it to the finals, However he was unanimously voted the winner of the party !
Unfortunately my two wins weren’t quite enough to grant me the title after my mess up in the first round and i finished the series in second place, big congrats to Hunter Katt for taking the overall win. It was an amazing trip and a huge learning experience, Thanks agin to everyone that made it possible.
See you on the water,
Bren
Check out the world cup website for more results and information on next years worlds -Â http://www.freestylekayaking2013.com/world-cup.html