16
May
16
May
Well I’ve been here in Richmond, VA all weekend competing at the annual Dominion River Rock Festival and I don’t even know where to start. I arrived early Friday afternoon to do some boating on the Lower James and checked out Z-Dam with my friend Max Posner who is a very well-known Richmond boater. Later that evening were the Semi-Finals for the Canal Crashers which was one of the main events at the festival and sponsored by Red Bull. Big names such as Eric Jackson and Tao Berman flew in for the event to throw down.
Here is a good shot of me throwing my first attempt at an air screw.
It was my first time going off of a ramp but I attempted some different moves and ended up in sixth. You can check out the rest of the results here –
Canal Crashers Friday Night Results
My friend Max who I had been crashing with all weekend took 3rd beating out some tough competition.
Red Bull definitely knows how to promote themselves, with a sick DJ set up out of their body-wrapped truck.
Did I mention Red Bull knows how to put themselves out there?
The rest of the festival was a great as well with the boater cross on Saturday morning. Missed out on the semi-finals but was stoked to see so many of my friends advance. The finals never happened Saturday night because of severe thunderstorms so I tagged along with some local Richmond boaters to do a couple laps on Reedy. It was sick and I mean that in more than one way (If you’ve boated this creek, you know what I am talking about).
Due to Red Bull canceling finals, Jackson kayaks had their own ramp competition Sunday morning and I ended up placing third and won some cash money! This is a good thing since I am moving to Colorado for the summer to become a raft guide/boater bum. After the ramp I did another run on the Lower James with some new and old friends and couldn’t think of a better way to end an amazing weekend.
Photos courtesy of Rich Young.
13
May
Here is a little clip from my first trip on the Reimegend section or the Raundalselva this year. It was a little cold but well worth it as this section is full of none stop class 4 and a couple you will probably walk round.
The Raundalselva is also under threat from Voss kommune wanting to dam it for hydro power. This would be a rely shame because of the shear beauty of this river and the amount of runnable white water, from water falls to endless class four.
For more information see
www.raundalselva.com
and on
Facebook – Ja til vidare vern av Raundalselva
Please also if you are kayaking in Raundalen this summer to be on ya best behaviour, park and camp respectfully, pick up your trash and dont burn the locals wood piles.
Remember take only pictures, kill only time, leave only footprints.
Enjoy the video Click here
Andy
13
May
The passport has been put away for another few months and I have returned once again to Wales, UK. I often get asked why I don’t move from this country and live in Nepal. Since I spend so much time in this great Himalayan country. I often think, perhaps it would be a good place to be. It is a land of great people and amazing rivers. I dream of the people, the temples and vistas. The warm spirit lives on, these once hidden kingdoms, open to all now. Its a pleasure to introduce guests and friends to the magic.
Then in the thin morning light I remember what Wales has to offer, the steep stuff, all rocks and hard places. From my door after a short drive I can be on the most magic of rivers. It is a place where the Victorians thought the fairies danced. The river Conway, Fairy Glen section. For the first small eddy- its copper colored water flows, dancing in swirls and making a waltz against the rock walls. This hidden kingdom gated by physical access impasse. The first rapid, a right stroke and your clear of the hydraulic – raw power below, punch again and the river right holds safety. You’re in the zone now. Rain, inevitable, falling from the sky. Grey rocks like broken mirrors surround you. Out of the slack and in the flow. Housed in – wall to wall. Blind bends and dark places. We catch the last small stopping point above the falls, where the river collides with itself making stoppers and waves that push in directions you never want to go. The line down is good, always should be. Make a move. Punch a wave and rest for the last driving strokes. This is quite the experience, and then it is quiet – flat for a short time, the light bounces up the gorge. The small arcs of water form on each horizon. They follow, another gateway, another place where rainbows fall and fairies parade, before long its over – still and calm. Looking back its where the open gate of the river has ejected you. Where the flumes of energy have let you breathe the magic once again. From the sky above, the sun, all too infrequent, pushes the shimmer of threads down to the exit. Droplets of water offer a darting spectrum where you can believe what the Victorian legends said.
See you in the flow Daz
www.purelandexpeditions.com
12
May
Already six weeks into a stellar 2011 season, the rivers of the Lake Superior region have produced our relatively small paddling community with another year of fantastic whitewater.
Under The Log Rapid, Split Rock River, Minnesota.
Breaking the Law Falls, Encampment River, Minnesota.
For us, the kayaking is all about fun, reuniting with friends, and getting back on our beloved creeks. There’s plenty to go around, so if you’re ever in our neck of the Northwoods during run-off, don’t be shy.
More beta, trip reports and images on the Midwest paddling scene can be found at www.kayakboatriding.com
10
May
07
May
Sayonara! We are out of here, off to Japan for some boating and to help out some friends! Just before stepping out the door, I was able to get on an obscure, but super worthy run: Long Canyon into the Rubicon River. This stout canyon (yes canyon, not even labeled on some maps as a river or creek) is one long gorge with drop after drop. Nothing too tall but just right. This combination led to some great bombing and linkage of rapids. Here are some photos and words by Darin McQuoid, a member of the Japan Expedition as well. Stay tuned here @ Pyranha and Huckin Huge for updates from the field in Japan!
07
May
After having a pretty scrapey season up to date, the words ‘SEVERE WEATHER WARNING’ were met with beaming smiles in the SUCC bunkhouse, as the club prepared for their week around Fort William. New members and older veterans of the club alike made the long drive north, and were rewarded from day one with fantastic levels on the Orchy. The water kept coming throughout the week, providing a healthy 6 pipe Upper Spean run to keep grins growing.
Of course water everywhere means two things for a university canoe club: first class boating and even better carnage. Some nailed lines, others failed lines. Most hucked up whilst the remainder mucked it up. But of course that’s all part of the fun of club boating and there were smiles all round for a great week that had an awesome vibe!
Check out the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-DsHbUB2Vs
SUCC LOVE,
Southampton Uni Canoe Club
04
May
We had loads of snow here in Voss over the winter and its all starting to melt.
So thats can only mean one thing…
Its time to start getting fired up and get ya huck on !
That can only mean one thing Teigdal…
Here is a bunch of pictures from past trips to wet ya lips.
Andy Phillips on the warm up drop © Benjamin Hjort
Allan Ellard on the second slide © Raphael Thiebaut
Greg Dashper drop number 3 © Raphael Thiebaut
Allan about to boof into the rainbow
Andy on drop 4 © Raphael Thiebaut
Mikey Abbott styling the tricky hole on the lip of drop 4 © Benjamin Hjort
Greg about to stomp it © Raphael Thiebaut
Mikey getting some air time © Raphael Thiebaut
Andy enjoying some of the classic white water between the drops © Raphael Tiebaut
Mikey hucking into the must run
Andy on the ramp and ready to tuck in the must run © Raphael Thiebaut
Mikey boofing into the mist on the first of the double drop
Mikey doing what he does best on the double drop… making it look easy © Raphael Thiebaut
Paying the price for a flat landing on the double drop
Hope this has wetted your appetite for the summer to come.
Andy
03
May
  
It has certainly been a spring to remember in the Northeastern U.S.Â
The combination of plentiful snow late in the season and freakishly intense April thunderstorms brought some local river systems to record high flows. Old-timers in the Adirondacks saay they have NEVER seen this kind of local flooding. There has been major devastation to infrastructre and people’s homes, but also some great paddling.Â
