![\"Festival](\"https:\/\/www.pyranha.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/IMG_0017.jpg\")
<\/a>Festival Day<\/p><\/div>\n
Valsesia is famous for some of the best steep, low volume creeking in the world, the quaint traditional mountain villages, pizza and ice cream. \u00a0Water levels were low on arrival causing the team to head to the Ayasse in Aosta.\u00a0 The move, prompted by Jamie Wright was certainly the best one.\u00a0 The crew including Jamie, Tom Brown, Scotty Robinson and the team van made the most of the stunning Ayasse valley, paddling both the upper and lower sections.\u00a0 It was certainly an adrenaline pumped few days, not for the faint hearted.\u00a0\u00a0 This all changed however following a heavy rainstorm bringing the rivers up to huge levels in Valsesia for the first day of the festival. \u00a0This meant that whilst the classic steep runs were too high, the Sesia, which flows right past the campsite, was great fun.\u00a0 By the afternoon, the levels were beginning to return to normal so people headed up to the Gronda and Sorba slides for some sporty classic park and huck creeking.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Italian landscape over looking the Sorba<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>Boofing into a rainbow on the Upper Ayasse<\/p><\/div>\n
Saturday brought us some sunshine to accompany the days racing. \u00a0The racecourse was brought down stream a little to the sweet rumble site due to the high levels but even this was an exciting racecourse for the teams and individuals. \u00a0The team race commenced first with teams of three sprinting down the section off the ramp having to hit the Pyranha Mk3 Burn hanging from the bridge. \u00a0The Individual race was next and also had some very tight racing.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Race briefing<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>Chris Eastarbrook Racing<\/p><\/div>\n
All of team Pyranha qualified, with David Bain taking the second spot in the individual. \u00a0During breaks in the racing, spectators were challenged to carve the best \u2018foamy\u2019 burn 3 with all entrants to be judged by the crowd at the after race party and presentations.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>Sweet Rumble<\/p><\/div>\n
The Sweet rumble was the spectator\u2019s highlight of the festival.\u00a0 Four paddlers lined up on the start ramp for each heat with the first two competitors to touch the Burn hanging in the eddy going through to the next heat.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Birthday and rumble champion celebrations<\/p><\/div>\n
A crowd gathered along the roadside to watch the carnage below with commentary from Britain\u2019s Matt Cooke and Italy\u2019s Michele Ramazza. \u00a0Team Pyranha\u2019s Dave Brown was knocked out in the quarter final, whilst Barny Prees was knocked out in semi final. \u00a0David Bain stole the show, storming through to win the competition. \u00a0The team then headed for pizza to celebrate David\u2019s 21st<\/sup> birthday and then onwards to the festival party.<\/p>\n Middle Sermenza classic<\/p><\/div>\n The next day a large crew headed to the picturesque Sermenza River to nurse sore heads from the night before. \u00a0This was followed by a visit to the best ice cream shop in the area as recommended by Simon. He was right\u2026 \u00a0All too soon it was time to leave Italy so the lads packed up the van and said goodbye to Dave Brown who was headed home. \u00a0All that was left was to get on the road to Slovenia but not before Barny and Dave had done another quick blast of the middle and lower Sermenza.<\/p>\n David Lower Ayasse<\/p><\/div>\n \u00a0Pyranha Team Van \u2013 On a mission – Italy<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0Words by Barnaby Prees \u2013 Team Pyranha –\u00a0http:\/\/vimeo.com\/97817680<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>