Playak News Flash 2009-08-06

Playak News Flash - August 6, 2009

News Watch Headlines

Lowri Davies: Waves, waterfalls, races & ceremonies! Mariann got pushed off line and missed the eddy leaving Monica to take home the gold and a bumper cheque. Silvia and I battled up the eddy to take 2nd and3rd within milliseconds of each other. The randomness and beat down potential helped to make the event an excellent spectacle and probably the most fun race I've been in.

Shane's Logic: Liquidlogic Kayaks and the Outdoor Retail Show 2009 From 2009 Outdoor Retailer Show The Outdoor Retail show is the biggest week of my year as far as work goes.  Its this week that all my projects from the year need to be ready for all our dealers to see.  This year I was busy.  I noticed I hadn't posted in several mont...

Palm Blogs: Rapid Blocs – Palm to mould new whitewater course features We have been quietly working together with the team from Engineering Paddler Designs (EPD) on an exciting project for a new system for adjustable features in artificial white water parks. Bob Slee and Andy Laird testing the Rapid Bloc system at Teeside in July  The project came about after our technical Director Bob Slee attended a meeting about the re-development of the Holme Pierrpont white water course in Nottingham and met Andy Laird who along with ex World Slalom Champion and modern day artificial course pioneer Scott Shipley, designed the Rapid Blocs™ system. Going something along the lines of 'you've got the brain and we've got the brawn' the project has moved fast with the EPD guys bringing the hydrodynamic design knowledge and us delivering the moulding expertise required to make the blocks. The Rapid Bloc attachment What makes the system unique in its method of location to the riverbed via shaped metal rails, which run lengthways down the water channel. The blocks fasten to this, which allows them to be positioned at any angle and also to be stacked to create a groyne. The use of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and their low rectangular shape combined with a four point attachment make them solid when located but equally easy to manoeuvre for alterations to course design – something the EPD team recognised as an important design and manufacture requirement from experience with other systems. The new triangular blocks with the course empty... This forms one of a number of interesting departures for us here at Palm in the use of our rotomoulding oven for non-kayak related manufacture. We have already managed to re-cycle over 90% of our waste from boat manufacture, but schemes like this allow us to bring the second-generation use of the materials back into development of the sport, which is a real focus for us.   ...and full The rapid bloc system was launched at the recent European Slalom championships in Nottingham and showcased to competitors, coaches and officials from around the world including members of the International Olympic Delivery Committee responsible for the 2012 Olympic course in Lee Valley Park. Production units have now been fitted to the Teeside whitewater course which will be the first course to use this new system. We'll keep you posted on developments or, for more info check out the Rapid Bloc web site. Paul Robertson

Jackson Kayak: SuperStar Review: Uncut Billy Harris reviews the SuperStar: For anyone who doesn't know me I paddle for and am paid by Jackson kayaks... That being said I don't get paid enough to say something that is not true what I write is my own thoughts unchecked and as open as I can be.

Wavesport Blogs: Cali snow-melt finally over! Luke Leibsch, bottom 9, MF Kings. It's been a heck of a season in Cali this year, with plenty of rain through the spring and a nice extended run-off that gave us an extra couple of weeks over the past two summers. I took off the Devil's Postpile last week completing a season that included Yuba G...

LVM TV: CO Update: Gore Canyon Well most everything has dropped out here in the great state of Colorado. Except for one that has dropped in: Gore. This spectacular canyon is filled with big, juicy, fun rapids.

Experience Bliss-Stick: US Bliss-Stick Team Member, Harlan Taney, Member of Huckin Huge, Checks In Harlan has had a pretty busy schedule this summer, but managed to send us some pictures from his trip from Japan with Huckin Huge . Most of the footage from this trip can be seen in their last production, The Risen Sun , that premiered around the country earlier this spring, but we wanted ...

Rivers of Chile: Rio Llancalil. This river, although interesting, is not worth going out of your way for. If you are in the Pucon area and more specifically up near the headwaters of the Liucura near the "Los Posones" or Termas de Huife hot springs you might want to check it out. Polk Deters on Llancalil portage To get to this stretch first find the takeout which can be reached by driving past the Termas De Huife for another 2 KM until you cross a bridge over the small Llancalil creek. This is the takeout and is at approx 640 meters elevation. To reach put in back track road about 1/2 km past Termas de Huife and turn left. You will climb a steep road and pass Lago Huife. Continue another 2 km or so until you find a farmers road peeling off to the river. We got lucky and found one that took us almost to the river. We asked permission of farmer to leave our vehicle and we walked our boats down to the trickle of a river. Here it is about 750 meters elevation and you begin to scrape your way down about 2 km to where the discharge of Lago Huife significantly bumps up the flow. From here in the final KM the river drops close to 70 meters of 350 FPM to the takeout. There are several portages none of which are very difficult. Again this creeky run is more of a novelty that quality whitewater and is best left to those that have time and like to explore….

canoeing.com: 15-Year-Old Tops Whitewater Elders Hailey Thompson, a 15-year-old from Stevens Point, Wisconsin, out-paddled her adult competition at the American Canoe Association Open Canoe Slalom Nationals & North American Championships in Wausau, Wisconsin over the weekend.  According to the Wausau Daily Herald, HERE, she earned six first-place awards during the competition.  The newspaper also has a photo-gallery from the event HERE. Thompson isn't exactly a splash in the pan — in May, the youngster paddled her way onto the USA team for the International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Championships in La Seu d'Urgell, Spain in September. You can keep track of Thompson's exploits, HERE, on her own personal blog.

Jackson Kayak: Inner City Kids Kayaking Camp 2009 and Kayaking clinic Every year is so much fun and a good adventure for the kids. We had our biggest group yet with 15 kids on our first day, including three returning students Jordan Ricks, Andre Williams, and Andre Parilla.

SNews: Confluence Fills Key Positions in Q2 2009 Confluence Watersports is building for a strong future. The company has invested in several key positions to improve production and overall quality of experience for its employees and customers.

SNews: Confluence finally paddling in smoother and profitable waters It's official: Confluence has put behind it years of slips, bumbles, hiccups, overstock problems, blem and recall problems, management issues, negative press, bad morale and more. After personally wandering the hallways, design rooms and factory floors of the Easley, S.C., company headquarters in mid-July, and having spoken with numerous retailers around the country to gauge quality control, customer service response and delivery accuracy, SNEWS® can happily report a success story -- still in progress, but a success none the less. Confluence, under new leadership and with new management energy, and a renewed focus on putting the customer top of mind is well on its way to becoming the company its venerable brands deserve.

Freya Hoffmeister: Day 198, Monday, 3.08.2009 Email from Freya: 23.10 113.45, Monck Head, past Coral Bat.  55 km,  7:30 am to 6:30 pm. Coral Bay has the most beautiful HUGE corals I've seen from the boat so far...a place to be as a tourist. But for me I felt better to only sneek into the campsite shower to wash ...

Playak Product News: Legacy Paddlesports: Inuit Series Native Watercraft introduces their first touring kayak series, the Inuit which will come in three sizes, 12.5, 13.5 and 14.5. The Inuit is unlike anything on the current market with its innovative Tru Track hull, the outlandishly comfortable 5 Star Outfitting system, and ample storage space.

Paddling Life: Calhoun Cruises to Podium in 29th Upper Yough Race Wavehoppers and wildwater boats on Class V? Yep, it happens every year at the annual Upper Youghiogheny Race, whose Class IV and easy V whitewater lends itself to cumbersome craft that can flat-out move. This year, moving down the course the fastest was none other than speedster Geoff Calhoun…

Am. Whitewater: August Volunteer of the Month presented by Kokatat Jason was instrumental in helping coordinate American Whitewater's activities at this years FIBArk Festival in Salida, Colorado. FIBArk was again a great opportunity to learn more about AW's work in Colorado and across the country, and we want to thank Jason for making it possible. Jason volunteered five long days to helping AW grow it's membership and support through movie premiers, fund raising events, and opportunities for Q&A at AW's riverside booth.

WK Throwdown: NOC Shootout Event Coverage   The 2009 2nd Annual NOC Shootout was simply the most amazing display of kayaking skill I have ever witnessed!  No Joke… watching the final rides of the Men's Pro K-1 class was astonishing and mesmerizing!!!  If you were not there at the event you can not even begin to appreciate the words I am trying to use to describe this event…     The NOC Staff did a awesome job of organizing and running the events on both days.  Spectators (estimated to be +100) lined the river banks on both sides during the entire event and the cheers could be heard all the way up to Nantahala Falls!  All the competitors went home with nice prizes and the Shootout was definitely was the most fun event I have judged to date!   2009 NOC Shootout Results   Saturday 8/1/09 Freestyle Qualifier   Juniors K-1: 1. Will Rudisill (140) 2. Matt Wright (139) 3. Quillan Snyder (131) 4. Casey Jones (106) 5. Taylor Cofer (82) 6. Mason Farmer (57) 7. Palmer Miller (49) 8. Connor McSpadden (31)   C-1: 1. Phillip Young (91) 2. Matt Anger (74)   Open Novice K-1: 1. Paul Butler (125) 2. Trenton Wiggins (118) 3. Phillip Young (88) 4. Mike Dorsey (53) 5. Chris Laskey (43) 6. Taylor Winfield (38) 7. Tony Anthony (24)   Men's Expert K-1: 1. Shane Day (202) 2. Sean Corbett (167) 3. Ryan Baudrand (161) 4. Bret Cornwall (136) 4. Dustin Cyr (136) 6. Mark "Snowy" Robertson (130) 7. Matt Anger (126) 8. Andrew Koch (117) 9. Chris Erdahl (104) 9. Matthew West (104) 11. Tyler SanSouci (99)   Women's K-1: 1. Maria Noakes (110) 2. Anna Leveque (91) 3. Jasmeen Moubarak (52) 4. Leela Samuels (38) 5. Amanda Getler (28)   Men's Pro K-1: 1. Andrew Holcombe (473) 2. Tommy Yon (464) 3. "Mad" Mike Patterson (380) 4. Richard "Rio" Oldenquist (229) 5. Corey Volt (210) 6. Jeremy Adkins (209) 7. Daniel Dutton (200)   Sunday 8/2/09 Attainment Race:   1. Andrew Holcomb 2. Chris Hipgrave 3. Bret Cornwall (8 total competitors – sorry I did not get all the names and places…)   Sunday 8/2/09 Freestyle Final   Juniors K-1: 1. Taylor Cofer (169) 2. Casey Jones (162) 3. Quillan Snyder (136) 4. Matt Wright (130) 5. Will Rudisill (96) 6. Mason Farmer (68) 7. Connor McSpadden (64)   C-1: 1. Phillip Young (112) 2. Matt Anger (61)   Open Novice K-1: 1. Phillip Young (117) 2. Paul Butler (112) 3. Trenton Wiggins (107) 4. Mike Dorsey (75) 5. Taylor Winfield (62) 6. Tony Anthony (53) 7. Chris Laskey (30)   Men's Expert K-1: 1. Sean Corbett (229) 2. Ryan Baudrand (207) 3. Mark "Snowy" Robertson (174) 4. Shane Day (160) 5. Dustin Cyr (159) 6. Bret Cornwall (112)   Women's K-1: 1. Anna Leveque (135) 2. Maria Noakes (122) 3. Leela Samuels (115) 4. Jasmeen Moubarak (66) 5. Amanda Getler (34)   Men's Pro K-1: 1. Andrew Holcombe (510) 2. Tommy Yon (494) 3. "Mad" Mike Patterson (327) 4. Corey Volt (271) 5. Daniel Dutton (204) 6. Richard "Rio" Oldenquist (185)   If you did not make it out to the NOC this past weekend, you missed one heck of a show!!  I know I will not soon forget it.  Check out the photos from this awesome event weekend by the NOC Staff @: http://tinyurl.com/nve64v

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