Playak News Flash 2010-05-29

Playak News Flash - May 29, 2010
The world's latest paddling headlines.

News Watch Headlines

Val sesia contest Team LiquidLogic - I was in Val Sesia this weekend to make a portrait of Fred Gilardone, secretary of the committee for Val Sesia preservation. They now have a 20 year protection plan for the rivers in the area.

Pyrenees, THE place to paddle in May! Valentin Grollemund - After 2 years of reflexion, coming again and again in the Pyrenees, I can now say: it's THE place to paddle on May!

Tao Berman: My first time going off a ramp Dagger Blogs - Just before flying out to Slovakia Red Bull called and asked me if I wanted to attend an event in Richmond with a kayak ramp. I had never been off a ramp in my kayak and didn't want to embarrass myself in front of 25,000 people so I turned them down. Next my team manager called and told me the city really wanted me there and that he would appreciate it if I would attend. I told him if he didn't mind me landing on my head every time and I'd do it.

The North Fork of the North Fork- California Creeking Kokatat Blog - The North Fork of the North Fork has been a thorn in the side of paddlers for over 10 years. Numerous trips in have been turned back due to the small range of runable flows, committed canyon, technical portages, and numerous other challenges. Finally in May a group of us decided to give it another go.

Norway – Getting Political! Team Pyranha - It is my birthday towards the end of May, so for the last two years I have been heading to Norway to celebrate and start the summer kayaking season with a refreshing start at the deep end… Last year I was in Telemark. However, this year there was a bigger cause at stake – saving one of the most beautiful rivers in the world! There are plans afoot to dam the Raundalselva – a chrystal clear river with many many kilometres of incredible white water for every level of kayaker – and beautiful scenery too.

Tryweryn British League Event SquareRock - A while ago, it was announced that selection 2010 was to be combined with the British championships as part of a 'British league'. Many people were sceptical of this method but even more were in favour and, after all, it means more competitive freestyle in Britain.

Gore Canyon High Water Ross Herr - With a few hot days behind us Gore Canyon went from its normal flow to a good Juicy 2000cfs. I had the entire day Sunday off so rally we did. Ian, Will, Jules, Chris, and myself met at 10am under the beautiful Colorado sun.

iPhone and iPad App for River Lovers Rapid Magazine Blog - With my just recent iPhone savvy (and one of the very first iPads on its way to the Rapid offices), I learned about this very cool app for your iPhone, iPod or iPad. RiverGuide is a handy tool for the paddler on the move, with thousands of real-time streamflow gauges...

Upper Apurimac, Salkanatay & Peru´s Rio Santa Teresa passion4adventure - What an incredible week! Our legs are still suffering, cut by jungle thorns and beaten by heavy loads but it's a good pain! During the last seven days JV and I have made sure our time in Peru has been well spent.

Overnighter on the Chattooga 2010 Shane's Logic - It's a trip I have done since I was a kid. When I first started paddling down the Chattooga it was all about me and the experience I was having. I was completely focused on the skills I was learning, the rapids I was running, and how much fun I was having. Now 30 years later its all about the trip as a whole. Sure I want to have a good time but seeing every body else have a great time is as important if not more so and in that experience I am having the time of my life.

Boaterchick Festival Brings Women Together on the River Kokatat Blog - The Boaterchick Festival is a unique grassroots whitewater event organized by Southeast paddling chicks Anne Connolly and Salli Katz. Boaterchick brings women paddlers from all over the east coast together to paddle and hang out in a friendly, supportive environment. It was a huge success this year with over 100 women attending! The vibe at the festival was all about having fun, being supportive and supported, and welcoming everyone – including men who support women in boating! There were paddling trips on the Nantahala, Ocoee and Cheoah Rivers as well as playboating and creeking clinics.

2010 Maui to Molokai Challenge SUP Surf - Here are some more pictures from the 2010 Maui to Molokai Challenge sent to us by Karen Baxter. Congratulations again to Connor Baxter for winning the Stand Up Solo division and to Mark Raaphorst and Jeremy Riggs for winning the Stand Up Men's Relay division.

Aleut Style With Jim Mitchell Dash Point Pirate - I met Jim Mitchell a few years ago at SSTIKS and caught up with him this weekend. I was interested in hearing how he makes Aleut paddles because I want one for my Shooting Star cedar strip baidarka.

This mail contains a selection of the world's latest paddling news. To see all the latest news, videos, forum discussions and more, visit Playak News Watch.
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Playak Weekly Digest - week 21

Playak Weekly Digest
The world's top paddling links in week 21, 2010.

News Watch Interview: Naomi James Playak (Thursday 27th) ***** - A short interview with Naomi James, World Champion HP surf kayak. How to Outfit your New Creek Boat Wavesport Blogs (Wednesday 26th) **** - This post outlines my suggestions as well as approaches to outfitting a new creek boat. Most of these approaches are applicable to a play boat as well as river runner, however some are unique to a creek boat. Koosah Falls, Mackenzie River OR Evan Garcia (Saturday 22nd) *** - Coming back across the states to the West Coast, I was excited to finally get back on some home runs. Meeting up with some old kiwi friends from the past we were ready to go and get something big under our belts. Metlako was pretty low, so the next move was down to the super stout outside of Eugene OR. After many adventures around the world I was finally back to some of the first big waterfalls I had ever seen as young class V paddler. Return From Chile Sweet (Saturday 22nd) ** - After spending 9 and a half months in Chile i have finally returned back home. It was a long season with an amazing amount of water accumulating to an amazing season of paddling. While there was a lot of time spent sitting around while the rain pounded outside, the sun did occasionally shine. Already having paddled many of the rivers in the country it is still amazing that we are able to find new drainages, new drops and continue to push our selves n this one country. Here is a few of the stories from the year. Quebec Exploration pays off - First D's Wavesport Blogs (Wednesday 26th) ** - This is my second spring season coming back to Quebec, specifically the Saguenay area, in search of Quebec's amazing whitewater. Last year we had great success in finding / exploring un-run rivers, with 4 first descents, and we had a bunch more on our list that we didn't have time for. Unusual spring water levels / snow pack up high kept us from getting in to a few new runs but we persisted and managed to get on 2 First D's in back to back days. Boofarama Palm Blogs (Saturday 22nd) ** - Moving on with the techniques, the boof is a skill which can open up a new level of white water. If it isn't new to you, then a bit of time brushing up won't be wasted! Yoga for Kayaking: Neck Stretches Dagger Blogs (Wednesday 26th) ** - In a recent yoga class the teacher encouraged us to roll up out of a side-bending pose with our heads as the last body part to come up. I had to giggle because she sounded just like a kayak instructor teaching the roll! As she was giving her instructions she made the comment that bringing our heads up last can be challenging because we tend to be a society of 'head yankers.' Koosah Falls, OR Sweet (Wednesday 26th) * - Coming back across the states to the West Coast, I was excited to finally get back on some home runs. Meeting up with some old kiwi friends from the past we were ready to go and get something big under our belts. Metlako was pretty low, so the next move was down to the super stout outside of Eugene OR. After many adventures around the world I was finally back to some of the first big waterfalls I had ever seen as young class V paddler. In 2004 I was on a Spring break trip with my older brother and Jon Meyers when I first laid my eyes on Koosah falls. At the time, I never in a million years, would have thought that someday I would launch this beast. There I stood above the 75 foot beast saying I was "IN". Video: Damming the Heaven playak.tv (Wednesday 26th) * - Movie about the Damming the White Nile river. We had the chance to kayak there for past 4 years. Uganda and the famous river White Nile left us many emotions, we enjoyed the time spend there but the damming of our haven is the an disaster for us. So enjoy the movie like we enjoyed the time there. Paddlers : Peter Csonka, Nina Halasova, Vladimir Cako, Peter Scherfel, Milos Trnka, Jan Rusnak, Matej Fabianek ... Augsburg Training/ KC learning the ropes Jackson Kayak (Tuesday 25th) * - Training is going good here in Augsburg. Two workouts/day for Dane and I so far. Kat is also doing the same, as is quite a few of the paddlers here. I saw one of the local German team members do something super impressive. He linked cartwheels into a McNasty, into a bow end, another McNasty, into a bow end another McNasty in perfect form. It was awesome. Upper Clackamas Festival PDX River Explorers (Saturday 22nd) * - Every May whitewater enthusiast converge on the Upper Clackamas River for a weekend of competition and good times. The UCWWF hosts a wide variety of whitewater disciplines including raft, cataraft, kayak, inflatable kayak, riverboard, and drift boat. The hardshell kayak competitions include a playboat mass start, boater X or boater cross which is 4 person head-to-head through gates, freestyle, downriver, slalom, and freestyle aerial ramp. Now that is a list that should cover every one's specialty! Charlotte Throwdown #1 Results: Gotta Airscrew to Win!!! WK Throwdown (Tuesday 25th) * - It really is kinda of amazing, in less then a year the local boating community has gone from spin to win on M-Wave at the USNWC to the top 5 K1A's all throwing Airscrews. Blunts are now the norm, and everyone is learning how to do backwards tricks as well as attempting the helix, pistol flip and other moves on M-Wave, moves that were thought to be a no go, not so anymore. Mark Cecchini's North Fk Clearwater report/Villain S review Jackson Kayak (Tuesday 25th) * - Just wanted to send along a quick update about a recent trip into the North Fork Clearwater with my Villain S and All Star. Reno Throwdown #3 2010 WK Throwdown (Saturday 22nd) * - Here we are just a day away from the Reno River Festival. Most of the local community was excited to get one more test run against the clock. We had a good turnout with a huge crowd on shore. We had our normal Wednesday down turn of the weather. Augsburg Training - KC learning the ropes Jackson Kayak (Sunday 23rd) * - Training is going good here in Augsburg. Two workouts/day for Dane and I so far. Kat is also doing the same, as is quite a few of the paddlers here. I saw one of the local German team members do something super impressive. He linked cartwheels into a McNasty, into a bow end, another McNasty, into a bow end another McNasty in perfect form. It was awesome. I have never done that before. I rarely carthweel into a McNasty to begin with, but after seeing that, I intend to learn that skill! It is awesome getting into a new group of top guys and seeing different styles, and clearly people focus on different skills. Today is my last day in Augsburg, then off to Plattling tomorrow to train there and get to know that spot, so when the Augsburg World Cup event is over, and the whole circus rolls to Plattling for the WC final, I don't have to learn the spot with a crowd and limited training time.

Hot Forum Topics Buyer's Guide: Boats & Boards: Lightning (Marathon Construction) Buyer's Guide: Boats & Boards: Lightning (Marathon Construction)) Buyer's Guide: Boats & Boards: Nemesis Medium Composite The Bamba is in production! (Gear) glasgow (UK) Top Videos C4 Waterman Oil Tanker Surfing Vertical Descension Red Bull Canal Crashers: Tao Berman LA LOGIA III la ultima chance TEASER (freeky) April 2010 in Canada Upcoming Events Kayak River Festival Greece, Ολυμπιακή εγκατάσταση Canoe Kayak Ελληνικού, May 5 - Jun 6 21st Annual WMCKA Symposium USA, MI, Camp Pendalouan, May 28 - May 31 TEVA Straight Down Striit Switzerland, Glarus, Elm, May 28 - May 30 Kachemak Bay Sea Kayaking Skills Symposium US, AK, Halibut Cove, May 28 - Jun 1 Puntledge River Paddle Festival Canada, Courtenay, May 28 - May 30 Dolomiti Kayak Meeting Italy, Cortina D'ampezzo - Belluno, May 29 - May 30 French Broad Challenge Triathlon USA, Asheville, NC, May 29 Italy Kayak Meeting in the Lanzo Valley Italy, Torino, May 29 - May 30 Southern Outer Banks Sea Kayak Symposium USA, NC, Swansboro , Jun 2 - Jun 6 Teva Mountain Games USA, CO, Vail, Jun 3 - Jun 6 ICF Freestyle World Cup Germany, Plattling, Jun 3 - Jun 6 Windy City Sea Kayak Symposium USA, IL, Illinois Beach State Park, Jun 4 - Jun 7 Wyoming Whitewater Championships USA, WY, Jackson Hole, Jun 4 - Jun 6 Puget Sound Challenge-Segment 5 USA, Seattle, Jun 5 Hoa White water Challenge Japan, Hidaka, Jun 5 - Jun 6 Shiawassee River Paddle Event USA, Holly,Michigan, Jun 6 Round Bowen Outrigger Relay Canada, BC, Bowen Island, Jun 6 Tybee Race USA, GA, Tybee Island, Jun 6

The Playak Weekly Digest is a special Saturday version of the News Flash, containing the most popular paddling news of the past week. To see all the latest headlines, videos, forum discussions and more, visit Playak News Watch.
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