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

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