Playak News Flash 2010-06-05

Playak News Flash - June 5, 2010
The world's latest paddling headlines.

News Watch Headlines

McCoy: more smiles than portages Mt. Hood H2O - Last weekend Rick and I (Matt) ended up on McCoy creek while Jacob, Nate, and others had an epic on the North Fork Cispus.

Devil's Canyon - Middle Branch of the Feather Jordan Searle - In preparation for some of the more full-on multi day Califonia river trips we decided to check out the Middle Feather. A two or three day river trip that boasts continual white-water in the class IV+ - V realm and unparalleled scenery, this was sure to be a good time.

May 2010 Sweet - After flying back into Montana at the end of April it was apparent that winter was still in full affect. So I loaded up the car and have now just finished the month with 4 different trips. Two different week long trips in Oregon, a week in Cali, and a final week in Colorado. Its been a great month of paddling with great waterfall action in Oregon, sweet high water in Cali, and some play boating in Colorado.

Greece is the word, that I heard, it's got groove, it's got Meaning Simon Westgarth - Still a little broken, in late April I headed to Greece with Satu for a week of work on the river with the some local paddlers in the wonderful deep canyons to be found there.

WideWorld Mag: Tao Berman, extreme kayaker Misc. - Thirty-one-year-old Tao Berman made a name for himself leaping from 100-foot waterfalls in his kayak. Canoe and Kayak magazine called him 'the Michael Jordan of extreme kayaking' and after more than 50 first descents and numerous world records, he now plans to do something no kayaker has ever done before: paddle down a 40 foot wave. WideWorld meets the legend of the falls.

Chutes du Haha Whitewater-Koa - This time last year we went to check out Haha falls and it was about negative 2 degrees and i decided to let that drop go for another day! Luckily this year we were about to leave Chicoutimi and decided to go back! the temperature on this fine day was a blistering 30 degrees and the water was warm!!! This was more my style!! I checked out the top drop and it looked good but upon closer inspection it was actually a bit trickier than i had thought, but it was fine!

Teva Straight Down Striit Team LiquidLogic - This year the Straight Down Striit took place for the third time. The event is organized by Ron Fischer, Lukas Wegmann, Silvan Müller and Lukas Wielatt – so you could say it is organized by kayakers for kayakers. Having fun is more important than having success, a thought which accompanies the whole event.

Valsesia, a home from Home Simon Westgarth - As you probably know or not as the case may be, I am away from the UK for all but 10 weeks of the year, and with the house in Slovenia now fully stack with what could be summed up as my worldly lot, I still travel on tour all Spring, Summer and Autumn long. By late April every year I head to Valsesia, more specifically Campertogno to visit and stay with Anto & Alberto on the island in the middle of the Sesia River.

All the health benefits of yoga and clean eating! First Descents - For most people, we each hold our own best tools for the prevention and treatment of many diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and cancer. Specifically, these tools are good food, consistent exercise, adequate sleep, yoga and stress prevention. We should not underestimate the decisions we make daily in regards to our habits and lifestyles around these tools. Food, in particular, is incredible medicine. It is important we choose healthy foods that nurture our bodies and provide us with healing energy and nutrients.

Jason Beakes is really fast! Down river or to support Team River Runner Werner - Jason's passion in white water kayaking is going fast, and he has made quite a name for himself at it. Jason is a favorite every year to win the Great Falls Race in the DC area, (he is the two time defending champion,) has won numerous local races in the WV and PA scene including this years Top Yough and Cheat Races and has been taking his show on the road more and more.

Kayaking is Kayaking Brett Heyl - As a slalom paddler, my schedule has rarely intersected with the competitive freestyle world. As every paddler knows there has been a stigmatic rift between the two disciplines ever since the days when slalom paddlers like Scott Shipley and Eric Jackson were winning freestyle events. But wait, isn't EJ still the top persona in freestyle? Doesn't he still win a lot of events? Is it possible that these seemingly parallel universes are not that far apart? I went into the weekend looking for answers.

Life Agents successful at TEVA Straight Down Teva Blog - Last weekend some of the best European kayakers ventured to the little town of Elm to compete in Switzerland's most important whitewater event of the Year . After a 2 year break the event was back - bigger and better - with one of Europe's best race course and the famous after party in a circus tent.

Good Times in the Wenatchee Drainage--2010 PP Ball Small World Adventures - The Leavenworth, WA area is one of the best weekend paddling destinations around when the water is running. The list of runs goes on and on including runs such as the "play run" and Tumwater on the Wenatchee, Icicle Creek, Nason Creek, and many more. It's this abundance of awesome whitewater that makes the drainage the perfect setting for the annual PP Ball (that's the Professor Paddle Ball).

Paddle To Seattle (and what comes next) Sea Kayak Podcasts - Josh Thomas & JJ Kelley - the inside story of their remarkable Inside Passage film plus their next adventure on the Ganges.

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