Playak Weekly Digest - week 45

Playak Weekly Digest
The world's top paddling links in week 45, 2010.

News Watch Interview: Glyn Brackenbury Playak (Monday 8th) ***** - Interview with Glyn Brackenbury, kayak instructor and creator of surfkayakskills.com. Better than you imagined Premieres: Montreal + Ottawa Level 6 (Wednesday 10th) *** - Come out and see some great films, hang out with fellow paddlers, and win some great prizes! Brought to you by Level Six and Five 2 Nine Productions. All proceeds from this event will be going to Currents River Conservation Project & First Descents. 1st descent of 128.6 ft Big Banana Falls Teva Blog (Saturday 6th) *** - Over the past week we have pushed the limits of waterfall running to the max. It can be argued that more big drops have never been run in such a short time frame by so many kayakers. Descents have included 3 of us firing off 90 ft Xico falls, Tomata Gorge (a 70 ft waterfall into an 80 ft waterfall) and the recent decent of 128.6 ft Big Banana Falls (the second tallest drop ever paddled). Amongst many other big waterfalls and committing rivers. 2010 Green Race Results The Green Race (Monday 8th) *** - Complete results from The Green Race 2010. Safety-Slide prevents drowning at lowhead dams Martina Wegman (Sunday 7th) *** - The first Safety-slide was successfully put into use at the Langeslag lowhead dam in Laag Zuthem, and demonstrated in the presence of Jan Laarman, member of the Groot Salland Water Board, and a number of white-water safety experts. The Safety-Slide developed by Oranjewoud takes away the danger of drowning at weirs. First documented descent: Dragon's Throat Mt. Hood H2O (Tuesday 9th) *** - I found this fantastic drop last summer as the water dropped out. I had been waiting for the gates to open and water to arrive. The day finally came on Nov. 3rd. Nate and Matt were fresh off their Battle Axe mission and were in an adventurous spirit. They rallied down to meet me as school got out for the day and we headed out into the hills... I'll finish this report later when I get the video put together and don't have to use my roommates computer. Dragon's throat from the top. Green Time... Mike Dawson (Sunday 7th) ** - Tomorrow begins the beginning of the end. The Green race is firing up. All the boys & girls are here, and training epically hard on the course trying t get fired up and get sussed with the lines of the river before tomorrows race! 2010 Halloween Paddle Wavesport Blogs (Wednesday 10th) ** - Every year it is tradition for Hood River locals to get together for a Halloween paddle down the Green Truss section of the White Salmon River, WA. This year there were over 15 paddlers, dressed in everything from bam bam and pebbles to angels, clowns, democrats, nurses and frankenstein. Green Race Day pics from within Ross Herr (Wednesday 10th) ** - So everyone knows the score, the dust has settled, hangovers are starting to improve, and it's time to move on from the greatest show in sports. This years 2010 green race was another awesome event. The entire week of paddling is my favorite of the year for sure. Everyone is pumped, learning new lines, anxious about race day, and excited to party. This year the title is leaving with Mike Dawson to New Zealand but he has already promised to return next year to defend himself. I couldn't believe how many people were in the gorge. From "Go Left," down you could barely hear the water beneath your boat over the roar of the spectators. The only negative words I heard all day was there just wasn't enough carnage. Mexico 2010: The Rio Alseseca Todd Wells (Friday 5th) ** - This year I was lucky enough to be invited on a trip to Mexico with paddlers Rush Sturges, Evan Garcia, Rafa Ortiz, and cinematographer Matt Baker for the filming of River Root's next film Frontier. So, on October 12th I gathered what money remained from my summer of work at the Kayak Shed, and headed south. After some hours on the plane and a long night in the Dallas Airport I finally arrived in Mexico City. There I met up with the crew and spent a few days exploring the world biggest city, a city of 27 million people. Fuelled Friends... Wavesport Blogs (Wednesday 10th) ** - This fall has been a very interesting one for water levels on the Ottawa River. In the last 6 weeks we have seen everything from -3 to the high water flow of 15. It has allowed us motivated paddlers time on every feature the Ottawa has to offer and it has also offered us the opportunity to utilize some of our fuelled friends such as the JET SKI. Why Every Paddler Needs to Practice the Back Stroke Dagger Blogs (Wednesday 10th) ** - When was the last time you practiced paddling backwards? If you're like most paddlers you probably don't remember or have never worked on your back stroke. That's because it feels challenging and the benefits of back paddling aren't always given the respect that they deserve. "A-L-3" Werner's Adriene Levknecht 3-peats at the Green River Race Werner (Monday 8th) ** - As Adriene Levknecht's fellow Werner team paddler and owner of LVMvideo.com, John Grace, puts it "The Green Race is the greatest show in sports." The extreme kayak race down the famous class V Green River narrows in Saluda, NC drew over 140 racers this year and even with the temps at High Noon below 40 degrees hundreds of anxious spectators. It's Green & mean!! Mike Dawson (Tuesday 9th) ** - The 15th Annual Green Race took place yesterday here in the United States of America, in North Carolina- which is one of the staunchest paddling destinations in the world! Fall Creeking The Upper Peninsula of MI - Day 2 Adventures of Burgess (Tuesday 9th) ** - The morning came early to my eyes as I wrestled myself from the grasp of the couch and looking out into the frost laden sunshine outside the window. After reading shortly from my book, my fellow companions awoke and we drove to the local grub-ery for hearty breakfast. Bellies more than satisfied, we gathered back at our lodgings, packed up, and headed for the Presque Isle River.

Hot Forum Topics 3rd end in a cartwheel (Technique) Which PFD and CAG? (Gear) What size airbags for a Lil Joe? (Gear) What shall I do with my dent? (Gear) Kelly's Whitewater Park (KWP) expands (North America) Top Videos Safetyslide Video Buenas Lineas (Buenalinea) Liquid Lore - Chutes de Plaisance - Video Guide (five2nine) Gold Hill kayaking (M Leyva) Major Creek, WA (West Fork Gorge) (RScott) Upcoming Events Alafia Challenge Canoe & Kayak Race USA, FL, Riverview, Nov 13 Kendal Mountain Festival UK, Highgate, Kendal, Cumbria, Nov 18 - Nov 21 Hurley Classic UK, England, Hurley Weir, Nov 20 - Nov 21

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