A session before winter with Jo Suc, in Millau (France) on the site of the French championship in 2013.
Quelques coups de rame avant l’hiver…
Archive for the ‘FREESTYLE’
Autumn session
2012 ended well
I didn’t put the butt in my boat for several weeks. The phone rings: a friend invited me to participate in the Pyrenees Cup freestyle kayaking where paddlers French and Spanish will compete for victory. This happens in Salt, Spain, north of Barcelona. I accept the invitation. This is the best way to get back in the bath, two weeks before the championship of France.
I put my freestyle boat and my creek boat in my van and I was off for a six-hour trip on the road. On the spot, all is perfect. We are housed in a beautiful country house, overlooking the valley of the Ter. The roll is really top: all moves are possible, there are many bottom, we are in the middle of the Catalan countryside, it’s green, the sun heats, the birds sing.
Several activities are planned: a freestyle race on Saturday and a concentration of creek boat on Sunday, on a section of the river Ter where there is only one let go of water per year.
I win freestyle qualification phases in front Nico Fayol (French) and Adria Bosch (Spanish). In the final, I confirm my position as leader, the roles are reversed behind me. I get back with a check for € 300.
The next day, place of the concentration. It’s festive, everyone gets along. There are some good carnage on key passages and many paddlers offer great swimming !
In short, a good weekend preparing for the championship of France.
Two weeks later, at the whitewater stadium of Pau, serious things happen. French riders are all there for the same goal, win the national title.
The hole is new for everyone, as it has been specially modified for the event. This is a relatively difficult spot, the current is very cyclical. But the bottom is really far, to the delight of all paddlers.
Qualifications are complex, I take the provisional third place, behind Nico Fayol and Seb Devred. Pressure up a notch in the final stages.
The hole is even more difficult than the day before, movements are complex to execute. The suspense is over until each run of finalists. The judges deliberate. The verdict is there. I won the championship of France. This brings to four the number of my victory in the championship of France since 2007.
These results motivate me even more to select me in France team to compete at the next World Championships in September 2013 in the USA.
Jo.
Natural Games 2012
The last weekend of June stood in Millau the Natural Games. It’s one of the biggest festivals of outdoor sports and music in Europe, bringing together many disciplines: freestyle kayaking, dragon boating, boater X, paragliding, jump online, slack-line, high-line, dirt biking, enduro mountain biking, climbing, concerts … and the biggest stars of the moment. Best riders in the world are found there every year for four days in a crazy atmosphere.
This year, Nico Peschier and Jo Suc were among eight athletes invited kayaking. A beautiful encounter between a slalom (Nico) excelling at the highest global level and a freestyleur (Jo) alongside the national and international podiums. Not only meeting but also a confrontation since both were on the starting grid in C1 and K1 freestyle boater X. C1 freestyle, facing a dozen competitors, qualifications are going rather well: Jo takes the top spot provisional and Nico the fifth, which allows them to enter the final.
Nico Peschier
Jo Suc
In boater X, Jo is eliminated in the first qualifying round while Nico does qualify for the semifinals, where he finished his last race, following a bad path.
The next day in Freestyle, Jo confirmed its domination and won by over 300 points ahead of second. Nico took fourth place.
High water level in South West of France
The rains of recent weeks have ended up making up the rivers, despite the advanced state of drought in which we were.
Most artificial dams that spoil our beautiful rivers have given way to good waves, to our delight. Aiguillon, last dam before the confluence of the Lot and the Garonne river, gave us a whole new wave, never tested before. And what a wave ! Slide, bounce, and fifteen meter wide. HAPPINESS !!
It rained a lot. It snowed a lot. Spring will be good !
Jo.
Training camp in millau
HI,
Here is the last video of the C1 Guy’s Corp (Jo and Me).This video Redraw a small weekend of training at Millau. VIDEO
NICO
JO
Next stage this weekend with the French team trial for European championship in Lienz.
See you Nico.
Roger’s wave
Rains early this year have greatly swollen the waters of the Rhone, the Saone and the Doubs. Despite freezing temperatures, kayakers are given away to heart’s content on the biggest waves of France. So we went in Beaucaire in the south-eastern with a handful of friends.
The water had already begun to decline, but the Roger’s wave, as it is called, was still in water to be really fun.
The first day we had a beautiful wave vertical all smooth but impossible to take the freestyle boat. As a minimum provision of this kind of situation, we brought a surf kayak and a stand up paddle kindly lent by 2Imagine and ABYS Kayak Shop of Pau.
Jo, surfing on the smooth wave.
Nico, surfer mode
The next day, the water had fallen further, the foam has appeared on the wave, freestyle kayaks come in the dance. The wave is not huge, but there is plenty to enjoy and have fun.
Jo
Jo
Nico
Jo
Nico and Jo
Nico
See you soon on the water.
End of the season, overal report 2011
The season 2011 is over:
From a sports point of view, I rose on every podium of the freestyle contest in which I participated, I win the Natural Game and the I finish thirst on the French championships.
Also, I paddling many French and Spain river with my buddies . I organize the PBR and Pau freestyle show.
Now I turn with 2012 the main objective is the French selection to be able to participate in the European championship and a French championship podium !!!.
Natural Games
creeking Gave de Cautret
While waiting for here is a small video redrawing the season 2011.
All the best FAFA.
High water level on Flip Flap wave
Like every year, the month of November is synonymous with big water levels in rivers in south-western France. Indeed, it rained in three days the equivalent of six months of precipitation in the High Pyrenees. The Gave de Pau is past from the summer water level to a level that it reaches every five years. Fortunately, the rising water occurred over the weekend.
Nico and Jo gathered near the famous wave of the Flip-Flap with buddies. The water is dirty, thick foam, but the level is so exceptional that he had not long to pray that they begin to paddle.
The Flip-Flap is one of the most challenging waves to tame. The first runs are not very effective. After some good chess, we let you enjoy the pictures.
On this same wave will be held the first round of the championship of France 2012. Hoping that the water level will be the same.
Artouste Demo Tour !!!
Artouste Sky Crew contact me for riding during the Artouste demo tour( freestyle sky and snowboard show by night ). The concept was realy cool: riding a massive big air (16metre) for the show and past a good time with my buddies.
Here, some pictures of the show
Nico training.
Super-man fly.
Amazing atmospher during the show !
Just befor the show with my friend Fabrice Poueyto !!!
Nico fling to the night.
The water comming in the French center, I come to the Cevennes tomorrow!!!
Enjoy, Fafa
Many thanks to Artouste ski club !!!
British Team Selection for the 2012 Europeans
Saturday and Sunday held 2 of 3 events used to select a team for the 2012 European championships in Vienna, Austria.
Having done well in the British chapionships already, I didnt need a top result so i thought i would make a bit of fun out of it, scrapping my usual approach to competition. You may have heard from Pringles blog that a bunch of paddlers over here have been working on new/combo moves in particular so i decided to put these moves and myself to the test in the competition. My rides were made up in the few minutes before i entered the feature and i found this a much more exciting way of competing, it was the most fun i’ve ever had in a competition. My runs consisted vastly of combo and trophy moves, namely: tricky whu to loop, lunar orbit to loop, lunar orbit to tricky whu, tricky whu to space godzilla, mcnasty to tricky whu, doule helix and one lunar orbit to tricky whu to loop. The competition on saturday was held on the inlet gate so there couldnt really have been a better place to develop new moves. I was pleased with a personal best of 1136 points in one ride, this and my second best ride put me in first place, marginly ahead of Bren Orton and Sam Stephenson.
Sunday was a similar format but the competition was held on the 2nd hole down or twin waves for those of you that know Nottingham. Combo moves were tough in this hole so on each ride i aimed to get a selection of average moves down before attempting the harder ones. The best i scored was a lunar orbit to cartwheel to loop, which scored a lunar orbit link cartwheel link aerial trophy one and a tricky whu to loop which on the current system scores trophy 3. Again i won but only marginly ahead of Bren and Sam.
I learnt alot competing in this way and i now feel more inclined to practice and try trophy moves in more competitions.
The senior mens was, as expected, dominated by pringle with the rest of the order very changeable. The senior team still has 3 places on offer seeing as Pringle and Sam Anderson are definatly in. The final team will come down to the Hurley event in November which should be interesting.
The junior womens was won by Kim Aldred with some impressive scores but an extra well done must go to Jen McGaley from my local canoe club who made the team for the first time.
A short video of the inlet gate moves from Jonny Williams…
James
Tabaze Rodeo
As every year, Free Kayak Tour (french freestyle championship) begins with the regional stage. Jo Suc and Nico Fayol have gone in Tabaze Rodeo Vinon sur Verdon, now unavoidable step. The atmosphere was good to date. The former leaders of the French freestyle as Nico Chassing and Xavier Lacroix, like to meet there. This mix of generations on the water gives rise to trade rather sympatic, Trickster or other Switch alongside the latest composite boat in a hole for running the entire directory, old school and new school.
A special contest was held for the older, for boats of more than two meters, contest won handily by Xavier Lacroix, European Champion 2002! Qualifying on Saturday offered a lot of show, with, among others, some latest moves as butterfly or back mac nasty. For Jo and Nico, that’s good, they complete the qualifications for first and second place. The evening will certainly be remembered, thanks to a nice show of a former team member from France.
Jo and Nico, for the show !
Nico
Jo
The following day, up to the final. Painful awakening, the stomach at the bottom of the socks, the hair that grows inside the head … but for everyone the same, everyone was very present at the party! The first splash are good, but the faces remain tense in the idea of three runs and give the best of itself. Nico and Jo are struggling to make their moves, they can’t remain in the roll … Olivier Bret, certainly the new recruit of C1 GUYS, dominated the final in the first two runs with more than 100 points ahead . The third run is coming. In an excess of lucidity, Jo and Nico managed to get a nice run last minute and grab the first two steps of the podium. It should be noted the performance of Xavier Lacroix, who finished fourth, the former is still in it !
Nico
Jo
The next contest will be the Flip Flap Party in May. Meanwhile several destinations are scheduled: the Noguera Pallaresa in Spain, the Cevennes, a few sessions in the ocean … The stories to follow.
See you on the water.
Jo.
Charnay beach contest 2011
Last weekend, we went to the Charnay Beach Contest. This event is not a traditional competition: new rules for more fun, for more show. Indeed, runs were ride in the form of knockout battle. But the Charnay Beach Contest is mostly the competition of former ! All the old of the french circuit were there to surf and party. The kids had chance to sail under the guidance of the best national and international riders, as Mathieu Dumoulin, Jo Suc, Quentin Cailleux or Coldebella Mathieu.
It was opportunity for me to make a beautiful show of stand up paddle, for Jo to try his new boat and to celebrate its 26th anniversary with french kayaking family!
next week Tabazzzzz rodeo in Vinon sur verdon.
see you
fafa
Nico enjoy the contest juste befor your run !!!!
Jo Back loop
Nico catch the wave after a 360 on the ramp !!
Nico stand up riding with little tom the younger of the contest!
Amazing atmospher during the Final !
British Championship and Youth Freestyle Final!
Last weekend saw the fourth (out of six) British League competition and Youth Freestyle series final in Nottingham. The format of the weekend was brilliant with the Youth Freestyle on the Saturday and the British Championship competition on the Sunday. This layout encouraged the young paddlers to give the league a go and attempted to bridge the intimidating gap between youth freestyle fun and serious competition. We were also incredibly lucky to be joined by the paddling legend Eric Jackson for the weekend who generously gave up his time to come and help out the budding young paddlers and give the competition a go himself.
The series final for the youth freestyle is always great fun and everyone enjoyed themselves. As usual, the event was run very well by Mike, Becky and Matt and there was a whole load of fun mini events like the ‘impress EJ’ competition where contestants would do something wacky in the feature which they thought EJ might find funny!
The competition went well with me in first, taking home the overall winner trophy shortly ahead of Tom Gaddard and Jonny Williams. My local club (Sudbury canoe club) won the overall youth freestyle club trophy, well done to the SCC freesyle team – Jen, Danny, Kate, Hugh, Miriam, Ollie, Matt and Lewis! This exciting news turned out to be a great omen for the following day…
James Weight and I, synchronised paddlespin loop for the impress EJ competition.
Lots of people turned up on Sunday and it was great to see the UK scene thriving. This was the fourth of six British league competitions which determines the British champion and the first place on the GB team. We saw an impressive display of freestyle throughout the catergories with an array of new and exciting combo moves which are becoming increasingly innovative and popular over here!
I took first in the junior catergory with Bren Orton just behind and Matt Rodgers in third. This puts me in pole position for the series winner so fingers crossed for the next two events! The senior results were hardly suprising with Pringle in first ahead of James Weight and Alan Ward. The club catergory was of course won by Sudbury canoe club with the same crowd on hand from the day before with the addition of Andy Brinkley and Danny McGaley. Its phenomonal how a such a small flatwater club more than 2 hours away from any features and with no premises or clubhouse (just a nearby carpark), can produce such amazing paddlers. Or maybe it isnt Phenomonal with the outstanding effort and great sense of community that the late Mike Dodd brought about. Love it Live it’s Emily Wall also started out at our club so we cant wait to see how the younger ones progress! We took home many prizes and a brand new Molan playboat, courtesy of pyranha which we ironically had signed by Eric Jackson! Once again, a great well done…
Youth Freestyle winners, Sudbury canoe club in the foreground…
Sopotnice and Troja freestyle
In the middle of August second czech freestyle cup took palce in Sopotnice. My favourite artificial playspot was so hard, party was so hard too…. There were except hole riding, “world champinoship in Slope style” and competitipn in swimming against current and the main prize was carbon Zet boat!
I won our category and it was nice event!
Summer Contest Video
last video made by the c1 guys corp:
Nico & Jo going huge at summer freestyle event !!!
enjoy
nico