DUEMSTUFF BLOG

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.

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…

Last weekend in August the main kayak extreme event in Czech Republic took place.

I´m very pleased, that Slovenian guys came! And I hope, that next year we will meet there too!

Six more days and the biggest race of the year left in the 2011 world slalom circuit. I am pumped and ready for World Championships which begin tomorrow (Wednesday, September 7th) in Bratislava, Slovakia. Come out and watch all the best slalom racers in the world, many of whom are Duem Team Riders! Here are some pictures from my training over the last few weeks at the race site.

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!