Here is a link to a short report that I wrote for Peak UK on my Alps trip this summer
http://peakuk.com/peakuknews.php?article=621&filter=-1&sample=0
Bring on next year!
Would you like to win a one off Pyranha Shiva kayak????
The answer is yes of course!
Your next question is, "What do I have to do to win it???"
All you have to do is get involved with one of the coaching sessions at the Pyranha Fest on the 20th and 21th of September 2014 and you could be in for a chance of winning this amazing boat
These colours are a one off, so you wont see anyone else on the river in a boat like this!
Sign up for one of the courses, strut your stuff on the water, show commitment, enthusiasm, passion for paddling and your coach could put your name forward to win! Its too easy, all you have to do is be yourself and get involved!
Also up for grabs is an "Arch Rival" dry top from Immersion Research which can be seen at this link http://www.immersionresearch.com/store/dry-tops/arch-rival-long-sleeve-dry-top/
Its going to be amazing and if you havent got tickets already or you want to book on a course just visit http://www.pyranhafest.com/
Full Norway Expedition trip report with Photos!
Click here for the full trip report and photos of my recent expedition to Norway!
Pyranha Fest 2014
Source: http://www.pyranhafest.com/
Norway trip diary day 2
The coach is dark and we are all trying to get some well needed rest. My sleep is only broken from the unmistakable sound of the bus wheels going over the rumble strips on the motorway occasionally. Its still ridiculously cold in the bus and I resemble a glow worm wrapped up in my sleeping bag liner and down jacket combo. I cant get comfy and everytime we go round a tight corner, Im not ready for the feeling my eye socket to be pushed into the window that I'm leaning on once again.
I awake next when we arrive at the ferry port. Ahead of us lies a huge body of water, with no land in sight. At least it looks calm out on the water, hopefully that will keep my stomach in the right place.
The ferry port is clean and tidy and looks really well kept and still in its new state. It doesnt look at all like the ferry port at Dover and my mind wonders what anyone traveling to he UK must think when they arrive in that unloved, well worn ferry terminal.
As we get ready to board the ferry, I am met by a man who in a previous career must have been a proffesional heavyweight wrestler. He is now working on the ferry security and he wants to have a look in my bag. He has an almighty looking sniffer dog in hand and much to my own surprise I have a real desire to pet and stroke it. After having a startling realisation as to the fact that is not a clever idea, I bring my hand back down and slide it into my pocket. Hulk Hogan, aka the ferry security man is happy and I am on my way.
It is a 5 hour ferry journey and I make it my mission to sleep for as much of it as I can. Im awoken when for some reason they start to play some stereotypical cruise ship songs on the tannoy quite loudly. I don't know whether to join in singing or to complain.
After an incredibly engaging conversation with Jeremy, one of the other staff on the trip about how to collaboratively work on a project I am putting together, we once again board the coach and "Ted and Dougal" continue to drive us on our epic adventure.
Norway smells nice
It looks pretty clean and green too.
I quite like it already.
I've been putting this off for ages, keeping calm and refraining from asking the question. On a journey like this, there is one question that is constantly being asked. Sometimes this question is asked openly and sometimes just silently in our minds. I turn to Matt and apologise to him before I even utter those annoying words. I ask him the question and he just looks at me in dismay as if he can't believe I've really just said that to him. He doesn't really answer the question by replying, "We still have a very long way to go Chris." This answer of course isn't very helpful to the situation, but I suppose neither was me asking.
Rather strangely as there has been a mix up with the coach we have to stop at the airport to drop off one half of our comedy duo of drivers. We are now running at approximately 50% reduced level of comedy because of this. Its like Rod Hull without Emu, Hale without Pace, Ant without Dec, how will we cope.
As we are now running with one less driver, the journey will inevitably take much longer as we need to have bigger breaks. Matt announces this to the team and I really feel for him, Ive been that person giving this kind of news to a group and it isn't a nice thing. The group seem to take it well and there isn't much groaning, to be honest I'm not sure what other options they have. I offer to drive once again, even if only to have some humorous interaction with our vehicle's captain. He knows that I genuinely can't get in the drivers seat, but he still says yes all the same.
As the sun sets and I start to wrap myself up once again in my sleeping bag chrysalis, I have a moment to think to myself how lucky I am. Im pleased with this lifestyle I've crafted for myself, even if it means that I spend a couple of days in an uncomfortable chair on a coach. A moment passes where I wonder what I would be doing if I wasn't doing this, if I wasn't into the outdoors. I don't care much for that alternate universe, it doesn't sound particularly exciting.
I slip on my massive headphones and search through my phone for some music. In honour of our driver that had to go home, I put put on PJ and Duncans "Lets Get Ready to Rumble".
Norway Trip Diary Day 1
Its 4am and the alarm clock on my phone starts to buzz. I purposely put my phone on a table away from my bed so that I actually have to stand up and walk to switch it off. On a normal day, in my usual zombie state in the morning, even this sneaky game I play on myself doesn't actually work. Over the years I have managed to evolve to a higher level of being where I can walk to my phone still asleep and then walk back to bed without even opening my eyelids a couple of millimeters so that I don't bump into some of the usual obstacles that line my bedroom floor. However today is not a normal day as I need to get to Marlow as I am traveling to Norway with a school on a Duke of Edinburgh gold assessment.
It's still dark when I leave the house, which surprises me a little and after packing my usual red North Face extra large duffel bag into my van, Im ready to go. This bag had been with me on every adventure in the last 10 years and bears the scars and the red African dust to prove it. It seemed like a rip off at the time costing more than a hundred quid when I bought it, but Im pretty sure I've got my money's worth now.
A beautiful sunrise greets me on the way down the M6, with a wonderful array of reds and blues. What exactly are the shepherds trying to warn us about when they see one of these glorious sights at dawn?
After what feels like a long drive down, helped by radio one playing some late hours drum and bass I arrive at the school. Most of the pupils are already there, with plenty of quiet conversation going on and parents kissing foreheads and checking they have packed enough underwear.
The coach is late.
This can have a big impact on the journey, as we have tunnels and ferries booked that we need to keep to time to. The drivers look well traveled and I trust that they will get us there on time. There is little I can do to help, so I unpack my luxury travel pillow and try and catch up on some sleep that I missed out on from last night.
We arrive at the channel tunnel terminal later than planned, but it doesnt seem to be an issue and they book us onto the next train. The weather is unusually sunny it seems down here, a man with brown skin like me doesn't want to go underground in a train on a day like today. To be honest though, going underground is actually preferable to getting on the sea, as for someone who has spent most of his life paddling around on the river, I usually feel quite sea sick on a ferry.
As we arrive in France the magnitude of the journey we are on seems to hit me and I realise that I'm going to be sat in this seat for a fair few hours, in fact for probably another 24. I use this time to catch up on some music I've downloaded for the journey and to sort out a few emails. Fortunately this is kept all the more entertaining as the token sick passenger is moved to sit next to me and proceeds to throw his breakfast up into an emergency carrier bag that has holes in it. After making our first contribution to the French waste disposal, we continue on our epic journey
I awake from my slumber like a hedgehog brought out of hibernation early as we pull into a service station. I realise that this is the first journey in a very long time when I've been on a road trip like this and havent had any part to play in either the navigation or the driving. It is such a novelty and a pleasure. However, because of this I have absolutely no idea where we are and what country we are in.
All my Saturdays spent watching "murder she wrote" were not wasted when I spotted a windmill, a canal and lots of flat grassy fields and decide that we clearly are in the Netherlands. Once everyone is back on the coach, Matt our trip leader tells us we are currently well on our way and are traveling through the Netherlands. With a slightly smug look on my face I think, Angela Lansbury would be proud.
The coach drivers are an interesting pair and have been doing their "Steptoe and Son" routine since we left the school in Marlow. As funny as they are, their comedy doesn't seem to overcome the fact that they don't seem to have enough drivers to actually get us to our next ferry on time. I offer to do a stint behind the wheel, but it seems to fall on deaf ears. The air conditioning is broken in the bus and it is blowing at sub zero temperatures constantly. I wrap myself up as best as I can in my down jacket, sleeping bag liner and stuff and extra jacket by my legs to keep warm. I slip on my oversized headphones, scan through my phone and come across the best of Nina Simone. The ten minute live version of "Sinnerman" is just what my ears need right now. I close my eyes and it's not long before I'm back in my hedgehog state.
GB Freestyle Team Training
The GB Freestyle team is strong this year! Here are some photos from team training last weekend.
Ladies Rock!
Having had the pleasure of being involved in the Ladies Paddle Symposium a few weeks ago, the importance of the female paddling community and its affect on our sport has certainly been on my mind. Ive always felt like canoeing and kayaking are sports where women and men can truly be seen simply as paddlers and that there are no real male/female divides and that on the water everyone is simply a "boater". I still believe that this is the case but at the back of my mind something is telling me to look deeper into this and to find out what it really is like to be a female paddler in a male dominated sport.
My sister paddled for only a couple of years when she was aged between 13 and 15 (now aged 25), showing a rapid progression and genuine talent for kayaking. This was certainly helped by a paddling mad Dad and brother who could give her the opportunities to get out on the water and would spend the time teaching skills and helping her to progress. However there were no other girls of a similar age involved in the sport and it seemed like it was only a matter of time before her interest seemed to dwindle. If she had girls of a similar age around her at the time would she still be paddling now? (Im sure if you ask her though she will still tell you she can hand roll!)
For me, paddling is a very social event and I love being on the water with a team, I have no shortage of paddlers I can relate to and aspire to be like. The majority of these paddlers do tend to be men, so the question I ask to myself is would I feel different about the sport if the majority of these peers and role models were to be female? What if Steve Fisher/Rush Sturges/Shaun Baker were women? What if the boats and kit were geared around a male body? What if I was the only lad in a canoe club where the rest of the members were girls? Is this what it feels like to be a female paddler?
Over the past few weeks I have met and paddled with some fantastic female kayakers. These boaters have all proved to be excellent role models for the sport, showing determination, focus and incredible skills all underpinned with a great love for paddling. I was working with a mixed group of paddlers from Manchester University a few weeks ago on the river Kent developing skills and techniques to move them forwards in their paddling. A major highlight was that at Force falls, one of the paddlers went over in their boat and managed to be successful in their first ever roll on the river. This for me is always a big deal for any paddler at any age, however I later found out that the paddler was the first girl to roll on the river from the club in over 4 years! That made this moment even more significant, but did make me question why has this taken 4 years to come about? As coaches are we doing enough to develop these skills for female paddlers?
I have been thinking a lot about whether female paddlers have different needs from male paddlers on the water. Do they need different techniques or different environments in which to learn and develop? Does the kit and equipment hold them back, or do they just need more help in adjusting it to fit their body shape? Seat height is one thing that instantly springs to mind when I look at some female paddlers out there using equipment that was maybe designed with a one size fits all approach. Would it make a difference if there were more female only paddling groups and do women respond better to coaching in ladies groups? With some incredible female paddlers and coaches involved in the sport, it is clear to see that ladies are represented right across the board and to the highest level.
The whole process of evaluating my personal approach to working with female paddlers has certainly been a useful one, and questioning whether using the same approach to male and female paddlers with my coaching can only move me forwards which in turn benefits everyone involved. One thing that is clear is that there are female paddlers who are out there hitting big lines, nailing boofs, putting down awesome freestyle rides, coaching and of course inspiring paddlers everywhere.
Check out my video from last year on the Nile, take note of who is leading who here!
Competition, Carnage and Cardboard...........
Manchester Uni vs Salford Uni vs Manchester Met
With a healthy turnout from all three university clubs including some seasoned pros, new paddlers and everything in between all competing for the title of 2014 Varsity Kayak Club champions, the stage was set for a great competition.
With a friendly social paddle to get started the atmosphere was great with all three universities looking after each other and showing support for everyone on the water.
However after the social paddle, it was time to get down to business
The pro category set off first racing for at least 1K down the river to the finish
With both pro and freshers categories in the boater cross, it was always going to be a thrilling race, with swims happening throughout. Some of the paddlers had only ever been on the river a couple of times
Following the boatercross there was the polo tournament, which was always going to be a hard fought competition with all three uni's already having teams representing their uni.
Then came the real highlight of the whole event...........The cardboard race!
Each uni had a boat building team who between created 3 very individual looking designs that could be "paddled"! With a huge amount of work going into all 3 of these boats ranging from what seemed to be 20 minutes to a good few hours! A special mention must go to the team from Salford who created what seemed to be a race car shaped boat, complete with a genuine Lionel Richie LP stuck to it for good luck.
With some incredibly surprised faces when the boats actually floated, before it was too late they paddled down the river with all the boats (only just) making it to the finish intact.
Final scores were
Manchester Uni won 2 events with Man Met and Salford winning an event each.
Manchester Uni takes the crown!
A fantastic day had by all and great to see so much love between all of the universities and a real buzz about the paddling too. Looking forward to next year and entering a cardboard racer in myself.
Oh yeah........someone also took a boat to the face......You might not have seen..........
What a fantastic few weeks!
So the last few weeks have been pretty cool to say the least! I got my new Burn and headed up to Scotland for a great trip with the real Gav Barker, ticking off some classic sections of whitewater including the Roy gorge, Upper Spean, Falls of Falloch and of course the middle Etive.
I also took delivery of a new set of Peak UK River Guide Vests that I have purchased for clients to use on my whitewater safety and rescue courses too. So far Im really impressed with the design and styling and having used every single version of the River Vest (I think!) Im pretty sure this is the best yet.
This week Ive had the privilege to deliver a first aid course at the magnificent Stanford Hall in Lutterworth. Stanford Hall is home to a fantastic project that I get involved with every year called Lifebeat. For more than two weeks over the summer the Stanford Hall grounds are transformed into an amazing creative Summer development camp for young people. Young people and staff from all corners of the world come together for a fantastic gathering of music, dance, singing, acting and of course I bring some unicycles and some juggling to that party too! Why not check out www.lifebeat.co.uk if you are interested in finding out more.
Click here for course photos and feedback
Here are some photos from the first aid course
After making the neighbours at home wonder what on earth I must do for a job, I quickly switched all of my first aid kit for a few kayaks and a load of paddling kit and headed 'oop North to deliver a foundation Safety and Rescue course at Doe Park.
The course was for a fantastic group of passionate and motivated teachers who take their pupils out on all sorts of fantastic outdoor based residentials and wanted some additional rescue training to compliment their developing paddlesport skills.
Once again switching my now soaking wet paddling kit (yes I took a swim for the team) for my first aid equipment I finished with what could be the comedy highlight of the week, a first aid course with the Manchester University Canoe and Kayak Club.
These guys are simply an amazing group of people who bring good humour and passion for paddlesport to everything they do. Showing really good skills throughout, they all had a fun weekend, gained some useful knowledge and got plenty of practice pretending to be injured!
I will be out in the Alps with this team in June, so it was in my best interest to give them some useful knowledge and tips!