We knew very little about the river, only that the race section was pretty continuous – but the nature of the continuity was unknown to us until we pulled up on site and saw the fast flowing, rocky, alpine river. Myself and Fran met with our GB2 R4 team-mates Becky Russell and Sarah Shepherd, who had already recceed the river, got in with the locals and secured us use of a raft for training (despite having an epic 4-day drive from the UK – putting our 45hr mission to shame).

GB2 R4 Team aka Welsh Dragons (Lowri, Sarah, Fran and Becky)

All the GB Teams!

The event was to include 4 races: a straight sprint down the slalom course which would also be used to seed you in the head-to-head races. Head-to-head involves knock-out tournament style races, where two teams race and only the winner progresses to the net round. Slalom involves going round poles in a certain order and direction as fast as possible, while trying not to hit them – just like canoe slalom. Then finally it would be the downriver – a 12km race down continuous and as times pretty pushy grade 3-4 white water – a real test of endurance and skill.

Talking tactics – Photo: Iain Russell

Training on the slalom course – Photos: Iain Russell

Before getting to the Noce our training had been rather limited by the fact that there had been no water in the UK, we didn’t own a raft or rafting paddles and were rarely all available on the same days – however, we’d slogged our way endlessly around Bala lake (including surely the first ever circumnavigation by raft!), got a few runs on the Tryweryn together and even ventured to the Menai straights. It’s at this point we really must thank Kate Blyth for use of a raft and regularly being our 4th team member for training, despite having no aspirations to race!

The opening ceremony

After the customary opening ceremony (which luckily ended up right next to a gelateria), the European Rafting Championships 210 began. Things kicked off with R4 sprint and head-to-head races. In our first race together, we ranked 13th out of 16 – but by dumb luck this put us against the GB1 girls in the first round of the head-to-head. They have got gold in H2H at both of the last World and European Champs, so we knew it was a tough draw. Starting in the unfavourable river right eddy and with a deflated raft floor, we remembered how the best competitors rise up against such challenges and started full of determination. With a powerful and aggressive start we battled with GB1 for the lead around the first bend, but in the end their experience and strength showed through – they went on to win gold again. We finished the day in a respectable joint 11th place.

The Mens event was dramatic right to the end. GB1 men ranked 2nd in the sprint and convincingly made it to the finals of the H2H. While battling for the lead with the Russians, Adam’s paddle broke! Luckily they carry a spare but in the seconds it took to untie it and get back on the power, the Russians had edged ahead. Overtaking was something rarely seen on this course and despite being on their bumper the whole way down, the GB1 boys had to settle for another silver medal.

On Day 2 it was the turn of the R6 teams to compete in sprint and H2H. Sadly the GB medal count wasn’t so impressive as their focus is more on R4 due to upcoming R4 World Champs, but big up to GB2 ladies who pulled themselves back from a disappointing sprint to win the first of their H2H races.

As Friday rolled around, all teams were preparing for their slalom runs. The course looked tough but achievable. R6 races were in the morning and we were due to be in the afternoon. With no practice runs allowed, we were keen to pick up a few tips and tactics by watching some of the R6 teams. As the ladies began their second runs, we sat mid-way down the course watching the tough 6-7 upstream combo. All of a sudden there was a lot of noise from downstream and we soon realised a team had flipped before the finish-line. With 6 girls in the water, the few safety guys on live bait downstream of the flip began to jump in but not everyone was rescued by the end of the slalom course. Unlike most UK slalom courses, this was part-way down a natural river and once you went past the take-out eddy, you were into a very fast and continuous alpine grade 4 – with very few eddies, even for a kayak. Two of the girls swam into this rapid – one was rescued pretty early on but in the carnage and confusion, no-one seemed to realise there was another girl in the water. In fact, the safety guys went back to their posts as the race was still on-going. No message had been sent to the top of the course to stop the race. Those of us watching from upstream hadn’t seen beyond the finish-line and since the race was continuing and the safety guys were back on their posts, we presumed everything was sorted.

Several teams completed their second runs, unaware of the incident. Each team had been helped into the eddy by one of the safety team and helped out of the river. Finally, after several minutes there was a realisation that there was a competitor missing. There were no safety kayaks or rafts on the water, so no easy way to make chase until a couple of rafts were put back on the water and some of the competitors got back on to head downstream to try and find her. The competition was finally halted, but most people still didn’t realise what had just happened.

Branka swam over 5km and was finally rescued by kayakers who just happened to be on the river downstream. She was given CPR on the bank and rushed to hospital in a coma. Sadly, I received news a couple of weeks ago that she did not make it. My thoughts are with all her friends, family and team-mates; this must be an extremely difficult time for you.

The following day a vote was held whether to continue the competition and with the majority of teams in favour, the event carried on. However, all GB teams pulled out of the competition; along with a few other nations.

This was a tragic incident and what makes it so sad is that it was totally unnecessary and totally avoidable. So many mistakes were made and simple preventative measures not taken. I can only hope that the right lessons are learnt from this horrible event to ensure that the same mistakes are never made again.

Rest In Peace Branka.

I arrived back just in time for Pyranhafest in the sunshine and was able to catch up with friends and compete in the fun freestyle. I was given a place in the men’s final and finished second to local junior hot-shot Brendan Orton.

After a month of low water and sunshine, the rain finally arrived in North Wales. I’ve been getting plenty of sneaky mid-week runs in:

Top drop on the Gamlan, 10 years since I first ran it in a Topo. Photo: Chris Eastabrook

Top drop on the Goedal. Photo: Tom Parker

Less than a month after the World Championships, it was time for the British Freestyle Championships and the first 2010 Team selection event!

Photo: Tom Laws

Photo: Tom Laws

A few weeks later and I was at another British Championships, this time for rafting. A gang of us female raft guides from the Tryweryn got together to enter on my 25th birthday weekend and had a superb time. We blitzed the ladies competition in all events and finished 3rd in the open over all. Cheers to all involved for a great weekend.

Team Rafture in action (you can tell by the smile that we’d already won this particular race). Photo: Tom Laws

As well as competitive rafting for the first time, I’ve been getting involved in lots of other disciplines and sports recently including several forays into squirt boating, some fun white water open boating down the Dee, bouncy trampolining and some very muddy mountain biking in Scotland. Fun times.

Photo: Tom Laws

Squirting in Nottingham – extra points for being colour co-ordinated! Photo: Emma Runciman

Sinking – but not how I’d planned! A deck blow gets me wet at selection. Photo: Peter Isaacs

Me and Mum covered in mud after a day on the bikes. Note to self: people who were sponsored for biking are probably still very good even after 10 years of not riding! Photo: Tom Laws

And just cos I like them, here’s a few more photos from the summer:

Upper Rauma. Photo: Dave Fairweather

My Mum watching the finals of the World Freestyle Champs in Thun. Photo: Lowri Davies

Erika and Nina watching me at Skjak. Photo: Tom Laws

But, it’s not all play, play, play. I’ve been busy with FlowFree coaching work and in my new part-time role as coach education co-ordinator for Canoe Wales too! Checkout www.flowfree.co.uk for more information on the coaching courses I offer.

Practice time on the wave was very limited: within timetabled team training slots we were only getting 4 or 5 rides a day, so everyone was keen to get time on the wave whenever possible. All through the night there would be a queue averaging 15 paddlers, or 15 minutes between rides. I enjoyed paddling the wave which although it could be flushy, allowed you to go for big moves such as helixes and donkey flips as long as you were selective about where and when to throw the move.

The ladies competition didn’t kick off until two days after the first men had competed, which felt rather odd. In the prelims we had 4 rides of 45 seconds on the wave and our best two ride scores were combined to rank us; the 20 riders scoring the highest would progress to the quarter finals the following day. As I peeled out of the eddy for my first ride, the wave greened out and flattened giving me no hope of even catching it. I tried not to let it bother me as there were two throw away rides, but I guess that or something else was not right as I flushed off before having a chance to even attempt to show the judges what I could do in all of my 4 rides! I knew immediately I would be taking no further part in the event, which was of course very disappointing but I was determined not to let it upset me too much – after all there is so much more to life! I had really enjoyed the training for the event that I had done on some fantastically fun waves and enjoyed the company of those I had paddled with. In the month prior to the event I felt I had learnt so much and really progressed my wave paddling.

I got off the water, walked over the bridge and straight into the stands to support one of my training partners, Satu Vanska-Westgarth in the next heat (stopping only for a couple of comforting hugs).  As results came in it was clear that I was certainly not the only female paddler that had fallen short of their potential (though mine was perhaps the most spectacular shortfall – never do things by halves!) and throughout that day and the next I saw many upset ladies. I understand how frustrating and upsetting it can be when you do not perform to your best after working hard towards something but I preferred to look on the bright side of the situation and enjoy the fact that I was now able to relax and really appreciate the World Championships experience: meet new people from all over the World, take part in all the fun events, support my friends and appreciate the spectacle of watching the best of our sport perform.

As the event came to a close, after an awe inspiring set of finals, I went for a paddle with a close friend who hadn’t yet had an opportunity to play on the wave. I had three amazing rides that surpassed even what I had been pulling off in training: air blunts, back stabs, helixes, more blunts and an air screw / donkey flip. Rides that would have seen me do well in the ladies final. Another competitor commented “Nice rides! I probably shouldn’t tell you this as it might upset you but you are nailing much better rides than most of the semi-finalists.” I smiled and thanked her. I was just stoked to be on the water with a good friend and able to show my Mum what I can do in these small plastic tubs I spend so much time in. A perfect end to the week.

I would like to express genuine gratitude to all the GB supporters, coaches and management who gave up their annual leave just to help the 20-odd paddlers from their home nation fulfil their potential on the World stage. As a team we have returned with three Gold medals and a silver, putting us second in the medal table once again. Be proud British paddlers, you should be.

As the train entered the dark tunnel, we squealed like school girls and the nervous giggles didn’t stop for most of the ghost-train-like journey.

Once at the wave we found an empty eddy and although the wave wasn’t perfect we certainly appreciated the opportunity to have a paddle in a more chilled out environment, away from the queues.

Prior to arriving in Thun, I spent a lucky few days at Bremgarten before the crowds arrived. A few pics of my training buddies:

Dave Bainbridge

Islay Crosby, pinkies in the air…

Official training starts tomorrow. If you would like to keep up to date on what is happening here at the Worlds, keep an eye on the official website at  http://www.icf-thun2009.ch and the finals will even be streamed live on Freecaster (www.freecaster.tv) on Sep 6th.

If you are at a loose end over the week of 1st-6th, please come and support us! We have just found out that the French are bussing in supporters and they are LOUD! We need as many supporters as possible as it really makes a difference hearing people cheering for you during your event. Thun is a beautiful town set in dramatic snow capped mountains and there will be plenty to do and see here throughout the event, not just the kayaking… and of course the parties will be legendary. Flights can be found pretty cheap and the public transport this end is really easy.

I hope to see you here over the next 2 weeks, and if not I’ll see you on the water sometime soon…

A couple more weeks of paddling some of the classic sections around Sjoa such as the Store Ula, Upper Jori, Bovra, Lora & of course plenty of runs of the Amot passed…

Photos courtesy of Gene 17 – see more on the Gene 17 Flickr account

…until it was time to fly back to the UK for a couple of days of FlowFree work and my University Graduation.

Photo: Tom Laws

Proving that no matter what the occation, chocolate milk is always appropriate. Photo: Rhian Davies

I returned to Norway just in time to compete in the Sweet Rumble: a 4-at-a-time boater-x down the steep, bouncy and little bit random Amot Gorge.  After winning my semi-final, I found myself lined up with Mariann Saether (NOR), Monica Gokey (USA) and Silvia (NOR). Mariann and Monica made it out infront after Silvia and I got caught up in a crashing hole at the bottom of the first rapid; but all is not over until each competitor has touched a banner in an eddy on river right of the last big rapid of the gorge. Throughout the event there had been unexpected twists right in this last rapid; with more than one person throwing away convincing leads by ending up in one hole or another – and our final was no different. Mariann got pushed off line and missed the eddy leaving Monica to take home the gold and a bumper cheque. Silvia and I battled up the eddy to take 2nd and3rd within milliseconds of eachother. The randomness and beatdown potential helped to make the event an excellent spectacle and probably the most fun race I’ve been in.

Photos: Tom Laws

Since then I’ve had a week of working for Gene 17 on the Norway Progressive course with high water levels, lovely people and tasty food. Again, lots of photos on the Gene 17 Flickr.

And now Skjak and Jurgens waves are working and I’ve returned to my playboat to prepare for the World Freestyle Championships which take place at the end of August in Swtizerland….

Practicing the pistol flip. Photo: Tom Laws

This weekend was the British Freestyle Team 2009 selection competition at Hurley : 5 hours drive from my University home of Aberystwyth. The timing wasn’t ideal for me, with an ever increasing mountain of work in this final semester of my Masters; but I knew that the competition for the 3 Ladies places on the team would be hard fought with 5 current or ex-European Champions and several World and Euro Cup medals between us. If I wanted to go to Thun, I would have to commit to selection and spend a few days training at Hurley – leaving the assignments and Dissertation 230 miles away.

Throwing down at Selection – Photo: Chris Jones

Amazingly we had a gorgeous 3 gates leading up to and throughout the competition. I put my work out of my mind and got down to busting some moves in the sunshine. The risk to my degree paid off: I secured myself a spot on the GB Freestyle Team alongside Flea Jarvie and Emily Wall. I’m totally stoked and really pleased with my team-mates too: Em and Flea have been fun to train with and are flying on the wave.

So now I am back in Aber and am about to start the attack on that work I ran away from last week…

Woo Hoo: World Champs… I’m coming!!

Here we met the Morgan family, who? are a lovely bunch, and a couple of multi-activity days of fun ensued; including…

playboating…?

hydrospeeding…

duckies…

…and what day would be complete without declaring war on the Germans and boarding their upturned raft like true pirates?

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With the sweet taste of victory still feeling sticky on our lips (or was that the ice cream?) we headed south through the mountains. “Is that white stuff up there snow?!” Tasha exclaimed as we trundled up one of the passes. “but it’s soooo hot!” Having braved mountain “bear dogs”, we made our way to Canoe Control’s alpine base where we would be camping for the week. We arrived to find a bit of a party with a who’s who of boating’s Old Boys chatting around a big BBQ. Rumour has it someone stole Slime’s beloved ‘Fluffy’, but I’d know nothing of that sort of terrible behaviour…

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Over the next few days we paddled the Durance, Gyronde, Onde, Upper Ubaye, Ubaye Racecourse and did several runs of Chatau Q. I even got a high water evening run on the Gyr and a blast down Fresquierre, thanks to John and Penny Allen.

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For me, the highlight of the week was not the paddling itself – but the company. All week we paddled with the Morgan and? Allen families, plus a couple of others now and then. Females always outnumbered the males on the water, with most girlies being under 18. Having such a young female dominance, the group dynamics were definitely different to the usual ones I paddle in and it was great to see the girls encoraging each other? and pushing one another to try new things.

Another girlie day out. Photo: Jackie Morgan

Some people are dubious about the benefits of ‘female only’ sessions, but if I ever had any doubts, this week quashed them all. I would highly recommend all females try? paddling with just other females? at least once.

More photos from our trip can be found HERE. Sorry that the photos are on facebook!

This week saw Europe´s best freestyle paddles take to the water in Ourense, Spain to battle for the title of European Champion 2008. The wave had recieved a lot of abuse prior to the event, but once levels were right and kept stable it was a nice feature, if lacking a little speed for the more dynamic moves (unless you are David Bainbridge).

Setting up for the backstab on the slow shoulder Photo: Peter Isaacs

For me, it was the first time I would be going into an International event as “defending champion” which I guess was a little weird. I made it through both the heats and the semi-finals comfortably placed in 3rd. After the semi-finals, I had been inspired by Tom Turner´s huge airloops on the surfer´s left and got on to try them myself (prior to seeing him nail them with such ease I had been looping on the right). I was? soon feeling the thwack of the green water? hitting my hull as I retained loops more? reliably than I´d seen any other females, even Nina (SLO)? who´d scored one in both heats and semis.?

Tom Turner getting some air (and teaching me an important lesson about the wave)

The finals were done in? a knockout style (i.e. each paddler takes one ride and the lowest scoring is eliminated). My practice ride went perfectly and I got every move I wanted? including backstab and loop… but? when it came to my ride I caught an edge and flushed? after only 10 seconds and the spin, clean-spin combo I´d scored? was never going to be enough to get me through to the next round with the high standard of the other Ladies sat in the eddy!

I cursed as I capsized, took a deep breath as I rolled up and by the time I made it up the eddy was over it. It´s a knockout final and that happens. You win some, you lose some. Cést la Vie. My practice ride showed me that I was good enough to win and for the first time in my life I actually felt like a contendor for “best in Europe”.? When I won last time, I somehow didn´t believe that the medal around my neck actually qualified me as “the best”, yet despite what is on the results board this time, I am? far more proud of my level of paddling. I paddle for myself and yesterday I? had something to be proud of.

Deep in thought before the finals Photo: Peter Isaacs

Perhaps if it wasn´t a knockout format, the results would be different and I am very happy to see that it is the last time finals will be done in that way at an international competition. The new ICF? rules where each competitor takes 3 rides and their best ride counts,? are far more likely to ensure a true represntation of? a paddler´s ability without the luck element of knockouts.

All that said, I´m stoaked that it was another Brit that took the ladies title this time and for Fiona Jarvie it´s been a long time coming, so congrats to her!

Fiona Jarvie on her way to Gold

As for the rest of the event, the Brits did us proud on and off the water. We had 13 people in the finals and took 7 medals, including 3 gold!

The British Freestyle Team 2008

British results that I can remember (sorry if I miss you, just want to make sure the ones I state are correct!):

Ladies:
1st Flea Jarvie
5th Lowri Davies
8th Jenny Chrimes

Mens:
7th Alan Ward
19th James Bebbington

C1:
1st Dave Bainbridge (totally amazing aerial clean back panams in the final!)

Junior Men:
3rd Joe Bradley
5th Tom Turner
10th Seb Allinson

Junior Ladies:
2nd Poppy Layton
4th Islay Crosby

Squirt Unisex:
1st James Reeves
2nd Pete Cornes
3rd Claire O´Hara
4th Emma Rumican
6th Mike Scott

OC1:
5th Paul King

Joe Bradley styling his way to a bronze medal (and tears of pride? on the podium:-) )

Off the water, the support this year was awesome from family and friends of all involved? – throughout everyone´s competitions, every day, through scorching heat and occasional rain! But the hardest work put in for us has to be from the managing and coaching team, who give up their annual leave to sort out all manner of stressy? issues for us so that we can concentrate on the competition. Absolutely massive thanks to Pete Catterall, ´Disco Dave´ Newport, Ross Montandon, Terry Best and? Ben White. Also, head judge Sneaky Pete and all the judges, time keepers, commentators and organisors, without whom we´d have no event.

GB Team coaches in action

Lastly, I´d like to thank everyone who has helped me to attend this Europeans. My family, Tom and my friends for their support in the lead up to the event. And of course my sponsors who have made it all possible: Plain Lazy, Netcase, Palm Equipment, Square Rock, Performance Kayaks and the WCA.

I´ve put up a few of the photos I managed to take between everything? I was doing. Click here!? More will appear online soon and in all the kayaking? magazines over the next few months.

And now, back to France…

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Bouncy backstabs. Photo: Chris Georgiou

Happy and smiley (sporting sexy neo-socks). Photos: Chris G

Chris Georgiou styling the wave. Photo: Lowri Davies

As always, it’s people that make a place enjoyable and I’d like to big up the Crosby and McDonald families for a cool few days at Sault Brenaz before Chris G flew out to meet me. The star of the show had to be Morgan the dog, who went for ride after ride in their ducky – despite being capsized in the hole countless times. Legendary!

Thanks also to Chris for coming out, bringing supplies? and keeping me company. There’s more pics from this week in Lyon? here – CLICK!

News from Spain is that the river is now at the level that the competition will be held? on and an eddy has just been dug out with JCBs! The wave seems fairly flushy but blunts, backstabs and other wave moves can be stuck… I fly across on Saturday – so I guess I’ll see for myself then!

Final works to the eddy in Ourense, Spain. Photo: Clarie O’Hara

I’ll leave you with a moonlit Hawaii-sur-Rhone:

Photo: Lowri Davies

Check out www.plainlazy.com and www.lazylady.co.uk for more info!