I’m now putting my adventures on the blog of my coaching company, FlowFree – however this website will remain as some people find it useful or even interesting! I hope you will continue to follow me and my stories, photos and ponderings over on the FlowFree site.

Happy paddling

Lowri

I was there running some FlowFree coaching sessions – as well as getting involved with some of the events. Here’s a summary of a fun, wet weekend in Wales.

Saturday was full of events such as the Dynamic Duo rolling contest and the eddy-hop challenge: where you had to try and get as far back up the graveyard as you could from the slalom hut.

Saturday also saw a “multi-sport race”, which involved running up the Tryweryn, kayaking down and mountain biking back up, round a short course and down again to the finish-line by Chapel Falls. Sadly there were only a few entrants but competition was hot as everyone wanted to beat their mates! Carl Mitchell did a cheeky over-take to beat Lynsey Evans to the top spot.

For those of a less competitive nature, there was an en-masse paddle down to Bala or plenty of opportunity to just play about on the upper section. As well as quality coaching sessions available; from an intro to white water up to nailing those eddies on the Graveyard.

After an evening of films, food and beers; Sunday’s events got going. The morning’s big event was the 8-ball race – an utterly hilarious head-to-head race where various moving obstacles came out to get you at every turn.

Photos by Paul Smith

Having already completed a morning’s playboat coaching session I was stoked to make it into the Open final (after 5 knockout rounds) and finish in 3rd over all. But then the organisers decided to run a Ladies-only final too! Race no. 6…. and this time I got 2nd, to the legend that is Lynsey Evans.

Just enough time to collect my prizes and get a quick sugar fix, it was time for the freestyle at NRA wave. This event was all about fun and encouraging others – and prizes were only given to non-sponsored paddlers. The jam format of the heats allowed everyone to have fun and try some new moves and throw in some old school. Everyone loves the shudder-rudder-to-air-guitar combo!

Photos taken by: Adrian Trendall

All in all, I think this event showed a lot of promise. Getting all the manufacturers involved meant there was something for everyone. It was a shame that the rain and clash with WWPF meant numbers weren’t as high as they could have been – but hopefully next year at least one of those factors will be arranged differently!

Hope to see you there next year!

If you want executive summary:
coaching, NSR, coaching, snowboarding, shenanigans, coaching, Level 5 development, Hawaii-sur-Rhone, new river-wide wave, slalom, Rugby 7s, player of the match, players’ player, won trophy, more coaching…Val Sesia, European Rafing Champs, Teva Extreme Games, French Alps…

If any of that interests you further, read on!

NSR
For the first time in 6 years, I went to NSR as a non-student so rather than competing, I was running coaching clinics and promoting FlowFree (as we were an event sponsor). The event was once again bigger than ever before and is a real credit to the organisers. More competitors than ever, more events, more sponsors, a bigger party and the Dream Result premier with star guests Tyler Bradt and Rush Sturges. However, there was but one star of the show, and that was without a doubt the legendary Rodeo Rabbit.

Snowboarding & Shenanigans
Not satisfied with the weeks of snow on my local hills, I travelled to Andorra for what was to be a fantastically fun week skiing, boarding and general shenanigan with some old Uni friends. It seems that with a ratio of 1 guy to 4 girls, we were in high demand in Mandorra – perhaps too high a demand when a couple of drinks were spiked. Other than that, it was an awesome week with plenty of banter – both on and off the slopes.

Level 5 Development
After just a week back at work, it was time for my BCU Level 5 coach development, which was certainly a valuable experience with plenty of affirmation and positive feedback. I am now even more fired up about coaching as my chosen profession and look forward to continuing my professional development.

Big Wave Surfing
Straight from the Level 5, I headed to Lyon to run a FlowFree Intro to Big Wave Surfing course. It was great few days, made memorable by discovering a river-wide wave with eddy service that never normally exists! A write up and photos can be found here.

Slalom
After whimsically saying I’d enter a slalom during my Level 5, I realised I had just 4 days back in the UK before I was supposed to race in a Div 1 (for those who don’t know much about slalom, it has leagues like football, which go from Premier down to Div 4 – Premier is for extremely good people, usually GB Team and those sponsored for slalom who regularly train, so Div 1 is kinda like the best of the rest i.e. very good!). There were a few problems with my plan: a) I had been in a slalom boat just twice, ever before b) I didn’t own, nor have access to a slalom boat c) The only rules I knew about slalom were that you had to go through the sticks. In order. Fast. Luckily, I found a slalom boat, a few nice people told my some rules (like what the beeping at the start meant) and I didn’t miss any gates. So I managed to finish middle of the field and now have a Div 1 rank!

Rugby 7s Win
May bank holiday has been blocked out in my diary since I accidentally played one match of the annual Aberystywth Rugby 7s tournament last year. For a few year now, the canoe club (plus a few extras) has put together a couple of charity teams for the event – the boys team being named Hawks and us girls the Sparrowhawks. The tournament gives all us graduates a reason to go back to Aber and see all our old mates while playing in the social league. There is always amazing team spirit, dedicated supporters and plenty of banter as part of the Hawks weekend.

The weekend saw some pretty bad injuries (on top of the standard rugby knocks) with two of our boys suffering from broken shoulders while one of our girls was in hospital for 3 days with a misaligned neck. Thankfully it seems everyone will make a full recovery.

Meanwhile on the pitch, Sparrowhawks went from strength to strength, despite having never played together before. There were some cracking tackles made be every team member and some outstanding runs. I was delighted to get player of the match twice on Saturday and (thanks to Ed missing out on Sunday) ended as top try scorer of all Hawks teams. We played 11 games in total and in the end…

…We won the social league trophy!

What’s next?
I will be at the Palm Big Paddle next weekend, giving coaching clinics and manning the FlowFree stand. Please come and say hi!

Then after a few more days of coaching work, I’ll be setting to sea – well, boarding a Dover-Dunkirk ferry at least – on my way to some bedrock slides, clean waterfalls and steep creekin’ action in Val Sesia.

From there, I head east within Italy to the Noce for the European Rafting Championships, which myself and 3 other Welsh girlies are competing as the GB 2 R4 team. With sprint, head-to-head, slalom and a gruelling 18km endurance event, it is not going to be easy but we can’t wait!

The following week Italy hosts the Teva Extreme Games and I have been invited to compete in the kayak races.

Once the Italian action is over, I will head to the French Alps to do some more FlowFree coaching work – get in touch if you are interested in some coaching or guiding in the French Alps in June or July. I will also be available for all manner of playboating clinics at Hawaii-sur-Rhone, Lyon (even if it is your first time on a big wave!).

Further on this year, I have plans for a couple of bigger expedition-style trips – details coming soon!

So, that’s it for now… expect more regular updates in the action packed weeks to come!

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.

Here’s some photos from the weekend’s Rodeo action:

Looping in the Final – Photo: Paul Wilkinson

The ‘Pop-out-to-point-at-judges’ combo move in the hectic Expert Ladies heats – Photo: Dave Wortley

I tried my hand a squirt boating and made finals in an all-male field – Photo: Tom Wardill

And what student event would be complete without dressing up like a fool for a party in a huge marquee in a field?

Marvin-the-Martian prior to ‘operation black up’

For more photos from NSR, check out the photos page on the event website.

Paddlefest seemed to go relatively well considering it was the first year of running at HPP. There was plenty of controversy and certainly room for improvement, but I am sure that next year’s show will be an extravaganza not to be missed.

The feedback from FlowFree‘s coaching clinics has been extremely positive and our summer courses are filling up. Take a look at our website to see what’s on offer.

I’ve been doing a lot of coaching recently, with a whole variety of people, which has been fantastic. FlowFree is becoming a reality! Check out the FlowFree Website for a bit more info.  Not featured in the FF blog is the huge amount of Uni work I’ve done in this final year of my Masters course… but I’ll spare you the details of my robotic sailing boat and it’s dolphin monitoring attempts at this stage!

It’s almost time for me to jet off to play in the snow for Christmas, so I’ll bid you all a happy festive period – I hope you have a lovely time seeing family and friends, and get out to play with any new toys Santa brings.

Hucking? off the Falls of Falloch before breakfast -? Photo: Tom Laws

Tom Laws on the Falls of Falloch -? Photo: Lowri Davies

Chris Georgiou going for an alternative line on FoF -? Photo: Lowri Davies

Not a bad christening for the three new boats! Happy that we were now awake, we headed to Glen Etive to find a sea of multi-coloured plastic enjoying good levels on the Etive and tribs. A couple of runs down the Etive and a blast down the ever hilarious Allt a’ Chaorainn set us up nicely for the weekend of frivolities to begin!

Tom Laws on Crack Dawn on the Etive – Photo: Lowri Davies

Chris Georgiou on a chucky Right Angle – Photo: Lowri Davies

The Green Machine almost reaches the bottom of Right Angle before it’s left the top! – Photo: Lowri Davies

After catching up with friend from far and wide at the Ice Factor centre? on Friday night, we settled down for the night:? 3 people, 2 thermarests and 1 van.? Saturday’s organised release was on the river Garry – but fancying ourselves some more rock slidey fun, we headed to another of the Etive’s tribs – the Allt Mheuran. This trib involves a much more arduous walk-in but with a fun team and enough water, it was definitely worth the effort!

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Stuart Watson on the first drop – Photo: Tom Laws

Team runs with High Fives -? Photo: George Mortimer

Chris Georgiou on the final drop of the last crazy-fast chute – Photo: Lowri Davies

After paddling down it every which way, it only seemed right to try it on our bums, in trains and surfing down it. We also tried to see how many people we could fit on a Nomad – videos of these silly antics will no doubt end up online somewhere soon!

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Photo: George Mortimer

Tom Laws, Tim Ripper, Chris Georgiou & myself – Photo: George Mortimer

Awesome fun – like being 10 years old again!

Saturday night was party night – with a mixed uptake of the Superhero themed fancy dress. My favourites were Flash Gordon, Borat, Banzer dressed as Ed Smith, Ed Smith dressed as a thunderbird and? the couliflowers (for sheer randomness). Oh and who can forget Mad Andy dressed as a gorilla?! The party suffered a little from a small venue which closed quite early, but it was good to see everyone. Quote of the evening: “Go spoon yourself, Spoon Girl!”.

Sunday hosted the much anticipated Morriston release – well at least it did once they remembered to switch it on! As ever with organised events like this, there was plenty of carnage to entertain the crowds as hung over paddlers took to the water, not always with the skills to meet the lines. Luckily no-one was badly hurt. It was the first time I’ve had the opportunity to paddle it and really enjoyed it -? some really sweet lines and fun little drops.

All that was left at the end of all that, was the long drive home with? the two PK monkeys.

Tom and Chris prepare for the long trip home…

My photos from the trip can be seen here.

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!

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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

Photo: Tom Laws

A great Fournel-like weir with a beautiful grade 2 ‘gorge’ afterwards. A splendid way to spend an hour.

I got off the water and into my van, heading straight for Liverpool to give the next? in my series of lectures around the country about the Four Borders Expedition. After dinner on Penny Lane, I was shown to a very grand reading room featuring two pianos? – the venue of my talk. After a bit of stress with the projector, everything ran smoothly and I was flattered at how interested in my stories everybody? seemed.? I’d like to thank the guys in Liverpool who organised and hosted this lecture – their write up of the night? can be found here.

Four days of lectures,? cheeky afternoon river runs? and organising the club Alps Trip leads me today. Tomorrow I’m lucky enough to have tickets to watch THE Grand Slam match of the year: Wales v France in the Millenium Stadium . I’m very excited! Sunday I’m coaching in Nottingham before heading to the Lake District for two more Four Borders Talks (Monday in Keswick, Tuesday in Staveley – details here). I then carry on north to the Fort William area for some paddling (and maybe snowboarding?!) before heading back down through the east side of England to do a talk? in York on? March 27th? for? the club that taught me to paddle? (details).

After all that, it’ll be back to the land of the sheep for work – then back to Uni!

Busy? but lots of fun… just the way I like it!