Indholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2016 i Kayak Session Magazine

Among the many new innovations this year at PADDLEexpo, a creative design of a new kind was revealed. Fresh off their own river conservation campaigns, Berni Steidl (of WET - Wildwasser Erhalten Tirol) and Rok Rozman (of the Balkan Rivers Tour) took the stage to unveil a new river conservation initiative that was born just weeks prior to the expo. The Free Rivers Fund (FRF) is based on a vision of uniting the paddlesports industry with the river conservation community. Rozman, Steidl and Dan Yates (Save the Conwy) met at a conservation conference and realized—while sharing their successes and struggles—that they were stronger together. The trio agree that protecting rivers is a full-time job and that a lack of funding was coming into play for all of them. “Activists can…

THIS IS A LAND OF FIRE, DUST, ROCK AND WATER. GIGANTIC GLACIERS SIT ON MASSIVE VOLCANOES. RIVERS FLOW THROUGH LARGE, RUGGED VALLEYS AND BROAD LAVA FIELDS BEFORE DESCENDING INTO IMPRESSIVE WATERFALLS AND TIGHT GORGES. THIS IS ICELAND. AND IT REALLY IS AS MYSTICAL AS IT SOUNDS. BUT A LANDSCAPE THIS SUPERNATURAL TAKES TIMES TO FULLY ABSORB. ICELAND IS A PLACE WHERE AFTER 20 DAYS AND 14 RIVERS, FIVE FRIENDS STILL HAD DIFFICULTLY TRYING TO FULLY MEASURE THE SCALE AND PERSPECTIVES OF THE ISLAND. On June 30th 2016, a group of five kayakers from vastly different backgrounds, lifestyles, and paddling abilities landed in Iceland - the waterfall paradise - with one question: ‘Can we do this?’ The crew was led by experienced kayakers Stephane Pion and Mathieu Coldebella, but organized by…

When I became pregnant last winter I pictured a journey of active happiness, where I would adjust my activity level according to both my physical and mental confidence. Here are three things I learnt from being active all the way through my pregnancy. NOT YOUR OWN BODY They always say it is your body and that it is up to you to decide which sports and activities you wish to continue doing when you are pregnant. They meaning everybody from close friends, to relatives, to strangers and everyone in between. But it was my experience that some people can be very judgmental. Early on in my pregnancy I had consulted my friend who is a doctor, and she reassured me that as long as I felt good and as long…

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NEWS AND HAPPENINGS FREE RIVERS FUND – NEW INTERNATIONAL RIVER CONSERVATION INITIATIVE A new river conservation initiative was officially launched at PADDLEexpo this October. European kayakers Bernhard Steidl (WET), Dan Yates (Save the Conwy River) and Rok Rozman (Balkan Rivers Tour) have come together to create the “Free Rivers Fund”, a collective that aims to connect whitewater brands and community members in support of free flowing rivers around the world. Steidl and Rozman presented the idea at the Expo and the response from brands at the show was amazing, with more than 15 well-known brands committing to the initiative and showing interest in investing in the fund. Funds will be collected throughout the year and will go towards involving experts (lawyers, biologists etc.) as well as supporting those who are…

KS: How did you end up in a kayak? EV: You could say I’m from a whitewater family. My grandparents did some paddling trips on lakes with my father when he was a kid and when my dad was in university he started to do whitewater trips with the tourism club. He met my mother in this club and they did some trips together. I started kayaking when I was a kid. We did many trips as a family, with my brothers and sister. My first paddling trip was a weekend flatwater trip in my father’s handmade baydarka (kayak) when I was two years old. KS: So kayaking is a family affair. Were your parents involved in the early whitewater scene in Russia? EV: My father was one of the…

We have chosen a calm eddy near the stadium for our beginner kayak session, but when we arrive the water is stained red with blood. Cattle traders have slaughtered a sick cow by the river and the oldest man is busy removing its head and skin. We have been asked to introduce some local people to kayaking and our students are trainee Afghan football referees. They’ve been sent straight from practice and are still wearing their matching green kit and football boots. For a group of men trained to uphold the rules, it doesn’t take them long to ignore ours. Most head straight into the current without helmets or PFDs. On the opposite bank, children are diving into the fast flowing water from the wreckage of a Russian tank. The…

Racing whitewater is a fun way to test your mettle against your peers and more races are popping up around the world each year. The main factors for doing well in a race are running the fastest lines, efficient/powerful strokes, pacing, and physical conditioning. Here I’ll discuss conditioning. There are three main categories of races that require different types of training: sprints (15-90 seconds), middle distance (90 seconds - 5 minutes) and endurance (5 minutes or longer). If you want to train for all types of races, you can mix the following workouts. Remember there is no substitute for time on the actual course, but being physically ready for the course when race time comes is something you can achieve on flatwater if that is all you have. LONG COURSES…

Landing in Tibilisi, the capital of Georgia, the Boeing 737 bounces well off the runway several times before solidly connecting with the ground. David Sodomka (CZ), Jan Lásko (CZ), Eva Lásko (SVK), Jan Kolář (CZ), and Tom Andrassy (SVK) look at each other, wide-eyed. The jerky, unorthodox landing is their first introduction to Georgia, and they hope it is not an indication of how their whitewater adventure will unfold over the next two weeks. Standing in front of the baggage carousel,the Czech and Slovakian kayakers feel welcomed to the country as Georgians ask questions about kayaking or quietly stare at the bright plastic boats and piles of gear. Heading outside into the chaos of taxis and crowds, Sodomka spots a solitary figure, standing still as a statue. Through the throng…

California has been responsible for producing some of the top talent in whitewater kayaking. From the Knapp Brothers to Charlie Center, the steep creeks and technical rivers have shaped and molded some of the greatest paddlers of all time. This summer, 20-year-old Evan Moore started turning heads with a portage-less descent of the South Yuba River. In addition, he ran every rapid on the Stikine, placed top 10 at the North Fork Championship, and ran the Middle Kings at juicy flows. I caught up with Evan on his way to the Sickline World Championships in Austria. How was growing up on the Kern River? Did your folks get you into paddling? Growing up on the Kern allowed me to progress quickly as a young kid. My dad owning Sierra South,…

How many times have you been tramping through the woods, walking to the put-in or hiking around a rapid and unknowingly walked through something that either caused an immediate effect on your skin or perhaps a few days later gave you a rash? For me, it has happened more times than I would like to admit! Rashes are your body’s way of letting you know you have come into contact with some stimuli it does not like. The stimulus that produces a rash can also come from something you ingest and can be a sign of another problem going on below the surface, that you may not be aware of. What is a Rash? A rash is a disruption of the skin’s normal texture, color, and appearance. Medical lingo has…

PYRANHA - MACHNO M The Machno M is the latest addition to Pyranha’s ultimate creek boat lineup. Featuring unstoppable bow rocker and the highly maneuverable and stable platform of a wide planning hull, the edge of the Machno M strikes the perfect balance between usability and trip-hazard. With the volume to take on the steepest, stoutest whitewater this boat gets its name from the Afon Machno, 53.064°, -3.779°, the tributary to the mighty Fairy Glen located just one hour from the Pyranha HQ where initial testing took place. The Machno is truly the 4 x 4 of kayaks, with auto-boof fully engaged so you can get out and get some! Length: 264 cm - Width: 65.5 cm - Paddler weight range: 60-100 kg – Max capacity: 105 kg - Level:…