Indholdsfortegnelse for Fall 2024 i Kayak Session Magazine

On May 16th, 2024, Bren Orton went missing on the Melezza River. As one of today's most skilled, celebrated, and recognizable paddlers, Bren's accident sparked a global outpouring of shock, grief, and loss. The remembrance of Bren's impact was rapid and truly something to behold. Yet the reaction, beautiful and well-intentioned as it was, raises important questions about how we respond to such events. How can we—how should we—give voice to grief while respecting those closest to the loss? Do news and tributes in this kind of situation need to be controlled? Can they be controlled? “We kindly ask that everyone respects the privacy of Bren's family and friends during this difficult time by refraining from speculation or posting about the incident.” Wrote Palm and Pyranha in a widely shared…

This year the freestyle ICF World Cup series was hosted by the city of Plattling, a small but very well-known city in the heart of Bavaria, Germany next to the Isar River. Plattling had previously hosted the 2011 World Championships. The 2024 committee planned an amazing event for the sport and kayak community, and more than 140 athletes representing 18 nations enjoyed perfect water conditions to show their best tricks and combos to the judges. Ottilie Robinson-Shaw (GB) in particular took full advantage, competing in three boat classes (K1W, C1W, and SQW), winning four gold and two silver medals over both competitions. She was only beaten in the K1 by Sofia Tula from Poland in the first World Cup and Hitomi Takaku from Japan in the second World Cup. Harry…

EVENTS Another spring, another iteration of the Myllykoski Bigwater Festival. The 19th annual race was held on the 20th of April, and this year it was a stout one. The morning of the event, the temperature hovered around -4°C and the river was at a challenging level of 18 m3/s, which was too high for many paddlers to handle comfortably, but the event still went ahead with a reduced number of competitors. Despite the weather, the race still managed to gather a sizable crowd on the riverbanks, adding to the fun energy and festive atmosphere. The format requires everybody to paddle three runs, with the best two times totaled together. Even though the course was especially difficult this time around, the battle for the win was as tight as ever.…

Some come for the signature trick ramp, built at the Cunard put-in each year; some come for the chaos of a mass-start race, and some come to kick it with the community they love. Whatever the reason, for the last three years Fayetteville's local paddling community has come together to the New River Gorge Race & Rodeo celebrating the river they call home. ACE Adventure Gear, the event organizer and local paddle shop, has grown participation from less than 20 hometown paddlers to over 50 competitors from across the East Coast. This year's weekend kicked off with a Friday afternoon rodeo consisting of scored freestyle features at the Cunard Ramp, Upper Railroad surf hole, and Class III playspots. Jamey Moore was named the annual Ramp King, and Patrick Sheehan took…

As May turned to June, the traditional Trnava Xrace whitewater racing event took place at the slalom course Trnavka in the Czech Republic. This year marked the tenth anniversary of the event, drawing in extreme kayaking enthusiasts. Water released from Friday afternoon so participants could practice the smoothest lines on the challenging course. When the water receded, it was time for a public barbecue, beer, and film festival. On Saturday morning, the racing spirit was palpable. Over 110 competitors across four categories competed in the first discipline, “Funslalom.” The “FUN” was questionable, as 12 challenging gates on a 700-meter-long track tormented even the most experienced kayakers. Gates 11 and 12 were especially challenging, earning the nickname “Champion Killers.” After a lunch break, the second discipline, “Sprint,” was held, where participants…

After a several-year hiatus for international athletes, the Nujiang Wild Water International Open was held over the New Year. It was back in full force for its largest-scale event since the inaugural competition in 2010. Competitors from 18 different countries gathered in Nujiang, China, for the event featuring a thrilling four-race series. The first three events were held on tame but enjoyable river sections, showcasing the clear waters, green mountains, and canyon wonders. However, it was the final event, the challenge race, held in the Tiger Leaping Gorge which had the competitor's hearts pumping. Many described it as the “hardest section of whitewater they had paddled.” Yet for a group of five, the rapids upstream caught their attention. Whilst preparing for the trip, New Zealand slalom athlete Nick Collier met…

A huge snow pack plus heavy and never-ending rains led to a spring to remember all over Europe. While these conditions brought amazing paddling conditions for many paddlers across the European continent throughout this past spring and early summer, it also, sadly, led to an increased number of paddling accidents on the water, and some catastrophic floods and mud slides destroying roads, valleys, houses, and occasionally entire villages. Maybe the most notable is the flood that completely destroyed the village of La Berarde at the top of the Venéon Valley, where 70 % of the houses are now gone, either destroyed or buried. This dramatic scene was not unique; other areas in Switzerland, Austria, and Italy were severely impacted as well.…

DOCTOR RIVER WHAT'S UP DOC? WHAT IS THE ROTATOR CUFF AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Four very small but important muscles make up the rotator cuff: the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus, the teres minor, and the subscapularis. These small muscles work with other larger muscles such as the latimuss dorsi, the pectoralis muscles, and the teres major to allow the amazing range of motion in the shoulder and keep the humeral head where it's supposed to be. The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. While the shoulder is capable of very complex movements in many planes of direction, equally it is susceptible to injury from many different directions. The rotator cuff is the primary stabilizer of the shoulder. Each rotator cuff muscle has specific individual actions that help…

PADDLE SPORTS SHOW, STRASBOURG, FRANCE, SEPTEMBER 24-26TH 2024 This September 2024, The Paddle Sports Show returns to Strasbourg, on the border between France and Germany. This central location in Europe allows dealers, retailers, distributors, and paddle enthusiasts across Europe to attend more easily. While the show is a B2B reserved for industry professionals, a few side events, including a film festival, are open to the public. For more info, visit: www.thepaddlesportshow.com THE PADDLE SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL, SEPT 23RD STRASBOURG, (FRANCE) Introducing the inaugural Paddle Sports Show Film Festival, in collaboration with Olaf Obsommer and in partnership with Kayak Session, Paddle World Mag, Sup World Mag, and Padlerguide.com. Scheduled to take place the night before the 2024 Paddle Sports Show, the festival is an occasion to come and watch the best…

This year, the organization of the annual event formerly known as Neilson Race was passed to a new generation, led by the dynamic members of the group “The Young Dawgz,” including Raphael St-Pierre and Andrew Oxley. Renamed NeilsonFest, this event promises fresh energy and a celebration of competitive spirit and the river's natural beauty. From May 17th-20th, 2024, at the picturesque ZEC Batiscan-Neilson in the Portneuf region, along the renowned Neilson River, NeilsonFest unfolded. This extended weekend was dedicated to myriad outdoor activities—kayaking, biking, motocross, ATV riding, fishing, and camping, with Sunday's race as the main event. Participants converged on the ZEC throughout the weekend, many arriving Friday to maximize their experience. Saturday saw multiple descents on the Neilson River, each offering its own challenges and joys, whether for pure…

While short days and frosty mornings are typical signs of winter approaching, the annual Waip Out event has come to mark the start of the cold season for some New Zealand kayakers. The third annual event was held this year over the weekend of May 4th-5th on the Waipori River, just outside of Dunedin in the lower South Island. The event continues to grow each year, with over 70 paddlers of all abilities participating in the races, social laps, and party this time around. Saturday kicked off with plenty of sunny morning laps and a fabulous barbeque sponsored by Manawa Energy, the power company providing recreational flows for the weekend. That afternoon, the flagship event was held on the Class IV gorge section, with a record 13 two-person teams competing…

The first edition of the Río Ara Race took place on the 11th and 12th of May and was an unexpected success. The race was organized by local kayakers and the whitewater kayak club Aguas Bravas Gállego. More than 30 participants from different regions of Spain, France, the UK, Russia, and Germany came to attend this event on the unique and pristine last free-flowing river of the Spanish Pyrenees. The race was split into two categories: slalom, sprint, and long team race. The master (pro) participants ran two sprint runs through the classic section called “Puente de los Navarros,” finishing with the famous rapid “La Chicane.” Due to the natural diurnal, the river was a bit higher in the afternoon for the slalom. The cherry on the cake was the…

Over 110 paddlers came together during the weekend of May 31- June 2nd at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in North Carolina to share their passion for paddling and raise over $7K for the Shannon Christy Memorial Fund, a fund that donates to nonprofits committed to empowering women and girls. The event, the fourth annual Women's Paddlefest hosted by paddling and mental agility coach Anna Levesque, welcomed paddlers of all levels and crafts to share the stoke on a variety of waterways including Fontana Lake, the Tuckaseegee, Nantahala, and Ocoee rivers. Following Levesque's holistic approach to paddling, morning yoga classes and a session on mental agility and confidence building complemented time on the water, allowing the women present to share authentically and leave feeling empowered and supported by a community of…

French kayakers Paul Aubertin and Mylo Nicholas from Eggstream Kayak went on a mission in March 2024 to scout and first descend the Zakalj Waterfall in Rijeka, Croatia, on the Rjecina River. The Rjecina only runs a few times a year and is heavily dam-controlled, so it's very difficult to have the correct flow to run the waterfall, which is only three km from the sea. The waterfall is special as it goes through a siphon hole before dropping into a huge pool. When Mylo and Paul first arrived in Rijeka it rained heavily; on the first scout, there was too much water to run the drop. The hole was full of water, leaving no space for a kayaker to fit through, so they waited. To kill time, the kayakers…

Tucked away deep in the unsuspecting hills of the Kaimai Mountain Range lies many treasures. Rivers that are so enjoyable, it feels like you are sessioning a skate park. You'll find big waterfalls, continuous rapids, countless boofs, and monster slides. Sounds great, right? Kayaking these gems may be more challenging than it seems: It takes the right weather conditions consisting of heavy rain to get the rivers up, and also a fairly motivated group of individuals to get out of bed and start driving towards the hills with no set plan as to what rivers you'll kayak or any guarantee that anything will come in. A few weeks ago Olliver English, Rob Cliff-Collister, and Jade Pike woke up at 5 am to get on the mish before sunrise, and what…

ICELAND The Carpark On the 16th of May 2024, Bren Orton disappeared beneath the Italian whitewater of Melezza. His fatal accident came as a shock to me and the rest of the crew bound for Iceland in the following days. Martin Vonheim, Zack Mutton, David Sodomka, and I met in a sunny Norwegian carpark on the 19th of May. We hugged and contemplated whether we would travel. Kayaking in Iceland stands out as one of the stoutest, rawest, and most demanding destinations for waterfalls. I wanted to arrive strong in mind and body. At the carpark, I felt tired, anxious, and indecisive. Was it wrong to go to Iceland and have fun? Should we feel guilty for wanting to still push on? Could we even get into the right headspace…

Kayak Session: Thomas, tell us about yourself. How did you find kayaking? Thomas Neime: I grew up in a family of kayakers close to the Saint Pierre de Boeuf whitewater park, not far from Lyon, France. I started with slalom, competing and training regularly, just like my cousins and my sister until I was 16. That's when my cousin, Yann Neime, introduced me to river running, and I slowly transitioned away from slalom. KS: Do you have any early or favorite memories of the sport? TN: My first memory in a kayak is of my two cousins lifting my boat from one eddy to another to attain the whitewater course. It's probably the memory I cherish the most as it includes my family and kayaking. I also have many memories…

FREESTYLE, UNLOCKED No whitewater around? I hope you spent your winter training hard in the pool and are ready to take your new skills to the moving water! However, even after the best winter pool workouts, when I get on moving water, I'm gassed! It is simply a different environment. Over the years, I've learned to get ready for paddling season more effectively. With this column, I want to share a one-hour, ready-to-go training unit focused on rail drive and the roundhouse—the first moves for wave boating! For more information on these moves, revisit KS79. If you need more visuals for the exercises, scan the QR code! There are a few different videos! THE WORKOUT The overall goal is to increase your kayaking power. One key element to progressing in…

FOCUS…

This year marked the 11th edition of Iceland's largest whitewater festival and its biggest yet. Every year, the Icelandic community awaits this weekend from another dimension! The festival runs on the longest days of the year. It starts on Friday at 8 p.m. with a commercial rafting trip under the midnight sun on the Austari Jökulsá. Midnight Rafting! For 2024, seven rafts and 20+ kayakers made the Austari Jökulsá river the place to be. After getting back, it's an early start that morning (Saturday) to get over to the Horgá River for the intermediate race: A mass start with fun challenges such as throwing your paddle through a suspended hula hoop. This was run by the Icelandic kayak club, and all the winners hailed from Iceland. Congrats to Tinna, Hylnur,…

After four years of dry seasons, the return of snow to the Alps has brought life back to the rivers of Valsesia. The abundantly flowing water created the perfect conditions for the 2024 Valsesia River Festival, organized by renowned kayaking school Gene17. This year, Gene17 decided to make the event bigger and more inclusive by involving Alpin Rider Center (Mollia) and Riversoul (Scopa), the two primary kayak schools in the area. The event, held on May 24th, kicked off the evening of Friday the 23rd with a trial run on the ‘Alpin Sprint’ race course, followed by an aperitif at Alpin Rider Center. On Saturday morning, adrenaline soared with an inclusive mass start on the stretch from Balmuccia to Chiesa di Vocca (Class III). Participants of all skill levels faced…

The Bigfork Whitewater Festival in Montana celebrated its 49th Annual event this year, bringing together participants from across the interior northwest to compete on the challenging “Wild Mile” section of the Swan River. Despite concerns about low water levels, a wet and cold May provided adequate flows, allowing for a technical yet manageable race course. The festival, known for its grassroots spirit, involves camping at the take-out and a short shuttle back to the starting point, fostering a close-knit community atmosphere. Activities kicked off on Friday with the Boater X event, which was won by Scott Doherty despite a significant piton at the Big Drop. The second annual Flower Stoke Float saw kayakers and rafters placing flowers in the river to honor departed members of the paddling community, a tribute…

The ninth edition of the Durance Festival took place July 12th-14th, in Chateauroux les Alpes with record flows, plenty of sun, smiles, and fresh beer. With record high flows in the Southern French Alps for the time of year and the organizers’ desire to retain an inclusive event tailored for all levels of paddlers, some of the river stretches had to be changed, some events canceled, and others adapted.The weekend started on a rainy Friday in St Clément with the newly launched Durance Testival, where paddlers could try the latest from NRS, Pyranha, Waka, Prijon, Dragorossi, RTM, Lettmann, Level Six. Despite the high flows, Saturday's Guil Chrono had 55 registered paddlers. In the true spirit of the Durance, the competitors were a blend of extreme paddlers, freestyle big names, local…

Every summer athletes from across the state, country, and world convene to enjoy the superb whitewater playground the Rocky Mountain snowmelt provides. The annual ‘Colorado Tour’ has been a staple of the competitive whitewater scene for decades. With plenty of rivers, paddling partners, concerts, and competitions each week, what could be better? How about the added incentive of fun freestyle competitions every weekend? Started in 2023, the Colorado Cup series combines freestyle competition results from CKS Paddlefest, GoPro Mountain Games, and FIBArk, rewarding the athletes with top overall points. Open to Junior and Senior athletes, the event series added over $5,300 in cash and prizes this year in addition to the individual event prizes. If all this sounds exciting, the Colorado Cup should be on your list. This year, high…

Downriver freestyle is the hot topic in whitewater kayaking. This subdiscipline has seen accelerated progression over the last few years, challenging what was thought possible. It feels as though a major wall has been broken down, allowing the sport to thrive and push forward. The change has been so dramatic that it can be felt at all levels. The shapes of the newer half-slices and creekboats are designed to allow pushing the current limits of downriver freestyle, encouraging the development of new boats and designs by every major whitewater brand. The rising interest in these designs is increasingly obvious, with half-slice shapes taking the place of the traditional creekers on rivers across the world. The Cobra Flip is the trick everyone wants to land (a 360-barrel rotation off the lip…

This June, a group of young kayakers from Germany and Switzerland embarked on an adventurous rally to the kayaking paradise of Norway. Among them were Holger Jung and Nico Redling, who took the opportunity to paddle down a barely known waterfall in southern Norway. Typically, the Usteani River only runs after heavy rainfall, but the team managed to find the perfect water levels, leading them to a hidden waterfall at the take-out of the Usteani Gorge run. After scouting, setting up safety, and positioning the camera, Holger and Nico took on the challenge of the 15-meter waterfall. Their successful descent, accompanied by the excitement of discovering new and challenging rivers became a memorable highlight of the trip.…

High in the Andes of Southwestern Colombia, the Caqueta River begins as a trickling waterfall at nearly 13,000 feet in elevation. As it descends towards the Amazonian plain the Caqueta grows quickly, becoming one of the highest-volume rivers in the country. The river passes through multiple Class V canyons and some of the deepest, most biodiverse jungle on Earth. In 2017, Tyler Bradt and Jules Domine paddled the Caqueta at impressively high water from Santa Rosa, through the last two major canyons, then across a thousand kilometers of flatwater to reach their goal: Araracuara, a massive canyon deep in the Amazonian plain. The expedition became one of the most challenging and meaningful journeys of their lives. Earlier this year, despite the difficulty of the original expedition, Jules and Tyler decided…

Lovers of North Carolina Whitewater, American Whitewater needs your help! A pending case in the Office of Administrative Hearings challenges the public's right to recreate on sections of the Boone Fork and Watauga River, located near Boone, North Carolina. Paddlers who have run these sections are encouraged to contact American Whitewater and visit the News section of the website to help document paddling use of these streams, showing that the streams in question are legally and physically navigable, regularly paddled, and thus open to the public for paddling. On June 6th, 2024, Twin Rivers Property Owners’ Association, Inc. filed a petition for a contested case hearing (a lawsuit) against the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission seeking a decision requiring the Commission to enforce fishing and wading prohibitions on the Watauga…

North of Nowhere 30 MILES NORTH OF NOWHERE It's late spring; there's still plenty of water flowing around the state of Idaho, but maybe you want to take a break from the heavy, self-supported overnight trips, just for a second. You may still want the peace of the outdoors with few and far around you at camp. You may want a weekend without carrying your gear-stuffed kayak through the woods. Idaho has plenty of options for a weekend remedy as described, but one lies in the shadows of its elders—The East Fork South Fork Salmon. Yes, the free-flowing Salmon River has its famous week-long trips (the Middle Fork and Main) along with the two-day classic the South Fork Salmon, aptly dubbed “The Futaleufu of the North.” But in its own…

DANE'S WORLD It is easy to think of freestyle as an aspect that stands alone, apart from the rest of the whitewater disciplines. To think that unless you want to win competitions or already have it as part of your kayaking, why take the time for it? In reality, I think freestyle is a massive factor in how I have been able to learn the things needed to run the whitewater I do, whether from boat control, spacial awareness, comfort in features, or reading features, no matter what type of whitewater I am on. I obviously grew up with freestyle being a big part of my paddling, and it continues to be so as time goes on. But for me, it isn't only about training for the next big event…