Pyranha team blog

After spending a month in Colorado, we are traveling to some of the best spots in Montana to visit Pyranha dealers and explore the local rivers.  Most recently the crew was fortunate to spend some time in Kalispell, MT and nearby Glacier National Park.  Bob of Silver Moon Kayak Company organized a ‘Demshitz’ movie premier at his shop and a kayak trip down the Middle Fork of the Flathead, which borders Glacier National Park.  Thanks to Bob for pulling this great day together with such short notice!  It was great to paddle such a beautiful river with a great group of people and later experience true hospitality at his terrific shop.

Read the rest of this entry »

The season is not that old yet, but it has already ended for me this year unfortuntely: Last week I got the confirmation that I have an herniated intervertebral disc, which was caused by kayaking and will probably keep me from paddling for the nexts weeks/months. Damn it… Hopefully it recovers fairly soon!

Anyway, my season so far has been rather average. Concerning slalom, I missed the selection for this year’s important international races. Concerning whitewater and freestyle paddling, we had a couple of really fun trips here in our area, but due to my paddling accident a couple of weeks ago not too many yet for me, unfortunately.

What is good though is that I have been able to give regular kayaking courses to university students here in Augsburg, which is really good fun to see them improve. Fortunately that is also possible with my spinal disc problem.

Sweet, I will try to put some photos online of the season so far within the next couple of days.

I participace two freestyle Eurocup in June.

There weren´t so much people, but it was fun. The playspot in Bratislava – slalom course in Cunovo was sticky and strong, on th other hand hole in Lienz was quickly. I like it.

In Lienz I went from qualification from 3.-4. place to semifinale and from the same place to finals.

Unfortunately I was 5.

I´m gong to last eurocup to Netherlands in September.

So between some epic filming and paddling missions, we’ve been getting on some random local creeks out here in the West.   It’s been a great season so far and i’ve really taken a liking to the Large Karnali.  Finding it fast and very predictable, makes it a number one choice for some soft waterfall landings / steep creeking.  Catch a peak at whats been happening and look for the main BIG footage coming on in 2010 with Huckin Huge Films second smash hit…to be announced.

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO

Check out a video from a day on Pandoras Box.
Demshitz have been on tour in the Team Pyranha van in Colorado for the past month. We have been competing in races and freestyle comps and have paddled some great creeks and rivers, including Pandoras Box on the Animas river which served up one of the best days of paddling yet! 
Keep checking back for updates from Demshitz as we move north into Montana this week followed by a few weeks in Washington State. We will be premiering our movie Demshitz The Movie everywhere we go and offering FREE kayak demos and clinics. Demshitz The Movie available for purchase online for $19.95 US
Here is our schedule of Demshitz Premieres and Clinics!

June

26th Northern Lights Bozeman Montana

27th Silvermoon Kalispell Montana

July

2nd Strongwater Missoula Montana

4th Leavenworth Mountain Sports Leavenworth Washington

8th Werner Paddles Sultan Washington

11th Aquasports Redmond Washington

18th Black River Festival Watertown New York

24th Alder Creek Portland Oregon

26th Kayak Shed Hood River Washington

August

1st Ouachita Outdoor Outfitters  Hot Springs Arkansas

I was in many paddling events in this spring.

We had first Czech competition from CNAWR rodeo tour. It was nice competition in small town with good playspot. I was scond in qualification and unfortunately five in finals.

Other weekend I was in Youngsters camp, where we teached children some skills from freestyle.

Nice weekend I spent in Graz, where was good competition and noble wave. I can try new tricks.

The crew just finished up another successful Fibark Whitewater Festival in Salida, CO.  Friday through Sunday we had a booth set up down at the boat ramp during the day and the ‘Demshitz’ movie playing every night in the local bars, restaurants, and theatre.  Josh already posted results from the Pine Creek race, which took place on Thursday.  So, I’ll just post a couple of pictures from that race and the rodeo that took place on the weekend.  

Read the rest of this entry »

Here are a couple of photos from the Pine Creek Boatercross

Headed up the tracks for another round in the Medium Karnali.

Geoff and I battling it out through the crux move of the race.

Fibark is off and running here in Salida. Thursday’s Pine Creek boatercross started off the week with a bang.  Boatercrosses are always fan favorites but the Pine Creek race mixes it up with a giant stickey hole thrown in the middle to keep things interesting.  Definitely the most exciting boatercross I have been a part off.

Team Pyranha had a strong showing again this year in the race.  The Karnali and the Burns were definitely the most popular boats out there.  Everyone started out with a time trial run to cut the field to 16 and seed you for the very important starting positions.  In the time trials Calhoun was Second Dave Fusilli was Third I was fourth and I think Jared Seiler was 6th.  Jeremy And Nicole had the crowd favorite time trial runs with some impressive hole surfs!

After the first two rounds and a little controversy the finals were set with 5 of us.  It was a close brutal battle from the beginning to the end.  Headed into the last move into the finish line I was in the lead with Calhoun and Brian Kirk just a few boat lenghts behind.  I caught a weird surge above the boof into the eddy at the finish line and was forced down low in the eddy allowing Kirk to sneak in for the win.

Final Results:

1st.   Brian Kirk

2nd.  Josh Bechtel

T3rd  Jared Seiler

T3rd  Geoff Calhoun

5th    Dave Fusilli

Thanks to CKS for organizing the Race.

Stay tuned for Photos of the Race and more action from the Freestyle this weekend.

and searching for new stuff in BC.  Go figure - everything is high as hell and we are forced to run gorges and falls with more than ideal H2O.  But it’s goin sweet from the 68 degree, blue sky, BC hellf@#K forests!   Check the pic of Pyranha paddler, Corey Boux and myself scouting the mandatory exit falls on a stout gorge in an new gem up here. whew

- Cody checkin out and back to filming for HUCKIN HUGE’s upcoming film.

Here’s a little vid of Lime creek.  This was about an hour and a half hike in for five good drops.  Thanks much to the new and super bad ass Pyranha Portage Pack… it made that shit pretty nice.

2nd Gorge of Lime Creek Video right here mutha %$#@&*

The last week Nicole, Jared, Myself and many more have been livin it up in Durango Colorado.  We arrived on Tuesday and headed straight to Bakers box.  A committing gorge with a stout hike in and a very very angry land owner.  The next day our good buddy Kevin Driscoll lead us up into the 2nd gorge of Lime creek.  A pretty stout hike to a another committing gorge with 5 great drops.  The tallest of the five called Viagra, about a 25 footer.  We shot a good bit of video on here but I don’t think I have any pics.  Stay posted for a video of the Lime creek.  The next few days where spent hangin out in Durango’s sweet playpark  for the Animas River Days, also Demshitz had a great Video Premier at Ska Brewing.  Saturday and Sunday I hung out with a fleet of demo boats from Mild to Wild rafting a new Pyranha dealer in Durnago.  If your in the area come check out Mild to Wild whether your looking for a new Pyranha boat or looking to raft several days on the Upper Animas.   Also on sunday Demshitz did a little freestyle competition with Jared ending up in 2nd myself in 3rd and Nicole taking the win for the females.  Sunday night we drove up the valley to the very clean and fun Vallecito creek.  We ran this sunday night, camped at the camp ground, woke up this morning, hiked up, and gaver again.  We are now driving back north towards Salida Co for FIBARk……wish us luck!  

Read the rest of this entry »

It took a while to pull together, but here’s a little video I put together with some of the footage we shot in California this spring, featuring the South Fork of the Middle Feather, the Middle Feather, Pauley Creek, and the South Yuba.

California Creeking 09 Video

Since Todd already posted on the Creekin at the Teva Mt. Games let me fill ya in on some freestylin.
Read the rest of this entry »

Back in February, Matt Shipp and I managed to paddle a section of water that we had been meaning to do for a while. We joined Mark and Heather Rainsley on a descent of the East Lyn. Mark assured us that the water level was appropraite for the first time down, and I have to agree, it was an excellent paddle and well worth the long drive over.

Pilot error by Mark Rainsley?

Matt Shipp on the final crux of the gorge

Posted by Paul Smith