Pyranha team blog

Nicole Mansfiield suits up for the 30 foot Medina waterfall in Medina NY. This creek runs under the Erie Canal just before turning and falling about 30 feet.  So yes, essentially there is a river running over another river (canal) a little different to say the least.   The Erie Canal dumps water into the creek right above the waterfall making this park and huck runnable most days of the year!  Here is a video of Nicole sending this drop!  Click Here!

Photo – Craig Kleckner doing another one of his ridiculous back PanAms at Inner City Wave on the Black River

The month of August has been a mix of summer road trip recovery and northeast playboating.  Here’s a lil bloggings of Inner City Wave on the Black, low level Ottawa, and a visit to Rochester’s Lock 32.

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 Quebec is known for two things.  Poutine and Water.  On a recent trip to the eastern reaches of this candian province 9 kayakers found both to be spectacular.  The Romaine river provided us with 6 days of unbeievable kayaking in a vast setting that is threatened by a massive hydro power project. 

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With what seemed like a thousand taxis touting for our business, arrival into Kathmandu airport truly signified the start of the adventure. Having been to a few far flung destinations dragging my kayak along previously, it was music to my ears.

This March myself, Sam Clegg and Rich Kemble headed out to Nepal, with the aim of exploring the incredible culture, people and mountains that it has to offer. Following certain events, it was decided that in some way we wanted to contribute something towards the Mountain Rescue services; in our case the local Ogwen Valley team. We intended to raise awareness for the role that the team undertakes and contribute towards much needed funds for potentially lifesaving equipment within their Swiftwater Rescue services. The result was that we donated almost four-hundred pounds in funding and equipment to OVMRT.

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For me, this past summer was a lot different than the ones in the past.  After a super savage snowboard wipe out 8 and a half months ago, and an epic month touring around Colorado on the Pyranah van, I spent most of my time in Northwest Montana living at home with the fam.  My time spent there consisted mainly of fishing, tubing, countless hours of physical therapy and hardly any kayaking.  I recently  made the trek back down to Gunnison CO for my last semester of school and took a highly anticipated trip to the M-Wave to see how the new Molan performed on a big, fast wave.  After hearing good things about the Molan I was fired up to take it out on a fast action glassy wave.  I was blown away at how fast and loose the boat is considering its short length and how comfortable I felt paddling it.  Here is a short video of my first day paddling the Molan on the M-wave:

http://www.vimeo.com/14535986

Myself, Jake Holland and Will Hatt have now been in Thailand for 12 days searching out some whitewater fun.

Arriving in Bangkok we got our boats on the train and took the bus to Chiang Mai (It turned out to be the queen’s birthday so no seats for us on the train!) Here we sorted ourselves a truck and hooked up with a local rafting company, Siam River Adventures, for a run down the Mae Taeng. Normally the whole 10km section is rafted with a steeper middle section providing some class 4 thrills for the clients… Lots of rain meant our first warm up river of the trip was at a slightly higher level with the rafts portaging the middle section. We decided to paddle it.

Since this exciting introduction to Thai kayaking we have been searching the area around Chiang Mai for more drops and sections of rivers. The next stage was a 6 hour drive east to Nan where we paddled the Tard Luang, hiking into the top slide in the picture below, then paddling the rest of the river. There were some sweet rapids, drops and slides including a chunky double drop we portaged but definitely has potential…

Check out our blog for loads more photos and tales of the adventures so far!

For every Kid, grown man, women or child the 1st trip down the very popular Green River Narrows is like Christmas morning.  This is a great day in any kayakers life.  Not only to run the Green, but to run all of the Green, the big 3 as they call them down there in NC.  I remember my 1st day down the Green for sure.  It’s just a damn good old time on the river.  I mean shit they even made a movie about it.   Check out Kid Chris’s video HERE.  It’s pretty damn good.

Kid Chris and some random going Left.

Stoked to finally check out what the Upper Upper East Fork Kaweah had to offer.  Nathan Hunkapiler, Macy Burnham & Chris Tulley 1’st D’ed a steep portion of the Upper Upper 2 years ago that uncovered some goods, but required the team to hike out on day two due to time constraints.  This left the trio amped on the Upper Upper & wondering what the “middle” Upper Upper had to offer, as there was 6 miles unaccounted for.  Joining up with the original team +1, Cully Thomas – we dropped into Upper Upper to complete the 1st Descent.  After a quick bushwack entrance to the gorge a mile downstream of where they originally hiked out, we kicked off the trip with some wooded drops and slides, and one crux pinch drop that had a cool, must make wall move.  Upon arriving to the confluence of Horse Creek, we all couldn’t pass up the opportunity to camp at one of the coolest camp spots in the Kaweah Drainage!  Horse Creek dropped steeply into the Upper Upper East Fork and contained numerous slides and one nice big fall (*shallow landing*).  We hiked up and did multiple laps on it and laid down to sleep, only to be woken at 5am by rain.  Putting on the rising East Fork super early, we finished out the Upper Upper and dropped into the “Upper EF”…whew lots of upper stretches (as the EF continues to prove that it contains some of the best, most continuous whitewater anywhere).  The Upper EF was a real treat and had some surprising gorges and drops that had the whole team stoked and feeling it.  Here are some pix.  - video soon.

1st D of Horsecock Falls, Horse Creek California.  Chris Tulley photo

Gorgeous lighting for a late afternoon boof. Culley Thomas photo

A stout drop on the Upper EF Kaweah.  Chris Tulley photo

Macy named this one Gorneria – “if ya dropped into thar u’ed be a goner son”

Parting shot – Horse Creek and Upper Upper EF confluence.  Cully Thomas photo

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Photo by: Nicole Mansfield

Well we made it to British Columbia. Here we found a very fast long slide, a short but, super fun creek, and spent some time at the mighty Skookumchuck narrows.  demshitz made a video of course!!   Click right here

Photo: Ed Moorehead browning Fawlersville

Last weekend we headed up to Mountainman Outdoor Supply Co. in Old Forge, NY for a low water Moose River Paddle Session followed by BBQing and kayak movie watching.  Thanks to Pyranha Team’s Chris Morelli for teaming up with Mountain Man to organize this event.

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Hi folks!

Some days ago we finished our trip to Siberia. 4 weeks full of big rivers and sick kayaking.

Check out some photos here >>>

And here >>> 

Photo by: Jeff Campbell

Here is a sweet video by Craig Kleckner on the Black Eagle wave in Great Falls MT.  From what I understand Craig was very lucky to catch this wave.  It has not come in for about 8 years.  Click here for Craig’s video

Last weekend of July I took part first competition of Czech rodeo tour 2010.

Sopotnice is unique artificial playspot. I like this hole and the event too. There were other supplemental competition – ramp jumping and slope style. Slope style menas jumpinmg, turning and sliding on special wooden railing.

I competed in women category with 3 Slovak girls and I won the freestyle competition.

Next freestyle event of czech tour will be canceled, because unfortunately the small flood is continuing in Czech republic.

thanks for photo – Petr Prause and Hanka Bubnikova

The guys over at CKUK check out the new Varun with team paddler Bren Orton

Check out the film here

Images courtesy of Canoe and Kayak UK

Photo by: Nicole Mansfield

Demshitz goes on a wonderful trip to Washington state. Along the way we ended up running the Little White Salmon and it’s next door neighbor the Green Truss. Also, have you heard of Hamma Hamma falls. Well my friends it is a stout for sure. We ended up at a pretty nice party as well..enjoy!

Video Click here!

In May this year Ali Marshall and Max Keinwasser completed the first spring run of the Homathko river in BC.

This is one of the best multidays in the world as you journey though untouched wilderness and and class 5 canyons for 4 days.  When you reach the sea you get picked up by a float plane and flown back to your car.

This area is under threat by power companies,  it is hugely important area for salmon and grizzly bears etc , please show your support by researching the Bute Inlet project and doing all you can to help this incredable wilderness.

This year we resarected the great Callaghan race in BC.

The medium water levels made for the the perfect race course.

With a great turn out the race went smoothly, with only a little carnage.  A fun evening followed.

A large reason for bringing back this fantastic event to to bring awarness to IPPs hydro project that threaten rivers such as the Callaghan.

The event will be bigger and better next year so please turn up.

Liquid lore as a great blog report about it    http://www.liquidlore.blogspot.com/

Cheers

Ali

Like every time Norway is one of the Best places in Europe, the problem this year was, that we had very rainy weather. But paddling makes still fun !!! Two days Nils Kagel joined us to make some nice runs around Voss.

Nice Drop ! Pic by Daniel Egger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me on the lower Rauma .. great place to be !!!!

Big slide !!

What a beautiful River, just entering the first rapid on the Kleivelvi River ! (Pic by Andeas Stockinger)

The Tysselva offers some really big slides and drops, together with Teammate Nils Kagel we run this creek. The bad thing is that you have to portage a lot of drops..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slide on the lower Jordalselva Gorge (Pic by Daniel)

Nils Kagel making a first descent of a very hurtable Slide on the Tysselva

 

See you on the River !

Cheers! Robert

www.vboyz.at

 

 With plenty of creeking, Skookumchuck Narrows, Big D’s Cafe, and rope swings; British Columbia is one of Demshitz favorite kayaking destinations. 

    Read on & check out the rest of the photos

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Bedford River Festival occurs every 2 years. It is a huge event, apparently the third biggest outdoor event in britain. I had a great time and met some awesome people/ paddlers.

Click here to see video