There is still a lot of water flowing in Maine right now. I managed to squeeze a trip up there over the weekend. The Gulf Hagas was by far my favorite of the three runs we got on. What a classic. Some clean vertical stuff, some sweet boulder gardens, and one rapid with some serious consequences. During the run-out of our second lap we even saw a HUGE bald eagle. It was an awesome adventure. I will be back next spring for sure.

photo by: Scott Barnes

 Just got back from an awesome trip to the Swiss / Italian Alps. I spent 10 days ticking some off some of the classic runs with the Fat Cat lads. The weather was great and we got loads of stuff done despite a fairly laid back schedule. We made good time on the rivers making plenty of time to soak up the local culture and for a massive night out in Milano searching for the highest concentration of super models in the world. I would definitely recommend you get yourself out there. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea.

For some reason i can’t find the ones of the lads and the super models. 

Hi all!

We are frantically packing to leave for the West today, but have stuck a quick report that Andria wrote about last week up on our website.

Go to www.RiverGypsies.com for the full report.

Andria styling Wonder Falls
Photo by Leland

The last couple of days I went creeking in the beautiful Val Sesia/Italy and took part in the Teva Outdoor Games.

We ran the Egua and the Sorba several times to be well prepared for the race (downriver, team, slalom, sprint, boatercross), which offered some super-close results in the end! Our team (Jakobus Stenglein, Benny Herbrügger and myself) came second behind the Italians by only about 2 seconds.

I could achieve my personal best result in the slalom (4th place) and ended up on the overall 9th rank in the end. The event was won by Honza Lasko (CZE) in front of Michelle Ramazza (ITA) and last year’s winner Jakobus Stenglein (GER). To sum it all up: great rivers, big event, sunshine, lots of fun!

Here are some shots of the trip:

This weekend was the Reno River Festival. Team Pyranha was there in full force to do some Freestyle and Boatercross, and get some creeking and partying in between it all.

Dave looping the Rev in Reno

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While the British Columbia low lands have been covered with snow most of the winter and records continue to be set for low Spring temps, low elevation snowpack, ect…, Spring is finally showing its face. Weather forecasters are predicting that warmer temps will begin to prevail as La Nina weakens and as a result we will certainly have a big water season in store. Todd Gillman and myself have been out despite the lack of Spring breaking in our new Burns and also getting some cockpit time in the new Everest. From post holing into the Ashlu to racing Robe Canyon and from backyard classics to Van Island explorations, the BC boating season is in full swing. It certainly feels like Pyranha is taking over the world out here on the creeks. Everyone is either paddling the Burn (or Everest) these days or wants one!

The Everest loves BC creeks!

Todd Gillman Ucona River, BC

Bryan Smith Pamela Creek, BC

Chris Tretwold Ucona River, BC

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So some of you may be wondering where I am…and most of you might not care…and if thats the case don’t (more…)

Hey yinz! Dave Fusilli here, bloggin a couple videos myself and the demshitz Seiler brothers have put together. The first one, Click here for video, from Cheat Fest this past weekend, along with a couple fotos from two days on the Lower Big Sandy with a bunch of folks out shreddin in Ammos and Burns. Also, a video featuring the New REV the Seiler’s put together, click here for video, from a day at the Eternity hole in Western North Carolina a few weeks back. Enjoy!
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Me and Marks dog Inca enjoying the sun

This summer I have been asked to be apart of an awesome expedition out here in Norway. As you all know Norway has become well known for its waterfalls and steep creeks. The amount of drops seems endless. well this year we will find out.

Our aim is to descend 1 mile of vertical white water in 1 month. during the summer over a period of 31 combined days. Mark Burton, Ed Cornfield and Martin Vollen and myself will huck, fall and throw ourselves off as many waterfalls as we can. We need to average 42.5 feet each daily and as a drop can only be counted once this means a lot of classic and new runs. It should make for an awesome trip and I will be reporting as we go here so you can follow us. You can also catch us on our website linked below:

http://www.onemileonemonth.com

getting used to the handling on my new Everest

we are just waiting for the melt now which will soon hit Telemark so until then I´m getting out as much as I can in my new Everest which is going to be my weapon on this expedition and from what i´ve seen so far is an awesome boat.

Enjoy your spring, I know I will!

Per

Watching Dave and the guys leave, I was pretty sad. Spending almost every second with a bunch of fine people even for only 10 days can make you close.

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They say that Norway is the land of contrast. Fair enough. After a wiked winter kiting, it is now starting to smell spring again!! As we still got tones of snow up high in the mountains, Oslo and Telemark area are opening quickly. Awesome to get the show back on the road for a new season

Pyranha tent set-up for a Demo with Whitewater Warehouse.

In the past 3 weeks I have been traveling around in the team van with Dave Fusilli and my brother Graham Seiler hitting up some on-water demo days.
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Monday last week, 14th April: Due to maintenance work on a hydropower facility, there was water in a normally dry creek with some bigger drops, so we had to ignore the weather forecast and go…

Our new Drysuits did fully pay off, as the VIDEO shows.

You know it’s spring time in the Adirondacks when people are trying to decide what is more important to stuff in the back of your boat: A breakdown paddle or snowshoes. It’s been a spring to remember up here lots of runs on the Boquet, John’s Brook, and the Branch amongst others. The highlight came over the weekend when Myself, Tom Vickery, Phil LeMarche, Bill Frazer, and Dave Carouso, walked 2 and a half miles up John’s Brook to see what was up there.

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A bunch of us are just back from a short trip to Morocco to sample some of the incredible scenery, famously hospitable people, amazing food, and of course the whitewater that the country has to offer. Just a short flight from the snow of the UK landed us in sun drenched Marrakesh and from there we hit the road looking for rivers…

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After a bit of rain in Mid Wales, a group of us went for a Park & Huck on one of the most beautiful, hidden away little gems in the area. The main event is a double drop in a fantastic gorge, and we spent a bit of time taking some nice shots.

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I’m just back from a month long mission in Nepal and Morocco for which I got my hands on a brand new Pyranha Everest for some multiday action. My first reaction on seeing the the massive Everest was ‘I’m never going to be able to paddle this’. At 75 kilos, I thought the Everest would be simply too big for me to enjoy.

I was wrong. With a bit of practice, and some adjustment of technique, I can attest that the Everest must be the best multiday expedition boat or big volume creek boat on the market at the moment. Larger paddlers will love the volume behind the seat, but even lighter paddlers can really appreciate this boat.

The first thing to say about the Everest is that it is not the Burn. The Burn is a classic in its own right, super manoeuverable and responsive and incredible easy edge to edge for rolling flares and boofs. My first day in the Everest on the Upper Bhote Kosi was a disaster as I was trying to paddle the Everest as if it were a Burn and as a result missing eddies, messing up lines.

But about half way down the Bhote Kosi, I began to paddle the Everest like it should be paddled; fast, hard and in a straight line. Gone are the subtle adjustments and edge control of the Burn, in favour of speed and power. The speed was incredible, charging over and through sticky ledge holes as if they didn’t exist.

On the Marsyandi (2 days) and Karnali (5 days), loaded with self support gear the Everest handled beautifully, with no noticable loss of performance (unlike the vast majority of creek boats which start handling like pigs with more than two or three days gear in them). In fact the main issue I had with the Everest was coming to terms with its tremendous speed and not overcooking moves.

The Burn will remain my boat of choice for technical, low volume creeks. But for multiday expeditions, and for big volume creeks like in Norway, the Everest is unbeatable.

Phots by Rosie Cripps and Rob Coffey

For more info on recent missions check out liveoncemedia.com

Sunday morning in the bakery, half asleep, aching body, we picked up the local newspaper, and were surprised to see us on the frontpage, almost bigger than soccer…

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I just got back from running around the West Coast premiering our new video “Pulse”. I was fortunate enough to hit some rivers in Cali, Colorado, and Idaho. Here are some photos of the action. This weekend I also competed in the Northwest Creeking Competition and will put up some photos when I get them, really looking forward to Little White Giant Slalom Race next weekend.

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Swapping play boat for creek boat, 40 degrees C to -5, sun for snow, big volume for low, Africa for Scotland…

The River Nile, steaming at sunrise, Uganda

Snow capped Etive Valley, Glen Coe, Scotland

The now ritual, Easter, low water, trek to the west coast of Scotland. With Snow capped hills and daily flurries whilst on the water it was a shock to the system to say the least! However getting back to grips with the Burn and getting back out on the UK rivers was awesome…

Photos from the River Etive
Thanks to Birmingham University Kayak Club, for organising the trip and creating much amusement both on and off the river

Stay Warm
Ben