AlpKit Plastic Fantastic Kayak Comp

The 8th and 9th of September saw the first AlpKit event to be held at Canolfan Tryweryn, North Wales.

The freestyle was the first event to kick off on the Saturday morning, unfortunately I was pre-registered as Rick (fellow SquareRock paddler) and I were providing safety cover for the event - which meant that I had bib number one. So I was first up on the wave, which I neither liked or had paddled more than twice. But there was a good crowd, all very willing to cheer me on as they weren't tired or concerned about their own runs that were to come later in the day. All three runs went pretty well and as it was a "best two count" format, I was perfectly happy to be consistent if not the big move man.

To my surprise, about an hour later I had made the semi-finals which I was really pleased about as it was my first comp for nearly a year and first time out in my all new Jackson All-star. So off I went again to do my best and once again I stuck my moves, playing it fairly safe. Despite my grandparents arriving mid-way through my second run and my sister telling me so over the stereo system!

In all honesty, thinking my job was done and the comp was over for me, I went for lunch with my Nain and Taid. Sat in the cafe, Rick came in and said "Your only bloody third - you made the finals". I nearly choked on my panini and chips (a true athlete's food).

The finals came around in the knockout style and I made it through two rounds, taking me right up to third which was amazing! I was quiet happy to have made the semi-finals. It seems on a feature that caused a few blow outs I paddled consistently, coming third in both rounds.

Results of Expert Men were:

1st - Chris Chapman

2nd- Stu Parry (junior)

3rd- Me (Jonathan Davies)

While in Expert Ladies, my sister (Lowri Davies) fresh back from the Four Borders Expedition took first place with Molly Crisp and Emily Wall taking second and third respectively. Team SquareRock were pretty chuffed to take top three in both men's and women's!

Day Two was the downriver race/boater-x which was held down at Bala Mill Falls. This was the event Rick and I were providing safety as despite being easy if you get it right, it could inflict some painful injuries if a paddler did capsize on the drop, which in the heat of a race can easily happen. This event also went well for me, as I progressed through to the semis once more, only to be destroyed by fellow SquareRock paddler Chris Chapman - mainly due to my bad choice of line when trying to overtake him. Never mind.

Entertainment also came from watching the "Speeder Challenge", where six fools agreed to paddle from the centre to below Bala Mill - one pinning at the top of the falls, capsizing and eventually swimming at the bottom of the falls.

A wicked weekend was had by all and everyone left smiling with loads of prizes. Well done AlpKit for a top event!

Building Houses and Changing sponsors

The title basically sums up what I have been doing for the last few weeks.

I have gutted and start to rebuild a large flat and shop with fellow Squarerock team member Rick Foster. So far it's going well and due to the rubbish British weather we haven't been distracted by the rivers.

Well just 2 trips to Llangollen, 2 to Tryweryn and once to HPP which isn't much in 12 days. Umm maybe we won't be mentioning that is half of the work days to Ricks wife who was at work.

Anyway heree's a pic of me and Rick posing with a banner in frount of the new house.

Hope to see you guys soon and preferable on some wicked water.

The Drive Home

Well after leaving the centre I did the obvious and went on a random drive from west to east and east to west. In 3 days of driving, amazing views and random paddles I think I made in roughly 80 miles north from the centre despite driving for around 850 miles. So I truck Northward on the back roads in eastern France ending up in Switzerland for a brief time which was a bit confusing.
Anyway after a few days of trucking about I reached Disney Land Paris for 2 days which was a awesome laugh going on rides and all that sort of thing.
I then went to Lyon to see my mum in a rather posh spa hotel and spent a week in the pool, hot tub, massage pool and gym. Awesome way to relax after all the paddling.
Anyway after all the relaxation it was finally time to head back to the UK and 900 miles later I picked up a lovely new Jackson kayak all star. To my amazement Hurley was running on 3 gates another result of the bizzar summer. It would have been rude not to try my boat out as it was going and wow what a wicked afternoon on the water then the Long drive home surrounded by stressed Brits which was a bit of a shock as the chilled out attitude down in the south of France.

But hay how back in North Wales we have a server weather warning in place so fingers crossed the rivers will soon be running nicely for so winter runs and some cold paddling (DOH!)

Anyway people keep paddling and keep smiling

Some shots from the last few weeks

Bourne Canyon and Hawai-sur-rhone

Hay,
Well I have finished my seasson on the Ardeche with a wicked 2 days.

Firstly we drove up to Bourne canyon which is about 2 hours from the centre but is well worth the trip.
John had been there a year ago but me and Simon hadn't so John was in charge of getting us there which was a mission it's self working of the random bits he could remember.You arrive high in the Ardeche mountains to a remote forest which has a huge gorge running through the middle of it. We had all only taken board shorts and rashies which made us hesitent when we so the commercial guys with wet suits, harnesses, ropes and 2 or 3 resuce kits between the group.
Once we got down the the river it was 2 hours of running, swimming and jumping of waterfalls which was awesome but very tiring. The big jump was 26m which was amazing the biggest I have ever done. John and Simon opted out as the were still working and because it was rather high.
But in the end it was all good and looked like an awesome early season/storm run for some good steep creeking. One to watch for the future for sure.

Hawaii-sur-rhone was amazing as it always is. It is still up high which is a rarity for the time of year. This "global warming summer" as the media has deemed it has been amazing for paddling in most of Europe the river are high and the water is warm. The main wave was running perfectly and wave on the far side of the island the wave was running or the less experienced people. Strangely the wave was deserted but for me and Simon which has been the sorry of the summer there as I haven't seen people there since Easter.

Have fun people and get out on the water

Yes you guess it I returned to a wet misrable UK to collect my bike. I took the opertunity to say hi to some friend who informed me with joy the the Dee was on a perfect play level knowing full well that all my kit was in france. Sulking a little I thought about it Lowri my siter has gone to Russia on expedition and left her nice new boat in my garage. Abit of retro kit later i was ready for the river with some borrowed paddles identical to mine. Perfect.
3 days off to see relatives............ No chance the rivers are up and I am off for a cold british play.

Dee on 14 what a wicked level and 20 mins from home maybe the UK isn't so bad for being a paddler.

Keep smailing and pray for the rain it's doing Britain proud so far.

A little run down of happenings

It's been a long time since my last message so this is gonna be a bit scrambled as much has happened since my last post.

There has been 4 trips to the alps all of which went really well and were generally wicked days of from "work."

Also in the alps I took a week off to meet up with the aber guys and had a chilled week with lots of faf as there always is with uni groups. I finished the week by dropping a clanger as I decided to solo the Ubaye gorge which is a steady pushy grade 4 with sections of 5. Towards the end above lion's den one of the major rapids i capsized and got pinned under a rather sharp rock. I was forced to ditch my blades push off the rocks with my hands and then after hand rolling up chaced my paddles down towards the lions den consequently running it blind which was not part of the plan at all. But all was well and no one died which is the main thing in these matters.

There has been lots of evening expeditions to find climbable crags localy and general sillyness with bikes.

Today I took a couple of guys up to lyon for a blast on Hawai sur Rhone and a blast it was. The wave was running on 1200 cummecs which is rediculasly big. The wave a 15 foot drop in ramp and the wave was a huge green ramp almost exactly the same height. The only problem was the equally huge hole behind it. Many big moves were thrown by myself. Simon and nathon who had never been on a river wave big enough to bounce and both had rather ropey rolls were loving it to until simon got spanked in the boils and wurlys behind the main wave. Then on the next run after fishing him out nathan broke a brand new set of blades just bouncing on the wave.

So they are the major thing that I have been up to over the last few weeks.

There are many more things that have happened over the first bit of summer but I save thoughs for a sunny evening with a chilled beer where ever I see you all next.

I am going to sleep as my back hurts from bouncing around the wave and landing sick moves. Fingers crossed pics will follow.

Bonjour! From sunny france

On the 27th of march myself and Cat started our rather random journey south wards with the aim of arriving at the Ardeche on the 8th of april ready to start work the following day.
Our first problem came soon after leaving the the home land of Wales when a massive crash had closed the M4 (I think it was. I was following sally satnav) No problem set the satnav around the closed section, easy, till we came across a head on smash between 2 wagons on the major route everyone took around the crash.
Nuts to it we thought, phoned the ferry company and told them the refrence number we had been given only problem was that the refrence wasn't for a ferry till june many confused conversations later we were booked on to a ferry leaving 3 hours later than the origonal going to be late and they moved us to a ferry 3 hours later.
When we arrived in France our first stop was Fontainebleau a lovely forest full of Sandstone bolders and one of Frances most popular climbing areas. We met up with some cool guys from Inverness, who showed us how a few things were done and I pleasently suprised by myself as i slithered up some hard routes than I was expecting. 4 days of finger/arm abuse and it was time to head south again for some paddling.
We arrived at Lyon in the dead of Night and by a miracle of satnav and my memory of random French bridges we found the wave on our first pass. Lyon was wonderful as usual but unforts there was 10 whole people for shefield Uni who soon made themselves un-popular by make the dreded que from 11 till 6 nearly everyday. Luckily we made friend with Simon and Seppi Strohmirre (spelt terribly) and Xaviou from gemany. Which helped us a stay reasonable sain by playing on slack lines and generally having a laugh. 6 days of german and chez humour and we were ready to head south as water levels dropped for easter weekend. Think we had a days driving at the least we set up the sat nav and headed off.........
2 hours later we arrived a day early at are lovely piece of sunny southern France. A day early the managers were suprised but very welcoming. Everyone else arrives later today and I will keep you posted on my sanity levels.
So there you have it a very boring account 980 miles and a good bit of fun.
Have a good summer guys and I will see you soon.
Keep smiling and keep paddling.

Bonjour! From sunny france

On the 27th of march myself and Cat started our rather random journey south wards with the aim of arriving at the Ardeche on the 8th of april ready to start work the following day.
Our first problem came soon after leaving the the home land of Wales when a massive crash had closed the M4 (I think it was. I was following sally satnav) No problem set the satnav around the closed section, easy, till we came across a head on smash between 2 wagons on the major route everyone took around the crash.
Nuts to it we thought, phoned the ferry company and told them the refrence number we had been given only problem was that the refrence wasn't for a ferry till june many confused conversations later we were booked on to a ferry leaving 3 hours later than the origonal going to be late and they moved us to a ferry 3 hours later.
When we arrived in France our first stop was Fontainebleau a lovely forest full of Sandstone bolders and one of Frances most popular climbing areas. We met up with some cool guys from Inverness, who showed us how a few things were done and I pleasently suprised by myself as i slithered up some hard routes than I was expecting. 4 days of finger/arm abuse and it was time to head south again for some paddling.
We arrived at Lyon in the dead of Night and by a miracle of satnav and my memory of random French bridges we found the wave on our first pass. Lyon was wonderful as usual but unforts there was 10 whole people for shefield Uni who soon made themselves un-popular by make the dreded que from 11 till 6 nearly everyday. Luckily we made friend with Simon and Seppi Strohmirre (spelt terribly) and Xaviou from gemany. Which helped us a stay reasonable sain by playing on slack lines and generally having a laugh. 6 days of german and chez humour and we were ready to head south as water levels dropped for easter weekend. Think we had a days driving at the least we set up the sat nav and headed off.........
2 hours later we arrived a day early at are lovely piece of sunny southern France. A day early the managers were suprised but very welcoming. Everyone else arrives later today and I will keep you posted on my sanity levels.
So there you have it a very boring account 980 miles and a good bit of fun.
Have a good summer guys and I will see you soon.
Keep smiling and keep paddling.

NSR 9th and 10th March

HPP was the site of the National Student Rodeo March 2007. Not being a student I went along to meet up with friends for the last time before I go to the Ardeche for the summer (work). Allot of fun was to be had weather on the water, in the party or just watching the carnage.
I thought it brilliant to see people making a big effort to run the event or to competing and wish more of these awesome people would come to the freestyle events around the country as it would take the events back to there origin of fun based events where swimmers were as common as big moves.
To the guys from Aber Uni thanks for another awesome weekend and I will see you in the land of frogs legs and bererts.

Photos are at www.letsgetwet.com

Keep paddling, Keep smiling guys.

Big waves, sliding vans and a whole lot of laughs

(one of the "smaller" waves)

Sunday 25th February saw my second trip this year to find big surf due to a lack of water in the rivers. Once again I dragged fellow boater Rick Foster out of his pit at an ungodly hour of the day and feeling a little worse for the night before we set off with the predictions promising a minimum of 7-9 feet of clean swell.
We arrived to the car park at Hells Mouth, full of surfers bumming out in their vans. Expecting that we had missed the best of the surf again we hobbled down to the beach to find roughly 14 foot of surf dumping on the beach in sets of 4. After about 20 minutes of hardcore tea drinking we decided to follow some others to a remote beach that was “more sheltered.”
That is where it started to go wrong! The roads got worse and worse until we were simply rallying though fields and mud filled ditches. My vehicle is a light ended rear wheel drive van which doesn’t really do anything but tarmac and we were soon doing about 5 MPH in third rearranging most of the Llyn peninsular. With Rick holding on for dear life and screaming like a baby every time we went near the cliff edge, I did my best to keep control of the van as it slithered around in the mud like Bambi walking on ice. After 10 minutes of muddy toil we reach our destination.
A super clean average of 12-foot waves barrelling perfectly greeted us. I managed to time my sprint to the backwater perfectly and made it out the back with just one near miss. The others we not so fortunate and 4 beatings followed with one swimmer. Once out back I started picking my waves and quickly became aware of the shear scale of some of the waves. Rick later said “that on one wave I picked up I had 2 boat length ahead of me to the trough and one behind” if true that wave would have been a staggering 18 feet roughly and I could believe it when I got nailed by the wave and got forced deep to the sea bed. The next wave I took after a long recovery picked up beautifully and I threw my biggest ever airscrew unfortunately the wave collapsed below me and I free fell to the pit and ruining my back for the rest of the day. Three more waves that was me done or should I say one nice barrel and two beatings.
“Sweet, back to vans for tea and medals” I proclaimed but, no we still had to get the vans back off the farm, a further 15mins of hells mud and then we were homeward bound with tales of freak waves and sick moves.

Just another day in North Wales.

Keep paddling, keep smiling guys.

Welcome

Hay hay,

Welcome to my first ever post on my own tiny piece of web-space. Not all that interesting but chill out and I will stick some stuff up shortly about my silly adventures and hopefully raise a few smiles.

Keep paddling, keep smiling guys

Jon