This year's AGM is taking place on Saturday 28th January at 7.30 (just after the pool session). Taking place at The Lawns Inn, BS37 5BG. For more info see the website.
The time had come... the opening of the new HPP. As the car stopped in the car park we all rushed out to have a look at the new course. It looked great with about 5 new features (any suggestions for new names?). One of the ideas behind the paddlefest was not to paddle your own boat but demo others, I could not wait to try the new biscuit (it is definitely a wave boat) and Big Dog Kayaks. The National Student Rodeo was also running which meant lots of students (all majorly hung-over by the looks of them) were also at the course. A few of the young burners were already on the course so we joined them and cartwheeled, splitwheeled and looped our way down the course (trying avoid all the swimmers from the duo final of the NSR)! After lunch we found that you could try a sprint C2 (queue scary music). It is a lot harder than they make it look at the Olympics. We decided it was definitly a summer sport. Sam and I managed to get about 20 meters before falling in for the first time and about 50m the second time (that was your fault Sam).
I thought it was a great day and I will definitely be going next year!
After Tom had announced he was leaving KJO last week Den and Dan were coaching us. Den had managed to leave his car keys at the bottom of the Themes so the session was structured slightly differently, 3 hours paddling :). Hurley was still on 2 gates even though there has been no rain for weeks. I was working on my blunts as blunting on 2 is very different to the green 3 gates Hurley was on at Selections. It was a really cool training session with some big moves being thrown. At the end Den told us the plan for upcoming sessions. We will be given a plan that will be very similar to the GB team's. This means that our training will be more structured.
Many more paddlers turned up to GB selections for the British freestyle team than I expected on the sunny Saturday morning. This was my first time at selections so I was doing it for the experience. As with all freestyle kayaking events the briefing started slightly late. We were told that we would not get a practice run before our run. Super quick change time! I had half an hour on the water before the squirt kicked the competition off. My practice went well so I got off the water happy before getting a place on the bridge and watching the other competitors. The OC1s were very funny, nobody scored a point but hey, it was great entertainment. In the C1 we were surprised to find David Florence (silver medalist at Beijing Olympics) in the line up. He did well considering he is a slalom paddler and managed to get in the squad. Now it was my turn. I was feeling the pressure but my warm up helped me relaxe and I used the 'Circle of Excellence' to improve my performance. I managed 1 good ride but unfortunately flushed early in my other rides due to a very green 3 gate wave. In the end I came 13th. I believe that I could of finnished about 8th if I had another good ride. It was a brillient experience and I will definitely try my chances agin next year.
Whilst some club members had gone off in search of dammed water, four intrepid kayakers took on the mighty Axe! OK so the water was not exactly rapid but there was a large gathering of craft ready for the 2009 Axe race. Briefing over, on to the water, and away we go. The race start is split into age groups and type of craft with the longer canoes and sea kayaks starting last.
Trip Reports
Feed Entries 
The time had come... the opening of the new HPP. As the car stopped in the car park we all rushed out to have a look at the new course. It looked great with about 5 new features (any suggestions for new names?). One of the ideas behind the paddlefest was not to paddle your own boat but demo others, I could not wait to try the new biscuit (it is definitely a wave boat) and Big Dog Kayaks. The National Student Rodeo was also running which meant lots of students (all majorly hung-over by the looks of them) were also at the course. A few of the young burners were already on the course so we joined them and cartwheeled, splitwheeled and looped our way down the course (trying avoid all the swimmers from the duo final of the NSR)! After lunch we found that you could try a sprint C2 (queue scary music). It is a lot harder than they make it look at the Olympics. We decided it was definitly a summer sport. Sam and I managed to get about 20 meters before falling in for the first time and about 50m the second time (that was your fault Sam).
After Tom had announced he was leaving KJO last week Den and Dan were coaching us. Den had managed to leave his car keys at the bottom of the Themes so the session was structured slightly differently, 3 hours paddling :). Hurley was still on 2 gates even though there has been no rain for weeks. I was working on my blunts as blunting on 2 is very different to the green 3 gates Hurley was on at Selections. It was a really cool training session with some big moves being thrown. At the end Den told us the plan for upcoming sessions. We will be given a plan that will be very similar to the GB team's. This means that our training will be more structured.
Many more paddlers turned up to GB selections for the British freestyle team than I expected on the sunny Saturday morning. This was my first time at selections so I was doing it for the experience. As with all freestyle kayaking events the briefing started slightly late. We were told that we would not get a practice run before our run. Super quick change time! I had half an hour on the water before the squirt kicked the competition off. My practice went well so I got off the water happy before getting a place on the bridge and watching the other competitors. The OC1s were very funny, nobody scored a point but hey, it was great entertainment. In the C1 we were surprised to find David Florence (silver medalist at Beijing Olympics) in the line up. He did well considering he is a slalom paddler and managed to get in the squad. Now it was my turn. I was feeling the pressure but my warm up helped me relaxe and I used the 'Circle of Excellence' to improve my performance. I managed 1 good ride but unfortunately flushed early in my other rides due to a very green 3 gate wave. In the end I came 13th. I believe that I could of finnished about 8th if I had another good ride. It was a brillient experience and I will definitely try my chances agin next year.