October!

Okay so yet again I haven't got round to posting!

Where to start, its been busy!

Instead of taking part in the GB FReestyle Selections on the weekend of the 8th and 9th I decided to take the opportunity that I had to complete my Level 2 Coach Training! It was my second of the two training weekends for the award and it was freezing! Having not yet got round to buying a drysuit it was very cold doing rescues in a two-piece!!!

To complete my level 2 I have 20 coaching sessions to run and an assessment to do! I'm hoping to be finished by the start of summer in 2012 so I can start cracking on with Level 3 once I'm 18!


Last weekend (15th/16th) was Pyranha Fest!!! It was my first year at Pyranha Fest this year and I can honestly say it was one of the best weekends of paddling I've ever had! We arrived on Friday night at around 10:30 just in time to wade through the knee-deep grass to find somewhere to pitch our tents. After that we headed into the event tent for some late beers and to watch the chaos unfold as the Uni Canoe Clubs were attempting to frontflip over a bench!

We had an early start the next morning to head up to the Upper Tryweryn for the first days paddling! I was using a Wavesport D65 as I have not yet bought myself a creeker. The boat was great and responded really well to however/wherever I wanted to paddle. Whether boofin' the 'Graveyard' or surfing Ski Slope wave. I was really happy paddling the boat and it made an enjoyable paddle at the end of the day down the Lower T to Bala Mill Falls and the campsite. I also had chance to test drive a Pyranha Burn M, its a fantastic boat and I now have my heart set on one! (just gotta pull some £££'s together!)

We headed into Bala town Saturday night to get some food from the pizza restaurant. On the way we came across some very intoxicated Welsh Rugby fans who were drowning their sorrows after losing their World Cup match; this was at 7:15! We later headed back to the campsite for the carnage of the Pyranha Fest party! There were even some people breathing/playing with fire outside the tent which was also good to watch. Many beers later the party finished at approx. 2:30am.

Everyone emerged from their tents much later on sunday morning and headed up to the Upper T again. The day was pretty routine again just rerunning the good sections! I managed to join in the King Of The Wave on Cafe Wave to finish off the weekend. I managed to stay in the wave for a while but unfortunately got flushed down river towards the end of the competition!

See if you can spot me in the red Wavesport D65, Palm Apex and Black Predator strutter helmet!