FJ Competition this weekend!

Hey there! This weekend is the NZ freestyle selections as well as a sweet event and coaching for everyone to enjoy! Come along and get some sweet pointers from some of NZ's best whitewater kayakers and have a go at competing on a great wave! This site is not open often so this is a great chance to get out and surf a sweet wave, learn some new tricks and compete in the event! You may even win some choice Hydraulics gear!!!

Cheers

Josh

Buller Fest

Alright so it has come and gone again for another year and I must say that it was amazing once again! This was my 9th Buller River Festival but this one was different! Unfortunately this year was my first year not racing due to recent shoulder surgery but I still made the trip and it was so worth while!!!

The weather came to the party for most of it and the sun roared down in between patches of classic Murchison fog and cloud. I left Hawkes Bay on Wednesday morning to pass by the Hydraulics HQ to pick up some spot prizes and some kit for the team and then made my way to the ferry in Wellington. After a meen feed with my bro and his flatties I met up with Sanga and Flick for the 2.25am ferry crossing. By 8am Thursday we made it to Murchison with no sleep and rearing to go for the weekend ahead. While everyone got ready and raced I did some last minute editing to a collaborative film Tyler and I would show that night. Mike D came in with the 1st place spot even though there was 3 others equally able for the spot.

The night kicked off with Zac, Keith and Dylan's East Waikaia Film and then we finished off the showings with a bunch of 2010 missions mixed in to make an epic flick! The rest of the night I will leave up to your imagination..

Saturday morning was the slalom race but a few of us decided to go rest our heads at Maruia Falls while some of the boys hucked it. Some interesting lines but no serious carnage.

Back at the camp people were getting restless for the party planned for the night. The theme was denim and the sneak peaks of costumes I had seen were epic! Again the rest can be left up to you imagination.

Sunday monrning got off to a slower start than the one before with some much needed cold juice and a pie before the events kicked off. This was the fun event and it came in the form for the first time this year as a cardboard cup. Competitors had to make a vessel out of cardboard and race down the river to the camp where we all watched from. it was very funny and entertaining!!

Prize giving went down a treat with some very stoked people winning sweet prizes from great companies such as Bliss-stick, Hydraulics, Skull Candy and many more!!!

THEN... as we were about to set down for a few hours sleep before an early start to make the 8am ferry home we realised that we did not fuel up and that we had 80km of Gas and 120km to the nearest gas station... We decided to get up a bit earlier and go for it and hope for the best. 4am we woke and began the nervous dash via Nelson to get gas! No trouble! We made the ferry and then 12.5 hrs later i made it back to Hawkes Bay where I set in for 2 days rest and recovery! Thanks Ben for once again outdoing yourself and producing a world class event!!!

Cheers to all the friends that come to this event! cant wait to see you all again in a few days, weeks or at Buller Fest next year!

Chur

Josh

Open Horizons Expedition join Team-H

Hey everyone we are Open Horizons a 2 man tandem sea kayaking team about to circumnavigate mainland Britain to raise awareness and money for the motor neurone disease association. Our names are Aaron Price (23 NZ) and Russell Belcher (23 England) and together with our kayak and a power kite we intend to paddle around Great Britain in 4 months sleeping on beaches and anywhere that will have us. We are both outdoor instructors with a Passion for kayaking and now with hydraulics behind us we have the best kit for the job.

Here is UPDATE 1

-Set to go! Good luck guys!

Just an update before we leave on our adventure Saturday, we have now spent a week together printing and laminating 109 maps of the whole coast of Britain as well as buying and sorting 4months worth of food, this consisted of packing each days rations of pasta and rice in individual bags which although sounds fun is in fact as enjoyable as watching paint dry, this week however has been interesting we've had the fun task of packing the kayak, a 22.5 foot Atlantis synergy is not as easy to find space for all our food as we first assumed its been a challenge but with all dry bags full and cereal bars bursting out of deck holes everywhere we are happy and ready to leave. Obviously were expecting British weather for launch day so rain, wind and more rain but it won't dampen our spirits, so with one huge thank you to hydraulics for all there help we are ready to paddle our way for charity.

Where is Tim Taylor now??

Yesterday would have been perfect for the crossing, but Tim had to wait for his replacement paddle to arrive from Christchurch. No matter, the weather was good to go for Saturday morning.

Tim's crossing was without incident, taking about 4 hours, after which he stopped for a break and then continued on to Waituna Bay on the western side of Stewart Island. Sixty three kilometres for the day wasn't a bad effort, and the sandflies were there to welcome Tim ashore.

A storm warning for the next few days will keep Tim ashore....there are no people on this part of the island, so he is going to get very bored.

For more go to www.nzkayaker.com

Lou Urwin Selected for 2011 Whitewater Grand Prix!!!

Looks like the next season is going to start with a roar! The Paddlers selected to compete in the 'Whitewater Grand Prix' have been announced...and I'm going to Quebec!

I'm stoked to have made the cut of 6 women to compete in the inaugural event taking place in Quebec, Canada from the 1st of May. 28 of the top kayakers from around the world will compete in 6 events, 3 big wave freestyle and 3 different extreme races over two weeks to take the title.

The website is sick, so check it out for more info on riders, events, pics, & more: www.whitewatergrandprix.com ....watch this space...

Cheers Lou!