Wet West Paddle Fest

Its that time of year again, Wet West Paddle Fest, a whole chunk of paddlers descend on Fort William for the annual Scottish Kayaker gathering. Although I should be taking some recovery time out, this is one event in the diary not to miss!

It's as much about the kayaking as it is the meeting of old and new friends, The SCA organise the rivers your friends do the rest!

More photos can be found at http://www.mysterymove.com/

Have Fun

Ben

The Brutal Reality Of Mortality

OK, I should be sat here telling you about all this awesome creek boating this summer's dishing out. Instead I'm sat rather uncomfortably off my face on pain killers! Why? because I did make the most of the summer creek boating...

...One sunny day, we all went off to do the Meltte, it was running at a good medium level, sun in the sky, the warm air making the river appear to steam, Perfect day! All over enthusiastic, I accidentally over boofed the first 15fter landing ever so slightly tail first with my whole body weight directly over the seat. I felt the impact, but didn't think it was so bad, thought I'd got away with it, carried on & paddled the rest of the river, infact went home and carried on same as normal. A week later I couldn't move...

A quick call in to see the doctor and i get sent off for X-ray with suspected compression of the spine. I was lucky no major damage, I had 'just' smashed my vertebrae into each other causing some swelling. My new found mortality has taught me two valuable lessons, if you want to boat hard you need to train hard! and the most valuable complacency is painful!

4 weeks on and i'm still not 100%, paddling is painful, but bizarrely biking is fine! which is handy coz I'd booked up a week in the Alps for some crazy DH fun!

Unfortunately I took a bit of a tumble and cracked a rib! sometimes you never learn!

Stay Safe, and if you cant do that at least have some fun...

Ben

The life of a Ti Vest

Me and my Ti Vest on the podium WorldCup2 Augsburg 2008, photo Timmy Raa

Whilst competing in the rafting high ender contest at the Thun RiverJam at the weekend my Ti Vest died, the left arm got ripped off! I was quite sad as my Ti Vest is one of my favourite Nookie products and reflecting back prompted me to write a few words to big up what is quite simply a superb product.
Whilst preparing for the 2003 Worlds in Graz I called Nookie HQ and asked for a shorty cag as I was expecting the weather to be good, "No more shorties, why not try a Ti Vest they are much better" was the reply I got. Like most people I am quite sceptical when other people try to change my mind, I wanted a shorty cag not a neoprene vest, but I bit the bullet and said I'd try it. That was one of the best kit decisions I have ever made, Ti Vests rock, quick drying, warm, easy on and off and nearly bombproof, mine lasted 5years and I have been boating a hell of a lot in the last 5years.

Plattling 2003, photo Dave Lambley

Penrith 2004 training for rodeo Worlds, photo Sarah Bell/Fishibusiness

Wakeboarding in Cornwall 2006, photo Steve Childs

Club wave, White Nile, Uganda 2006, photo Lilli Winter

Augsburg Eiskanal 2007, photo Lilli Winter

Rafting on the Vorderrhein 2007, photo Steffi Blochwitz

Augburg WorldCup 2008, photo Timmy Raa

I have worn my Ti vest in 2 World Championships, 2 World Cups, 1 European Championship, countless Eurocups, on 3 continents, for open canoeing, C1 paddling, surfing, wakeboarding and rafting. I guesstimate I paddle over 1000hours a year and most of that in warm, sunny places, Ti Vest places. My Ti Vest has lasted me 5years and maybe 3000hours on the water and now it is shagged, pretty good for £39.99 I would say. So my tip for the day is buy one here and now.
Paddle safe and enjoy life,
James
www.jamesweir.net