Fall report
Obviously we didn't have a wet fall in my home country... And when the Pyrenees were flooded I was stucked at home... But anyway I paddled on a couple of events and have just a few but memorable sessions!!
Traversée de Lyon + Teva BigAir
End of September, during the weekend in Lyon for the "Traversée de Lyon", famous photographer Paul Villecourt and his son Evan joined me in one of the World famous kayak wave "Hawai sur Rhône".
Hawai was at super low water level, but anyway it was good to paddle down, make some wavewheels and get wet a bit!!
Was actually the first time there for Evan who ran it few times and styled it like a pro!!
Next morning took place the "Traversée de Lyon", which bring together more than 1000 paddlers on canoes, kayaks, dragon boats, Vaa and Stand Up Paddle boards.
I competed to SUP race, it was a really hard race, 1h30 long and massively upwind so we had 0.5m waves coming up... Not that easy on a SUP board.
I was completely smoked at the finish line, I had a really hard period after 45minutes of racing and no water to drink...
I finished 3rd SUP overall and 1st in the 12'6 SUP class.
Right after the SUP race, I was competing at the kayak BigAir event.
We had to do the tricks the judges ordered us to do.
There were few of the world best kayakers there like Casper Van Kalmthout, Benny Marr, Mike Dawson and others
I went to the super final finishing 3rd after qualif but didn't manage to double kickflip which kicked me out of the podium.
Mat Coldebella finished 3rd, Ben Marr 2nd and our lovely dutchy Casper Van Kalmthout wan the contest with a massive backflip!!
Was a really good weekend in Lyon enjoying the Rhône river in different versions and definitely having fun with friends!!
Seeya next year!!
Right after the Lyon events (if you read till here, you know what I'm talking about) I stopped in Saint Pierre de Boeuf white water course on my way back home to enjoy a bit of their waves and holes.
Was good to spend a day there, visiting friends and paddling end of summer warm waters under a massive blue sky!!
It's so good to spend time for yourself enjoying water and feel the connection with at 100%.
Agout River Gathering
As every year, the last weekend of October took place the Agout River Gathering which is the oldest kayakers gathering in France.
They open the dam for the weekend so all kayakers and kayak clubs from all France drive to the little village of Brassac and paddle the Agout river.
Brassac in center south of France.
This year the weather was really cold, 2°C in the afternoon...
Few of my local kayak club members, Hugo, Marc, Gautier my brother, myself and Yannis.
Actually there's one rapid where every one stopped at least to wacth all the carnages and then paddle down the "Escalier de la Peyre" (a class 5 they said, but it's a 4+).
Due the really cold weather we only stopped there to take few photos.
I loved so much my Level6 kevlar mitts during the weekend!!
The grip is great and it's super warm!!
Well, once again we all had good times on the Agout river and I'll be back next year for sure!!
Thanks to the organizors for all the work they did!!
Hawaï sur Rhône - Nov. 27th
I spent my afternoon at Hawaï sur Rhône solo and without safety jacket, yeah shame on me I forget my PFD at home but for all of you DON'T PADDLE WITHOUT A SAFETY JACKET and even more solo like me...!!
The wave was at 950cubics it was just so perfect!!
In the night the water level rose up and we had massive level to play with friends!!
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