WINDSURF TENERIFE 2026 PREDICTIONSWINDSURF TENERIFE 2026 PREDICTIONS AND FUERETEVENTURA RECAP!Well the events are coming so thick and fast the dust barely has time to settle before were rolling into the next one. We didnt get where we are today by sitting on the fencewhich, if were brutally honest, isnt actually that far, but were sticking with our picks. So its time to update your fantasy teams after we make some more bold calls with our 2026 Tenerife Predictions. Well also take a quick look at how our Fuerteventura Slalom X crystal ball performed now the results are in. Spoiler alertit wasnt a total disaster.Photos: Rafasoulart / PWACarter / PWATENERIFEThe forecast is looking solid after the weekend so expect to see some solid waves rolling into El Cabezo. We have not seen the all important draw yet so our predictions could go up in smoke if all our picks end up on one side of the draw. Tenerife favours the wave riding more than in Pozo but if its windy and one or two jumps counting then those with the perfect double and push forwards will definitely have the advantage over the wave riding specialists. Watch our for a rock called Godzilla which lurks on the inside at low tidea nasty chunk of lava best avoided!MEN1: Marc Par2: Philip Kster3: Marino GilWildcard: Liam DunkerbeckMarc ParMarc has won the past two events in Tenerife and, judging by the way he sailed in Pozo, hes absolutely flying. He was landing everything with clinical precision before the deteriorating conditions in the final prevented him from really showing his full hand. Were convinced there was plenty left in the locker.El Mdano is a place Marc knows inside out, hell have his equipment perfectly dialled in and, with Kster no longer competing at his home spot, were backing Marc to make it three Tenerife victories in a row.Philip KsterYou can never count Philip Kster out in the Canary Islands. Period.The forecast is looking promising, which should allow him to unleash his trademark double forwards and seemingly endless bag of wave-riding tricks. With his family surrounding him at the Canary Islands events, he always looks relaxed, but once the heat horn sounds, the switch flicks and the heavyweight moves start flying. We expect Kster to be in the mix.Marino GilMarino was a touch unlucky in Gran Canaria and we expect him to come into Tenerife with something to prove.After the PWA event finished in Pozo, he dominated the Spanish event in strong winds, throwing doubles, push forwards, takas, goiters and stylish 360s for fun. If he finds those conditions again, dont be surprised if hes got his hands on the silverware at the end of the week. Wildcard: Liam DunkerbeckThis events coveted Windsurf Wildcard goes to Liam Dunkerbeck.Hes improving at a frightening rate, has doubles on tap, throws massive back loops and his wave riding keeps getting stronger every event.Leaving Marcilio Browne out feels a bit like playing Russian roulette with your predictionsbut sometimes youve got to stick your neck out. If were wrong, well pretend this paragraph never existed.WOMEN1: Sarah-Quita Offringa2: Alexia Kiefer3: Justyna SniadyWildcard: Pauline KatzSarah-Quita OffringaWere backing Sarah-Quita to rediscover her best form in Tenerife.Daida Moreno was sensational in Gran Canaria but, from what weve heard, that will be her only appearance on the 2026 tour. That should ease the pressure slightly, while Sarah-Quita will hopefully have had more time on the water after arriving in Pozo underprepared due to the poor forecast beforehand.Never write off a 28-time world champion.Alexia KieferAlexia has finally finished her exams and should now be able to dedicate plenty of time to revision on the water before El Mdano.She could easily have won here last year had she landed her back loop in the final, while her vertical wave riding is among the very best on tour. If she puts together a clean heat, shes a genuine title contender.Justyna SniadyJustyna looks to be sailing better than ever.Weve recently seen her sticking huge 360s in Vargas, while her back loops and push loops on port tack are looking increasingly solid. Everything suggests shes arriving in Tenerife full of confidence. Hs Justyna got the mental strength to go all the waywe are not sure, but she will definitely be giving it her all in Tenerife.Wildcard: Pauline KatzPauline impressed us in Pozo with both her riding and jumping, and we think shell arrive in Tenerife carrying even more confidence after shaking off her recent injury.Shes undoubtedly got the talent and feels overdue a breakthrough podium. Dont be surprised if shes right in the mix come finals day.There is plenty more talent in the fleet too, so keep an eye on Sol Degriek, Lisa Wermeister, Marine Hunter and Line Wittrup.FUERTEVENTURA RECAPWellour crystal ball wasnt completely cracked!MENWe underestimated the firepower of Matteo Iachino and his NeilPryde/Starboard combination. Pierre Mortefon almost pulled off a remarkable comeback on the final day, but Matteo kept his cool and held on for a deserved victory.Our third-place pick, Jordy Vonk, struggled to find consistency in the nuclear winds despite showing flashes of brilliance, while wildcard Maciek Rutkowski recovered from a nightmare start to fight his way back onto yet another podium. You can never accuse Maciek of giving up quietly.Actual ResultsMatteo IachinoPierre MortefonMaciek RutkowskiAmado VrieswijkWindsurf PredictionsPierre MortefonMatteo IachinoJordy VonkWildcard: Maciek RutkowskiSarah-Quitas PredictionsAmado VrieswijkMatteo IachinoPierre MortefonWildcard: Maciek RutkowskiThe bold call of Amdo winning was not a million miles away and to be fair Sarah called all four names in the top four, but none in the correct order!WOMENThe womens predictions didnt quite go to plan either, although Jenna Gibson competing while battling a nasty virus certainly didnt help our cause. At full strength we still think she would have been right in the fight for victoryalthough Justine Lemeteyer might have something to say about that.We did at least nail Femke van der Veen in second, while 16-year-old Bobbi De Jong was undoubtedly the revelation of the event, finishing fourth despite her youth and relative size.Actual ResultsJustine LemeteyerFemke van der VeenJenna GibsonBobbi De JongWindsurf PredictionsJenna GibsonFemke van der VeenJustine LemeteyerWildcard: Blanca AlabauSarah-Quitas PredictionsJustine LemeteyerJenna GibsonMarion MortefonWildcard: Femke van der VeenSarah called the winner but elsewhere she failed to deilverat least we got all the three winners in the wrong order!The post WINDSURF TENERIFE 2026 PREDICTIONS appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

"YOU CAN'T RACE SAFE!" MATTEO IACHINO'S WINNING FORMULAYOU CANT RACE SAFE! MATTEO IACHINOS WINNING FORMULAAfter an incredible week of high-wind Slalom X action in Fuerteventura, Matteo Iachino emerged victorious following one of the most intense title battles ever seen on the PWA. From the mental challenge of protecting a lead to trusting his new equipment and racing flat-out when it mattered most, the Italian opens up about the highs, lows and emotions behind his latest PWA victory.WINDSURF: On the last day of racing, it looked like you had the event in the bag, but suddenly Pierre Mortefon was charging back. Talk us through that final dayMATTEO: The point is Id never experienced having such a big advantage before. Going into the second-to-last day I knew that a sixth place would probably be enough to secure the title because it was unlikely wed complete more than 12 eliminations.After finishing second in the first elimination, I felt like sixth place was basically enough, so I started thinking, Just take it easy and dont push too much. Up until then Id only had wins and second places, so I thought I just needed to bring it home.That was actually my mistake. The level is so high that as soon as you stop pushing 100 percent, you start making mistakes. The other guys arent backing oftheyre giving everything.On the final day I realised I had to change my mindset. In the last elimination I went full gas all the way through the quarter-finals and semi-finals. Only on the very last reach after the final gybe did I back off slightly because I knew I didnt need to take any unnecessary risks.WINDSURF: Did the inflatable obstacle (the sausage) in the final add extra pressure?MATTEO: Its always stressful because its another obstacle. You never know whether youre going to hit a wave at the wrong moment or end up in the worst possible place.But I train a lot for every possible scenario. I try to prepare for every X-factor, even the ones we dont always use on tour, so I felt confident.WINDSURF: Was battling Pierre for the title fun or stressful?MATTEO: Both. Pierre is an amazing competitor and I know he never gives up because Im exactly the same.There are so many good sailors now and the level is incredibly high, but in these kinds of conditions Pierre and I usually have a slight edge. I knew I had to be careful.It was stressful, but winning after a battle like that gives you a completely different feeling.WINDSURF: How did it feel coming down the final reach knowing youd done enough to win?MATTEO: It felt amazing. After that last gybe, knowing Id secured the world title, it was an unbelievable feeling.Its difficult to describe because all the hours in the gym, on the water, testing equipment and travelling all come down to one single moment. Its a mixture of fulfilment, relief, adrenaline and pure happiness!WINDSURF: What made this event so special?MATTEO: I think its probably the best event weve ever had.Ive never competed in such consistently windy conditions before. Until now my favourite event was Portugal in 2018, but this one beats it.It was windy every day, there were waves coming and going with the tides and Slalom X in those conditions is just incredible. Its so much fun, so much adrenaline and incredibly demanding physically.WINDSURF: How happy were you with your equipment?MATTEO: Im really pleased with how the gear worked.Ive been with Starboard for ten years so I knew what to expect from the boards..theyre amazing. Racing with the combination of Starboard boards and NeilPryde sails has always been a dream.I knew Id prepared well and felt fast, but until the racing starts you never really know. I definitely felt faster than in previous seasons and that makes everything easier.The whole package worked perfectly and Im really happy with my sponsors and my equipment.WINDSURF: How tough was the event physically, especially carrying all the gear up and down the hill?MATTEO: It was incredibly demanding. There wasnt a single easy day. Every race was hard, rough and intense.I used the 5.6m almost all week, apart from one elimination where I switched to the 6.5m Even in the final I probably should have been on the smaller sail.I train really hard and every year I try to improve the quality of my training, so I felt ready. Im still tired now, four days later. Luckily my friend Sebastian was with me helping carry the gear up and down the hill, which made a huge difference.WINDSURF: Do you have any speed or heart-rate statistics from the event?MATTEO: No. I actually take my watch off before racing because I often hit whatever Im wearing on my wrist during close racing.I wear it during training, but not during competition. I also dont want to be distracted by data while Im racing. I collect data all year round. I sail around 90 percent of the days and train in the gym four times a week, so I already know what to expect from my body.WINDSURF: What were the high and low points of the event?MATTEO: The turning point was definitely the third day.After winning both long-distance races back-to-back I knew I had a really good chance of winning the event. They were incredibly funlong enough to be challenging but still exciting, with rough water and great starts. Im not normally a huge fan of long-distance racing, but I really enjoyed those.The lowest point came on the final morning when I failed to qualify for the winners final. I had a poor start and made mistakes in the gybes because mentally I was trying to race safely. You cant race safely at this level. I had to stop, reset my mind and remind myself to attack again. Even after all these years thats never easy!WINDSURF: Was this the kind of racing you live for?MATTEO: Absolutely!This is exactly why I race. You couldnt ask for better conditionshowling wind every day, loads of eliminations, the obstacle, the long-distance races, the double gybes it was insane.Winning an event like this is another dream come true.Whenever Im training or suffering in the gym, this is exactly what Im imagining. These are the conditions I want to compete in, and to win in them makes it even more special!The post YOU CANT RACE SAFE! MATTEO IACHINOS WINNING FORMULA appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

NIKODEM MERLAK: EL CABEZO WARM UPNIKODEM MERLAK: EL CABEZO WARM UPAs the build up to the Tenerife World Cup intensifies, Nikodem Merlak has just dropped an action packed video to give a taster of what is in store. We hear the conditions in Tenerife have been firing and there are more wind and waves on the way!The post NIKODEM MERLAK: EL CABEZO WARM UP appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.

WORDS: IAN JONESIan JonesPHOTOS:Tommy Fasoli,Davide Longoni,Elena Luciotti,Brian Clough,Riversoul,Robinhood Watersports,Giorgio Schiavon &Tim MoorsThanks to: Davide Longoni and Tommy Fasoli of Riversoul the kayak and rafting centre in Valsesia https://www.riversoul.it/?lang=enRobin Hood Watersports Specialist Watersports Equipment www.roho.co.ukRead Ians previous expedition from Ecuador at: https://paddlerezine.com/the-piatua-ecuador/Old dogs, new tricksIm sat in the eddy below Mollia, watching as Brian floats over to me, both of us feeling pretty overwhelmed it seems smiles of relief or happiness? Mollia, on the Sesia River, Valsesia, a rapid of significance, so significant it was never on my radar.Until this year, video clips started appearing on various social media feeds at low levels. Um, I can see the line from a thousand miles away, sitting on my sofa, in a different country!Weve been on the Sesia for four days and have spent the last two with Tommy from Riversoul. Tommy has been showing us the river and coaching us to make better lines, to make use of the water and its features. The we is Brian and I; were sponsored paddlers these days, not cos of our ability, cos of our age pensioners.Mollia?Mollia has been mentioned in conversations over the past weeks. Today, not a word, not a murmur or any reference it doesnt exist, until We have just finished our second lap on the sprint, shouldered our boats, walked up the bank to the car park, dumped them, and debriefed the run. Weve been making lines, and the sun is shining in our world, when the mood shifts as Tommy asks, Mollia? Gulp! I answer first, after a couple of moments of thought, yeah. Brian, moments later, nods in agreement.Its been a good bit of kidology on Tommys part, carrying our boats away from the river, alleviating any pressure that could have been created by leaving them riverside, assuming we were going to run it. Tommy reaches for his phone. He needs to speak to Davide. We passed him and his group on the river earlier. The groups need to merge to ensure safety and line of sight.A long 20 minutes later, Davides group come into sight. Theres a bit of the usual river faff; were not the only ones to be running the rapid for the first time. I am asked a couple of times by people carrying their boats away from the river if I am running it; I mumble a response. I have already told Tommy that if I go quiet, theres nothing wrong; Im just processing. Theres a lot of processing to do.Back on the water, we float downstream to inspect from rocks on the rivers left, immediately above the rapid. We are told its difficult to see the line we have seen from the road at river level. I exit my boat, walk down the rocks, note my marker on the water, a ripple on the surface as it approaches the first drop. I dont speak to anyone; I have nothing to say. Its yes or no, and I have already made my decision. I just walk back to the Zet, climb in, adjust the ratchets and snap my deck in place.A signal from Tommy, now perched atop a rock, has line of sight to Davide at the bottom of the rapid, river right, with a throwline for the last stopper move, just in case, although at this level its not much of a keeper as it is when the river is higher.Drop into the first featureI break our into the slow-moving water, I see my marker and drop into the first feature, landing, I draw myself to the right and set my line for the crucial second drop, I need to land that one ok so I can be ready for the main event, a ramp of white water.Now Im not known for smiling much, but I am happy on the inside; I just dont always show it. Davide tells me later he saw me smiling as I emerged from the maw of white water the ramp creates. I knew I had the line; I wasnt going to make the flare, but I was stable and knew I could hit the stopper straight and punch it. I hear shouts and whoops of approval from the river bank as I float through a melee of boats. Turning round, I look back upstream and watch as Brian pilots the DRS down a similar route to my own.Young pupLater in the week, a friends son, Jacob Laing, runs the rapids at higher levels; hes 14, one of the young pups and is charging into his boating career. Brian and I, older by a considerable number of years, are more strolling, meandering through ours. Jacob tells me he wants to run it higher. I have no doubt that he will. I want to run it higher; I might. Jacobs skills are surpassing mine and his dad Mikes, but we can still grow better beards than he can, for now! Theres life in the old dogs yet!

Words: LIAM KIRKHAMPhotos: Small World AdventuresLiam KirkhamLiam Kirkhams lessons from the river 3Ive spent an ill-advised amount of time, money and energy on kayaking. Its taken me all over the world, and despite never being a great kayaker, Ive racked up a fair bit of experience. Im not kayaking as much as I used to, but looking back, I realise some of my biggest life lessons have been handed out by the river. Though that may say more about my lack of education than anything. I would like to share some of these lessons with you in a series of ten true stories. Expect tangents, pseudo-philosophy, solid advice and utter nonsense. Ill leave it up to you to decipher which ones are which.In February 2011, I was living on a boat in Exeter, and I happened upon an online video that I found so entrancing that I watched it on repeat several times.It was an advert for a company called Small World Adventures (SWA) that operates kayaking trips in Ecuador. Beautifully shot, it showed lush green jungle, challenging water, smooth boulders, shortie cags and monkeys! A far cry from the freezing cold barge I was watching from.The whitewater clips were mixed with interviews with the three owners, Don Beveridge, Darcy Gaechter and Larry Vermeeren. I actually felt pained at how much I wanted to go. I sent an email I want to come next year on a torrents trip! It was an email that, as I write this, I realise changed my life and paddling journey.January 2012I spent a year rewatching the video advert, and in January 2012, I flew out on my own to Ecuador for a two-week kayaking holiday. I had never had a paddling trip like it. It was such a smooth operation. As a teenager at outdoor centres, I idolised the instructors. I had the same feeling here. Larry, Don and Darcy lived and breathed their passion and work. I caught myself thinking I want this!So, on day two, I made a conscious effort to show them that I might be a guide. I was a customer, but I made sure I was always in a useful position on the river, and I managed to throw a line to a couple of swimmers. On the penultimate night, Larry, Don and Darcy said, We would like to offer you a job next season.I was ecstatic. I was also very tired after 14 great days on the water. The last river of the trip, hours after being offered a job, I had my first swim of the trip. I front crawled to the bank and found myself at Dons feet, who joked that I was already fired!I returned after a year with a brand-new Pyranha Shiva and a 100-litre kit bag, ready for four months work. I was the most junior member of the team filling the fridge, cleaning the boats, making the lunches and entertaining the guests were all part of the job. I loved it all.I learnt so many lessons in that first season from Don, Dacy and Larry. Let me give you one now.Larry VermeerenLarry Vermeeren began visiting Ecuador in the early 90s and set up SWA. He is one cool cat. He would spend his winters guiding and paddling in Ecuador, then working as a Grand Canyon raft guide. He wasnt the usual gregarious, showy, bouncy, loud template you may associate with outdoor guiding/instructing jobs. He is warm, gracious, quiet and stoic.Because of this, when he decided to speak, people would listen. His experience guiding on the river made it look effortless. An example: He would choose a beautiful, big eddy and sit there quietly smiling. One person would join him; hed quietly point out something on the bank. The rest of the group, aware they were missing something, would gravitate to the eddy. The nest you can see there is an Oropendola nest The group would take it in, and then, now they were in hearing distance, he would calmly say.The Next rapid is coming up. Just behind me (he wouldnt need to turn around) is a large black shape like a pyramid. As soon as I pass that, Im going to work hard to get all the way to the right to avoid a big hole in the middle of the river. Pass the black triangle rock, then drive right. Ok, lets go.For me, guiding was still a bit like herding cats. Booming voice, waving people frantically into eddies and then overcomplicating instructions. I was working with Larry one week when we reached a large rapid called El Torro on the Quijos River.It was the second day for this group, and they were chomping at the bit to paddle some of the bigger rapids on the river. We were on the side and inspecting the rapids. The group has gone quiet, taking in the biggest rapid they had seen so far this trip. Would you like to run a demo for the group, Liam? Asked Larry.Ill admit I was very keen to impress Larry and maybe even show off in front of the group. An ugly trait. Maybe in my eagerness, I didnt take in the details of the line very well. As I peeled out of the eddy, I could see the group all standing on the rock, ready to watch me style this rapid.I sat up straight and began my approach. As the flow began to speed up, I looked at the crowd. How was my form? I wondered.Demo feverI then started to wonder if they could see the precision of my strokes. I began to have an almost out-of-body experience that Ive since named demo fever.I was paddling the rapid, but I was also aware of how it would look from the groups perspective. I had split my focus. It was a sense of duality. I could see downstream, but could also envisage my line from the bank. That was until I was suddenly upside down. I rolled back up, but I was floating backwards downstream much further left than I should be. I chanced a look at the group. Mouths wide.I hit something and flipped again. This time my roll was laboured, and by the time I was up, another wave knocked me over. I was now gasping for air and panicking, and as a result, missed a couple of rolls whilst getting churned around.I felt the water slow. If I missed this roll, Id be swimming. I needed air. Luckily, I rolled up and took a big gulp of air. I could feel my face turning red with embarrassment and tried to override it with a big, large Im ok hand signal.The whole group shook their head, picked up their kayaks and walked the rapids. My abysmal display had stripped them of any confidence. Larry paddled over to me and kindly said, Sometimes a negative demo can be a positive thing. I could tell that once he knew I was safe, hed found the whole thing funny.FragmentedI thought about that demo and recalled how my focus has been fragmented. My mind had been busy wondering how I was making this look. Maybe some ego at play and a strange experience of not being present. I vowed it would not happen again. Liam, pay more attention, or, more poetically, lesson number 3 is simply Be here now.I got much better at running demos, guiding and paddling. A year later, I paddled with Larry in the Grand Canyon. A huge storm hit the camp, and tents were getting washed away. It was bedlam. I ran around the camp in the dark with a throw line, clipping all the kayaks together so they wouldnt be washed away. The next day, Larry said, Liam, youre a good person to have in a shit situation. I finally felt like Id made amends for the awful demo!I continued guiding with Small World Adventure until 2024 and never stopped being blown away by the whitewater. Im paddling less these days, but I imagine Ill go back to SWA as a customer in a couple of years! I think itll be fun to close the circle.Lesson 3: Be here now

Words: Jess Philip @dipper_paddle_boarding & @jessphipPhotos: Raju, Jess, Rich, Louise &KristnaJess PhilipWhitewater SUP in the land of giantsBefore the trip, people would bring up Nepal. So I hear you are going to Nepal? That sounds so cool. What are you doing out there? SUP? What really? Nepal is well known as the land of giants. Massive mountains, impressive views and big raging white water, hardly somewhere you would think is SUP friendly, but here we are, a motley crew of paddleboarders ready to see if we can survive what Nepal has to offer!Nepal is well known as a mountain and trekking destination, but it is also a bucket-list trip for whitewater kayakers and rafters seeking big volume and remote expeditions.A few years ago, I joined a group of kayakers on a 10-day trip. I had an amazing time and couldnt get the idea out of my head that these rivers would be amazing to SUP.Two years laterIt almost didnt happen, but two years later, I managed to convince enough people to come along. No, youre not going to die. Yes, its good for SUP. I know it feels expensive, but its going to be such a great trip. Day one on the Trisuli, I was grinning from ear to ear; it was actually happening!The crewWe had eight paddlers from all over the UK and the Czech Republic.There was a wide range of abilities and ages, with each person bringing different things to the team. This is one of the things I really enjoy about paddle sport. You may be paddling as an individual with your own aims and aspirations, but youre also part of a team or river family, providing support and keeping each other safe.We were also joined by local guides from Paddle Nepal, who provided safety and guidance.During the trip, we paddled four different rivers in the Bagmati and Gandaki regions of the country. These rivers were close to the city of Kathmandu and the town of Pokhara. So not that remote by Nepal standards, but they still had a wild feel, with many of them off the main roads.TrishuliThe Trishuli is a big-volume, wave-train river, with most of it being grade 2/3, with a few harder rapids at 3+. Raju, our guide, would say Nepali 2+! This river is often used to acclimatise paddlers to the nature of Nepali rivers.After a two-hour bus ride, which wound and bounced its way down from Kathmandu. We were all ready to get paddling. We had spent the previous two days resting and exploring Kathmandu, so we were all raring to go. After packing our kit for the next five days into the raft, we were off.Day one on the Trishuli was a lot of fun, with a wave train to paddle, which let us warm up and play. That first day, I spent the whole day with a big grin across my face: Its actually happening! There were a couple of swimmers in the team. From taking in the scenery and forgetting that there was a large wave coming!That first night, we were camped on a large sandy beach opposite the main Kathmandu-to-India Highway. Rather than the continuous roar we would have expected, there was only the steady grumble of colourful lorries on the dirt road and occasional tuneful beeps from them passing one another.Three larger rapidsDay two stepped up with three larger rapids and more continuous wave trains. These three rapids were Upset, Surprise, and Mugling. Upset was a short but powerful rapid with large holes framing a fast-flowing tongue of water. This one we inspected and lapped. With Kristyna and me getting clean lines through. Surprise and mugling were long-wave-train rapids with some large holes dotted around. These were read and run with most of the team making it through Surprise, and only Rich with a clean line through Mugling after the edge of a large hole caught a few of us.Dam projectBetween Surprise and Mugling, there was a beautiful, calm float through a deep gorge before rounding a corner where a dam project is underway; the large concrete structure created an imposing gate, foreboding an uncertain future for this section of the river. Two years ago, the guides sounded hopeful that the project would be rejected, but now they seem resigned to the fact that big money has overruled the local communitys wishes.That night, the camp was on a large sandy beach next to Paddle Nepals permanent camp. We had a surprise visit from a flock of goats and their shepherd, who resembled a walking bush, covered in vegetation.Lower SetiThe next two days were spent on the lower section of the River Seti. This was much more familiar, with a lower-volume feel and easier-graded rapids. Once we left the get-on, the river felt more remote than the Trishuli, with much more wildlife and jungle vegetation lining the riverbank. A highlight was the meeting of the chalky-white Seti Gandaki with the crystal-blue Madi Khola.Day One of the Seti, we were back to playing and messing around with lots of eddies to catch and plenty of rocks to jump or splat, while we enjoyed the mountain views.Day two started with vultures circling the river; I never realised how large they were until seeing them in person.The flow steadily picked up with more technical boulder garden (three) rapids, finally finishing back on the river Trishuli with the infamous swirly coffee pot rapid.Lower MarsyandiThis river was our rest day, with some of the team choosing to explore Nepals largest cave instead. Last time I was out, we paddled a more challenging section that was great fun. I had thought we were doing this one again, so I had briefed the team to be ready for a challenging run, only to realise halfway through that it was a different, much more relaxing section. At the time, I was a bit disappointed as it was my favourite section of the last trip, but looking back, it was a lovely rest day with some playful rapids. The group needed to recover before the last expedition of the trip.Before our last river, we had a night in Pokohara with a chance to reset, explore the busy streets, and eat some dodgy pizza.Kali GandakiWe paddled the river over three days from Sahasra Dhara to the dam at Mirmee. The river was a mix of all the rivers we had done before, with a higher volume than the Seti, but with some technical features thrown in.Day one included the two biggest rapids, Little Brother and Big Brother. Little brother was a grade 3+ rapid with a grade 4 swim consequence due to the chicken farm sewage entering the top of the rapid! A lot of us walked it due to this, but Kristyna and Devan went for it. I think it is the fastest Ive seen Devan get back on his board after a fall. We portaged Big Brother. Below the Brothers, the river was a fairly continuous grade of 2/3 all the way to camp. Sadly, Niamh had a bad fall on one of the shallow rapids, so she had a ride in the raft.We were all happy that a raft travelled with us; it allowed us to paddle unhindered by heavy expedition kit, particularly in the more challenging sections. This also allowed the Paddle Nepal team to pack and prepare some very tasty dinners each night. Dhal Bhat and Pasta with chips were some of the teams favourite meals. It was lovely not to be the person responsible for preparing food. It gave us time to explore and bask in the sun at camp, which is a weird feeling, as I am often a guide on trips, so I had to remind myself a few times that Im on holiday!Day two brought the longest day of the trip, with 30km of fairly continuous grade 2/3 water.This was one of my favourite days of paddling, with lots of interest from the rapids and time to enjoy the impressive scenery. That day, we all finished tired and ready for a rest at Camp. It was sad, though, that this would be our last night on the river. The trip had flown past so fast.Day three on the Kali Gandaki was a calm float out to the dam. On the last day, we messed around, encouraged some of the Paddle Nepal team to have a go on the SUPs, and tried rowing the rafts. They did really well, with Som showing us his step-back turn skills.What board to choose?For this trip, I was looking for a board that would carry some speed and enough rocker to lift over large waves, yet still be responsive to quick changes in direction. Last trip I took the Hala Acha 86, which did well but lacked speed in the big volume rapids. Hala very kindly sent me their Hala Radito for the trip, and I was very pleased with how it responded to the environment. If you ever go out to Nepal, I would definitely recommend this type of board.Last adventureAfter the river, we spent one last night in Pokhara. Here we parted ways with Devan and Kristyna, who spent another week trekking to the Anaperna base camp. The rest of us had a very long 10-hour van ride back to Kathmandu, which should have taken six! We think the driver had just got a new van and was driving very slowly as he was still very protective of it. By the end, we were getting stir crazy and giggling at the most random things.If anyone is thinking of heading to Nepal to SUP, I would highly recommend it. It is a place that suits a range of abilities, but you definitely need to be open to a different culture and camping by the river. The experience on and off the water is an adventure worth exploring. Feel free to get in touch if you want any information.Supporters and sponsorsHala gear SUPAinsworth PaddlesNova SUPTambo SUPNookieSupported by Paddle NepalThe Team@barryhugespaddlesport@dolomite_training@dev_sups@the_supsessed_paddler@rich_ontheroad@supkristynab@louise.royal.paddler

WORDS & PHOTOS:KRISTOFFER VANDBAKKWWW.NORWEGIANSEAKAYAKING.COMAbout Kristoffer Vandbakk Kristoffer Vandbakk leads sea kayaking trips and courses. He offers everything from introductory to advanced courses through the Norwegian Paddle Federation (NPF) and all ISKGA courses. He also guides trips across various locations in Norway.Norwegian Sea Kayaking, the company he operates, specialises in high-quality sea kayaking instruction and guided expeditions. With a focus on safety, skill development, and adventure, the company provides courses and trips that showcase Norways stunning coastal landscapes.Sea Kayak GuidingHow sea kayak guides actually decideAnd why the leadership theory that most textbooks teach has been answering the wrong question.You are sitting 50 metres off the beach and have chosen to camp tonight. The swell is bigger than the forecast suggested. Sets of three or four steeper waves arrive with quieter water between them, breaking on the sand in a dumping wave that runs almost to the high-water line. Your group of six has been on the water for seven hours; the next sheltered beach is fourteen kilometres further on, the light is going, and behind the dunes, you can see the flat ground where the tents will go.You call the orderYou did not, in those ten minutes, compare three options against six criteria. You did not consider whether the moment called for transformational leadership or for servant leadership. You looked at the water, recognised what kind of beach this was, and acted.This is not a failure of method. It is the method, and a research literature that began in the 1980s describes it precisely. The trouble is that the literature is mostly read by aviation safety researchers, naval officers, and decision scientists, and is largely absent from the books that working sea kayak guides read.What the textbooks teachThe dominant tradition in adventure leadership writing comes from general management theory. Its central claim is that leaders work in styles situational, transactional, transformational, servant and that the skill of leadership is choosing which style fits which situation. The model has been useful in business schools for half a century, and outdoor leadership writing has inherited it largely intact.The standard outdoor leadership textbook on most reading lists, Priest and Gasss Effective Leadership in Adventure Programming, asks the outdoor leader to read the situation and choose the appropriate style. Other widely used texts sit in the same tradition. Leadership is a toolkit of approaches; the leaders task is to pick the one that fits the moment.The sea kayak literature, meanwhile, has mostly avoided leadership theory altogether and stayed technical. The canonical texts, from Derek Hutchinsons onwards, cover strokes, rescues, navigation, and conditions. Where leadership appears, it usually appears as a chapter on group management or trip-leading procedure rather than as a model of how guides actually decide.The technical and the leadership traditions, between them, leave a gap. The working guide who reads them all comes away with a careful training in the substrate of guiding, and a leadership-style model that does not describe the ten-minute beach landing they just made. The existing books are not wrong about what they cover. They are answering a different question from the one a working guide most needs answered: how do I decide, on this water, in front of these people, in the next ten minutes?A different research traditionIn the early 1980s, an American psychologist named Gary Klein went to a fire department to study how fireground commanders made decisions in the field. The classical decision theory of the period held that experts evaluated multiple options against multiple criteria and chose the best one. Klein expected to document this process and write up the result.The commanders, when interviewed, said they did nothing of the sort. They did not compare options. They did not weigh alternatives. They looked at the fire, and they knew what to do. Klein initially did not believe them and probed harder. Eventually, he realised they were telling the truth.Faced with a burning building, the experienced commanders recognised the situation as similar to fires they had seen before, retrieved a course of action that had worked in those previous fires, and acted. In the rare cases where the first action did not seem right when they mentally rehearsed it, they discarded it and tried the next one. They almost never compared.Recognition-Primed Decision-makingKlein called this Recognition-Primed Decision-making, and the broader research field that grew up around it is now called naturalistic decision-making. Over four decades, the framework has been validated across domain after domain aviation, the military, anaesthesia and emergency medicine, firefighting, naval operations. The pattern is consistent. In time-pressured, information-poor, high-stakes domains, experts do not deliberate. They recognise.The model has three levels. At the simplest, the situation is recognised, the action retrieved, and executed. This accounts for the majority of expert decisions. When the situation is less clear, the expert investigates further before recognising and acting. When an action has been retrieved but is uncertain, the expert mentally rehearses it before committing to it and modifies or abandons it if the rehearsal goes badly. What experts almost never do, except in the slow, low-stakes parts of their work, is generate multiple options and compare them.The finding has consequences. If the work of an expert is pattern recognition, then expertise is built by the slow accumulation of patterns. The path to becoming an expert is varied practice, with feedback, over time. Techniques are useful they are the building blocks of patterns but they are not the work.Why does this fit sea kayakingSea kayaking sits squarely within the domain Kleins research was designed to describe. The decisions are time-pressured: the wind shifts now, not in twenty minutes when you have finished comparing options. The information is incomplete: you cannot see the back of the surf zone from the seaward side, you cannot see what the next set will be like, and you cannot read every participants inner state from the outside. The conditions change while you are deciding. The stakes are real.A few examples make the caseThe surf lands on a camping beach. The opening scene of this article. The leader who tries to compare three options on six criteria is still in the impact zone when the next set arrives. The leader who recognises the kind of beach they are looking at a familiar pattern of swell and run-up, a familiar group composition, a familiar pressure of fading light calls the order and acts.The tide race. The flow is at full ebb. Standing waves run through the gap, steep but not breaking, the line through the green water visible if you know where to look. Your group is in the eddy behind a headland; the slack will end in 20 minutes, and you cannot loiter on the far side. There is no time to compare strategies. There is time to recognise the kind of race you are looking at, retrieve the kind of plan that has worked before, and execute.The capsize on a lee shore. Cold water, a swimmer, the rest of the group exposed, the rocks downwind. The question of whether you are being transformational or servant-style at this moment is, charitably, beside the point. You have seen this pattern, or close enough variants of it, before. You know what gets prioritised first, what second, what third. You do not deliberate. You act.The brief on the beach. The time pressure is gentler here, and there might seem to be room for deliberation. Experienced guides, however, deliver briefs the way fireground commanders fight fires. They have done this before. They recognise the kind of group they have, retrieve the appropriate brief, and deliver. The brief is a pattern; the guide who has briefed five hundred groups is selecting from a library, not generating options.Day three of a five-day trip. The arc of a multi-day expedition has its own physiology and its own psychology. The fatigue accumulated by day three is not the fatigue of day one. The argument that has been simmering between two participants since the launch will surface today or in two days. The participant who has been holding it together will release some of what they were holding, often at dinner. None of this is a crisis; it is the arc. The experienced guide recognises which aspects of what they are seeing are features of the arc and which are problems to address. The novice cannot tell.In none of these examples is the question What kind of leader should I be? In every example, the question is what is happening, and what do I do? The first is the question that style theory is built to answer. The second is what Kleins framework is built to answer. Sea kayaking decisions are mostly the second kind.What this changesIf guiding is pattern recognition under fatigue, several things follow about how we should train and develop guides.Practice produces expertise but only practice that varies enough to build pattern variety. Fifty repetitions of the same Sunday afternoon trip teach the guide less than ten varied ones across different coasts, conditions, and group compositions. Variety is the substrate of pattern recognition; without it, the recognition that is built is narrow and brittle.Reflection is essential. Pattern recognition without feedback tends to drift toward confidence rather than accuracy. The patterns the guide builds will be wrong in some places, and only honest, structured reflection surfaces the wrongness. The After-Action Review developed by the U.S. Army is the cleanest debrief structure I have encountered, and it works because it asks the questions that pattern correction requires.The premortem is a real tool. Kleins later research produced a planning technique that derives directly from this framework. Imagine the trip has already gone badly. What specifically went wrong? At what hour of which day?What did we miss? The exercise surfaces around 30% more failure modes than the standard prospective question because the prospective frame engages the optimistic part of the planners mind, while the retrospective frame engages the part that has actually seen things go wrong. Done in 15 minutes before a trip, it catches things no checklist will.Apprenticeship is not optional. Style-based training can be done in a classroom; pattern-based training cannot. The guide who has paddled four hundred days alongside more experienced guides has a pattern library of a different order from the guide who has read 400 pages about leadership styles.Reflective practice is a career-long discipline rather than an exam to pass for certification. A striking finding in the wider research is that poor leaders consistently rate themselves as effective. The same self-assessment failure operates among sleep-deprived leaders, leaders whose technical edge has begun to slip, and leaders who have stopped asking for feedback. The defence is structural peers who will tell you the truth, debriefs that ask hard questions, and a practice of returning to ones own decisions long after the trip is over.The ten minutesBack to the beach. The ten minutes in which the order is called, and the group lands clear of the surf, is, in a sense, the whole working life in compressed form. Everything that has happened up to that moment the years of varied practice, the debriefs after trips that went badly, the day spent paddling with a more experienced guide who pointed out something you had not seen before, the deliberate pattern-building that has turned a hundred shore-breaks into a single recognisable category is what makes the ten minutes possible. The classical decision-theory model would have you generating options and comparing them; the water would not wait for you. Kleins framework tells you why you do not need to.It also tells you what to do next. After the trip, while the patterns are still fresh, you sit down and ask yourself the questions that turn experience into expertise. What did I read correctly? What did I read wrong? What did I learn that I could not have learned by reading? Over the years, this practice produces a guide of a different kind not one who has more techniques, but one who sees more.The work, on this account, is not a kit of styles. It is the slow accumulation of pattern, the honest examination of what worked, and the quiet acceptance that you will be a better guide in five years, not because you will have learnt more techniques, but because you will have seen more water.

WORDS:LISA DREWEPHOTOS:LISA DREWEBioLisa is an award-winning outdoor writer, paddler and guidebook author, best known for her Paddleboarding book series published by Wild Things Publishing. She has explored hundreds of routes across Britain by paddleboard and kayak and writes regularly for outdoor and paddlesports publications.https://www.islandeering.comRead Lisas prior post on ten of the best paddling routes in London and thr South East at:https://paddlerezine.com/10-best-paddling-routes-in-the-se/Five family summer paddlesSummers here, and its the perfect season to get the family on the water. These five paddles combine gentle adventure, wildlife, and exploration.In Newquay, the Gannel estuarys calmer waters offer a scenic trip in beautiful turquoise waters. Abercastle and Ynys y Castell let kids explore craggy islands, peek into sea caves, and enjoy the charm of a small, historic fishing harbour. West Merseas tidal creeks and oyster-rich islands are perfect for short trips or longer adventures, with birds, boats, and beaches to keep everyone entertained.Wimbleball Lake offers sheltered waters, rolling hills, and wildlife encounters, while Loch Morars mirror-like waters and small islands give a taste of Highland adventure without long or challenging paddles.Here are five favourite family paddles to make the most of summer on the water in the UK.1. Newquay, the Gannel (6.5km return)Shallow and with vibrant green-blue lagoons, the Gannel estuary is a safe family paddle on lower tides, with a stunning higher-tide option for the intrepid, almost into Newquays centre.Launch at the northeast end of Crantock Beach and head upstream, then immediately pass the Fern Pit ferry boathouse, taking care when paddling over the submerged footbridge at the base of East Pentires cliffs.Cross the mouth of Penpol Creek on the right and look out for ancient rotting vessels the river was an important passage for the schooners and barges that ferried coal and timber up to Trevemper Bridge.Continue upstream, avoiding another hazard: the submerged Penpol footbridge, which crosses the Gannel at low water. Hotels and large houses spill down the north bank of the river, with pasture and woodland on the south.On the approach to Newquays boating lake, glide through a peaceful salt marsh home to wading birds and salt-loving plants. Turn around at the footbridge south of the A392 (or before, depending on tide and time), then return to Crantock Beach for fresh crab and lobster from the Fern Pit Ferry Caf.Access restrictions: No licence requiredStarting point: Crantock Beach TR8 5RE. Grid ref. SW 7887 6110 (50.4080, -5.1134).Parking: Crantock Beach Car Park (NT), Beach Road, Crantock, TR8 5RN.Pitstops: Great coffee and cake from a converted army truck on the beach, Cargo Coffee, tel. 07976 238548; delicious crab sandwiches and views, Fern Pit Caf, tel. 01637 873181.Lessons, hire, tours: Big Green Adventures, Crantock Beach, tel. 01637 479279.Getting there: Exit Newquay on A392, right at second roundabout onto A3075 (Goonhavern), then right again following signs to Crantock Beach. Height restriction barrier at Crantock car park (2.1m), open when the car park is attended (09:00-17:00, April to October). Very busy during summer; alternative private parking nearby.Special points: Full journey upriver best paddled on a spring six-metre plus tide. At high tide, buoys mark the position of the two underwater footbridges. Generally sheltered from a north wind, but east and west winds can funnel along the estuary. Avoid the estuary mouth where a rip current is created when the tide turns or when sand bars start to appear. Crantock beach area is best paddled 90 minutes either side of high tide.FULL Route map: www.islandeering.com/paddleboarding-newquay-the-gannel/2. Abercastle and Ynys Y CastellA craggy islet at the mouth of family-friendly Abercastle Bay, Ynys y Castell is a fun island to paddle around. Abercastles charming historic harbour once exported local slate and grain, limestone, butter, honey, corn, and coal, and today, managed by Abercastle Boat Owners Association, is busy with colourful fishing and leisure boats.The entrance to this long rocky inlet is guarded by the rugged and wild islet of Ynys y Castell, where a promontory fort crowns the islands high point.To circumnavigate the island, leave Abercastle beach and head through the moored boats to reach the small channel between the south tip of the island and the mainland. There is a cave to look into on the east side of the island.If conditions permit, continue anti-clockwise around the base of the tall cliffs, exploring its rocky inlets, to find another large cave on its western side. The trip can be extended, if conditions permit, to Ynys Deullyn, a short distance north-west of the inlets entrance.Starting point: Abercastell Beach, Abercastle, SA62 5AF. Grid ref. SM 852 336; What3Words relatives.restore.crumple; Lat/long 51.960, -5.127.Parking: Limited (charges) next to the slipway to the beach.Getting there: A87 south of Goodwick/Fishguard; right to Mathry, through village to top of Mathry Hill; right at T-junction and follow road (ignoring multiple junctions) to Abercastell. Follow the road downhill, turn right in front of the white house (before heading uphill) to follow the river to the harbour.Special points: Protected bay from all but north winds; check Surfline (https://www.surfline.com) at nearby Abereiddy for local conditions. Best on a rising tide, two hours either side of high water, as the bay can drain out all the way to the island, but north of the island can be explored at any state of the tide in calm conditions.Offshore wind: south east in the bay, south around the island.FULL Route map: www.islandeering.com/paddleboarding-abercastle-and-ynys-y-castell/3. West Mersea (various distances)Launch from the Town Hard at West Mersea and explore the tidal waters and hidden creeks of the Strood Channel, perfect for both short paddles and longer explorations.Head downstream (left) past lines of moored boats, soaking up the nautical atmosphere of the harbour, before reaching Packing Shed Island (1.6km return). Here, an oyster-shell beach and the restored 19th-century Packing Shed recall the islands historic oyster industry, when Mersea Natives were prized across Europe.For a longer journey to The Strood (5.2km return), head upstream (right) from West Mersea Beach along Strood Channel. Pass weathered boathouses with salt-worn facades and the eerie remnants of historic oyster beds. Low-lying Ray Island rises just above the water on the left, its salt marshes and tidal flats teeming with oystercatchers, shelducks, and sea lavender.After about 2.5 km, the Strood causeway appears, a tidal link to the mainland often submerged at high tide, becoming lively during the Round the Island Race when crews lift their boats across it. The route combines history, wildlife, and scenic charm, and after the paddle, West Mersea offers fresh seafood as a perfect post-paddle treat.Access: Access restrictions: No licence required.OS map: OS Explorer 184 Colchester, Harwich & Clacton-on-Sea.Parking: Coast Road car park (charges), Coast Road, West Mersea, CO5 8PB. Grid ref. TM 000 129; What3Words guesswork.precluded.silently.Launching: Town Hard opposite West Mersea Yacht Club.Pitstops: Seafood heaven, The Company Shed, West Mersea, (must book ahead, tel. 01206 382700); delicious food and great vibes, Waterfront Pizza, West Mersea, tel. 07493 184037.Lessons and hire: Mersea Island Watersports, tel. 01206 381859.Getting there: Cross The Strood and follow B1025, then Coast Road to the car park on the left (in front of West Mersea Yacht Club).Special points: Best paddled 2-3 hours either side of high water to avoid a muddy walk back up to the hard. The ebb tide drains quickly around The Strood, where the flow concentrates in the channels around mid-tide onwards. Check wind, tide and swell conditions on Surfline surfline.com at nearby Walton-on-the-Naze.Offshore wind: North west when visiting Packing Shed and Cobmarsh islands.Full route map: www.islandeering.com/paddleboarding-west-mersea/4. Wimbleball Lake, SomersetSurrounded by the rolling hills of Exmoor National Park, this beautifully situated reservoir offers plenty of opportunities for exploring, with waterside camping and a caf nearby.The lake is a wildlife hotspot, and youll glimpse a range of wildfowl on the water, iconic Exmoor red deer browsing on the lakeside, and, if youre lucky, a very special butterfly.The small pearl-bordered fritillary, which is orange and brown with white pearl markings and black chevrons on its hind wing, may be spotted around the northern arm of the lake beyond Bessom Bridge.Apart from wildlife watching, the Activity Centres offer a range of water sports with tuition from qualified instructors and equipment hire, or you can launch your own craft. There is also a network of paths and cycleways around the lake.Wimbleball is a designated Dark Sky Discovery Site with telescopes for hire. Stay at the campsite here, and on clear nights, youll witness the amazing starry skies of Exmoor, Europes first International Dark Sky Reserve, and possibly catch sight of the brown, long-eared bat.Access restrictions: Self-launching costs 9 per craft per day; third-party insurance is required; book online at www.swlakestrust.org.uk/book-your-holiday. To paddle outside of the rescue area or rescue coverage times, you must adopt a buddy system.Starting point: Wimbleball Lake Activity Centre, Dulverton TA22 9NU. Grid ref. SS 9688 3079 (51.0671, -3.4731).Launching: Pontoon/beach 150m walk from the car park.Parking: Next to the activity centre.Pitstops: Great coffee and delicious homemade millionaires shortbread adjacent to the campsite; Coffee Couture, tel. 01398 371460.Lessons, hire: Wimbleball Lake Activity Centre,tel. 01566 771930.Getting there: From Minehead, head east on the A39 to Washford Cross, turn right onto the B3190 towards Bampton, then, after the B3224, turn right,signed Wimbleball.Special points: No mobile phone signal anywhere on the lake; use the buddy system.Full route map: www.islandeering.com/paddleboarding-wimbleball-lake/5. Loch Morar, HighlandNestled beneath the towering mountains of Lochaber, Loch Morar offers a spectacular setting for paddleboarding around its islands, including Eilean Ban, An t-Eilean Meadhoin, Eilean a Phidhir, and Eilean nam Breac.Launching from the northern shore near the western end of the loch, paddlers can enjoy the calm, mirrored surface of the loch as it stretches from the River Morar to the remote eastern reaches.The loch is famous not only for its islands but also for its depth at 310 metres, it is the deepest freshwater loch in the British Isles and for Morag, a rarely sighted, possibly mythical aquatic creature. Wildlife sightings are far more common, from otters and red deer to golden eagles and the elusive sea eagle.Paddling around the islands, youll encounter jagged rock formations, trees clinging to steep cliffs, and a sense of prehistoric isolation. Though its best to avoid disturbing wildlife by landing on the islands, observing their rugged beauty from the water is enchanting.Loch Morars western end provides safe entry points and gentle conditions for relaxed paddling, while the remote eastern stretches promise a more challenging and adventurous expedition.Starting point: Getting there, A830 south of Mallaig, then left onto B8008 following signs to Bracara/Morar. Turn left at Loch following the Bracara Road along the north shore for 1.3km to find limited verge parking close to the grid ref. NM 697 932; Lat, long: 56.972, -5.790.OS map: OS Explorer 398 Loch Morar and Mallaig.Pitstops: Fabulous homemade bread and snacks at The Bakehouse and Crannog, Mallaig.Special points: Be mindful of a north wind, as if caught on the south side of the loch, there are few exit points.Full route map: www.islandeering.com/paddleboarding-loch-morar/

WORDS:DEL CLAREPHOTOS:Michael Karsten, Dominic Wagner, Paul Robertson, Ana Jan Nieto, Becky Green & ManuelaDel Clarehttps://delkayaks.co.uk @del_likes_kayakingPalm and Pyranha Park Jam goes to Hohenlimburg, GermanyBy happy surprise, I attended the Palm and Pyranha Park Jam event in Hohenlimburg, Germany, at the end of May. Having joined UK Park Jam events for the last three years, I was excited to participate in the German Park Jam, which first ran in 2025 and has a fantastic reputation. This was both my first Germany Park Jam and the first event of the 2026 Park Jam series.We had a wonderful time in Hohenlimburg, and I felt so happy to get a glimpse of the awesome kayaking community in Germany. It was a really special day, and I wanted to write an article to share some of the highlights with you all. Before diving into the details, I should mention how I became involved in the event.I was added to the Park Jam team at the last minute for two reasons. Firstly, I was kayaking in Valsesia (Italy) for the week and had become stranded there due to car problems. Luckily, my friend Chips (Andy Kettlewell), whom I had been kayaking with, said he could take me home to the UK but via Germany for Park Jam.Secondly, Adrian Mattern, who was expected at Park Jam, had to withdraw due to injury shortly before the event. I took his place, even though Im neither German nor a Red Bull-sponsored athlete, and embraced the role of Adrian 2.0 for the day. Id like to think the kids hardly noticed the swap!Despite the last-minute change, I was genuinely thrilled to attend Hohenlimburg Park Jam!Arrival at HohenlimburgWe arrived in beautiful sunshine it was another hot summers day, and everyone was eager to get on the water!As this was my first time at the Wildwasserpark Hohenlimburg, the whitewater course, I was excited to check it out. It is a gentle whitewater course, quite long and narrow, with plenty of small features to keep you occupied.It reminded me very much of our UK course at Northampton Active, which is a firm favourite spot of mine. A lovely place to have fun and introduce people to kayaking.We met the Palm and Pyranha team: Becky Green, Zach Flatt, Lars Ellersdorfer, and Andy Kettlewell (Chips), with Cheesy and Manuela from Palm supporting. Everyone jumped in to set up flags, banners, and the Palm stall.The Palm and Pyranha Park Jam at Hohenlimburg is jointly organised by Deutscher Kanu-Verband (DKV),Germanys national canoe federation, along with Palm and Pyranha. Volunteers from DKV and the local canoe club in Hohenlimburg prepared for the day, giving us a chance to chat and connect before the start.Germanys kayaking scene seems to be very club-oriented, especially in supporting younger paddlers. The canoe club from Hohenlimburg was a close-knit group, but this was true of many of the attendees for the day. Groups started to arrive, and it was clear that most paddlers had attended as part of their canoe club. There were so many teenagers, and it was fantastic to see them all excited to be together and to see their friends from other clubs. The energy before we even got on the water was infectious!One of the German freestyle team, Philip, had come along to say hi, so I took him with me as I went around to chat with the groups that had arrived. Whilst the average German childs English is 1,000,000% better than the average English adults German, it was still useful to have a native German speaker with me to help with the language barrier!It was really nice chatting with everyone and hearing about their backgrounds. There were so many groups from different canoe clubs, so I asked each group for its team name. There were four boys who had called themselves The Professionals, which I felt was a fantastic name!I had a nice chat with their coach, who couldnt rave about them enough they seemed to have a great attitude.There was also a large group of older teenagers who couldnt decide on a name at first, but later came to find me to tell me they had decided on Team Drip. I felt like I had insight into the cool words used by the German youth.Chips later laughed at me as apparently drip is a universally cool word and one that even Cheesy knows!. Well I learned it for the first time at Park Jam Germany, so thank you to the teenagers of Team Drip for teaching me something new!We gathered as a group for a welcome talk led by Lars, and then it was time to rally to the water!Joy on the waterIt was such a wonderful and joyful day on the water. There was so much going on, and happy teenagers were in every eddy and on every feature. The rest of the team and I did lap after lap and got to see and share so many happy moments. I want to share a few with you below.The first feature was a little wave at the top of the course perfect for learning to surf and trying new things. I spent a lot of time on the first lap here because everyone was having so much fun. It is wonderful to watch some of the younger children learning to surf whilst some of the more experienced paddlers try new moves.There were paddle spins, paddle tosses, actual spins, shudder rudders and more. It was fun to set the kids little challenges and see them give it a go. Big shout out to Jacob and Jonte, who were in a duo and took me up on the challenge to get one off them standing up whilst surfing! It was really cool to watch, and I was doubly impressed that they managed it without any capsizes or swims!Meanwhile, the Team Drip kids were throwing tomahawks at the concrete wall at the top and doing a pretty good job of it! The real star of the show was a dog called Fidel, who sat on various paddlers laps and happily surfed every feature of the course as well. He was possibly the happiest dog on the water that I have ever met!Further downstream, there was a little hole in which everyone was having a good time surfing. Here I met another little group called Team 6-7. They all had the numbers 6-7 on their helmets. If you dont understand the relevance of 6-7 in the world of teenagers, Google it. It was funny to see something that makes the UK teenagers giddy also have the same effect on German teenagers. The 6-7 group were awesome. They were all hand paddling and surfing the entirety of the course like absolute legends.I had a nice chat with Marie and Siri from their group, who were having the most fun. I know Becky spent a lot of time with the 6-7 group working on some gentle freestyle as well, which everyone seemed to enjoy. She gave them a special shout-out at the end for such a great attitude across the group.Killian had also embraced hand paddling and was smashing out hand spins in the hole. I had met Killian and his brother Adrin in the morning, and they had told me how much they had enjoyed Park Jam the year before. It was great to see the event welcome back so many returning paddlers who had clearly been making significant progress in the year since.Further downstream, many paddlers were working on their tailees. A lovely young man called Henrik took the time to explain to me his favourite tailee spots on the course. He also told me that in German, they call a tailee a Kerze, which means candle. It was really nice to chat with lots of the kids throughout the day and learn a little bit about what it is like to learn to kayak in Germany. Zach and Lars, I know, were having a great time doing tailees with the kids down at the bottom.There was one boy I spent a lot of time with called Justus. I had a lovely chat with his mother in the morning about developing childrens kayaking. Justus had a really cool helmet covered in manga stickers, and we had a little chat about that. He was a little nervous about paddling on the course, but agreed to join me for some laps. We shared quite a few laps together, and by the end, he was even going for some surfs and catching lots of eddies! It was really awesome to see. Being brave is not about never being scared but about being scared and giving it a go anyway! I had a great time paddling with him, so thank you, Justus, for joining me on the water.The day ended with one large group floating down the course. It was really nice to get everyone together for this. As we descended, the friendly games began, and many teenagers pulled decks and tried hard to get their friends to swim. Inspired by this, I found my friends at the bottom and did the same.I went for Chips first, and I am quite proud that I managed to make him swim before he made me swim. Of course, once he was out of his kayak, I didnt stand much of a chance of staying in mine! When we were both out, we went for Zach, who took two of us to get him out of his!Somehow, Becky and Lars managed to escape us!Lars then finished the day with some organised fun. Everybody was grouped in a circle, trying things like getting a couple (and then many) people out of their boats and making it around the circle by standing on others kayaks. It was really funny and a good way to end the day!Talks, shout-outs and prize-givingOnce everyone was off the water and changed, we gathered as a group under the bridge for talks and prize-giving. Chips gave the first talk, followed by Becky and Zach, who shared the second. They were short talks, but both included pretty cool videos, which I think the kids enjoyed.We then did some shoutouts to kids for special moments on the water, many of which I discussed above. There were so many people in attendance, and they were all fantastic. Not everyone could get a shout-out, but I felt genuinely inspired by what I saw on the water over the day. The kayaking scene for young people in Germany is clearly thriving. What I particularly loved was how excited they all were to paddle together. It was a day where the focus was on the kids, and that was epic.After shout-outs and prizes, we did a poster signing. I always love this bit as you get to chat to the kids one last time. It was really cool to see them so excited and even asking us to sign their caps, which is a first for me!Team 6-7 also asked for a group photo, which turned into a TikTok of us all doing the 6-7 hand gesture. I had to explain to Chips what to do, which made me feel young, even though I was surrounded by actual children.Once everyone had left, we finished packing, said our goodbyes to Sonja and Manuela, and then hit the road. Chips and I had a 12-hour drive/ferry back to the UK, and we spent most of it buzzing about what an amazing day we had at Park Jam.So thank you, Germany, and especially those involved from Hohenlimburg canoe club and the DKV, for a really special day. Thank you to all the clubs and the paddlers who attended and helped to show me what an incredible community of kayakers you have in Germany. It was an honour to be a part of the day and share the water with you all.See you all at the next Palm and Pyranha Park Jam events in the UK in October!

Words: Jack Barnes.Jack BarnesPhotos: @j.thomsonphotos, Andy Pagett, Alex Robinson, & Phoebe FernsPaddling whitewater as a double amputeeThe day after the final exam of my degree back in June 2023, I was lucky enough to be loading up the car and setting off on a month-long paddling trip across the Alps with friends. Our first stop was the Upper Venter Ache, Austria. We were expecting a perfect warm-up full of boulder gardens and short gorges, but it was still early in the season. Large patches of undercut snow and ice started to appear, and my excitement soon turned to dread. There was a river-wide avalanche towering over the river, creating a nasty ice syphon. Everyone promptly eddied out. For me, I felt an extra level of concern, walled in by a steep bank: how on earth do you portage over an ice siphon with no legs? Born with a severe congenital deformity in both feet, the outcome of my first sports day at five years old wasnt the most successful. I came last in every race often by minutes. Back home, when asked how I was feeling, all I could say was that I wanted to slap my legs. It wasnt about losing; Ive never cared about winning. It was the frustration of seeing how trapped I was, isolated, and unable to complete even the most basic tasks.Growing UpI had countless appointments at Sheffield Childrens Hospital because my feet were incredibly stubborn. My first procedure was at seven months old I could walk a short distance with splints, but spent most of my time wheelchair-bound. Some of the toughest years were in my teens: no cartilage in my ankles, bone grinding on bone, nerve endings crushed between them. I was barely getting through each day because of the relentless chronic pain.People often call it brave that I asked for an amputation, but I never saw much of a choice. In June 2016, after exhausting every alternative, I underwent a general anaesthetic for the 21st time: a trans-tibial double below-knee amputation.The legacy of my stubborn feet lived on, though. The pain and mobility challenges evolved, offering me ample opportunities to test a hard-fought head down and just get on with it mentality.Discovering kayakingIm lucky that kayaking has always been part of my life. My Dad had a small fleet tucked away in the garage, emerging for camping trips in France and the Lake District. Im not known for being decisive, but when asked if I wanted to go on a paddling weekend with my church, it was an instant yes a decision that has shaped my life.Dad and I promptly joined Ichthus Canoe Club Chesterfield, where I discovered whitewater. It was one of the few places I wasnt limited by my disability. On the water, I was just another paddler recognised for what I could do, not what held me back. I had a great club that helped me get to the river. I am forever grateful for their coaching and for driving me around. By 14 years old, I had highlights of paddling the Glaslyn gorge, Tees, Leven, and much more.Following amputation, my first paddle was eight weeks and two days post-surgery with no special outfitting and a duct-taped drysuit. Since then, there have been 872 entries in my logbook, progressively pushing the limits of what I thought possible.Amputation swapped one set of problems for another. My legs (I go with egs instead of stumps; I lost 1/4 of my legs, so I drop 1/4 of the word!) have frequent pressure sores and infections. A day on the water or up a mountain can cost me days in my prosthetics. After all, Im asking my egs to do something they were never designed for. The pain didnt magically stop either I had some of my worst pain episodes post-amputation, due to nerve damage and my brain misinterpreting confused phantom signals.Kayaking cut through all of this. Paddling whitewater, my brain is so focused, and for a few hours Im completely pain-free. I like to think that my pain is absorbed by the sound of whitewater. The feeling of being free uninhibited by my body is why I got hooked on the sport, for the childhood Jack who wouldve given anything for this.Paddling AdaptationsMy first post-amputation paddle kicked off the never-ending job of improving mobility on the bank and connectivity in my kayak. Continuous new ideas developed through trial and error, Ive beatered down more rapids than Id like after a big boof or tailey ripped my egs out my outfitting.When I started, my egs were completely exposed, and I was using knee pads on the bank. Looking back, Im amazed I didnt seriously damage my egs and question how I made it to the water at all. I debated paddling with prosthetics. Theyd help on the riverbank, but my balance is too poor for carrying a boat on steep terrain, and swimming with two heavy foot-entrapment-shaped objects isnt appealing. I tried carrying my prosthetics in my kayak, but theyre heavy, too important to lose and dont really work when wet!Thankfully, my prosthetist was brilliant creating my kayaking egs or stubbies fabricated off the books because funding would never have been approved. Built from old foam moulds and a reinforced plastic shell, they extend slightly below my egs, offering impact protection and letting me stand albeit at a short height. The ends were upgraded by my uncle using fibreglass and a bolted-on toffee wheel an easily replaceable rubber drill-bit attachment. My prosthetist knew it would never pass an NHS risk assessment, so they went for the Dont ask, dont tell approach. Grip is still an issue, and I sink into boggy ground, but I manage.The 2024 Moriston Enduro summed up all these challenges. By sheer will, I managed one lap unassisted, roping my boat up the slippery take-out where my prosthetics were waiting. The hike to the road was rough boat on one shoulder; every step felt like walking on stilts, never knowing if I was truly stable. I eventually made it to the top, to be met with the 500m slog up the road. While the flat path is manageable, the dripping wet kayaking gear broke my prosthetics suction seal. Every 100m Id lose a leg and collapse. It was a mental game of stubbornness, all to complete one lap and prove it was possible.Its why I prefer scrambling closer to the ground on my kayaking egs for the majority of put-ins and take-outs. Its more stable but exhausting work shorter strides, no ankle/spring mechanism. My prosthetist told me a double below-knee amputee using prosthetics is three times less energy efficient than an able-bodied person. I dread to imagine the number when using stubbies.Ive adapted my boat as much as I can without professional help and expensive purpose-built prosthetics. Im always looking for improvements, but with limited resources, you make the most of what youve got.I avoided drysuits for years because the extra material around my egs created additional pressure points, but during winter trips to Scotland, the need was too great. Palm was incredibly helpful in shortening the leg of my drysuit and rotating the foot 180 degrees, so the heel fits over my knee. This enabled me to keep my egs dry a huge win for managing skin health!Getting to and from the riverUnsurprisingly, grade 4/5 whitewater tends to go hand in hand with steep terrain and remote locations. The half-mile walk-out of the Swale waterfall section, the Mellte put-in, climbing up to the Falls of Falloch, climbing down the drainage pipe to the Ayasse, portaging round Rhaeadr Mawddach or Durance gorge they all take their toll.Surprise portages are also part of the process like the Sermenzino in Italy, where we had to rope boats around an un-runnable 60-foot waterfall after accidentally putting on too high!Ive been going to the Alps every summer since 2018, and my favourite example is the steep hike into the Otona section on the Soa, Slovenia. Ive attempted every logistical method possible, but now I have progressed enough to unlock the simplest solution running the Katarakt siphon canyon section above.I shoulder my boat until it gets too challenging, then swap to dragging. I always make it slowly. Im desperate not to be a burden, but Im lucky Ive got some of the best mates who will happily do whatever it takes (and just as importantly, let me get on with it when I need to do it on my own). The wider paddling community? Complete strangers will support no questions asked.Despite the faff, I always find the energy (stubbornness) to get to the river. On the water, equal with friends, as we all push and support each other, is worth it even knowing the price of pain in the days after.I dream about paddling further afield Zambezi, Chile, New Zealand, and more. I nearly went out to Meglahaya once, but when my friend returned, it was clear it wouldnt have been the trip for me. Im still looking forward to experiencing those rivers one day after some more problem-solving.The PaddlingI started leading trips at university and love introducing new paddlers to the sport thats given me so much. Adapting how I lead took practice. During my Advanced WWSR training on the Erme, I jumped into the slot drop and apparently all anyone could see was my two egs bobbing downstream, so no Im probably not your live bait candidate or planted in fast flows to rescue pinned boats.However, Ive learnt to position myself where Im most capable. Staying in my boat is best, but choosing a static throwline position also works. For more complex safety, Im on the bank side of a live bait, rigging pulleys, and helping coordinate. When something goes wrong, I do whatever it takes to help those in a tricky spot.Ive luckily avoided any major swims since my amputation likely out of extra caution. Im a weak swimmer, and big-volume water could rip my kayaking egs from me, turning a swim into a massive epic. I often run rapids blind trusting friends who know my ability and what I need to scout. Most of the time, it works though occasionally it backfires, thinking back to when miscommunication landed me in a hole on the Inn shoot.When necessary, though, I do get out my boat, for example, during my first Dartmoor triple crown (Upper Dart, Erme, and Upper Plym), it was everyones first time on the Plym, with its reputation for wood, I was scouting every other horizon line.Kayaking has been, and still is, such a rewarding sport full of peaks and troughs. Now its time for a new chapter: a new job, a new country (Norway!), and a new set of rivers to explore. Im excited. Im also a bit scared without the safety net of my friends who understand me. But mostly, Im grateful and want to say goodbye and thank everyone who has helped get me on the water. To those who navigated complicated put-ons, take-outs and portages with me; ideas for adaptations; or literally lifted me over barriers and threw me off bridge jumps truly, thank you.