The new Hero hits the UK

The new Jackson Hero has hit the UK and I took it out for a spin on the beautiful river Gamlan in North Wales.

This was my first time on this particular river and we were exceptionally lucky with the water levels, although the river was dropping off very quickly we managed to get in a great run and therefore got to put the boat through it’s passes.

The Hero I think is a massive improvement on the older style boat that Jackson brought out. The Hero is only 231cm long, not the longest riverboat on the market but that is why it appealed to me to get it out on some of the tighter steeper runs. The manageability of the boat is a godsend, especially if your main discipline is playboating. The Hero’s hull has been taken from the Jackson Fun range and has been lengthened, surfing waves in this boat feels like your in your freestyle kayak, which is again great for getting out of those STICKY situations.
Although relatively short the Hero still has 75 Gallons of volume which is ideal for the style’s of river in Great Britain, and weighing less than 20kg the boat is perfect for your trek to the top of any river.

Overall the boat work well, but what impressed me most was it’s ability to work its way down the river responding to your every move.

Stats:

Length: 231cm
Width: 65
Volume: 75 Gallons
Weight: 19.05kg
Paddler weight range: 52kg to 87kg

For more info check out jacksonkayak.com


Video of the hero

Last words of summer

So Im back at home in Dublin reminiscing on an unbelievable summer that has just passed, great times amongst some new great friends... read more...

Dave on the Ottawa again.

This is possibly one of the best places to spend your summer. I’ve been up here two months and bus eater only went out a week or two ago, it’s been pretty damn good.



It's at a bit of an inbetween level now but the level is beginning to drop and some of the other famous spots are beginning to come in.





Ive been surfing here, working for Ottawa Kayak School and enjoying all the other aspects of the river atmosphere. Enjoy these pics and I’ll have loads more as the levels change.

New JK HERO & The French Alps 2008

Here are a few photos from my recent trip to the French Alps. During the trip I had a good chance to put the New JK Hero through its paces. The Hero handled it self well in the large volume rivers but came in to it own on the more technical low volume runs. If you want a river runner that you can climb out of you playboat and feel at home in then the Hero is for you.

Chris Chapman

Irish National Champs

Irish National Champs

Ladies watching on

Dave Crerar during finals

This years National Champs have drawn to a close, two very well run comps on two of Irelands best features. The turnouts were not what everyone expected, which leaves the question open were those lads from over the ponds right in when they coined the phrase “rodeo is dead”, it could be going that way here in Ireland. But never the less it did not take away from the competition.

Dave Crerar

Sinead O'Donnell

Moe Kelleher

First round was on anon-retainable wave in Limerick, the event was run over two freezing cold, windy days, as you would expect of our random ass weather. The heats were close and I managed to sneak into the top 5 for the mens final. Tendonitis breathing down my neck meant a quick ibuprofen stop and on I went. Unfortunately I finished in 4th for this round with the Kelleher bro’s and Neil Gibson firing ahead with some pretty nice rides. Junior mens had a decent size turnout, with some still competition, but a newcomer to Irish freestyle, and surf-kayaking champ Corin King stole gold, With his little bro. Jake following in close second. The ladies was also a tight one, Kim Sikerman stealing a victory closely followed by Siobhan McG.

Len Kelleher

Corin King

The second round had us travel across the country to the west coast, with the feature being tidal, you don’t get much time to train unless your there a few days before the competition. Ladies and juniors were run off in their entirety on Saturday, closing off their national champs. Junior Men Saw Corin take gold again and in turn made him National Champ for this year.

Coran King

Dave Crerar

Emer Farrell came first for Junior Ladies. Senior Men were run off on Sunday with a tight race to the podium. Moe Kelleher came 1st sealing him his National Champs Trophy for this year, with me in 2nd and Len Kelleher in Third. So this year the top Irish men are Myself, Len Kelleher. and Moe Kelleher.

Dave Crerar

Kim Sikerman

Jake King

Results:

Men K1
1: Moe Kelleher
2: Len Kelleher
3: Dave Crerar

Ladies K1
1: Kim Sikerman
2: Siobhan Mc Griskin
3: Muirean Lynch

JNR Men K1
1: Corin King
2: Eoin Farrell
3: Jake King


JNR Ladies
1: Caoimhe Farrell
2: Emer Farrell

Mens C1
1: Dave Crerar
2: John O’Rourke

Schools Out

Spring is finally here and college has just finished up for Easter. That’s two weeks off, well that’s what they say and then they give you 7 assignments, but I decided to head west to where the Irish water was, to get the as much paddling as possible before I had to sit in the library for hours on end.



So I packed my gear and hopped into the jeep, and off to the west cost I went. There were only a few spots working out west, so we headed off to them for a few days play.



The plan was to head to Galway and paddle at Tuam, a river hole and then off to Clifden, which is a tidal hole and in my opinion the best play-spot in Ireland. The group were really going for it, it was sweet.There is nothing better than driving across Ireland when the weather is good. The sunsets can be unreal and especially after the last storms of winter.



It was good to meet up with old friends and go for a paddle, but it is March in Ireland and it was bloody cold , and mitts were the order of the day. Four days with two sessions each has me beat and sadly feckin’ college work beckoned me back home, but not long till National Champs and more road trips…. Till then I’m out… DC

The National Student Rodeo 2008

This weekend saw probably the biggest freestyle event ever in UK (may be even in the world?!) take place at the whitewater course at Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham. It was my third and final time taking part in the National Student Rodeo. This year's pirate themed event had in the region of 670 students from across the country competing for their universities.

Me in the Expert Women's Final - photo John Wood

Yarr - My attempt at being a Pirate

Last year's big bosses - Adam and Sara

Second place expert sailor boy - Alan Ward

As for results, I guess the full ones will be posted on www.nationalstudentrodeo.com at some point soon. The nicest guy in freestyle, David Bainbridge of Nottingham stormed into first place in both the C1 and Expert Men's categories, Nottingham Trent took the overall winning university title and I won the Expert women's class. My final was held in the looping pool feature, with Sara James taking 3rd place and Molly Crisp paddling well into 2nd. It was great fun and I'm stoked to have won; but I do feel kind of sad to have finished my time in the NSR!

Dave Bainbridge - the winnarrr

Prize Giving

Organised by the lovely Nick Norwood and Tim Trew along with the rest of the crew from Leeds University, NSR 2008 was another great success, a huge congratulations and thanks to all those involved!

Shepperton - Jan 2008

After getting completely mashed the day before, I decide to give it one more try.

We took the risk & drove for over an hour. To my relief it was on a good 7 gates, very bouncy but great fun.

Chris Chapman

De Nile review and video

Six weeks in Uganda paddling on the White Nile, world class river running and playboating, every kayakers paradise. The locals say it won’t be long until the Dam at Bujagali will be finished and the silver back section will slowly disappear. Total Gunga and the Ugly Sisters rapid has already vanished and the blasting on the new dam has set boundaries to when you can and can’t paddle the section. But life up at Bujagali is still booming with the new De Nile café based at All Terrain Adventures, the Chapati man is now making his own t-shirts and the boda drivers seemed to have doubled since the last time I was there.
The new Ugandan kayak school was opened not long ago, which will give the locals the opportunity to make the best of the awesome river they live next to. Thanks to Carl Moser and friends you should be seeing some great new local talent coming through.

The river level seemed very consistent for the majority of my stay, with the level high early morning then dropping of but rising again in the afternoon. Nile Special has been at paddle on levels every afternoon and a sweet green tow on level in the morning, it never quite go to Malalu levels although in the middle of the night it could have been very possible.

Christmas and New Year was a treat, with pig and chicken roasts, and champagne in the natural Jacuzzi on the Lemon, then up to NRE for a New Year party which had about 5 different count downs because know one knew the real time.

So I’m sitting in my living room back in England with my boat and paddles still in Brussels, hopefully it should arrive tomorrow and then I can brave the cold and don the long sleeve top again.

JB