"WAINUI"

 On Tuesday morning i was lucky enough to be asked to go creeking with the okere falls crew, including Ryan, Ben, Jamie, Simon, Blair, Phil, Dave, Greg, Cole, Bradley. It was a pretty big crew but some real top paddlers. 

The decision was made early on that we were going to paddle the wainui if the flow was right, so we were off. As we were driving over the group just got bigger and bigger until they had to start turning people down.

Waiting for this rest to arrive before a big day on the river. 

Photo: Bradley Lauder

Ryan showing the line for the first rapid. 

Photo: Greg Thomas

 Dave on one of the slides

Photo: Bradley Lauder

Phil on the double drop.

Photo: Greg Thomas

Greg looking back up at little brother to take this sweet photo of Jamie Garrod. 

Today this little bad boy had a bit of a rowdy lead in, but there were still good lines by those who hit it up.

Me popping over the lip of a 60foot drop. 

Photo. Bradley Lauder.

 This is the video of me doing it, from the top. Hoping to get one from the bottom as well. 

Some sweet coaching from bradley as i drop over the lip.  

Video: Bradley

  Ryan giving it everything, as he claims the first decent of this big boy a while back. 

Photo: Greg Thomas

 Me showing how not to do it, turning side ways halfway down and landing on a rock at the bottom. On one of the last big slides of the day. 

Photo: Bradley 

Photo from the top of the previous one shown. 

Show the gradient this river has to offer.

Photo Greg Thomas.

Little Video that cole made of the trip.

Hitting Up Wainui... from Flow Addicts on Vimeo.

Carnage for the day was a big eye opener for me as one guy got stuck in a pocket on one of the last drops of the day. Having a nasty swim and getting bagged out by Bradley and help from Jamie also. He had swallowed some water and was blue in the face once pulled from underneath the water. 

This just shows how bad things can go in seconds and makes you pick who you go paddling with alot more carefully. Other than that there were just a few dents in boats from wrong lines. But all and all was a great day of the river. 

Wairoa

Last weekend i finally got back on the wairoa river up the kaimai's, after about 2 months of not paddling on it. A few rocks have been moved from the big floods we had earlier in the year, leaving it like a new river. Roller coaster is completely different, as well as Mclaren Falls which still hasn't been run, in full since the flooding. Pretty lucky me and the boys got in early. We also found a sick sea launch rock with a slide leading into it, just below the weir on Mclaren Falls. 

Australian Open

240 Competitors
29 Nations 
14 Kiwis

Australian Open

On the 6th of February i headed across the ditch to Sydney to prepare myself for the Australian Open that was held on the 18,19,20th of February, on the man made coarse, made for the Olympics which were held in Australia. There were a lot of top paddlers there, European, World and Olympic Champions. This only meant their was going to be a lot of competition.

For me the racing wasn't the best, touching a lot of gates, made no chance of qualifying for semi finals in such a top field of paddlers for my self. First run i touched a total of 7 gates, the most gates i have ever touched. Second run was better but still touch 3 gates, which wasn't the best. Between 1st and 40th there were 8seconds with only one junior making it into semi's and one kiwi Aaron Osbourne. But all and all it was a good race to experiment and take stuff from to prepare myself for the racing to come in America and maybe Europe.

Selection Races

A few weeks back the New Zealand Section races we held for the honours to race at the Senior World Cups and Championships in Europe and to race at the Juniors Worlds for those who are Under18 in America.

Selection Race 1

The first selection race of the four were held on the Tarawera River, Kawerau. Course was designed by Bryden Nicholas of the Cook Islands and Vavrenic Hradileck of the Czech Republic, it was a pretty tricky course with some tight staggers and hard moves.

First runs didn't go to well for me with a few silly touches pushing me into 5th place after doing a time of 97.64+6. Thinking only 3 went through, I knew second runs had to be better. After second runs i hopped off the river feeling like it was a solid run knowing i had only touched one gate, it was disappointing though, looking at the times

and seeing my flat time was the same as my first run 97.27+2 but with only one touch it allowed me to take 2nd position in juniors and 5th in seniors.

As the racing came to a end the rain had only just began.

Selection Race 2

CANCELLED!!!!!!!

Today the tropical cyclone hit the Islands of the South Pacific, this gave the organizers no choice but to cancel the race as the river had doubled and

had only just began to rise, it was told that it was meant to double again by lunch time.

Selection Race 3

The New Zealand Selection Races 3 and 4 were combined with the Oceania champs.

After a long week on training on the coarse it became race day. Run one was alright solid but touched 2 gates which i wasn't happy about, so the plan for the

second run was to go clean. It didnt go to plan but i still had a faster time with 2 touches once again, leaving me and Malcolm Gibson tied on 103.12 a very rare event with laser timing, but anything can happen. After today i was ranked 18th going into semi finals out of everyone and 2nd junior once again.

Selction Race 4

FINALS DAY. I incurred another 3 touches after run one and a recirc for a gate after missing it first time round, therefore missing out on finals and leaving me 4th junior. Since it was our selection race there was a B final which was everyone except the top ten

paddlers from each class that made finals. No New Zealand Juniors made the finals for K1 men. It was my last chance to have a good race and make a placing. After protesting a 50 second penalty for a gate a didn't miss and getting it off, i was the first New Zealand junior in the B final. Which was a great way to finish the selection races and confirm my place in the junior team and the second reserve for the senior team.

For any other result, they can be found at slalomnz.org.nz