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Friday, May 28, 2010

Italy – Day 4

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  • With dark clouds on the horizon, we headed up to Langwasser Torrente.  This is pure park and huck magic – throw yourself off the top of the falls and land in the big deep pool at the bottom.

The View from the Lip

COLM  NEIL S 252 EOIN 241 MICKEY

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Italy – Day 3

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  • Back to the Gronda today this time with Neil and Eoin fresh from their Level 5 Skills training.
  • This time we put in below the portage and started with the really nice boof drop (photo above).
  • We took our time and had more cameras than paddlers on the water.  As we had run it 2 days previously we were able to boat scout most of it although it was only towards the end of the run that we realised how much the water levels had dropped compared to the previous descent.

 colm 2mickey 1  colm aeroal

  • The new Jackson Villain S has been working a charm.  Very quick and with enough rain to carve a turn, not too sharp to catch you out.  Boofs like a dream and resurfaces predictably and quickly.

mickey

  • We cruised the rest of the Gronda and then pulled out to look at the Sorba Slides and get the cameras set up.
  • The Sorba Slides are probably the most photogenic drops in Italy and just pure fun.  Put in at the pool at the top.  Charge for the lip of the first slide,  Take a breathe in the pool at the bottom.  Boof another small drop into the pool above the last slide.  Charge hard right to flare the lip of the last drop.  Fall into a pillow of aerated water.  Smile and take out at the pool at the bottom.

colm 1 mickey2 neil s

  • Check out this short parrot-cam video of me following Mickey Brennanator down the Sorba Slides

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Italy – Day 2

  • Headed back to the Egua this morning and found it less busy than yesterday.
  • Everyone had good lines on the entry slide (Shoulder-cam video below) and then (for me a least) it went downhill from there – figuratively and physically.
  • Had a sloppy line through the S Bend and ended up in the recircing eddy only to be joined by Colm S a minute later.
  • Intended to go left on the slot drop but lazily petoned the centre rock and ended up going down backwards.
  • Finally managed to completely screw up the end of the next slide, losing the tops of my knuckles in the process but it’ll make for great video!
Egua Entry Slide

  • After a quick dose of caffeine in Varallo and a parade by the local marching band and dignitaries we headed back up the Sesia Valley to Piode.
  • Putting in at Piode, below the main falls, we cruised down to Scopello, skipping Hugo’s Hole but enjoying the bigger volume class III/IV boogie water.

Scopello Rapid

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Italy – Day 1

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  • Took a trip up to the Egua to check levels.  Levels were good but river was very busy so we headed back down to do a quick run on the Sermenza.
  • After a quick gelato and expresso break, it was off to the Gronda, checking the Sorba Slides en route.
  • Levels again were perfect and we put on at the top of the valley.
  • After a bit of bony boulder dodging, some small slides and one portage, things cleaned up and got steeper from there!

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  • The drive to the put in leaves you in no doubt as to how steep and concentrated this river is, but once on the water, it is still hard to believe.
  • We breezed through the last slides and drops and even though they were steeper and more impressive, technically they were easier too.
  • A well deserved feast of anti-pizza was had that evening in the campsite restaurant with lashings of Grappa to wash it all down.

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Italy – Day 0

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  • Got up at 4am after 2 hours worth of sleep.  Van pre-loaded with all the gear – just.
  • Got to the airport by 5.  Unloaded and checked in within the hour.  Happy Wheel worked a treat (more on that later).
  • Touched down into Milan Linate 15 mins early and with all gear present and intact.
  • Retrieved the rental car and van and after a few laps of the airport breezed up to the Sesia Valley within 2 hours.
  • Quick warm up on the Lower Sesia raft run to knock some of the (many) cobwebs off.
  • Landed in campsite in Campertogno in plenty of time for pizza and biero’s;-)

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