European Championships

Team training is in full swing here in Cuvono for the European Freestyle Championships. Prelims start on Thursday morning with only one more day of training for Men, Women and Junior Men. Training has been going well with everyone progressing while being able to train everyday on what is a deceptively tricky feature. The whole team has been here a few days taking as much time as they can to get used to the feature here. The hole is quite shallow with regular hits off the bottom common place, however it is quite retentive without being to violent giving you plenty of control to set up for your moves.

Our last training session tomorrow morning will be used to put the finishing touches on our rides, aiming to get every move in before the buzzer sounds. With a ten strong team our team training slots have been just under an hour long allowing everyone to get in six or seven ride. The water on the course is turned off at eight o clock every evening taking away any opportunities of training under lights but despite this everyone is looking well prepared.

Unfortunately it does not look like there will be live streaming for the event but with a strong crew of supporters out here updates will be coming thick and fast as prelims unfold. Keep an eye on Irish Freestyle Facebook for updates on Thursday morning!

Right Channel Cunovo

First few days have been quiet here at the course however everyone seems to have arrived today with queues getting long. Luckily if you don't fancy waiting around in the eddy at peak times there is two awesome channels to paddle. Here's is quick look at the river right channel where the feature for the European Championships about half way down.

River left channel to come in a few days.

First Look – New Typhoon Equator Drysuit

This autumn Typhoon are launching a new drysuit called the Equator.  It is still a 4 layer breathable material but it is a much lighter weight and spec than their Multisport 4 drysuit.

The suit features latex neck and wrist seals along with latex socks.  There are no over-cuff protectors which means extra care will need to taken when bush-whacking.  It also features a unique, above waist positioned, hinge zip which can take a while to get your head around at first.  Braces are also fitted as standard which are pretty essential to donning the suit with ease.

Entry is gained through the back of the suit, legs first and then flipping the top part on and doing up the zip.  There is no denying it feels odd at first and it can bunch under the PFD when first put on but once on the water, I didn’t notice it at all.

On the water the suit was comfortable and well cut with plenty of freedom of movement which it being excessively baggy.  The zip is certainly less restrictive and obvious than either chest or back zippers and can easily be open/closed on your own without being a yoga master.  I can see this suit appealing to two main user types: 1) It will make a great whitewater racing suit due to it’s lightweight material and freedom of movement and, 2) It will be good for beginners on a budget.  It will not be as durable as the likes of the Multisport 4 and for prolonged immersion use (SRT/RSR courses) I would still go for the Multisport 4 with it’s metal zipper and gasket covers, but this is a deliberately a lightweight suit, at a budget price and it would be unfair to compare the two directly.

I wasn’t convinced by the “urban” styling (grey/yellow colour) when I first saw the suit on a hanger but it looks surprisingly good when worn.

Two points I would make are the lack of a relief zipper (you might be able to use the entry zipper if you are very creative with a shewee and a length of hose!) and the entry zipper causing a “cold” spot across the back (may not be an issue when using heavier fleeces in winter).

Recommended Retail Price is 450 euro and it should be available for October.  Pre-order yours now before the end of September and get a free Typhoon fleece undersuit.  

Dagger Stratos 14.5s Sea Kayak Review

I just spent the last few days paddling the Dagger Strato's 14.5S.  Its dubbed as a high performance ocean tourer that is ideal for beginners and expert alike which is a pretty broad spectrum to cover but I think they have pulled it off. I was in the market for a new sea kayak recently and I had decided I wanted a 14-15ft boat that surfs well has good speed and would be comfortable for doing daily tours, rock hopping and some day touring. After a bit of searching online I had a few contenders to consider.(The P&H Delphin, Venture Jura, North Shore Aspect and a few more.) Then I gave Colm in I-Canoe a call to see what he had available and he mentioned he was paddling the Dagger Stratos and really liked it.
To be honest I was a little surprised as I never think of Dagger and touring/sea kayaks. Anyway the feedback was good and it sounded like it was worth a try. The next day the boat arrived and a soon as it came out off the truck you could tell there was something good wrapped up. As soon as I got it opened I was impressed, the rocker profile and sleek lines looked great. I have failed to find a picture that does the boat justice and give a good sense of the rocker profile so I didn't include one. It really has to be seen in the flesh.

Full review and video HERE