After a couple of days of the PaddleExpo trade show it was time to head out and drive down to the Oetz valley for Sickline world extreme kayak championships.

I paddled here back in 2012 and had a fantastic weeks paddling so have been looking forward to being back in the boat on nice water again.

After a long drive down I headed over for a quick look at the course, with no boat it was just looking at lines, before heading upto the registation to pick up my entry pack and bib. Following dinner it was time for a cheeky pre race beer and to meet up with some friends, guys I have met at other events over the years and the Irish Lads from home. Obivously beers with Ruedi is never quiet so a few shots before bed always helps.

We were up bright and early for race day with a different format to 2 years ago this time we had to do 1 mandatory qualification run followed by 2 race runs of which its the total of both runs added to give you a total time. The the top 45 would then progress to the semifinals.

After finding Colm camped out in the car park I collected my kit and got set for my first paddle on whitewater in a creek boat since king of the alps in June, as I put in at the starting eddy I felt confident of the line, I trust my boat and my kit and I was sure I could hit where I wanted.

I peeled out of the top eddy and through the slot, keeping the boat up on edge, driving the boat across the pool aiming for the corner of the rock, at the last minute getting carried by the flow and towards the corner of minus one, punching minus one and keeping the bow high to ride into the pool, while driving the boat around the rock and peeling around setting up for the champions killer the biggest drop on the course. A delayed boof to kick out the nose reaching forward for the next stroke to hold the bow down without going tail happy now driving for the slot and onto the flat pool, an absolute killer on the arms before hitting the flow and pushing down towards the slalom course trying to avoid the rocks and keep the bow riding high through the holes. Driving hard now for the line, the relief of crossing the line is immediately mixed with the thoughts of what mistakes were made and where can time be made up in the next run.893815_10151939518148293_1627211263_o

After my first run I knew I could make up time in the lower section as I had a couple of rock touches but generally happy with my top section.

 

Sickline Run 2

The second run I had a clean line through minus one but then got myself slightly tail happy through champions killer getting pushed left, having to work hard and getting pushed into the rock slot losing time, the lover stretch I made up time but couldn’t beat my previous run.

After the two runs I was left in 89th middle of the field, having not paddled anything big in a while and my first time on moving water straight into a G4+ race I was happy to have clean lines and not get a surfing in minus one nor a swim in champions killer like so many others,996602_10201543499962729_572575178_n

Not making the cut for top 45 it was now time to go paddling,  we loaded up and made our way upto the upper Let’s for a nice spin in a good flow bounce and fun, holiday had now started,

After the losers party it was finals day with semi in the morning followed by the superfinals that afternoon, with Ciaran qualifying second fastest out of the semis he was second last up. A fast top section was put to bed with an unfortunate surf in minus one and finishing his hopes of getting into the hot tub.

Well done to Joe Morely the new Sickline World Champion with a faultless run smooth and concise a very confident run from the English lad.

After the race we got another spin down the upper with the overnight rain lifting the level to make things a little sportier.904113_633562679998014_175513738_o

Over the next week I had the opportunity to paddle plenty of the Oetz  and Vent valleys with so much to do this is a really nice destination to head for.GOPR2866

If paddling not your thing (your probably reading the wrong blog) but theirs some class biking and climbing in the valley as well as rafting.

I managed to then get a few days in Switzerland before heading back for Dublin and back to work.