Pyranha Fest 2009

I came in from school at four on Friday the 11^th of September after a restless day at school being overexcited for the weekend. I got home got changed packed my stuff and crammed it in the car ready for my dad to get in to take me to the Pyranha Fest 2009. We arrived at Bala and after a short trip to the pub with mates from ROCK, we all settled down in our dorms for the night, anxious for the weekend ahead.

At 7 o’clock I woke up and after meeting members of team Pyranha I was ready for my weekend course with Pete Caterall doing Competition playboating. At 10 we meet above the chipper on the river Tryweryn and started to stretch off and get on the water to learn some new tricks. I went with the intention of learning to cartwheel in a hole but accidently did a loop on my first attempt and so that’s what I tried to perfect that Saturday. It went really well, I was really enjoying myself and it looked like everyone else was too and so this was what it seemed to be like all weekend. Meeting new people, having a lot of fun and learning a lot too.

(Going for a loop above the chipper on the river Tryweryn)

Saturday’s session ended and shortly after I watched the competition, which was…well…a bit mad. In the first heat there was the usual awesome play boaters in play boats cart wheeling and looping in the usual way, but then, in the second heat, people started to try loop a Pyranha fusion, a Dagger nomad and a Pyranha burn (Which Pete Caterall was in) which was mad, but it looked really cool.

So Saturdays paddling ended for me and I went to watch people surf the wave outside the café. Shorty after this I meet up with my friends from ROCK (Richmond,Open,Canoe+Kayak) and headed back to Glan-Llyn to dry the kit off and prepare for the evening meal and party ahead.

The evening kicked off with a wait in a long queue for the food, which was very, very nice. Shortly followed by some slide shows and video clips of peoples paddling trips and adventures. At about half past nine I headed off to the dorm to make up for the sleep I lost on the Friday night.

(About to enter the hole for my turn)

So Sunday kicked off in the same way as Saturday but with a slight lie in and soon I found myself sat in an eddy waiting for my turn to have a go in the hole. After looping on the Saturday I decided to try and cartwheel on the Sunday and this is what I did. A few rolls later and I found myself linking the bow and stern together and completing my first cartwheel in a hole.

Later that day I found myself doing more ends, but now doing a loop before getting washed out of the hole. This was all down to the coaching from Pete Caterall, an amazing coach and a brilliant paddler (Thank you Pete).

One o clock came too quickly and I had to get off the water to go back to Glan-Llyn to have a paddle on Balla in some Venture Sea kayaks. I was surprised at how fast these where but I still prefer my S6, as you can do better tricks in them. About 45 minutes after this we all packed up, helped Pyranha pack the van with the kayaks and we headed off home after an amazing weekend. Next year I will defiantly be back for the Pyranha fest and I would like to thank everyone involved for making this, such a fantastic weekend.

Author: Jake Brooke