Garb

Impressive skys over the Ottawa

We arrive at the Ottawa super late and catch up with Clay. Up early and excited to go boating on the warm, sunny Ottawa its a surprise to find its grey, cold, gloomy and raining outside. Apparently the Ottawa has been having a massive drought summer except for this week where the forecast is non stop rain! This doesn't cull our excitement though as we also know that the river was getting super low but now with this rain Garb will soon be back in! We spend a great few days tearing up Garb making the most of this incredible rivers for wave training. It takes a few days to adapt my style and feel comfortable back on real waves but soon the transition is done and I am really having fun. This year their seemed to be loads of girls on the Ottawa. Everyday I seem to come across 5 or 6 more female paddlers. Its great to see so many talented female kayakers especially when I think back to 15 years ago when I started and how relatively few girls were involved then.

Fun times on the Ottawa

At Plattling last year Polly Green made a great little video called 'The girls are killing it' showcasing how much the standard of female freestyle kayaking has improved. This year we could easily have made another film to sequel / progress this as the moves being thrown down by the girls were once again pushing the top level in the sport.

Islay tearing it up

It was great to be finally figuring out wave boating. I definitely don't have the consistency I would like yet but I am definitely making progress and enjoying it loads.

 Claire O going big on Garb

One morning we all went for breakfast and Clay mentions that he would love to paddle in an eddy at Garb full of girls all throwing airscrews. That night he's super happy as he (and Stephen) find themselves in the Garb eddy surrounded by girls and not only are we trying airscrews we are also all sessioning pan ams, helix’s and pistol flips. So much fun!

Clay and the ladies getting on for an rainbow airscrew session!