tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:44:59 +0000http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/noreply@blogger.com (flea)Blogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-100854429686625415Sat, 20 Feb 2010 21:13:00 +00002010-02-20T21:44:59.514ZIt's been a while (the Worlds, beginning of Sept), since I was in my playboat, and only the one session in a creekboat in that time - a short trip to the River Dart for the Gene 17 weekend back in December: photos: Paul Wilkinson My physio (I've been having sessions to resolve some long-term back problems) gave me the all-clear to go boating just the day before it snowed, but.... it snowed.... http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2010/02/long-time-no-playboating.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-4812575799141138145Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:34:00 +00002009-11-15T11:01:24.838ZIt has been a long time since I have been in my boat- apart from a 1 hour splash at Boulters, I have not been paddling since Worlds (early Sept). This is mainly due to a lack of water in the Thames valley - Hurley has been shut and my one trip to Boulters wasn't inspiring enough to make me want to get back in my boat until it rained enough for Hurley. However, I have also been seeing a physio to http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/11/new-job-no-boating.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-8289822718554679004Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:58:00 +00002009-09-10T15:35:04.732+01:00There has been plenty of hype about the New Star series when it first came out - videos of the Jackson paddlers going huge, lots of talk of 'this is the best boat ever' etc. etc. It's shorter, it must be better (though that didn't quite work for the Dagger FX!) Team paddlers were raving about it and so were the Jackson 'faithfuls' (i.e those that aren't sponsored but will always only paddle http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/09/2010-jackson-star-is-it-worthy-of-hype.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-3795182121966012661Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:59:00 +00002009-09-08T13:08:16.944+01:00A 4th World Championship final was not to be for me as I just couldn’t get the points to make top 5 – I was fairly happy with my rides compared to how I had been paddling throughout the rest of the competition, but I was sure I could have been paddling better on the wave – my back blunts were fairly non-existant, I forgot my rails and couldn't find the airblunts that I was landing a couple of http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/09/thun-semis-finals.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-5482121222061867793Sat, 05 Sep 2009 09:46:00 +00002009-09-05T11:13:00.500+01:00A write-up is on ukfreestyle websiteI have made it through to the next round, once again in 9th place (consistent!), though I seem to have misplaced my box of verticality - last seen on the Nile in June - if anyone finds it please return to me, Gwatt Campsite by 17.00hrs Saturday at the latest.Ruth Gordon got some huge air on a donkey flip/airscrew, though she took 2nd place just behind Emily http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/09/ladies-quarters.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-7430350124980626430Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:30:00 +00002009-09-04T10:43:51.326+01:00I have updated www.ukfreestyle.com with what has been happening in the rest of the competition. Yesterday was the ladies heats. I was grateful of an early heat, as that meant I could then watch the rest of the ladies paddling (I hate watching when I am yet to paddle).My rides were OK - a couple of blunts (thankfully I found my edges 2 days before the competition and started mainly gettting bluntshttp://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/09/thun-ladies-heats.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-1845258627007511727Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:34:00 +00002009-09-02T12:57:20.064+01:00(I wrote this on Tuesday morning - but only just got round to posting it!) We had our last team training session yesterday, although for us ladies we have another 2 days before we are competing (Thursday). Last night we attended one of the best opening ceremonies I have been to (and I’ve attended a lot!), mainly because it started just about on time (no sitting around in the heat waiting for http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/09/thun-opening-ceremony.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-6211859144293309447Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:46:00 +00002009-08-30T09:27:46.326+01:00We managed to get a few more rides in on today's training session, unfortunately this was not due to extra time or anything equally as exciting, but due to a super-flushy wave leading to short rides. In fact the wave disappeared completely for 15 minutes during our training slot (which was conveniently split between each of our groups - saving a little bit of moaning amongst the team!) and there http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/08/blog-post.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-5517127994217534175Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:05:00 +00002009-08-28T16:10:40.112+01:00I have been at Thun for the 2010 World Championships for a few days now, starting to get used to the wave although 4 to 5 rides in team training slots and 4 rides per hour (in a quiet hour) outside that time is not the best way to get used to a feature, especially when paddling a new boat and a wave that has so far changed daily (hopefully it has settled now)!Having paddled a mixture of the 'old'http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/08/world-championships-training-week.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-1954481384206110086Fri, 14 Aug 2009 09:09:00 +00002009-08-17T14:46:33.557+01:00Downhill Mountain Biking may not be the best preparation for a freestyle kayaking World Championships (2 weeks before heading out to the event), but I knew it would be fun, and I figured all I needed to do was 'not break myself' and it would all be good! It was good, I didn't totally break myself, just one slight injury..Myself, Cam and 10 of our friendsheaded to Les 2Alpes and then Alpe d'Huez http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/08/french-alps-mountain-biking.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-6748648368537452350Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:39:00 +00002009-07-22T16:10:23.060+01:00Well, club wave came back in which was great for all types of moves and we continued to surf the flushy Nile Special in the afternoons. We also spent a bit of time surfing the piddly waves near NRE and on the silverback run, as well as a few sessions at superhole - all of which, although not very exciting, and certainly not what you assume the waves on the Nile to be like, were probably great http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/07/uganda-contd.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-4000943393568782740Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:35:00 +00002009-06-30T10:47:23.608+01:00So, whilst in Lyon I had to decide where to go next to find some waves. Canada, Uganda or staying in Europe were the choices. I chose the option that was logistically easy and certain to have waves: Uganda. I thought Canada would probably be busy and Uganda, although busy with British & irish uni paddlers, would probably be quiet in terms of international paddlers who tend to visit Uganda in Jan/http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/06/ugandaagain.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-8868616233349749397Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:14:00 +00002009-06-18T18:53:48.384+01:00I've just returned from a couple of weeks in Lyon.The levels were low, but it was great to be in my boat and on a wave (which has not happened since March!). The wave has changed a lot since I was last there in 2006 (?or was it 07?), for the last Lyon River Festival and it took a good couple of days to really get the hang of catching it.The main difficulty was positioning from upstream, as the http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/06/lyon.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-8897603344544073699Tue, 05 May 2009 17:18:00 +00002009-05-17T16:26:33.637+01:00Nearly 2 months without rain :( has meant no Hurley, no boating, which is a shame as this is the first year in several when March/April (and most probably May) has been dry, and this is the year I could really do with Hurley being open to practice for the Worlds in August.So..... where shall I go to paddles some waves?http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/05/decisions-decisions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-4641190718631020735Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:20:00 +00002009-04-17T20:41:39.083+01:00How unusual, a bank holiday weekend in North Wales without rain - how did that happen? Because we took our boats. Yep, weather witch strikes again - metcheck had predicted loads of rain for N.Wales for Thursday, which then changed to Friday, neither of which materialised.As we were dusting the cobwebs off the creek boats and loading them onto the car roof, and later when we were driving 2o mins http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/04/no-rain-but-biking-in-sunshine.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-1952810676779320802Sun, 15 Mar 2009 18:37:00 +00002009-03-16T15:59:17.852Z This year was really hard to make the team, I think I said that last year, but this year I really felt under pressure as the selection event was being held on my local playspot: Hurley weir. The level was what is usually termed a 'perfect 3-gater'. However, whilst 'perfect' for an afternoon paddle in the sunshine with a couple of people in the eddy it was, unfortunately, not quite so 'perfect' http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/03/gb-team-selections.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-4821659687946824211Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:13:00 +00002009-03-13T12:09:12.739Z I was recently back in Uganda for my regular short winter trip to sunnier climates. Being the weather witch that I am the water levels dropped pretty much the day we arrived, having been at perfect paddle-on levels for Nile Special since November!This did mean that club wave was good, Pringle clean blunts on club wave Peter Csonka - air screw on club wave. though it also meant that the http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/03/uganda-life-2009.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-8445140393425574874Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:28:00 +00002009-01-06T12:11:50.793Z'I'm glad we left the boats at home' was repeated several times during the week especially when looking at numerous frosted boats on top of car roofs in Morrison's car park, Fort William. There were apparently some crazy people that were desperate to paddle even on just a trickle of water amongst a whole lot of ice. Madness.  I was constantly reminded of the time we were in the same area over 10 http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2009/01/scotland-at-new-year.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-8892735186310430767Tue, 23 Dec 2008 10:50:00 +00002008-12-24T14:09:25.905ZThe Hurley rodeo used to be the biggest event of the British Freestyle calendar. Unfortunately, following a couple of cancelled March-events (due to low water), the event became a more low-key event in December (more reliable water-levels, but jolly darn chilly). With the event now being just one-day and the air temperature being a bit nipsome, and the water temperature being a little on the 'toohttp://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2008/12/hurley-classic-2008.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-2984889896976716456Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:03:00 +00002008-11-14T20:31:23.422ZPg 271 of  this Adventure Sports Physiology textbook.  Full text herehttp://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2008/11/ive-been-published.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-5675344827584978297Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:04:00 +00002008-10-16T21:06:23.880+01:00Apart from Spain and Thun every other competition I have been to this year seems to have been plagued by the rain and the recent British Champs were no different. The horrendous weather was probably a factor in dissuading paddlers from entering, along with other events happening that weekend, and the competition field was small - it was however no less difficult as plenty of the top guys and http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2008/10/british-championships.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-4842825997562128954Mon, 01 Sep 2008 18:21:00 +00002008-09-03T21:32:31.780+01:00 The Thun finals all kicked off on Sunday (in more ways than one). It was all very exciting to watch and I was more than glad I wasn't judging. First up were the OC1s and this time James Weir hadn't quite got used to the wave so didn't throw down like he usually does - he came 3rd. Jez from Oz won. In the junior ladies Nouria from France was quite a way ahead of her competitors and took the http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2008/09/finals-thun-world-cup.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-5191979732197831799Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:32:00 +00002008-08-30T18:37:22.300+01:00Here we go again, another final sat on the sidelines! This time I couldn't quite get my blunts going, I think the 'fear of flush' factor was in there (again) and with just one throw-away ride I played it too safe instead of spending time setting up properly to get blunts - therefore I just got roundhouses meaning I dropped from 2nd to 7th, just behind Querine Wegman (NDL). Top 5 were Emily http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2008/08/thun-semis.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-7233446734390279096Sat, 30 Aug 2008 08:00:00 +00002008-08-30T09:22:11.727+01:00Once again there was a lot of flushing going on yesterday in the men's prelims but also some really impressive rides, particularly from Stephen Wright who threw a couple of huge aerial McNasties/pistol flips and Peter Csonka who powered back onto the wave after it looked like he was off, he scored just a few more points than Stephen to take 1st place. EJ's run plan looked risky - straight into http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2008/08/mens-prelims.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10017626.post-3067821015434336803Fri, 29 Aug 2008 08:27:00 +00002008-08-29T09:45:34.670+01:00 Another day, another competition! The wave at Thun is set against a picturesque backdrop in a pretty Swiss town. The feature is a fun, smallish wave but quite difficult to get anything vertical (its difficult for me, though the guys make it look quite easy) as the wave is quite flat, it also seems to lack any shoulders and it can deal out some random (and sometimes not so random) flushes. We http://www.fionajarvie.co.uk/diary/2008/08/thun-1st-day-prelims.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (flea)1