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June 10, 2006

Photos

France is a unique place, and regardless if the French have issues with Americans, and vice versa; France is a wonderful place with wonderful people. Toon (Philippe Doux) who owns Kayak Session Magazine and his brother who owns Canoe/Kayak Magazine in France are the organizers of this huge whitewater festival. There must be 20+ countries competing in the freestyle event, plus the city of Lyon enjoying the festivities. Live Television, TV shows, concerts, radio, an enormous ramp, a fun wave, a kids playground, a bar, restaurant (mobile, at the event site, sweet!), camping on the site, and water 24/7.

Today was the prelims for the freestyle event and the ramp competition. While I am no stranger to the ramp, I opted out of this one, knowing that my back (hurt in 1997 on a big waterfall) isn’t worth risking for this event. I feel for the countless paddlers who will wake up tomorrow with back issues that may or may not sort themselves out over time from today’s competition. I was in heat 8 out of 10 heats of 10 people each. 100 men’s pro paddlers, sweet. Oops, let’s start out with the juniors and women.

In the junior men’s class. Dane flushed through the wave on his first run getting a zero. On his second run he through a big air blunt, back air blunt, and an air screw to get 325 points to win by over 100 points! (only your top three moves count and you have 30 seconds to get them!). Nick Troutman finished in 3rd.

In the women’s class a young lady (15 years old) from Bourg St. Maurice, France won the prelims with two great runs! Emily was tied for 4th with one ride.

In the men’s pro class:

EJ, Anthony Yapp, and Joules (France) tied for 1st place with 450 points each on one ride. I got the only Combo Move, nailing a Blunt/McNasty combo, and an Entry Move, but my Pan Am attempt was weak and didn’t score, so I only got two moves to count out of the available three. Anthony Yapp got a huge air blunt, a big back blunt, and a sweet air screw getting all three. I didn’t see Joules ride and honestly don’t know who the guy is, but surely I’ll meet him tomorrow and pay closer attention!

After the prelims (200 competitors), the “Big Air” competition happened which was the ramp competition. I watched, knowing that I would have no problem nailing a back flip, a double air screw, or a pistol flip. However, I am not confident that I could do any of those moves and plug in at an angle that wouldn’t hurt my back. While my back isn’t really bad, it hurts every day from a bad landing 10 years ago in WA.

There were lots of cool tricks though, and lots of virgins going off and making the classic mistake of chickening out on the lip and doing nothing and landing flat. Here are a couple of photos.

Tonight there were three bands playing at the festival sight. My partner Tony, his wife Dominique, Jessie Stone, Kristine, and I went to old town Lyon and had dinner to get a little culture and downtime. Awesome.

Tomorrow is the Quarter-finals (cutting from 40 to 10 competitors) then the semi-finals (cutting from 10-5), then single elimination finals (5 to 4, 4 to 3, 3 to 2, and then 2 to 1) whew! It will be a big day (I hope).

I am trying to go to sleep (it is midnight) but I must still be on USA time. (even though we have been training at 6am before the party crowd wakes).

Good night!

🙂 EJ

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