The Montreal Eau Vive is always one of my favorite events of the year being its unique nature of using Jet Ski shuttles and Jet Boat Boater-X, as well as the fact that it is a combination event including both the freestyle and race together. This year Emily and I both decided to head up to Montreal to compete.

Day 1 was big wave freestyle on both ‘Mavericks wave’ and ‘Big Joe Wave’. It was a pretty sweet setup where the jet ski comes and drops you off at the wave out in the middle of the Saint Laurence River, and then it comes back after your ride and drives you back up the rapids to wait your turn again. The weather report was pretty grim, though it actually ended up being pretty nice out, and I even got a couple sunset surfs during my heats for the freestyle. All in all, it ended up being an epic day of surfing and ripping around on jet skis. Emily ended up winning the freestyle, and I took 2nd to Dane and followed by Jordan Poffenberger in 3rd.

Day 2 was the Boater-X held on the JetBoat, where we launch on the boat, race through a big rapid and finish touching the boat we started on. It was super cool and even rowdier as we finished the day off with a 20 person mass start finals. It was an intense race as the boat, our starting and finish line, is constantly moving, as well as the fact that we are racing down through some huge wave trains along side with 20 of your friends. Luckily I think the worst injury was a tooth through someone’s lip on impact. It was a tight finish between a couple of us, though I was lucky enough to pull out in front and take first place, along side Kalob Grady and Dane Jackson, which ended up being a Jackson Kayak Nirvana podium sweep.

In the end, I took home top honors in the Overall event, with Dane in 2nd and Kalob in 3rd. In the women’s class, Emily ended up in 3rd overall behind Claire O’Haire in 2nd and Brooke Hess in 1st. It ended up being a fantastic weekend filled with tons of awesome kayaking, lots of friends, and a whole bunch of smiles and fun. I can’t wait to go back next year.