The national watersports centre at Nottingham was the location for the British Freestyle Championships and the Alpkit Series Final. With everyone else on the Team out in Austria for the Sickline event, I was the lone Pyranha team member competing.
Unlike previous years, the whole event was held in one feature, the Muncher. The hole is retentive (but a bit shallow) and has a slight shoulder on it meaning everything from all the latest hole moves to some of the wave moves went.
As seen as everyone else was away, I thought I’d try and represent Pyranha in the kayaks as well as my usual haunt in the C1 category. I don’t paddle kayak very often but I try and compete in at least one event a year. As suspected, I creating some enjoyment for the crowd but didn’t really worry any of the top spots.
Back in the C1 event, the competition was close between myself and reigning British and European Champion David Bainbridge. David was throwing some really cool moves including going for an airscrew on the shoulder!! In the final round of the knockout finals I managed to nail a load of superclean ends as well as splitting it up and came out with my best score of the finals. David flushed early in his run and had to make his way back up the eddy. I thought I had finally got him but then, out he brings a McNasty to take the win…
The event was really well run and there was a great atmosphere but after 5 years in a row of coming 2nd after winning the title in 2002 I’m getting a little tired of it.
Next year I’ll have a Rev and hopefully a few more tricks up my sleeve so people had best watch out….