Now in its third year running, the Lulu Love Tour stopped in Sort, Spain to promote women’s participation in whitewater kayaking.
The Lulu Love Tour is more than just another kayaking event. The LLT is a collective project designed to spread “The Lulu Love” by connecting individuals with the amazing community that surrounds the sport of whitewater kayaking.
The objective is to bring people together by organizing non-profit events that are geared towards increasing participation in kayaking and outdoor life while reflecting the same love for the sport that Louise Emma Jull (aka Lulu) had.
CLINICS FOR ALL!
One of the main purposes of the Lulu Love Tour is to give and to open the event to the whitewater community. By organizing clinics, the LLT gives the opportunity to learn, practice, and improve personal whitewater skills and kayaking techniques at the same time as promoting the spirit of getting out there and enjoying every moment.
In this edition, the LLT offered three different clinics specifically designed for the event and run by professional instructors.
The Introduction to Kayaking clinic was aimed at those girls who had only done a little bit of kayaking or none at all. We split the big group of newbies in two so every paddler could learn in a safe and comfortable environment. Júlia Cuchí, Jus Erguin, Ginesta Serrasolses, Carla Solé, and Alícia Casas were the leaders of the clinic, making sure every participant learned and had fun on the water.
The Freestyle clinic was run by Nuria Fontané (Jr. Freestyle European Champion and multiple Spanish Champion), Cristian Lamiel (Kayak Coach and instructor) and Oriol Colomé (Spanish Team Freestyle Kayak Coach). The girls attending this clinic learnt and practised basic freestyle moves in different features and had a blast on the different play spots available.
Marc Parra (professional kayaker and vertical works certified instructor) was in charge of the Rescue and Rope Skills clinic, in which the girls had the chance to learn and practice several Mechanical Advantage Systems to potentially use in different whitewater rescue scenarios.
DOWNRIVER MASS START – NOGUERA PALLARESA WOMEN’S RACE
The Tour continued on Saturday morning as participants checked in and got their welcome packs, before turning into race mode for the first race of the day, a gruelling 6km race down some of the most classic rapids on the Noguera Pallaresa.
The competitors left their boats on the riverbank, aligned themselves at the start line and impatiently waited for the whistle to blow. It finally did, and everyone sprinted to jump into their boats and paddled downstream as hard as they could for the next 20 minutes.
After an epic head to head battle to the finish, slalom paddler, Júlia Cuchí managed to take the win, followed very closely behind by young and talented extreme kayaker, Sofia Reinoso from Mexico. Local paddler Núria Fontané witnessed their multiple passes from very close to finishing third.
Paddlers waited until the last competitor crossed the finish line before the stoke float started all the way down to Sort.
PYRANHA KAYAK TEST
A Pyranha Kayaks Test centre offered participants the chance to try and paddle all of Pyranha’s latest designs down the slalom course. Everyone had a blast with the boats, especially the newly arrived 9R II and Ripper, as well as others such as the Jed, Machno, and 12R.
Thank you Pyranha Kayaks for your support in this years LLT!
OPEN MULTISPORT RACE
Beloved and missed Lulu is the main engine behind this whole project. She was passionate about kayaking and turned outdoors into her lifestyle. Under her mantra “always winning never not” she was always down to do anything that involved kayaking, racing, or hanging out with friends and used to encourage people to get out there and join her in enjoying life to the fullest.
By keeping the Tour rolling, we try somehow to bring back Lou’s positive energy and keep her spirit alive. This year’s Open Multisport Race is inspired by one of the most popular races in Okere Falls, NZ, called “Champions Race”. This race was actually one of Lou’s favourite races of the season so it was just another way to honour her and keep spreading her energy and love for the sport in the way she loved the most… A race with friends!
The race involved running, swimming, and kayaking, and despite the struggle to finish it, everyone gave it all and fought side by side until the end!
The young, local twins, Noa and Urko Cot took gold in the female and male junior categories whereas once again Júlia Cuchí and Gerd Serrasolses took the win on the senior category.
AWARDS AND MORE!
Once again, managers of Sort’s Kayak School (Escola de Piragüisme), Aleix & Mònica shared their beautiful property to celebrate the Awards Ceremony.
The awards started, and the top three paddlers of the two different races were announced to come onto the podium to get their medals and prizes. Stoke was high and competitors and spectators cheered and congratulated the 9 winners.
Meanwhile, two of the best paella cooks in town, Hugo & Natalia were cooking dinner to feed over 100 people in two massive traditional rice paellas.
In the middle of the Awards Ceremony, heavy rain turned up, but it was not enough to make people down. Everyone in the crowd was way too excited for the “grand moment” and hoping to get lucky to win a very special prize at this year’s raffle; a Lulu custom Ripper courtesy of Pyranha Kayaks! The lucky winner was none other than Lulu Love Tour former champion and ambassador Júlia Cuchí. Now she just has to do what she promised right before the raffle… give up slalom and go shred on the Futa!! Hahaha!
Finally, and after two full days of whitewater, racing, learning new skills, and sharing the stoke, the Lulu Love Tour – Sort ’19 arrived at its end. Happiness was visible in everyone’s faces as they seemed to have enjoyed every single minute of the event to the fullest. The Lulu Love Tour – Sort ’19 had achieved its most important goal…
#AlwaysWinningNeverNot