Eneko Yarza Kayak

IBAI BIDAIAK: Blog hau nire bidaiei buruz da, munduan zehar ibaiak jaitsiaz kayakari eta ibai gida moduan.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . Beste bizimodu bat ezagutzera gonbidatuak zaudete.
RIVER TRAVELS:This blog talks about my travels around the world, as a passionate nomad kayaker and as a river guide.
VIAJES POR RÍOS: Este blog habla de mis viajes por el mundo como kayakista y guía de ríos apasionado y nómada.

2011/03/29

15th on the World Champs. Sickline 2010 (eng)


@euskara                                          @hispano


EXTREME KAYAK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2010

ADIDAS-SICKLINE, AUSTRIA   2010-9-30/2010-10-2

RIVER

SECTION

DIFFICULTY

Oetz (Austrian Alps)

Wellebrucke
V




15th OF THE WORLD!


Photo: Laura Mas


     2010 was my first competition year on plastic boats. Since 2005 I was kayaking the Bliss-Stick SCUD loving it, very manoeuvrable, but it was slow too. The “Blondie” was out of shape and in March 2010 I changed to the Bliss-Stick Mystic and I started flowing fast.

     After competing in some races, at the end of September 2010 I went to the ADIDAS-SICKLINE Extreme Kayak World Championship in Oetz (Austria). We went 10 Pyrenean Extreme Kayakers (PEK) together like a team: 3 catalonians (Gerd&Aniol Serrasolses, Marc Parra), 4 french (Eric Deguil, Fabrice Pouyeto, Bastien and Thomas) and 3 basques (Igor Juanikorena, Mikel Sarasola and myself).


Photo: Alex Keller

     We were almost 150 competitors from all over the world for the first qualification run. 90 kayakers passed to the second qualification run and for the surprise of everybody, including me, I made the 8th fastest time. With the overall qualification 1+2, I was going number 13 to the next day finals on the upper part of the section.

Photo: A.K.

     Saturday October 2, 48 best kayakers were going to compete (individually on a head to head eliminatory heats) at the quarterfinals on the well-known class V Wellebrucke section of the Oetz river. We passed 26 to the semi-finals where with 1 minute 8 seconds time I made it to the Top 15 Super Final as the 13th! Awesome!

Photo: A.K.

     Television was there, interviews going on, broadcasting alive in internet, and me with broken wetsuit, broken dry top and old material surrounded by all these pro shiny kayakers.

     There was some misunderstanding about which country I was representing to, so I took another redbull and went to talk to the main reporter, the legendary Steve Fisher. I explain him that I am Basque, he understood, I tied the basque flag (Ikurriña) to my shoulder and I went to the start slide to race for the last time in this event.

Last drop of the race called “The Champion´s killer”. Photo: L.M.

      I went to give it all, very fast the first half course, but I went out of line on the core section and again on the champion’s killer last drop. I did a bad run but I was super happy for being the 15th at the Extreme Kayak World Championship.

Photo: L.M.

     Sam Sutton, my young friend from New Zealand 2005 chapter, became the world champion with absolute style. We met again with friends from the planet (Silvio Gurrieri, Nils Heine, Mike Dawson…) and made many more.

RIVER FRIENDS





It is possible to see all the superfinal event at freecaster.tv
                                                          http://freecaster.tv/kayak/1012959/adidas-sickline-2010-replay
                                                          http://freecaster.tv/kayak/1013326/adidas-sickline-2010-highlight
                                    

2011/03/24

15. Munduko Txapelketan. Sickline 2010 (eus)


@english                                 @hispano

                                    Txapelketako bideo guztia ikusteko:
                                                                                              http://freecaster.tv/kayak/1012959/adidas-sickline-2010-replay
                                                                                              http://freecaster.tv/kayak/1013326/adidas-sickline-2010-highlight


MUNDUKO KAYAK EXTREMO TXAPELKETA 2010

ADIDAS-SICKLINE, AUSTRIA   2010-9-30/2010-10-2

IBAIA

ZATIA

ZAILTASUNA

Oetz (Austriar Alpeak)

Wellebrucke
V



MUNDUKO 15.a!

Argazkia: Laura Mas


     2010 izan zen nire lehen lehiaketa urtea plastikozko untzietan. 2005etik Bliss-Stick SCUD kayakean nenbilen eta oso gustukoa nuen, baina oso motela zen. “Ile horiduna” forma galduarekin zegoen eta 2010eko martxoan Bliss-Stick Mystic kayakera aldatu nintzen, azkar nabigatzen hasiaz.

     Zenbait lasterketetan lehiatu ondoren, 2010eko urrian Munduko Kayak Extremo Txapelketan (ADIDAS-SICKLINE) parte hartu nuen Austriako Oetz herri eta ibaian. 10 piriniar kayakari (PEK) joan ginen elkarrekin talde moduan: 3 kataluniar (Gerd & Aniol Serrasolses eta Marc Parra), 4 frantses (Eric Deguil, Fabrice Pouyeto, Bastien eta Thomas) eta 3 euskaldun (Igor Juanikorena, Mikel Sarasola eta ni).


Argazkia: Alex Keller

      Lehenengo kanporaketa lasterketan mundu osoko ia 150 partaide ginen. 90 kayakari pasa ginen 2. klasifikazio lasterketara eta guztion harridurarako, baita neurea ere, 8. denbora hoberena egin nuen. 1+2 klasifikazio orokorrean 13 zenbakiarekin nindoan hurrengo eguneko goiko zatiko finaletara.


Argazkia: A.K.

     Larunbata urriak 2, 48 kayakari hoberenak Oetz ibaiko Wellebrucke sekzio ezagunean final laurdenetan lehiatzera gindoazen (kronoaren aurka banaka, buruz-buruko kanporaketa txandetan). 26 pasa ginen final erdietara eta hemen minutu 1 eta 8 segunduko denbora eginaz 15 hoberenen Super Finalera igaro nintzen 13.ena bezala. TOP 15, hori dek eta!

Argazkia: A.K.

     Hantxe zegoen telebista, elkarrizketak abian, interneten zuzenean ematen, eta ni neopreno jantzi hautsiarekin, lepoko latex iraganezin hautsia, plastikozko kasko eta material zaharrarekin kayakari profesional dizdiratsu guzti haiez inguratua.

      Gaizki ulerturen bat egon zen ea nik zein herrialde ordezkatzen nuen. Beste redbull bat hartu eta erreportari nagusiarekin hitzegitera joan nintzen, Steve Fisher legendarioarekin. Ni euskalduna naizela azaldu nion, berak ulertu, Ikurriña sorbaldan lotu eta irteera arlanpara joan nintzen munduko txapelketan azken aldiz lehiatzera.

"Txapeldunaren Hiltzailea” izeneko lasterketako azken jauzia (The Champion´s killer). Argazkia: LM.

     Guztia ematera irten nintzen, oso azkar lehen zatian, baina lerro-bidetik atera nintzen erdialdera eta berriz ere Txapeldunaren Hiltzailea azken jauzian. Jaitsiera txarra egin arren oso zoriontsu sentitu nintzen Munduko Kayak Extremo Txapelketan 15.a izateagatik. 

Argazkia: L.M.

     Sam Sutton, Zelanda Berria 2005 kapituluko nire laguna, bilakatu zen munduko txapeldun guztioi erakustaldia emanaz. Lur planeta bidaietako lagunak elkartu ginen berriz ere (Silvio Gurrieri, Nils Heine, Mike Dawson…) eta lagun gehiago ere egin genituen.

IBAIETAKO LAGUNAK





2011/03/16

15º en el Campeonato del Mundo. Sickline 2010 (esp)


@euskara                                           @english


CAMPEONATO DEL MUNDO DE KAYAK EXTREMO 2010

ADIDAS-SICKLINE, AUSTRIA   2010-9-30/2010-10-2

RÍO

SECCIÓN

DIFICULTAD

Oetz (Alpes Austríacos)

Wellebrucke
V


15º del MUNDO!

Foto: Laura Mas


     2010 fue mi primer año de competición en botes de plástico. Desde 2005 estaba kayakeando con el Bliss-Stick SCUD y me gustaba mucho, muy maniobrable, pero también era lento. La “Rubia” ya estaba deformada y en marzo de 2010 cambié al Bliss-Stick Mystic y comencé a navegar veloz.

     Tras competir en varias carreras, a finales de 2010 participé en el Campeonato del Mundo de Kayak Extremo ADIDAS-SICKLINE en Oetz (Austria). Fuimos juntos 10 kayakeros pirenaicos (PEK) como equipo: 3 catalanes (Gerd & Aniol Serrasolses y Marc Parra), 4 franceses (Eric Deguil, Fabrice Pouyeto, Bastien Dantin y Thomas Tabarant) y 3 vascos (Igor Juanikorena, Mikel Sarasola y yo).

Foto: Alex Keller

     Éramos casi 150 competidores de todo el mundo en la primera carrera de clasificación. 90 kayakeros pasamos a la segunda clasificación y para sorpresa de todos, incluido yo, hice el 8º mejor tiempo. En la clasificación general 1+2, iba con el número 13 a las finales del día siguiente en la parte alta de la sección.

Foto: A.K.

     Sábado 2 de octubre, los mejores 48 kayakistas iban a competir (individualmente contrareloj, en mangas eliminatorias uno contra uno) en los cuartos de final en la conocida sección Wellebrucke del río Oetz.  Pasamos 26 a las semifinales donde con un tiempo de 1 minuto y 8 segundos pasé a la SuperFinal Top 15 como el 13º! Eso!

Foto: A.K.

     Ahí estaba la televisión, entrevistas, retransmitiendo en directo por Internet, y yo con mi traje de neopreno roto, chubasquero roto y material viejo rodeado de todos esos brillantes kayakistas pro.

     Hubo algún malentendido sobre a qué país estaba yo representando, así es que tomé otro redbull y me fui a hablar con el reportero mayor, el legendario Steve Fisher. Le expliqué que yo soy vasco, él lo entendió, até la Ikurriña (bandera vasca) al hombro y me fui a la rampa de inicio a correr por última vez en este evento.

Último salto de la carrera llamado “The Champion´s killer” (Mata Campeones). Foto: L.M.

     Salí a darlo todo, muy rápido en la primera mitad, pero me salí de la línea en la sección central y de nuevo en el último salto llamado matacampeones. Hice una mala bajada pero me sentía súper contento por ser el 15º en el Campeonato del Mundo de Kayak Extremo.

Foto: L.M.

     Sam Sutton, mi joven amigo del capítulo Nueva Zelanda 2005, se convirtió en campeón del mundo con mucho estilo. Nos reencontramos amigos del planeta (Silvio Gurrieri, Nils Heine, Mike Dawson…) y también hicimos muchos más. 

AMIGOS DEL RÍO





Se puede ver todo el evento de la SuperFinal en  freecaster.tv
                                                                                      http://freecaster.tv/kayak/1012959/adidas-sickline-2010-replay
                                                                                      http://freecaster.tv/kayak/1013326/adidas-sickline-2010-highlight



2011/03/10

CAN-USA-MEX 2004 (ENG)

@euskara                               @hispano




     After a spring+summer work season on the Pyrenees, the time to emigrate arrived again in September 2004, and I went alone to the east of Canada. I didn’t have any flight back and following my inner compass I’d come back after 2 and a half years from Asia to Euskal Herria (Basque Country), doing a round trip to the world.


CANADA-USA-MEXICO   2004-9/12


     With this bus we see on the photo, the 2 vehicles and the 2 trailers (kayaks in one, cooking staff&food in the other) we crossed North America going from river to river. Starting on the Ottawa River at the east of Canada between the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, crossing USA through the east and we finished at the Pacific coast of Mexico.

      I participated on the WILD program (Whitewater Intensive Leadership Development) organized by mister Jim Coffei with his Sprit Rafting Company. 

     15 staff persons and 15 students, who after 3 months learning and enjoying will be ready to immerse into the river guide professional world.




     I was part of the staff and in addition to instruction and safety, my specific job was to be a photographer.










     Mexican doctor Bernardo with the video and me with the photo camera, we descended all the rivers in kayaks like trip reporters, mates and friends.





      On the Ottawa River learning the flip of the kayak initiation.

      The theory and practical classes were in peculiar places.



     For example under this tree in Micos valley (San Luis Potosi, Mexico).


     Or over the bus roof in Puente Pescados bridge in Jalcomulco (Veracruz, México).











USA   United States of America

      After a first stop in Youghiogheny River in Pennsylvania we went to West Virginia.

      Here there is the Gauley River, powerful, fun and famous. Starting at the dam, 50 km navigable in 3 sections, 5 big rapids, entertainment guaranteed.

     This dam releases water only 6 weeks per year (Oct-Sept), 4 days per week, with big concentration of people and boats. In one of these weekends is held the “Gauley Fest”, a river macro festival where I’d come back in 2005.

  



     In these USA rivers we had Andrew Holcombe pro kayaker like a guide and instructor, as we can see in this photo of the start of the `PillowRock´ rapid on the Gauley river.

  





     When I took photos of my crew and they went down the river in their rescues, I remember how I decided to run alone the hardest line. All the current was pushing against the left rock forming a big water pillow (PillowRock), and to its left side a 2m small and wild eddy delimited by vertical walls.

     I reached the eddy, yes, but the adrenaline released was shot there, like being over a furious bull doing rodeo, the small eddy was moving up, down and in all directions rough. I was full of emotion and adrenalin when the unknown public started cheering and jumping with arms up almost more excited than me. I went out with no problem and afterwards I knew that this corner had a name: Room of Doom.
  

We boated the New River too, one of the oldest rivers in America.
This bridge was the highest and one of the longest in the world until 2004.

We descended the Ocoee River in Tennessee. 
Here is Devil’s Hole, famous hole for playboating.   

RESCUES

     A river guide must know resolving rescue situations and to learn that we had not comparable resources. We received SRT 1 and 2 courses (Swiftwater Rescue Technician level 1&2) from ‘Rescue 3’ institution by the excellent instructor Jim Coffei.


     By the side is seen one of the manoeuvres done in a victim rescue scenario at the Micos waterfalls (SRT1).



     Besides, on the bottom photos, in a rescue scenario at the Xico River doing a long rappel and rescuing victims with big effort. The night rescue scenario was done at the Pescados River (SRT2).


















     We practiced several rescue manoeuvres on the Pescados river: bring out a victim from the river rock swimming roped (live bait), underwater foot entrapment victim rescue techniques, wrap boat rescue techniques (including mechanical advantage), paddle+group formation to cross the current walking, and many other.













Jim Coffei on instruction job while the students get ready to cross the Pescados River (Veracruz-México).



MEXICO


     Our first stop was at Huasteca Potosina region in San Luis Potosi state, around Ciudad Valles. Here are the "Cascadas de Micos" waterfalls, a Salto river section where the white limestone formed by the minerals deposited by the water builds walls with regular corners, and adding the beautiful watercolour it offers to us a spectacular park to descend them in kayaks.


     Our instructor mate Andrew Slater ran “El Toro”, the highest waterfall in Micos, while I was taking photos to him. But the front side of the kayak lift up too much and landed flat. A true rescue and to the hospital. A vertebral compression and recovered with repose.



     Out of the rivers we did a bit of tourism too. In San Luis Potosi we went to the "Sótano de las Golondrinas" (“swallow basement”), a conic shape cave, 500m deep and 60m diameter on the upper part.

     At the sunrise thousands of swifts (they are not swallows) and parrots fly out continuously in spiral with total precision. At the sunset they are flying above the cave in circles and in groups they throw themselves straight into the cave, while we were listening the whistle of their fast fly.

     Both were amazing, the sunrise and the sunset.
     Afterwards we went to VERACRUZ state because here the water has eroded wonderful ways from the high lands to the Caribbean.

    The Alseseca River is one of the best (right photo) near Tlapacoyan village. Mother rock, water and steep gradient, can’t ask for more.




     We descended Barranca Grande river in 2 days sleeping at the shore, and following through the Pescados River finished in Jalcomulco.

     In this photo we see how the students are already learning %.









       Sprit House was our base in Jalcomulco. Each house in this village has its colour, smell and music. As a defense of dog attacks it is enough bending down because they think you’ll grab a stone and throw them (they must have learned their lesson). At night the donkeys are storytellers offering cries and laughs.
      For my birthday we did a big 'Reventón' party, organized by Gerardo and Miriam, DJs, Yeti and me fire spin dancing, etc. Pura Banda!



     After a visit to the fat monkeys in an island of the Catemaco Lake near Caribbean, we went to the west, to the colourful state of Oaxaca on the Pacific Ocean. We stayed around Huatulco-Mazunte, where I already stayed working and living in 2002.  


     We descended the 3 commercial sections of river Copalita. With it we arrived to the ocean and finished kayak surfing the waves at the beach. Qué chingón!

     The WILD travel program finished that way. In 3 months everybody learned a lot and to some of them would change the direction of their lives. In my head was born a second generation of dreadlocks.

     It was undoubtedly an unforgettable experience.

     Next day after finishing WILD, Slater, Bernardo and I went to descend the Zimatan River, beautiful light grey mother rock with peculiar water movements. With small playboats only me decided to give to the last 8 meters high dangerous waterfall called 'El Chorro', but things didn’t go well. As soon as I landed I appear upside down against the right undercut wall, the current pushing me, doing all side and kind of rolls, but the kayak wasn’t moving. They threw me the rope but it didn’t work, head under water long time. In this dangerous place the time to swim arrived. I pulled the skirt and head towards the waterfall, grabbed the falling water with both hands and went down the dark deeps. Past some long seconds I appeared downstream with lack of breath. My kayak instead didn’t have the same luck and went to the cave behind the waterfall and stayed there. We couldn’t do anything else.

     A day after I came back to rescue it with appropriate material, Bernardo and most disposed students recently become river guides. Everything organized I was the only one put at risk. Live bait roped I jumped flat to the water and speedy went into the cave through the side waterfall window, but there was not any kayak, and the water rough, and in the undercut wet walls climber fish from the documentaries. Suddenly the kayak appeared from the bottom as a missile, I hugged it and carabinered it with the second tow rope while the water movement was doing us spin, and with that the ropes rounding me… When I shouted the signal Bernardo and almost 2m tall and strong Bob Vranich started pulling my rope (not the 2nd kayak rope). I crossed the water curtain while trying to loose from the kayak rope, but it stayed tied to my ankles. It stretched my legs and luckily the kayak came after me.

     All saved, and like penitence inside the kayak were hundreds small climber fishes. I stood the kayak up, opened the lid, the water going out but the fish climbing up the plastic! Incredible. The fish were rotted inside the kayak and the penitence of the stink followed me many days.

     In 2010 I came back and ran El Chorro properly.
 
     With this Wave Sport T2 (Transformer) yellow kayak (for many people not worth it) I crossed Central America by buses arriving to Costa Rica by the end of December.


CANADA 2004-9

RIVER

SECTION

DIFFICULTY

Ottawa (Ontario-Quebec)

Middle Channel

Main Channel

III

III-IV

Gatineau (Quebec)

 

III


USA         2004-10 + 2005-9

RVER

SECTION

DIFFICULTY

Youghiogheny (Pensylvania)

Upper

Lower + Loop

IV

III (4)

Gauley (West Virginia)

Upper

Middle
Lower

IV

III
III

New (West Virginia)

Lower

III

Nantahala (North Carolina)

 

II-III

Ocoee (Tennessee)

 

III+


MEXICO 2004-11 + 2005-4

RIVER

SECTION

DIFFICULTY

Cascadas de Micos (SLuisPotosi)

From Chorro

IV

Tampaón (San Luis Potosí)

Tampaón

III

Barranca Grande (Veracruz)

Bca Grande-Pte Pescados

III+

Pescados (Veracruz)

Puente Pescados-Jalcomulco

III-IV

Antigua (Veracruz)

Jalcomulco-Presa

II-III

El Sordo (Veracruz)

Cafetal-Puente Pescados

III+

Actopan (Veracruz)

Cascada-pueblo

II-III

Alseseca (Veracruz)

Rancho el 7-PteTablazos

IV

Copalita (Oaxaca)

Alemania

La Hamaca
La Bocana

IV

III
II

Zimatan (Oaxaca)

El Chorro

IV-V