*SHRED READY WHITEWATER PADDLING TEAM UPDATE*
TOMMY HILLEKE
This summer we received an awesome email from Mike Brown who represents the Pikes Peak Whitewater Club in Colorado.
Pictured here is the PPWC clinic group with Tommy in the back row, center.
They apparently have pro paddler clinics from time to time and were privileged to have Tommy Hilleke as one of their guest teachers. Mike wrote, "Tommy's preparation, and approach coupled with his friendly demeanor won the group over right away. All day long, people were paddling up to me telling me how much they appreciated what he was doing and how they could not believe how much fun they were having with him. To top it off, despite the fact that he had a 2-3 hour drive in front of him, Tommy joined the group for a late lunch and shared river stories for another hour or so. I can't imagine anything he could have done differently to make a better overall impression on our group. I'm getting messages already from people asking if we can have him do something else with us next season. I expect you are interested in hearing when your team athletes relate effectively to the public. I want to make sure you hear from us how well Tommy represented Shred Ready this week." This is one of many feathers in Tommy's hat, but a really nice one at that.
ANDREW HOLCOMBE & ANNA LEVESQUE
We received exciting news that two of our team members, Andrew and Anna, will be co-leading a White Nile kayaking, yoga and community service trip in Uganda, Africa this coming November. One of Shred Ready's best retail dealers, NOC , is a head sponsor of this trip.
Anna runs a popular business/brand called Girls at Play, promoting women's kayaking and kayaking in general. You have to see her web site to learn more about it. www.watergirlsatplay.com There's a lot to it.
Among other things, Andrew has just been featured in two new kayak videos this year,
Enter the Donkey and Burning Time 2 Check out his smooth style on DVD.
Additionally, Andrew has also qualified for the US Freestyle Team and will be competing in the World Championships in Ottawa, Canada next year.
SPENCER COOKE
This is me blogging away on behalf of the entire team. As a representative of Shred Ready, one of the things I am most proud of this year is a position I took with The Academy Of Huge Experiences during June-July as trip leader of the Colorado summer tour. Co-trip leader, Jason Aytes and myself were privileged to coach nine talented teen kayakers for three weeks. We captured tons of video and photos during the stint and posted most of it on the Go Huge Blog
Our final video session at Salida, on the Arkansas River, was by far the most impressive. Said video and photos can be seen at the Team Riot Blog
The Salida hole was an incredilbe place to learn or practice just about any move.
Beyond the CO trip, Enter the Donkey has been keeping me very busy. It's a new kayaking DVD produced by myself, Chris Gragtmans and Joey Hall, who are also on team Shred Ready. So far we are getting an incredibly positive response to the video. Which brings us to our next Shred Ready team member...
JOEY HALL
Joey is a man wearing many hats. One of those hats looks like a silly bear or mouse and it makes him hold his mouth funny.
Joey has his own business, Deadman Productions but spends his summers, this summer included, coaching kayaking at Camp Pinnacle in Hendersonville, NC.
Many hats as mentioned before. Here is Joey surfing Biiiiiig stuff at Wrightsville Beach. Joey is the current point leader on the ESKA circuit, in HP, IC and K1. He's been winning a lot this year.
Joey is the president of the Eastern Surf Kayaking Association , currently organizing the US National Surf Kayaking Championships to be held at the Outer Banks (OBX) of North Carolina on September 8-10. The world's best surf kayakers from all over the US and the world will be there to compete.
CHRIS GRAGTMANS
Chris enthusiastically accepts his award at the 2006 NAWF.
There is no question that Chris Gragtmans is one of the nicest guys on the water and at the same time one of the smoothest and most flawless in paddling skill.
Chris was the Overall Champion this year at the North Alabama Whitewater Festival, taking 2nd in freestyle and 2nd in the extreme race. Here is Chris finishing a back freewheel at Short Creek Falls in AL.
Chris is also featured in our most recent ad in AW and Kayak Session running THE 50 (FIFTY) FOOT ELK RIVER FALLS in North Carolina at really high water.
JOHN GRACE
John has been snowboarding at least once that we know of. Well, he's at least walked in the snow holding a snowboard.
This guy needs little or no introduction. We could write forever about John's accomplishments. His most recent undertaking has been taking the reins at Penstock Productions and therefore Lunch Video Magazine . This has come with other great responsibilities such as the IR Vacation to Hell Contest , which may be one of the most ground breaking events in the history of kayaking. Just read about it on the provided link. The concept and execution to date is amazing.
Here is John Running Big Boy Falls on the Raven Fork River in NC. John is a kayaking, filming, editing machine and you won't find many people like him in the world. One other interesting fact that you may not know about John is that he was an All American Wrestler in College. So don't upset him unless you want a knuckle sandwich.
JEREMY ADKINS
Our home team boy, straight from Alabama. Jeremy represents us as well or better than anyone and wears Shred Ready proudly. This guys is working really hard in the sport of kayaking and has been paddling for a long time. You might have seen Jeremy boating ten years ago before he was even a teenager. And he was ripping it up back then!
Here are some shots of Jeremy from this Spring at the North Alabama Whitewater Festival. Photos by Fred Huey
Jeremy recently sent us a report on his year so far. It was really long and detailed but here's an abridged version...
"The year started out with the Alabama Cup Slalom Races and the North Alabama Whitewater Festival. After 364 days of planning and hard work to get it ready it was great... I organized some large kayaking clinics around the Southeast and taught them super cheap to spread the word about our sport... Off to Colorado. I did well in the Teva Mountain Games... I just got back form Hawaii where I did some surf kayaking... Before I head to Canada for the US Freestyle Team Trials I have two clinics coming up. One is a 10 person clinic for the Boy Scouts of America and the other is a playboating clinic with the Birmingham Canoe Club... I will be going to Canada and traveling back south for the Team Trials and the World Cup before going to Gauley Festival. I am going to win the freestyle through rapid at Pillow ROCK!... This fall we are working on a Whitewater park (a Salida type Hole at the campground for NAWF) and trying to put together kayaking clinics at the Lakeshore Foundation which is the leading training facility to paraplegic Olympians... Well, man that is about all."
Visit Jeremy's web site at www.JeremyAdkins.com
MATT RUSHER
Matt is our Northwestern man in charge. Matt just sent us this super sick photo of himself air flipping in big MT! You may also know Matt as the longest standing Riot Kayaks rep on the planet. That's right, Matt has been there since the Riot Hammer if you can remember that far back. The dude is loyal and he's a great guy if you ever get to meet him.
photo taken by Shawn Robertson - Location is Alberton Gorge Montana
NATHAN EADES
Across the big pond in a little place called Wales you might find Nathan Eades, if you're lucky. This fella is maybe the sickest surf kayaker we know. Nathan has surfed some of the biggest and meanest waves ever surfed on a kayak. Most people know him as Yellowboy. He seems to like hanging out in Africa, be it on the Zambezi, Nile or in the surf. To top it off his sense of humor is not to shabby either.
Nathan is shown here on the White Nile in Africa.
Nathan surfing the big hollow stuff in South Africa
KARYN ROY
National freestyle kayak champion, Karyn Roy, wrote in recently with a great report, surprisingly regarding sea kaykaing. Here's what she had to say...
"I have been paddling a lot, both in whitewater and touring. I am working on a big project for next year and I've started to build a website, etc. The site is at www.projectpaddleme.com
and it really starts next June but I'm working on gaining momentum for it... I'm really focusing now more on the sea kayaking side of things and we'll be filming a lot of rocky ledges surfing this fall so I'll send some shots along. It will be different from the ww side of things, but it's incredibly fun. I think I've used my helmets more out there because it's scary what barnacles and ocean creatures can do. I'm planning on going to Gauley Fest and hopefully Moosefest too. Otherwise we're just waiting for some good rain this fall to shoot more as well. I'll put an update together about the project if you're interested and what's been going on in New England. Talk to you soon and thanks again for the helmets, they're great!"
ROBIN BETZ
Green race champion in 2005 plus Wave Sport Open Champion 2005 and big things to be expected of this hard core mama in the future. Robin Betz is a student up at VA Tech in Blacksburg, VA. She is always willing to step it up on the river and will throw down some impressive lines every time. Last time I saw Robin she was sitting in the notch eddie at Gorilla rapid on the Green river narrows and she seems happy and comfortable to be there. Check out Robin's blogs from her various river adventures at www.expeditionettes.blogspot.com , www.eddyhoppin.blogspot.com and
Notably, Robin also won, 1st Place, the 8 Ball Kayak Race at the Teva Mt Games this year.
NIKKI KELLY
Nikki is probably the most highly decorated woman paddler on the planet. She has excelled to the highest levels of just about every aspect of paddle sports. Nikki traveled in Colorado for a while this summer and sent us a report from there...
"The weekend at CKS went super well. An eye opener for me, the large number of kayakers in the colorado area, who are all enthusiastic to learn more... I had fun teaching clinics, sparking relationships with potential customers... I take my hat off to the crew that stayed in the shop for three days selling, it is exhausting. Funny how people love movie
stars, i shot to the top of the popularity pole after The Wet House Production movie premiered at the festival. My segment is wicked though, thanks to John Grace providing the footage of beautiful rivers we have paddled.
We escaped the festival sunday night, camped at the Oh Be Joyful river in Creste Bute, and hucked our selves all day Monday down this very steep, short and spectacularly scenic section of ice water. Paying the price now for multiple waterfall dropping, with the feeling of severe whip lash, my neck is a little stiff. Took plenty of photos, i will collect some more this comming week and then sort them out.
Next on the list of kayak circut or circus life, is the Paddler Magazine Invitational in Steam Boat. Monday is competition day so have plenty of time to get prepared."
Nikki had great results at the Teva Mt Games this year as follows:
2nd Place in the Pro Rodeo
1st Place in the Extreme Race
2nd Place in the 8 Ball kayak race
HANNA FARRAR
Hanna is pictured here air flipping at the 2006 Arkansas River Freestyle event, "FIBARK," in Salida Colorado. Hanna placed third in an extremely competitive class against some of the sport's best women.
Watch video of one of Hanna's FIBARK rides CLICK HERE
Hanna is also one of the newest members of the US Freestyle kayak team (one of three team SR members). The team was chosen last week at the Ottowa river in Canada. She will be competing at the world championships next year on the Ottawa.
ANDY SOMMERS
This photo is of Andy's rig, followed by the last report we got from him in India.
"we have done a first descent on the durbuk khola (~15km grade IV/VI) in the shyok valley... all attempts to do a first descent on the shyok river have been blocked by massive floods in the usual dry and arid plateau... basically mission tsarap chu/zanskar has been postponed due to high water...it is feasible to do (i've done it solo in a playboat some time ago) but to portage what usually is runable...not really interested in doing so.. we are thus heading back to water friendly nepal... starting a first descent mission out from a 8000m peak by 6th september... will have a professional photographer on board...so i am looking forward to get you some nice pics of the new gear soon.... more to come... photos...here are roughly 1hr-2hr elelctricity a day...thus difficult to go through all photage, edit them and resize etc.,etc.,...once in manali i will send some through..."
PAT KELLER
Pat Keller is not a name that is hard to know if you follow the kayaking media closely. Pat has had a couple tough breaks this past year, literally. If you run the big stuff as often as Pat does it may happen to you from time to time. Pat ran two really huge waterfalls this year (70-90 foot range?) and subsequently broke his wrist on one and a thumb on another. A bummer for him but it probably hasn't slowed him down much.
This was one of the big ones, featured in SI Adventure this year.
Pat won 1st place in the extreme race at the Teva Mt Games this year and is expected to do well at the Green Race this coming November.
Pat is shown here running Gorilla with style.
Pat has some really exciting stuff on his blog at http://runtheshit.blogspot.com/
JOE STUMPFEL
Joe hails from the Washington DC area and is known as a Potomac River local. He can often be found running the Potomac's Great Falls or playing at Maryland Chute. Joe has been a US freestyle team member a couple times and recently made the team for his third time at the US Team Trials on the Ottawa in Canada. You can expect Joe to give us an incredible perfomance at the upcoming world Championships on the Ottawa.
Here is Joe scouting and running a sweet drop.
Joe also sent some shots from Elzey Run, taken by Ian Downard. Not sure where this little creek is but it looks cool.
That is all for now. Come back and visit the Shred Ready blog soon and often. We will be posting news of our Paddle, Wake, Kite and Snow teams as frequently as possilbe. Enjoy!
TOMMY HILLEKE
This summer we received an awesome email from Mike Brown who represents the Pikes Peak Whitewater Club in Colorado.
Pictured here is the PPWC clinic group with Tommy in the back row, center.
They apparently have pro paddler clinics from time to time and were privileged to have Tommy Hilleke as one of their guest teachers. Mike wrote, "Tommy's preparation, and approach coupled with his friendly demeanor won the group over right away. All day long, people were paddling up to me telling me how much they appreciated what he was doing and how they could not believe how much fun they were having with him. To top it off, despite the fact that he had a 2-3 hour drive in front of him, Tommy joined the group for a late lunch and shared river stories for another hour or so. I can't imagine anything he could have done differently to make a better overall impression on our group. I'm getting messages already from people asking if we can have him do something else with us next season. I expect you are interested in hearing when your team athletes relate effectively to the public. I want to make sure you hear from us how well Tommy represented Shred Ready this week." This is one of many feathers in Tommy's hat, but a really nice one at that.
ANDREW HOLCOMBE & ANNA LEVESQUE
We received exciting news that two of our team members, Andrew and Anna, will be co-leading a White Nile kayaking, yoga and community service trip in Uganda, Africa this coming November. One of Shred Ready's best retail dealers, NOC , is a head sponsor of this trip.
Anna runs a popular business/brand called Girls at Play, promoting women's kayaking and kayaking in general. You have to see her web site to learn more about it. www.watergirlsatplay.com There's a lot to it.
Among other things, Andrew has just been featured in two new kayak videos this year,
Enter the Donkey and Burning Time 2 Check out his smooth style on DVD.
Additionally, Andrew has also qualified for the US Freestyle Team and will be competing in the World Championships in Ottawa, Canada next year.
SPENCER COOKE
This is me blogging away on behalf of the entire team. As a representative of Shred Ready, one of the things I am most proud of this year is a position I took with The Academy Of Huge Experiences during June-July as trip leader of the Colorado summer tour. Co-trip leader, Jason Aytes and myself were privileged to coach nine talented teen kayakers for three weeks. We captured tons of video and photos during the stint and posted most of it on the Go Huge Blog
Our final video session at Salida, on the Arkansas River, was by far the most impressive. Said video and photos can be seen at the Team Riot Blog
The Salida hole was an incredilbe place to learn or practice just about any move.
Beyond the CO trip, Enter the Donkey has been keeping me very busy. It's a new kayaking DVD produced by myself, Chris Gragtmans and Joey Hall, who are also on team Shred Ready. So far we are getting an incredibly positive response to the video. Which brings us to our next Shred Ready team member...
JOEY HALL
Joey is a man wearing many hats. One of those hats looks like a silly bear or mouse and it makes him hold his mouth funny.
Joey has his own business, Deadman Productions but spends his summers, this summer included, coaching kayaking at Camp Pinnacle in Hendersonville, NC.
Many hats as mentioned before. Here is Joey surfing Biiiiiig stuff at Wrightsville Beach. Joey is the current point leader on the ESKA circuit, in HP, IC and K1. He's been winning a lot this year.
Joey is the president of the Eastern Surf Kayaking Association , currently organizing the US National Surf Kayaking Championships to be held at the Outer Banks (OBX) of North Carolina on September 8-10. The world's best surf kayakers from all over the US and the world will be there to compete.
CHRIS GRAGTMANS
Chris enthusiastically accepts his award at the 2006 NAWF.
There is no question that Chris Gragtmans is one of the nicest guys on the water and at the same time one of the smoothest and most flawless in paddling skill.
Chris was the Overall Champion this year at the North Alabama Whitewater Festival, taking 2nd in freestyle and 2nd in the extreme race. Here is Chris finishing a back freewheel at Short Creek Falls in AL.
Chris is also featured in our most recent ad in AW and Kayak Session running THE 50 (FIFTY) FOOT ELK RIVER FALLS in North Carolina at really high water.
JOHN GRACE
John has been snowboarding at least once that we know of. Well, he's at least walked in the snow holding a snowboard.
This guy needs little or no introduction. We could write forever about John's accomplishments. His most recent undertaking has been taking the reins at Penstock Productions and therefore Lunch Video Magazine . This has come with other great responsibilities such as the IR Vacation to Hell Contest , which may be one of the most ground breaking events in the history of kayaking. Just read about it on the provided link. The concept and execution to date is amazing.
Here is John Running Big Boy Falls on the Raven Fork River in NC. John is a kayaking, filming, editing machine and you won't find many people like him in the world. One other interesting fact that you may not know about John is that he was an All American Wrestler in College. So don't upset him unless you want a knuckle sandwich.
JEREMY ADKINS
Our home team boy, straight from Alabama. Jeremy represents us as well or better than anyone and wears Shred Ready proudly. This guys is working really hard in the sport of kayaking and has been paddling for a long time. You might have seen Jeremy boating ten years ago before he was even a teenager. And he was ripping it up back then!
Here are some shots of Jeremy from this Spring at the North Alabama Whitewater Festival. Photos by Fred Huey
Jeremy recently sent us a report on his year so far. It was really long and detailed but here's an abridged version...
"The year started out with the Alabama Cup Slalom Races and the North Alabama Whitewater Festival. After 364 days of planning and hard work to get it ready it was great... I organized some large kayaking clinics around the Southeast and taught them super cheap to spread the word about our sport... Off to Colorado. I did well in the Teva Mountain Games... I just got back form Hawaii where I did some surf kayaking... Before I head to Canada for the US Freestyle Team Trials I have two clinics coming up. One is a 10 person clinic for the Boy Scouts of America and the other is a playboating clinic with the Birmingham Canoe Club... I will be going to Canada and traveling back south for the Team Trials and the World Cup before going to Gauley Festival. I am going to win the freestyle through rapid at Pillow ROCK!... This fall we are working on a Whitewater park (a Salida type Hole at the campground for NAWF) and trying to put together kayaking clinics at the Lakeshore Foundation which is the leading training facility to paraplegic Olympians... Well, man that is about all."
Visit Jeremy's web site at www.JeremyAdkins.com
MATT RUSHER
Matt is our Northwestern man in charge. Matt just sent us this super sick photo of himself air flipping in big MT! You may also know Matt as the longest standing Riot Kayaks rep on the planet. That's right, Matt has been there since the Riot Hammer if you can remember that far back. The dude is loyal and he's a great guy if you ever get to meet him.
photo taken by Shawn Robertson - Location is Alberton Gorge Montana
NATHAN EADES
Across the big pond in a little place called Wales you might find Nathan Eades, if you're lucky. This fella is maybe the sickest surf kayaker we know. Nathan has surfed some of the biggest and meanest waves ever surfed on a kayak. Most people know him as Yellowboy. He seems to like hanging out in Africa, be it on the Zambezi, Nile or in the surf. To top it off his sense of humor is not to shabby either.
Nathan is shown here on the White Nile in Africa.
Nathan surfing the big hollow stuff in South Africa
KARYN ROY
National freestyle kayak champion, Karyn Roy, wrote in recently with a great report, surprisingly regarding sea kaykaing. Here's what she had to say...
"I have been paddling a lot, both in whitewater and touring. I am working on a big project for next year and I've started to build a website, etc. The site is at www.projectpaddleme.com
and it really starts next June but I'm working on gaining momentum for it... I'm really focusing now more on the sea kayaking side of things and we'll be filming a lot of rocky ledges surfing this fall so I'll send some shots along. It will be different from the ww side of things, but it's incredibly fun. I think I've used my helmets more out there because it's scary what barnacles and ocean creatures can do. I'm planning on going to Gauley Fest and hopefully Moosefest too. Otherwise we're just waiting for some good rain this fall to shoot more as well. I'll put an update together about the project if you're interested and what's been going on in New England. Talk to you soon and thanks again for the helmets, they're great!"
ROBIN BETZ
Green race champion in 2005 plus Wave Sport Open Champion 2005 and big things to be expected of this hard core mama in the future. Robin Betz is a student up at VA Tech in Blacksburg, VA. She is always willing to step it up on the river and will throw down some impressive lines every time. Last time I saw Robin she was sitting in the notch eddie at Gorilla rapid on the Green river narrows and she seems happy and comfortable to be there. Check out Robin's blogs from her various river adventures at www.expeditionettes.blogspot.com , www.eddyhoppin.blogspot.com and
Notably, Robin also won, 1st Place, the 8 Ball Kayak Race at the Teva Mt Games this year.
NIKKI KELLY
Nikki is probably the most highly decorated woman paddler on the planet. She has excelled to the highest levels of just about every aspect of paddle sports. Nikki traveled in Colorado for a while this summer and sent us a report from there...
"The weekend at CKS went super well. An eye opener for me, the large number of kayakers in the colorado area, who are all enthusiastic to learn more... I had fun teaching clinics, sparking relationships with potential customers... I take my hat off to the crew that stayed in the shop for three days selling, it is exhausting. Funny how people love movie
stars, i shot to the top of the popularity pole after The Wet House Production movie premiered at the festival. My segment is wicked though, thanks to John Grace providing the footage of beautiful rivers we have paddled.
We escaped the festival sunday night, camped at the Oh Be Joyful river in Creste Bute, and hucked our selves all day Monday down this very steep, short and spectacularly scenic section of ice water. Paying the price now for multiple waterfall dropping, with the feeling of severe whip lash, my neck is a little stiff. Took plenty of photos, i will collect some more this comming week and then sort them out.
Next on the list of kayak circut or circus life, is the Paddler Magazine Invitational in Steam Boat. Monday is competition day so have plenty of time to get prepared."
Nikki had great results at the Teva Mt Games this year as follows:
2nd Place in the Pro Rodeo
1st Place in the Extreme Race
2nd Place in the 8 Ball kayak race
HANNA FARRAR
Hanna is pictured here air flipping at the 2006 Arkansas River Freestyle event, "FIBARK," in Salida Colorado. Hanna placed third in an extremely competitive class against some of the sport's best women.
Watch video of one of Hanna's FIBARK rides CLICK HERE
Hanna is also one of the newest members of the US Freestyle kayak team (one of three team SR members). The team was chosen last week at the Ottowa river in Canada. She will be competing at the world championships next year on the Ottawa.
ANDY SOMMERS
This photo is of Andy's rig, followed by the last report we got from him in India.
"we have done a first descent on the durbuk khola (~15km grade IV/VI) in the shyok valley... all attempts to do a first descent on the shyok river have been blocked by massive floods in the usual dry and arid plateau... basically mission tsarap chu/zanskar has been postponed due to high water...it is feasible to do (i've done it solo in a playboat some time ago) but to portage what usually is runable...not really interested in doing so.. we are thus heading back to water friendly nepal... starting a first descent mission out from a 8000m peak by 6th september... will have a professional photographer on board...so i am looking forward to get you some nice pics of the new gear soon.... more to come... photos...here are roughly 1hr-2hr elelctricity a day...thus difficult to go through all photage, edit them and resize etc.,etc.,...once in manali i will send some through..."
PAT KELLER
Pat Keller is not a name that is hard to know if you follow the kayaking media closely. Pat has had a couple tough breaks this past year, literally. If you run the big stuff as often as Pat does it may happen to you from time to time. Pat ran two really huge waterfalls this year (70-90 foot range?) and subsequently broke his wrist on one and a thumb on another. A bummer for him but it probably hasn't slowed him down much.
This was one of the big ones, featured in SI Adventure this year.
Pat won 1st place in the extreme race at the Teva Mt Games this year and is expected to do well at the Green Race this coming November.
Pat is shown here running Gorilla with style.
Pat has some really exciting stuff on his blog at http://runtheshit.blogspot.com/
JOE STUMPFEL
Joe hails from the Washington DC area and is known as a Potomac River local. He can often be found running the Potomac's Great Falls or playing at Maryland Chute. Joe has been a US freestyle team member a couple times and recently made the team for his third time at the US Team Trials on the Ottawa in Canada. You can expect Joe to give us an incredible perfomance at the upcoming world Championships on the Ottawa.
Here is Joe scouting and running a sweet drop.
Joe also sent some shots from Elzey Run, taken by Ian Downard. Not sure where this little creek is but it looks cool.
That is all for now. Come back and visit the Shred Ready blog soon and often. We will be posting news of our Paddle, Wake, Kite and Snow teams as frequently as possilbe. Enjoy!
