Lightning Zero

Hi all :-)  

Really nice to be writing about kayaking stuff again, always makes me want to just rush out and go paddling, yes, even in these crazy temperatures were all experiencing in the UK at present.  Still, we are british and we have all grown up suffering as kids on mince pie paddles, mostly warmed by the vats of whiskey and schnapps these types of endeavours tend to attract! 

Well, I have been using my new Lightning Freeride full carbon paddles set at a crazy and experimental feather of 0 degrees.  I was out teaching with Tyler Curtis in the Summer and he was rockin out the 0's and was raving about them.  I have been creeping towards 0's over the years but not quite made it all the way..... UNTIL NOW!  I had a story but I will not waffle on about it.  In short, my paddles arrived in bits after a renegade courier decided to drop an engine on my blades during transit.  I was due to leave for Nepal in a week or so and grew increasingly concerned about leaving for the trip with no paddles.  Robson, wasted no time and turned two sets around for me in a week to arrive JUST before I left for the white water capital of the World.  Amazing turn around and was well worth the wait.

The paddles made it all the way to Nepal with no issues and I christened them on the Trisuli river just outside of Kathmandu at the start of November,  ( seems like yesterday ).  The new set took me a few hours to get used to.  I found myself missing strokes by over rotating the shaft and a few little things that took my muscle memory time to figure out but that is the same every time you switch blades.  Anyway, once I had figured them out, well, there was no going back.  I love these new paddles.  I loved them anyways when they were on 12 degrees but now, they ROCK.  Why I did not get on this earlier, i don't know!  I feel strong and confident going into whatever I come up against.  Between the new blades and the new boat, im really finding the fun again from paddling.  Really trusting the kit you use is a massive factor when away from civilisation, paddling big volume rivers.  

Lightning paddles are a strong contender in the World of White water kayaking, proving their strength, flexibility and style on waves, steep creeks and big volume.  With such a wide range available, I am personally looking forward to what the future holds and to be able to try them all out in some more World class kayaking locations.  Bring on Corsica at Easter.  For anyone interested in coming on our creeking mission don't hessitate to contact me for further details! catmooke@hotmail.com.  Lightning links from my 2012 school missions include.

http://youtu.be/ro8LSlu4rPc - Canada

https://vimeo.com/55303304 - Nepal

See you all soon! 

Matt Cooke

Endless Summers Kayak School

Team Lightning :-)

Zambezi High Water June 2012

Most people will have seen footage of the Zambezi and it’s famous huge volume pool drop rapids.  Of the many facets that makes the river so special a significant one is its variation in flow. Victoria Falls is Approximately mid way through the 2500km course of the Zambezi and with natural flows rising during the rainy season or ebbing during the dry season. This means that over 12 months the White Water section below the Falls is always either rising or falling with a vertical cycle of over 8 metres in some places in the gorge.

The result is that the world famous run occurs at the low ebb of this cycle but as rains bring it up the upper section (rapids 1-10) become commercially un-runnable. There are two reasons for this. Mainly because the pools disappear and the raging, thunderous volume of water causes huge boils and whirlpools that would swallow rafts and paying clients. Specifically because the level means that the one portage (rapid no 9) can now no longer be portaged. Putting in at rapid 1 commits you to a class 5+(++) rapid.

It can however be run by a kayak. And after finding myself in the Zimbabwe for a shoot it’s too hard to pass up a run on this upper section. Unfortunately I can’t find any one to go with me. Most of the river staff are working in other countries as the commercial rafting is closed due to the level and the locals are perhaps just too wise.

It’s always a dilemma deciding to solo. But sometimes opportunities like being next to the Zambezi are just too good to pass up, curiosity outweighs wisdom and I know this section too. So on the 18^th July I put in at rapid one on my own. The Porters who carried my boat in wish me luck and wander off squabbling over the fist full of Kwatcha notes I’ve given them.  I know their look, they can’t quite work out if I’m mad but they’ve seen me here before so are expectant that they’ll at least earn some more money carrying my boat out of the gorge at the take out.

These huge flows mean I can’t even see the falls as I push away from the boiling pot as spray 350ft high drifts though from the cascade to the head of rapid one. It’s a quick hop across the cushion wave at rapid one and I’m on my way, buoyed in confidence by the feel of the warm water across my face and the rainbow formed by the mist from the falls. There are major hurdles along this run, rapids 5, 7, the narrows at 7and a half, but at every stage of this run Rapid 9, the commercial portage is at the back of my mind. If getting there is a challenge, then certainly rapid 9 is the gauntlet.

It’s clichéd, but life is nothing without taking risks and finding challenges. And none are more valuable than calculated risks based on years of skill, experience and the odd arse kicking. Today I run Solo but I’m with everything I ever leaned, I’m carrying all the confidence from years of paddling with a huge array of paddlers on diverse runs around the world. Today we’ll find out if that’s worth anything.

To see how it went …watch the footage from my head cam on the short film ‘Solo’ at

http://vimeo.com/47919375

Paddling with Freerides

Life since the Lightning 

The UK paddle industry has been growing extensively over these last years.  We are now starting to see many new inventions and forward thinking in the designs and production of paddles that can cope with the pressure of modern-day paddle missions.  I, personally have gone through hundreds of paddles due to the extensive usage and testing of them.  I push them all to expose any weaknesses and strengths.  Using many different blades has its advantages and dis-advantages.  I have loved variation but there is nothing like finding a paddle that can be a life partner for you and your kayaking.  Coming from a slalom background, i was used to light carbon paddles, long set at 90 degrees, remember them? ha ha.  Well, they were just too brittle to handle pushy class 5 or high pressure impacts.  The trade off was a much stronger paddle but you would gain weight.  The trick is to find something on a perfect balance between strength and weight.  Robson have supported me for 10 years now, making sure I was never without a paddle even when I broke a few :-)   I was using strait shaft greens and studs for years, awesome paddles.  After Sydney Worlds, I suffered bad RSI in my arms, i put this down to hand position and over usage.  I turned to cranks and the problem went away meaning I could keep kayaking as much as I had been. 

   

I have found a paddle that I can trust and will look after me.  Not break when a Nepali cow sits on them or when I drive over them by accident.  I let everyone enjoy them and will be using them for a long time to come.  The Freeride paddles for me are the right length at ( 198cm ) and feather ( 30degrees ).  Full carbon crank.  They are strong, light and flexible and perfect for reactionary freestyle and creek racing.  I would recommend going longer for creeking and shorter for freestyle.  Either way, these blades are gorgeous.

There are many paddles in the range, I have not used many of them but I do know that different blades will serve you differently depending on the type of boating you are doing.  I remember well the days when I was 17 or so and a paddle buddy of mine, Christian had a set of lightnings, can't remember the model but he put those things through hell, one day drove over them to see if they could take it, they did and without flinching.  He still has the paddles to this day.

I have been out in the creeks of Wales quite a lot lately with all the usual suspects.  Been a really good few months of rain over this way and we have been out the door every time it rains.  We managed to get a high run on chip shop boof ( betws y coed ) section.  Got creamed in the hole and boils under the bridge with Jim Shrimpton and Jak Alder.  The paddles worked well, getting me out from the whirlpools below.  All in all, paddles coped well under the harsh Welsh conditions.  They are making paddling lots of fun again.  I look forward to Norway, Canada and Nepal and testing the freerides and taking them to some new fun locations.

See you all soon I hope.  Welcome to come to Bala and paddle with Endless Summers Kayak School and test out some lightnings!  Peace.

Matt Cooke
Team Lightning
Endless Summers Kayak School
mattcookekayak.com