Get some coaching from top coaching providers including Palm’s Lowri Davies. Whether you want to gain confidence on grade 3/4, perfect your playboating, or simply fancy a guided trip of the scenic lower Tryweryn, these guys will be able to help you out. Sign up when you arrive.
Race in the PALM 8-BALL! This is full contact paddling. Think head-to-head boaterX mixed with Robot Wars. The aim? Get to the bottom of the section first and avoid being taken out by one of many inflatable kayakers in your path…. (Exact time to be confirmed although probably Saturday afternoon)
Leave your car at the takeout and take advantage of free shuttles throughout the weekend. Leaving you with more time on the water! Ace.
Outfit your boat. Do you struggle getting the fit of your Dagger kayak just right? Come see us and we’ll help you pad it out to perfection!
Discover Palm’s 2011 range. We’ll have experts on hand to talk you through the range and our design process.
Bring your bikeand take part in the multisport challenge.
Sounds good! How much is it?
Tickets are £25 and on sale now! Call the centre on 01678 521 083 or pop in to reception to book. Please advise of any dietary requirments at time of booking.
As with last year there will be shuttles from the lower river, camping at Bala Mill on Friday and Saturday night, evening entertainment and meals provided on Friday and Saturday night.
I’m convinced, now show me some shots of last year’s 8-Ball Carnage!
I thought you’d never ask. Here you go.
This all sounds a bit advanced to me, is there anywhere I can go to try paddling for the first time?
Don’t forget, we’re also in the East Midlands this weekend at the Midsummer Great Escape in Belvoir Castle. The perfect opportunity to get on the water for the first time…
Team Palm completed the Race for Life yesterday in aid of Cancer Research UK.
Congratulations to Sam, Rowie, Penny, Julie, Anne, Kate, Jo, Emily and Jane from Palm HQ who braved the rain and wind on the beach at Weston Super Mare to run 5K to raise money for Cancer Research UK’s life-saving work.
Here’s some shots of the team in action!
Team Palm @ Race for Life
Fancy getting involved? Race for Life events are fantastic fun for women of all ages and fitness levels. Enter your local 5k or 10k Race for Life and raise money for Cancer Research UK’s life-saving work.
Find your nearest Race for Life on the Cancer Research UK website.
We’re off to Belvoir Castle in the midlands this weekend to take canoeing to the masses! We want to get as many people on the water as possible and will have all the boats, equipment and expert coaches you need. If you haven’t tried canoeing before, now’s a fantastic chance to try something new! Your ‘come and try it’ session can be booked at the show and full details will be in the showguide which you will receive on arrival.
Other than the chance to try the fastest growing watersport in the UK, The Great Escape offers you:
Over 180 exhibitors selling everything from luxury British, European and American motorhomes and caravans as well as vast selection of accessories to compliment your camping experience.
Two open air concerts.
A full daytime activity programme including circus workshops, activity workshops, pub quizzes, bingo, balloon modelling workshops, magic shows and much more!
Authentic French food with freshly baked bread, french tarts, croissants, chesses, cold sausages, olives and more…
Great daytime music programme
Bring your fishing rods with you and take the opportunity to get some great fishing in. Visit www.ajsfisheries.co.uk and book your fishing spot for the weekend.
And there’s more ….. Belvoir Castle have offered campers a discounted offer to visit the castle on the Sunday too…
Our Come & Try it event in Nottingham
We’ll see you there!
The Midsummer Great Escape
Location: Stand #97, Belvoir Castle, Grantham, Leicestershire. NG32 1PE
Dates: 17 – 19 June 2011
With the new range of whitewater gear arriving this spring we were keen to get all the team together and go for a boat.
Gene17′s Valesesia River Festival in Italy seemed like the perfect opportunity. After a long night’s drive on Wednesday night we arrived to the perfect combo of sun, great coffee and absolutely outstanding whitewater! Valsesia is a true whitewater paddlers’ paradise and if you haven’t been yet you’ve got to put it on the list.
We’ll post a full report when we get back but stay tuned for Finn Burrows’ video rundown coming later tonight.
In the meantime, check out these shots from this afternoon’s Egua Freeride Session!
The new 2011 Palm paddle jackets have arrived at your local Palm Equipment dealer! With over 2 years development, team testing and refinement they’re our most technically advanced jackets yet.
The Palm Team have been itching to get their hands on the final production jackets for a while now. And, when the first shipment arrived earlier this month who were we to argue!
Gear for Women
Rosie Cripps introduces the Aqua Jacket
The next day it was off to west Wales to make full use of the spring tides at the awe-inspiring Bitches tidal race. Joining us on the top wave, and sporting brand new Atom jackets, were Palm paddlers Finn Burrows and Nick Horwood. Check out the video below:
Gear for Whitewater
Nick Horwood & Finn Burrows introduce the Atom Jacket
Check back here or our Facebook page over the next few months as we introduce more of the team of paddlers that make up Palm.
This coming weekend, Cardiff International White Water are hosting the 4th Thames Valley Freestylers’ (TVF) Birthday Bash. Here’s an open invite to all who would like to come along and enjoy a day of fun freestyle rodeo events. Event organiser, Scout, said;
“It’s all supposed to be not-to-serious, have-a-go, biggest smile wins type events. All skill levels and abilities are welcome to enter the event as long as you’re happy to paddle the course on 8 cumecs.”
Everyone will be judged on their own levels, so even if your idea of freestyle is a big pop-out, make it the best, biggest pop out and you could still win a prize! Judges will accept bribes in most forms, but generally making them laugh will score the most points, and cheers from the crowd automatically doubles any points!
Palm BoaterX
We’re running a Palm BoaterX as part of the event. It’s a tricky course to sprint down, especially with three other paddlers vying for elbow space in the narrow channels. Carnage seems inevitable, make sure you practice your lines in the morning for the best chance of scooping the best prizes!
Exclusive on the water slots
CIWW are keeping the pumps running until 7 o’clock so we’ll have some exclusive time on the course for the finals of the Freestyle, Palm BoaterX and of course the carnage of the King of the Wave comp.
Cost is just your normal £10 for park and play session, then all you need do is register on the day, with someone who looks vaguely like they know what they’re organising.
Simon Mayo’s Monday programme on BBC Radio 2 featured Palm’s marketing manager, Paul Robertson, talking about the differences between canoeing and kayaking. Nice one Paul!
Check out the interview on BBC iplayer (skip to 18 minutes)
The first ever Cardiff International Whitewater Safety & Rescue Symposium took place yesterday at Cardiff International Whitewater course. As headline sponsor, Palm brought along team paddler and rescue professional Dave Carroll to share his massive knowledge on safety and rescue practice (and infectious humour!).
With over 50 participants the day was a huge success and is sure to grow to be a regular fixture. If you haven’t made it down to Cardiff Whitewater yet it’s well worth a visit. With 250 metres of more less continuous whitewater it’s an ideal alpine training ground. Many thanks to all of the CIWW staff and coaches for putting on the event and organising such fantastic weather.
We’ve just got back from the National Student Rodeo – what a weekend it was! Over 800 paddlers from university clubs all over the county travelled to the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham, UK for probably the biggest (and definitely one of the most fun) events on the European boating calendar.
The Topo Duo Final
But what makes it so brilliant?
1. Enthusiasm
I’ve never seen so many paddlers loving boating as much as I did this weekend. More a festival than a competition, the NSR is all about getting as many people on the water as possible. It’s not about being the best. It’s about grinning inanely whilst powerflipping, epic ‘King of the Wave’ competitions, or standing up in your boat and blowing kisses at the judges. It’s about swimming, grinning and coming back for more.
Old Skool Queen Niamh
2. Carnage
Oh the carnage…. From the inflatable sofa-cross (geddit?) to the now infamous Duo final the carnage at NSR this year will take a lot of beating. Check out the shots and video below if you don’t believe me.
3. Organisation.
The event is meticulously organised. To get 800 paddlers down the course in one weekend is amazing. For it to all run on time is incredible. And when you consider that the NSR is entirely run by volunteers (from Leeds University and River Legacy) it’s mind blowing. Here’s some of the 90 paddlers Leeds Uni brought with them. Well done guys.
Event organisers Leeds Uni
Ex and Ex-ex Rodeo Bosses Andy and Luke judging the final
4. The party.
Students know how to party and the NSR party is always epic. The beach theme provided plenty of inspiration for some brilliant fancy dress. In fact we were so impressed by the quality of the outfits we’ve decided to give a prize to the best dressed. If you were there and fancy your chances just post a picture of yourself at the party to the Palm Facebook Page. We’ll judge them on Friday and send the winner a free Kinetic or Lara WW jacket. Too easy!
4. The Prizes. Nottingham University were eventual winners of the competition and took away our Dagger Axiom with custom NSR graphics.
Nottingham University collecting their prize
Massive massive thanks to Jethro, Nic and the rest of Leeds University Canoe Club for organising a brilliant event. See you there next year!
Win a Free Palm Whitewater Jacket!
Got a spare 2 minutes?
Post a photo of yourself at the NSR party to the Palm Facebook Page.
We’ll judge the best Fancy dress
We’ll choose a winner on Friday and send you a jacket in the post.
Great news for Palm Equipment who have signed freestyle guru James ‘Pringle’ Bebbington to represent Palm for freestyle and extreme racing. Arguably the UK’s leading freestyle talent, Pringle will join the exclusive roster of paddlers at the bleeding edge of paddlesports who represent Palm.
“Top playboaters have always chosen our gear, right back to the very first Rodeo World Championships and throguh the days of the legendary River Tec Collective – innovative paddlers who like having fun. Pringle has this combination, mixing world-class ability with everyday enthusiasm for the sport.” Team Manager, Paul Robertson
Competing widely across Europe and the US this summer and reporting back with his event diaries, you can follow Pringle’s season here or over on the Palm Equipment Facebook page.
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