Lowri Davies
Name Lowri Davies
Hometown Llanrwst
Where did you last paddle? Down the hill behind my house in the snow. Last river I paddled was the Dee while coaching. The last foreign country I paddled in was Switzerland.
Where will your next big boating mission take you?
I have many missions lined up for this year, but the major trip of the year is set to be Tibet.
Do you have a favourite spot/drop/rapid/move?
Playspot: Nile Special, Uganda
Drop: Top drop on the Gamlan, Wales, for nostalgia
Rapid: One of the many on the big volume, multi-day epic Argut River, Altai Mountains, Russia.
Move: Pistol Flip (or anything with airtime)
What paddling trip should everybody make at least once? The White Nile is a river with something for everyone plus sunshine, warm water and easy logistics. Then go somewhere you know nothing about with nothing but your paddling gear and maybe a map. Work the rest out when you arrive.
What advice do you have for anybody wanting to take their paddling to the next level? Paddle as often as possible and invest in some quality coaching from a reputable coach with knowledge and experience in the area you are working on.
Who are your paddling heroes? We all know the real heroes are those that go out there and have as much fun as possible with their mates, but I suspect you are asking for inspirational characters? It depends on what aspect of paddling we are talking about. The Jackson family are obviously pretty inspirational freestyle paddlers and as a female, young Emily is certainly inspiring for me. Marianne Saether is an epic creek boater and stonkin’ freestyle paddler, pushing the limits and competing with the guys in both aspects – I find I can often relate to her way of thinking and hope my paddling can reflect that too! I like to see people who can excel in several disciplines, for that reason I must also mention Valerie Bertrand. I have a lot of respect for Simon Westgarth and Matt Tidy – I enjoy paddling with them and learn plenty every time I do. More historically, what Chris Sladden achieved in writing the Welsh River Guidebook is pretty phenomenal, mapping out practically every paddleable (and unpaddleable) river / ditch in Wales and yet he is without ego. Shaun Baker got mainstream exposure for our sport that the rest of us Brits seem only to dream of.
All time favourite piece of Palm kit? Ladies fit Element suit and the open palm mitts – great for cold winter days on the water.
Favourite type of Pie? Apple
