31.1.12

PABLO ARROUAYS / ENGLISH VERSION

World Junior Waveski Champion 2011


Name: Pablo Arrouays
Age:18 and 1/2
Address:Lacanau Ocean
Occupation: chilling with friends
Paddle since: 2005
Other sports:all riding sports
Canoe Club: CKLG(canoé kayak lacanau guyenne)
Sponsors: OMBAK,PAILLOU SURF TEAM, Z-TRAUMA
Website / Facebook:Pablo Paillou (website for future)
Main sportive achievements: world champion 2011 in junior, 2nd in open division, 2nd in open at french championchips.

About:
- WWST11 Ocean Spirit Festival: Nicest event i ever do
- Portugal: long life to sagres and super bock
- World waveski scene: Level is up , and it's not finish.
- Future perspectives: Travel a lot after brazil
- Brazil 2013: exchange titles with Virgile :)

- kayaksurf.net: Best website for waveski news
- Last words (thanks): Thank's to all my friends ,my coach, my family,and my shaper.

ALL THE PHOTOS & VIDEO HERE:

23.1.12

SPENCER COOKE / ENGLISH VERSION

Spencer Cooke / "Coming Home" - a NEW surfkayaking DVD


Main differences between this project and the Interference…
This video is a completely different story than Joey's film, which was the first wave of Interference. We are calling this the 2nd wave of Interference, How to go surf kayaking.

Your contribution for this project…
My primary contribution to the content of the DVD is How to Go Surf Kayaking, which runs 45 minutes and documents the sport of kayak surfing from 1997 to present. Over the past fifteen years I have been traveling around the world with a group of friends on surf kayak trips (including some of the trips we documented in INTERFERENCE). As documented in the film, we have traveled all up and down the US East coast surfing, there were a couple trips to the West Coast; California and British Columbia, Costa Rica five times, Panama twice, Nicaragua, two trips to Ecuador, Ireland, Morocco and Portugal. It all started from a group who competed together in East Coast competitions year after year. Then we put together the first major trip to Costa Rica with eight people and got a good taste of international travel. 

One trip turned into five, then ten, and without knowing exactly when or if I would make this film we have haphazardly documented these excursions and I tucked away footage, photos and journals as the years have gone by. Due to the fact that this project was all about passion and fun it took me over a year to write the story and do the editing. I couldn't dedicate a large amount of time to the production all at once so I had to break it up over 12-15 months. Our co-producers, Shred Ready and Astral helped fund our DVD replication but there wasn't any production budget outside of our own time and money. The title, How to go Surf Kayaking, is both sarcastic and sincere, meaning that it’s not an actual instructional video.

So, it’s not an educational video?
Rather, the title means that we as a group learned how to go surf kayaking, how to travel with kayaks, how to survive as tourists in other countries, and how to have fun surfing together. The production was, as I state in my narration, “for my friends,” merely as a scrapbook piece, but now we are going to be able to share it with the world. And hopefully this video and the others on the Coming Home DVD will inspire people to go out and travel and find the fun and beauty we have found in the sport of kayaking.

Best waves surfed and filmed in the movie…
Best waves filmed and surfed in the movie would have to be some of the more recent footage from Portugal (2009 worlds), Costa Rica (2008, 2009, 2010) and the Outer Banks of NC (2008). Not only were we surfing better and using better boats in recent years but our video equipment improved drastically wit the advent of HD. Up until 2005 we were using Standard Definition cameras. There is a clear quality difference from the beginning of the film to the end, but it's understandable because the film occurs in chronological order starting in 1997 and bringing us to present.

About Portugal footage…
The Portugal footage gives a glimpse of how incredible the event was at Ocean Spirit 2009 and shows a broad selection of the surf kayakers who competed. It is one of the more beautiful segments considering the wave quality, the surfing, the scenery and the soundtrack. One of my favorite bands, Pygmy Lush, allowed us to use a song that really makes this segment flow. The first part of the segments shows some of the most dynamic shots I took at the competition and then the flow segways into some of the free surfing we did after the contest down at Praia Azul.

When and where can we buy this DVD?
This DVD only costs $14.99 and comes with three other short films about kayaking that I produced with my good friend Chris Gallaway of Horizonline Pictures. We called the DVD COMING HOME based on how much we appreciate traveling to distant lands to kayak, but coming home can be the sweetest part of the journey.

Thanks Spencer and all the success for this project ;)

ALL THE PHOTOS AND VIDEO HERE:
http://www.kayaksurf.net/SpencerCooke12.html

16.1.12

RUI FONSECA / ENGLISH VERSION

SPIN / All about the new surfkayak made by RPF


RPF began 2012 with a new surfkayak. It had been tested for past few weeks and has been presented early January this year. This new surfkayak breaks the usual RPF designs and introduces a fresh and new image. At the same time RPF has presented its new Surf Team, that is going to represent the Portuguese brand in the Portuguese Kayaksurf and Waveski National Circuit.
The news from RPF are not over, and Rui Fonseca, owner of RPF, is just finishing a new version of the Shark - the SOT known for allowing everyone to surf in a kayak. While we wait for the new sit-on-top, lets take a look at the new SPIN. Presentation of the new surfkayak, with Rui Fonseca.

SURFKAYAK SPECS:

Width: 63cm / 2,06 feet
Length: 2.29m / 7,5 feet
Paddler weight: up to 90kg+-
Kayak Weight: 8.620kg full-equipped (High-tech version)

Hello Rui, tell us, how SPIN has made?
RUI FONSECA - The SPIN has been a project made with lots of care because RPF has been changing, evolving and improving our kayak designs. Listening to the opinions from friends and surfers all around the globe, we corrected lots of details and then tested the prototype, before making the final mould and the first models.

You say you changed your kayak designs... why?
It's like in the auto industry. Designs evolved, tastes change and the level of demand increases. Thanks to the contribution from a close team, we managed to make SPIN. It's Light, fast and fun, and essentially it's a step forward.

Can we order a SPIN? And prices?
Off course! We are in full production and the prices depend on the construction choices. Standard from 830 euro's / High Tech from 1025 euro's / Full Carbon 1295 euro's.

You started 2012 full with news about RPF. The new surf team is one of them...
We already had a series of athletes that compete with RPF kayaks in the Portuguese Circuit. Gonçalo, Ratinho, João Vaz and Eurico had always promoted our brand, by surfing with Shark, Blast and Rapanui. Now, we invited 3 more guys to the Team. Henrique Frazão, because we know him very well from the partnership between is University, Escola Superior de Desporto de Rio Maior, where he teaches, and also because he is a great surfer, he loves kayaksurf, and he has won the Portuguese KS Circuit on IC. 

Alberto, because since the first time saw him surf, I realised he has lots of potential, he is young, has a beautiful surf and has great attitude towards life and sport. Javi, is our big international acquisition, (laugh's). He is a very dear and old friend of RPF and he had give inumerous proofs of his value, not only in Spain but also in Portugal. He is a very big enthusiast of kayaksurf and he know is way into podiums. The most important thing is that every one of them are big friends of RPF, and that is why I invited them all. If they don't won anything they are all fired, (laughs)!!!

What are your expectations for this year?
The same as usual. I'm not going to make big demands from them. I know the most important is to have fun while surfing, and of course I like to see them all surfing with RPF kayaks, that is why I have this big passion for kayaks. If they won, even better. The most important thing is that they share. I know the new kayaks will give them a better chances and a good technical starting point, I also know all of them are going to make is very best to get the best results. I also talk for myself! This year I'm going to participate in the SOT category, cause I also want my share of fun ;-)

Is there any more news, from RPF, this year?
Yes there are! We are just finishing SHARK II. This sot surfkayak it's one of you best know models, and is also the easiest and simple way to start in kayaksurf. Everyone can have fun with this kayak, and the new shape is just going to boost this. It's faster, aggressive and lighter! The first one is almost out of the mould. After this new Shark, we have a few more projects on the way, but for now let's keep them as a secret! hehehehehe

The first collaboration with kayaksurf.net has been curiously foreign. Now, RPF is a usual and Portuguese presence in the site. Any comments on this partnership?
Well, I can say clearly, like our friends from Galicia said once, "if you are not in kayaksurf.net, you do not exist". RPF had taken a big step in its visibility worldwide being present and working together with kayaksurf.net. The News are essential to increase the number of visitor on our website and the work that we accomplished is great. The promotion of our kayaks, our activities, the interviews, and the reports are essential. I speak for myself! Every morning when I arrive in RPF, I check kayaksurf.net for the latest news. We have struggling against the crisis, here in Portugal and in the rest of the world, so it's nice to see more Portuguese brands sharing the same space. We all need to promote and sell our products. I really like to see RPF in the same site as Watertech, Onda, Quiksilver Figueira. With healthy competition everyone has something to improve and gain.

Last Words?
I would like to thank to all of my friends. Everyone of them are important, Hugo Nascimento for the ideas and strategy, João Vaz for the technical collaboration in BLAST & SHARK II, the RPF work team, (Zé, Eurico, Rui Alves, Rúben, and Filomena that put up with me every day), and to all the friends that usually visit us in the "chafarica". The BLAST, the SPIN, and the new SHARK are only possible thanks to them. 

Obrigado Rui!

ALL PHOTOS AND VIDEO:

7.1.12

MIGUEL CARVALHO / ENGLISH VERSION

Portuguese HP Kayaksurf Champion 2011


Name: Miguel Dias de Carvalho
Age:19
Address: Portugal
Occupation: Student
Paddle since: July 2008
Other sports: Surf / Unicycle
Canoe Club: Kayaksurf Figueira
Sponsors: Watertech, Gath

Main sportive achievements: 4th Junior in Kayaksurf World Championship 2009 / 3rd Junior In Waveski World Championship 2011

WWST11 Ocean Spirit Festival:
As Always, the Ocean Spirit Festival was awsome with an amazing level of waveski (I had never seen so many waveskis flying at the same time!). The true spirit was always present with the company of loads of diferent kinds of sports in the water and not a single fight or shouting and, of course, wit the friends in the water an in the night, always having fun. It is an amazing festival and i hope it continues to happen every year. This year, specially, was great as well since I achieved the 3rd place in the Juniors.

Two podiums: Kayaksurf 2009 and Waveski 2011
Back in 2009 i never expected to achieve the podium and the same happened this year. With hard work and some luck i am very happy to have achieved those places. Back in 2009, i didn't have any experience and was super nervous, so the 4rd place was almost certain. This year i knew the the level was super high, but if i could get two good waves and control more or less my position during the heat, using my competition experience that i have gather during this years, i could do better than a 4rd place. Both were great finals I had lots of fun and learned a lot, and that's the most important.

World Surfkayak USA 2011
I would had loved to go to USA with Andre to meet new places and spots to surf. I also would like to thank to all my friends that made all the efforts so I could go to Outer Banks. Unfortunatelly, the actual crisis weighed negatively in the possible supports and I just could not go. I followed the event by distance on kayaksurf.net and the level was really high!

Portuguese kayaksurf and waveski circuit
I maintained the results on kayaksurf HP and I'm very glad with this victory. For 2012, I'll try to do the same and also on waveski class. As I'm studing now in Lisboa, I'm more focused in the national events but, if I had the chance, I'll do all my best to go to the international ones.

Brazil 2013:
It is an excellent excuse to travel and visit a new place and new waves. I would love to go and i hope more help will come in the future, because alone i can't afford to go. Let's wait and see.

kayaksurf.net:
Kayaksurf.net has done an awesome work keeping up to date all there is to know about the sport (waveski /kayaksurf) and is a great place to learn some crucial points with the interviews and videos. From this site I've learned a lot and i keep learning everyday. All the best for this site, keep up the excellent work!

Last words
Good Waves for all, keep on surfing and having fun, because that's what it's all about

Thanks Miguel and all the best in 2012 ;)

FULL VERSION / PHOTOS AND VIDEOS HERE:
http://www.kayaksurf.net/MiguelCarvalho12.html