Going with Gravity.
Cwm Llan. Credit: James Crookall
Credit: S.Creamer
A new British Uni Expedition will bring together the creme de la creme of student kayakers from across the UK to do what no one kayaker could do alone. At their selection event, Dec 3/4th (www.uniyaker.co.uk), I had the pleasure of kayaking some of the Welsh's finest, the middle Llugwy, Upper Mawdach and a tipple oh so special, the Cwm Llan. The 180 spin wasn't intentional but as someone there said - you had the first man balls up insurance by going first. It's strange but very true, anything looks possible once you've seen someone else do it - venturing where no man has before, is far more pleasing.
Aberglaslyn. Credit: James Crookall
And if the snows are coming, then it's more right to be doing a snowsport than a watersport. So I went on an extended holiday to Meribel and Tignes (http://www.tignesairwaves.com/) over New year and early January to ski with friends and meet some people staying out there. Thanks Will and Hannah for sharing the perks of being seasonaires (Crystal Finest at that), and letting us lie in past your 6am starts. Cheers to Claire for the boarding instruction and showing us just how far behind freeride snowboarding is - in terms of playing your way down the gradient, she's a pro so she ought to know. Kayaks have been going up on end and pirouetting for ages, this is rad on a board apparently. I want to see them deliberately catching edges to power flip into loops and inversions mid piste - now that would beat a kayak anyday - you'd have to break your neck ten times before sticking it.
Credit: S.Creamer
Credit: Phil C
Time to carry on carving, the surf has returned to the North East after what seems an age. I really rate the breaks and swells round here, by the time they've come down the North Sea they're pretty well defined and often have a punch to them - it makes the Cornish counterparts seem like dribble (ooh the banter) - purely observational. And easier to see is the chance to
escape the crowds, there's plenty of people at the townside beaches on swelldays, but for those with a will to explore and good road map, there's plenty of space for all.
Credit: S.Creamer
