"Artouste" Pyrenees Buddies Race 2010
By : Valentin Grollemund
Photo: Pierre Mahé
On May 14th to 16th took place the first french extrem kayak race ever, the Pyrenees Buddies Race (=PBR)!!!
No worry, we were not only french, there were buddies from Belgium, Spain, Pays Basques and Ireland.
Where?
In the Ossau valley, true heart of Pyrenees at 10km from the spainish border.
Camp site and party in Laruns. Race place around the famous skiing station of Artouste (Pont de camps) on the classic section of the beautiful Brousset river.
What?
Extrem kayak races individual sprint and extrem slalom, and a sprint team race.
Why?
To show how Pyrenees are THE place to be on May in Europe for creeking, freestyling and chilling.
To show how it's a great to come and discover beauties of the mountains with buddies and/or familly.
Who?
Around 50 kayakers, 20 organizors and volonters.
Friday:
All started with the free trainings on the race section of the Brousset river.
Well, to break a bit the sweet and hot atmosphere, snow appeared on the race section!!!
A old grand pa' in the valley said us, was the first time he see few centimeters of snow at this period.
No matter the really cold weather and snow, kayakers are in da place, testing and learning the fastest lines.
Because of that cold weather and extrem temperatures on May, water levels droped down at the biginning of the week and let us a little level in the river...
The long races were cancelled because of that low level of the Brousset river.
Eric Deguil, one of the organizors, was training on the section the previous week with a real fat and bad ass water level!!
The race section was 500 meters long, really technical, many rapids with little flats, just smooth sweet bony kayaking.
All kayakers had to be around 5pm at the camp site for the registration where we got a bottle of typical and local Jurançon, Kayak Session free issue, a personal bib (given), a super good quality platic glass, "Do it with a kayaker!" KS stikers and many more.
Was at the same time the openning "drink" ceremony, a quick briefing and a good "plancha" (BBQ).
As usual a good moment to meet again buddies, share winter adventures stories, plans for next, beers...
The dinner didn't finish late and kayakers went to bed to be ready for the next morning!!
Saturday:
"Breaaaaaaak first", 7.30am day started with all guys enjoying break first together and looking the snow just above the camp site of Laruns.
We drove up in the mountains to the Brousset river race section at 9am, but there was just too much snow on the road and we were at mid-way of river. Race section is higher... means more snow up there.
So... we drove back down to Laruns and after a organizors crisis meeting, they decided to report the team race at 2pm.
We drove to the race section at mid day, and enjoy a truly pyrenean winter lunch, "Garbure" and "Blanquette de veaux", at the restaurant near Brousset river.
At 14.00pm, a quick briefing and race was officialy ON!!!!!
Team race was as usual by team of 3 kayakers, paddling together on the river.
Always good to be on the river with buddies doing your best for them, leading the group or following, no matter, you compet together!!!
At that game, local heroes Fabrice "Fafa" Poueyto, Max Mitaut and Fref Dumont wan the race ahead slalom kayakers Julien Dekarczyk, Jean-Yves Cheutin and Valentin Grollemund. 3rd was the spanish buddies Albert Aixas, Aleix Salvat and Gerard Escur.
After the race, we came down the valley not under snow but rain.
We met all again at the local cinema for the Laruns mayor cheerings and to watch the incredibal film "Volcano Ride" and the Ossau valley promo film.
After that, the Laruns village offered us a pretty sweet aperitif with local cheese and food, Jurançon drinks and traditional Pyrenees songs by locals!!
We directly went to the restaurant and enjoy a good old Tartiflette with red wine.
Yeah, you know we didn't stop at all the evening at that point and we took the direction of the local pub where all was organized to make an awesome party till the end of the night... And we did!!!
Don't look and wait for more infos about the party, you'll not know nothing else.
Sunday:
Yep, we woke up!!!!
A break first, and we're quite fine for the individual races of the day.
Meeting at 9.30am at the Brousset river... Only half of us were there on time, the other half arrived during the next 30 minutes.
Still a bit of snow around and cold temperatures, but definitely not as bad as Saturday, and it's gonna be better and better!!
During that day, we made 2 groups, one doing the race and the other one doing the rescue when the one compet - then switch.
We got 2 swim and 2 paddlers were stucked on rock and in little shitty eddie.
The first race of the day was the sprint, same section as the team race the previous day.
Water level was again lower than the other days and river section became just a bit more bony but still funny and really technical.
It's quite hard to go big after a sick party, no matter was the same for all of us!!!
But the Pyrenean Max Mitaut showed us how to do and he just kick our asses, winning the sprint race ahead with more than 3 seconds!!!
Jules Domines from Lyon, confirmed his good shape on 2010 and Eneko Yarza from the Pays Basque closed the podium.
Finally, finnaly, finally... Sun shined at mid day when we were having a lunch!!!
At the same time Eric Deguil designed the extrem slalom course on the last part of the race section, the steepest and hardest one!!!
And yeah, believe it or not, we did the extrem slalom race under the sun!!!!!
The extrem slalom was awesome because of the difficulties of the short slalom course. Lot of people with sunnies stoped all along the river to watch the kayakers and cheering the big kayaking familly!!!
Eric Deguil, our national pink helmet, wan easily the race showing us as well how to slalom a creekboat in a true Pyrenean creek, Second of the slalom race, Valentin Grollemund prouved again next generation is knocking to the door!!
What a good thing to have again our buddy, Eneko Yarza from Pays Basques on a podium of the PBR!!
After the extrem slalom race, we did a quick speach to congrats all kayakers, volunters, organizors, partners and others.
They gave big trophies made in wood by local wood worker Eric Deguil.
David Glasswell got the "biggest trash" trophy. Eneko Yarza who went big all along the PBR but didn't compet on team race and can't be part of the overall ranking.
Then was time to discover the winner of the overall PBR ranking (= team race + spint + slalom).
3rd, the french freestyle kayak team member Max Mitaut, showed how he goes big in a creekboat!!
2nd, pioner and french kayaking hero Fabrice "Fafa" Poueyto prouved again he's not off and still in the race for few more years!!
1st, young gun Valentin Grollemund just back from serious injury, enjoyed to went big and fast during the PBR and promised to come back next year in the Pyrenees!!
For the first edition of the PBR, first extrem kayak race in France, it's just a "all good" mention to the organizors, Eric deguil, Julien Le-naour, Nicolas Fayol et Clarise Labussiere.!!!
Bad weather didn't helped at all the organization but, no matter, organizors and volunters did a great job, THANK YOU GUYS!!!!
We'll see in the coming weeks/months if it will be a second edition of the Pyrenees Buddies Race, but for sure fingers are already crossed!!!!
If there's a second edition, I would like to advice you, right now, to not miss it!!
Enjoy buddies, nature and rivers!!!
"Artouste" Pyrenees Buddies Race partners:
FFCK - CDCK 64
Artouste
Laruns
Adrenagliss
Duem Stuff
Truc de Fou
Kayak Session
Canoe Kayak Magazine
By : Valentin Grollemund
Photo: Pierre Mahé
On May 14th to 16th took place the first french extrem kayak race ever, the Pyrenees Buddies Race (=PBR)!!!
No worry, we were not only french, there were buddies from Belgium, Spain, Pays Basques and Ireland.
Where?
In the Ossau valley, true heart of Pyrenees at 10km from the spainish border.
Camp site and party in Laruns. Race place around the famous skiing station of Artouste (Pont de camps) on the classic section of the beautiful Brousset river.
What?
Extrem kayak races individual sprint and extrem slalom, and a sprint team race.
Why?
To show how Pyrenees are THE place to be on May in Europe for creeking, freestyling and chilling.
To show how it's a great to come and discover beauties of the mountains with buddies and/or familly.
Who?
Around 50 kayakers, 20 organizors and volonters.
Friday:
All started with the free trainings on the race section of the Brousset river.
Well, to break a bit the sweet and hot atmosphere, snow appeared on the race section!!!
A old grand pa' in the valley said us, was the first time he see few centimeters of snow at this period.
No matter the really cold weather and snow, kayakers are in da place, testing and learning the fastest lines.
Because of that cold weather and extrem temperatures on May, water levels droped down at the biginning of the week and let us a little level in the river...
The long races were cancelled because of that low level of the Brousset river.
Eric Deguil, one of the organizors, was training on the section the previous week with a real fat and bad ass water level!!
The race section was 500 meters long, really technical, many rapids with little flats, just smooth sweet bony kayaking.
All kayakers had to be around 5pm at the camp site for the registration where we got a bottle of typical and local Jurançon, Kayak Session free issue, a personal bib (given), a super good quality platic glass, "Do it with a kayaker!" KS stikers and many more.
Was at the same time the openning "drink" ceremony, a quick briefing and a good "plancha" (BBQ).
As usual a good moment to meet again buddies, share winter adventures stories, plans for next, beers...
The dinner didn't finish late and kayakers went to bed to be ready for the next morning!!
Saturday:
"Breaaaaaaak first", 7.30am day started with all guys enjoying break first together and looking the snow just above the camp site of Laruns.
So... we drove back down to Laruns and after a organizors crisis meeting, they decided to report the team race at 2pm.
We drove to the race section at mid day, and enjoy a truly pyrenean winter lunch, "Garbure" and "Blanquette de veaux", at the restaurant near Brousset river.
At 14.00pm, a quick briefing and race was officialy ON!!!!!
Team race was as usual by team of 3 kayakers, paddling together on the river.
Always good to be on the river with buddies doing your best for them, leading the group or following, no matter, you compet together!!!
At that game, local heroes Fabrice "Fafa" Poueyto, Max Mitaut and Fref Dumont wan the race ahead slalom kayakers Julien Dekarczyk, Jean-Yves Cheutin and Valentin Grollemund. 3rd was the spanish buddies Albert Aixas, Aleix Salvat and Gerard Escur.
After the race, we came down the valley not under snow but rain.
We met all again at the local cinema for the Laruns mayor cheerings and to watch the incredibal film "Volcano Ride" and the Ossau valley promo film.
After that, the Laruns village offered us a pretty sweet aperitif with local cheese and food, Jurançon drinks and traditional Pyrenees songs by locals!!
We directly went to the restaurant and enjoy a good old Tartiflette with red wine.
Yeah, you know we didn't stop at all the evening at that point and we took the direction of the local pub where all was organized to make an awesome party till the end of the night... And we did!!!
Don't look and wait for more infos about the party, you'll not know nothing else.
Sunday:
Yep, we woke up!!!!
A break first, and we're quite fine for the individual races of the day.
Still a bit of snow around and cold temperatures, but definitely not as bad as Saturday, and it's gonna be better and better!!
During that day, we made 2 groups, one doing the race and the other one doing the rescue when the one compet - then switch.
We got 2 swim and 2 paddlers were stucked on rock and in little shitty eddie.
The first race of the day was the sprint, same section as the team race the previous day.
Water level was again lower than the other days and river section became just a bit more bony but still funny and really technical.
It's quite hard to go big after a sick party, no matter was the same for all of us!!!
But the Pyrenean Max Mitaut showed us how to do and he just kick our asses, winning the sprint race ahead with more than 3 seconds!!!
Jules Domines from Lyon, confirmed his good shape on 2010 and Eneko Yarza from the Pays Basque closed the podium.
Finally, finnaly, finally... Sun shined at mid day when we were having a lunch!!!
At the same time Eric Deguil designed the extrem slalom course on the last part of the race section, the steepest and hardest one!!!
And yeah, believe it or not, we did the extrem slalom race under the sun!!!!!
The extrem slalom was awesome because of the difficulties of the short slalom course. Lot of people with sunnies stoped all along the river to watch the kayakers and cheering the big kayaking familly!!!
What a good thing to have again our buddy, Eneko Yarza from Pays Basques on a podium of the PBR!!
After the extrem slalom race, we did a quick speach to congrats all kayakers, volunters, organizors, partners and others.
They gave big trophies made in wood by local wood worker Eric Deguil.
David Glasswell got the "biggest trash" trophy. Eneko Yarza who went big all along the PBR but didn't compet on team race and can't be part of the overall ranking.
Then was time to discover the winner of the overall PBR ranking (= team race + spint + slalom).
3rd, the french freestyle kayak team member Max Mitaut, showed how he goes big in a creekboat!!
2nd, pioner and french kayaking hero Fabrice "Fafa" Poueyto prouved again he's not off and still in the race for few more years!!
1st, young gun Valentin Grollemund just back from serious injury, enjoyed to went big and fast during the PBR and promised to come back next year in the Pyrenees!!
For the first edition of the PBR, first extrem kayak race in France, it's just a "all good" mention to the organizors, Eric deguil, Julien Le-naour, Nicolas Fayol et Clarise Labussiere.!!!
Bad weather didn't helped at all the organization but, no matter, organizors and volunters did a great job, THANK YOU GUYS!!!!
We'll see in the coming weeks/months if it will be a second edition of the Pyrenees Buddies Race, but for sure fingers are already crossed!!!!
If there's a second edition, I would like to advice you, right now, to not miss it!!
Enjoy buddies, nature and rivers!!!
"Artouste" Pyrenees Buddies Race partners:
FFCK - CDCK 64
Artouste
Laruns
Adrenagliss
Duem Stuff
Truc de Fou
Kayak Session
Canoe Kayak Magazine
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