The Ability to Let Go

Mariann Saether is a kick ass paddler. And when we ran into an article she wrote about being able to be the boater you want to be, we just had to share it with everyone.


The Ability to Let Go - Mariann Saether

When you take away the obvious differences in strength between men and women, I have found that the biggest difference between us as paddlers is the ability to let go. For many women, it seems very hard to come to terms with this simple fact: Sometimes you have to let go and push yourself out of that eddy to allow yourself to grow as a kayaker. It is ok to have somebody (like the boyfriend :-)) to hold your hand for a while, helping you to reach decisions on the river as to which rapids to run and which to walk. But I guarantee, there will be a moment where you need to let go of irrational fear and push yourself to paddle towards a horizon line, without anybody telling you to do it but yourself. I am not saying that you should go and huck a class five when you are only a class three kayaker, but if it is a safe class four rapid, that you can actually set up good safety for, why not go for it? We all swim, we all get trashed from time to time, and it is OK! It doesn't mean you are a bad kayaker, it means you are trying to get better.

To me, the biggest challenge when it comes to Class V, is to realize when to push through that mental barrier and let go. I have gotten to know myself quite well over the years of sitting on top of horizon lines. If I am scared, doubting my line on a class five, I will not paddle it. I will not allow myself to let go, and paddle out of that eddy. But if I know my line, I know I can do it, but am still feeling really nervous, that is when this ability comes into play. To force your mind to stop playing tricks on you and get out of that eddy.

There is a certain time in kayaking where you need to stop holding your boyfriend's hand and make your own decisions. If those decisions are walking 80 percent of the time, well that is your choice. If you have portaged the boat and you are still happy with your decision as you get back in the water, well then everything is good. But for the rest of you out there that hate it when you cave in for your fear and feel really down after having portaged a rapid you could have run, then it is time to start letting go. Because the reward you get at the bottom of the rapid is extremely addicting. To be able to push yourself, whether it was a class three, four or five is an amazing feeling of accomplishment that you can take with you outside of the world of kayaking.

I am never more in the moment than when I let go and paddle a hard rapid. My focus is 110 percent on my line and moving with the water. Sometimes I think back after a big one, realizing that it is probably as close to deep meditation as I will ever get. A full focus, and an entirely blank mind, emptied of the normal small thoughts about laundry, dinner tonight, plane ticket to Chile, kayak, the clean blunt, lunch etc etc....

It is about enjoying the ride, and if you don’t enjoy Class IV at all, then don't do it. If you don’t enjoy Class III, don't do it. If you don't enjoy Class II.. well... Maybe you were born a base jumper, not a kayaker... Be honest to yourself.

Mariann

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Going for the Gold in C-1

I sat one afternoon at the takeout on the Nantahala watching a C-1 boater attain upstream. It broke two of my rules: #1 Going Upstream and #2 Paddling on your knees with just half a paddle! But hey-women are smarter and don't paddle C-1s. But as the C-1 boater headed downstream I realized it was in fact a girl! And not just any girl, but once I chatted with her I realized that this was a very determined one. Jennifer Singletary is a female C-1 boater with aspirations to win gold in the newly-formed Women's Canoe Event. The Women's Canoe Event is a big deal because there has never ever been a Women's C-1 event. But this year it was added to the International Canoe Slalom program and just this past week was a demonstration event at the World Championships.

I again ran into Jennifer at the Gates on the river and asked her to take time out of her training routine to share her ambitions in this new event that is gaining attention in the international field of canoe & kayak competition.


A C-1 boater and with big ambitions. Where did this come from Jennifer?

J- I'm originally from South Carolina, but I've lived in a bunch of different places on the East coast. Right now, I am working on my PhD in Ancient Mediterranean Religion from Brown University in Rhode Island-- there's not a lot of whitewater here, but I have plenty of flatwater and I'm pretty close to some rivers with slalom courses in other states.

What inspired you to get into a C-1?

J- I first hopped into a C-1 (or awkwardly climbed into one!) last summer, in 2008. I've kayaked occasionally for many years, but I didn't get serious about paddling until I came down to spend the summer with my brother in North Carolina. My first few times paddling with a single blade on the Nantahala River were in a C-2 race boat-- I got hooked on the gates but my C-2 partner kept bailing on me, so I borrowed his old C-1 instead! His name is Philip Young-- he works with the Nantahala Racing Club. I ended up actually buying that boat from him (he gave me a good deal!) and having it cut down to the new specs, at 3.5 meters. Wayne Dickert was also a big inspiration for me when I started paddling C-1-- he still is a major motivating force for my training. He taught me how to roll, and he pushes me to get on bigger water, like the Ocoee. He was really great when I competed at the US Open last spring, encouraging me and helping me learn how to compete.

What is the most challenging part of paddling C-1 and training for competition?

J - Paddling flatwater. It can get really boring, but you need to train on it to race well. I was never really into lifting weights before I started training to race C-1, but now I usually try to lift three times a week. For me, it is challenging to eat well enough to stay strong-- I'm a terrible cook!

How supportive has the USCKT been towards Wmns C-1 as a new class?

J - A lot of people are very supportive of C-1W-- Joe Jacobi was just in Seu at the Worlds, and he posted Facebook updates about the C-1W's. I personally have received a ton of support from the Nantahala Racing Club and their coach Rafal Smolen, who has been helping me out with training. It's tough to get a new class started, especially working out what the standards are going to be. You want the class to be competitive, but you want to encourage participation too.

How supportive have the other women been that you have encountered in the races?

J - The other C-1W's are amazing! Hailey Thompson and Colleen Hickey both raced in the Glacier Breaker and US Open in 2009, and they were awesome to hang out with and train for the race with. It is all supportive in the eddies above and below the course!

There is a 15 year old that appears to be major competition. Is she inspiring you?

J - You must mean Hailey Thompson. She is definitely tough competition-- she has been racing C-1 for a while, and she is a fantastic paddler. There are several other C-1W's in the US right now who are racing really well too. Three women from the US went to World's this month, and they all placed in the top 15! I admire Hailey for her dedication to the sport and for encouraging other girls to get into canoes. She is also just a really fun girl. I don't think I would have had the discipline at her age to compete in slalom. I don't see my age as a bad thing though, especially in a new class like this. I think that being older helps my ability to focus.

What is your favorite way to wind down after a hard day of training?

J - More training! Actually, I fall asleep pretty early after a long session or two. I like to eat a good meal, and watch a movie. Frequently I have to work on school stuff after I train.

Wow-thanks so much for taking time out of a very busy schedule Jennifer. The best of luck to you! We will be following your progress :-) Joe gave us a good link to check out.

J - For a new class like C-1W slalom to succeed, we need all the support we can get! Thanks helping to get the word out about the sport!

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Chick Boat for Creek'n-Testing out the Fluid Solo for Size

Testing out the small FLUID Solo for size

-brought to us by Maria Noakes

So there I was with no boat and its raining, what to do? Indebted to Juliet forever she loans me the Fluid Solo. It happens to be orange, my favorite color.

It looks great but how will it perform? My initial impression is it’s a roundy creeker. But then to your surprise you lift the boat up and find those cute little chines running under there and what do you know, a semi displacement hull awaits you.

For those if you who know me, I am a true medium chick in the sense of medium. 5ft 5 inches, Medium build, medium centre of gravity etc…

I leap into the Solo in haste, (after all, it is still raining!) Its easily adjustable, but being used to my Hefe couch, the seat feels rather hard and unforgiving under my bottom.

Phaffing around in the eddy, it immediately feels like it is the perfect size for me. It spins on a dime. I know it is a boat I can control with ease.

And that’s not all. I discover what a wicked little boofer the Solo is, it lands perfectly, whether I am landing flat or need to carve through a boil. It tracks into eddies through waves with ease and is remarkably light and maneuverable. I really like a boat that I can rely on to hold its track and the solo does.

I felt stable and safe in this boat, a great boat for women in world where you often feel when you get in a creek boat, it’s likely to swallow you up whole.


Happy paddling in the Solo
Maria Noakes
A Happy Paddler


PS Translating the Kiwi word "phaffing" to American English: "Phaffing" is like cruising around, as Shaner says screwing around, so lets see....call it “paddling around in the eddy," would be a fine translation that all can cope with.

Another PS! Maria also wrote an awesome article about paddling through pregnancy.....

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Managing the spring head case

With spring in the air and the rivers flowing…it is definitely time to brush all the cobwebs and leaves out of your boat and get on the river! Don’t be surprised if your first trip to the river you have some hibbie jibbies rattling around in your head—even if you are heading to your back yard run. You have been out of your boat for a while!

Here are a couple of suggestions for helping work through the head games:


• Remember is it a head game. You are a good boater and you are heading to a river that you know well.

• If you are not feeling 100%, think about backing off a bit and paddling a run that you are really comfortable on to build back up your confidence and remind yourself you are good! Even putting in a bit lower/taking out a bit higher than you normally do just to make it a good positive day.

• Make sure you are paddling with people you enjoy being with. Kayaking is a social sport and having good supportive friends along will keep you smiling/laughing, reminding you how much fun it is to be on the river!

• Focus on the positive. You know the run. You know you are a good paddler. Relax. Do not spend the entire drive to the put-in thinking about how nervous you are and/or how you might crash & burn. You might—but chances are good you are going to have a great day. Don’t ruin it by focusing on negative stuff.

• Sing a song! Sure it is a distraction. But sometimes the way to get negative thoughts out of your head is to crown them out with something positive. So find a song that will get you fired up/relaxed/feeling good about yourself and everytime the negative creeps in shut it out with your song.

• Have a smile on your face. This is fun!! And have a super good day.

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Big Thumbs up for the Diesel 60!

Having spent very little time in the Diesel in the past few years, and never in the new Diesel 60, the Cheoah was definitely going to test whether I liked the redesign or not--and I loved it!

I have always enjoyed the Diesel, but not spent a lot of time in it because I always felt the D65 was just a bit too big for me. All this winter paddling the Mutant down the rivers of Costa Rica and Ecuador, I kept thinking that it would be great to return home and check out the new 60 as it sure seemed it would be the right size.

The Cheoah was cold and rainy yesterday--not the kind of day you want to spend any upside down time (not that Cheoah is ever particularly the upside down kind of river!). So I was hoping that all the chatter about stability was true. And true it was and more.

I remember the day I paddled the original prototype of the Diesel and came away thinking it paddled "sexy." I still think that. It moved so nicely down the Cheoah; super responsive to correction strokes, and steered well from either the bow or the stern.

I saw my friend Taylor Cote in her D60. Taylor is a tiny person that paddles big (I missed seeing her run Bear Creek). So going from Taylor's diminuitive size, to my fairly normal size, up to maybe ball park 150 pounds, this is the 2009 boat of choice for you--especially if you want more of a river runner than a play boat,but not a river runner so creeky that it feels corky and slow--you need to check out the D60.

Great day out with the boys, in a super fun boat. Nice work TeamWave Sport!

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