Adam Norfolk

Just pictures of a boat I'm selling

2010-06-16T13:59:00.004+01:00

Here's a picture of the bottom

Here's on one of the back of the boat

This is a picture of the front of the boat

This is the boat from one side...

...and one from the other

If you look here, you'll be looking onto the boat

Bye bye for now, I'll try and update within the next 5 years!?!

Boarding...on snow!!

2008-03-07T14:35:00.010Z

A moments silence in between all the chit chat and songs on the lifts

Earlier this year we bombarded Val D'Isere in the French Alps for a week of fun and frolics!! Holidaying here on a budget can be done, we proved it?! Cheap mansion for about 70 quid each and enough food to sink a donkey!! We got awesome snow, having a dump on the second day!! Enjoy the snaps, maybe i'll put some paddling ones on here soon, if I take any decent ones!!

Debs enjoying some pow pow action in the trees

Spin to win on the day in the trees

Hoops cruising in the trees, this boy can RIDE!

Thats one big lad soaring high, moments before i did a backflip-ish!!

A lovely lifty little shot

Bry-honey flying high, oh so high!!

Bob looking slick on the day after the snow came, a 10km off piste black run!!

Bob and Debs at home route finding in the hills

Ruthy charging hard

Debs traversing the secret spot

Ruthy attacking the bowl of the secret spot, whoop whoop!!

Life through a marchant lens

Money Shot lll...oh and the brit champs

2007-10-17T19:07:00.000+01:00

Me looping like a headless chicken!!

After a busy year of rafting and working I decided to enter my first kayak event of the year! The Alpkit challenge had reached its finale and was run in conjunction with the British Championships. I wasn’t holding much hope for the freestyle element as I had just returned from injury and I had only been in my new Fluid Nemesis once before the weekend. I was however fired up for the boto-x, having managed to acquire a super speedy Riot Magnum for the weekend. The Saturday went swimmingly with the first round of the boto-x out of the way and a back door entrance into the British champ finals on the Sunday.

Model Terry Best judging one of the upstream gates in the final.

The Saturday night activities included a splendid pie and mash supper, with potluck flavours and vegetarian options, much to the disgust of some of the bunny huggers!! This was followed swiftly by the third instalment of the Money Shot Video Competition. An amateur video night with kayaking and plenty of laughs being the key to win the money. The standard this year was high with a three-figure cash prize up for grabs, after an awesome intro video to the competition, made by me, Jennifer Chrimes came out on top and took the money, closely followed by Emily Wall and Alan Ward.

Money Shot lll - intro video

My introduction video to the Money Shot, if you want to see any of the other entries, you'll have to join 'The Money Shot' Facebook Group

The Sunday events started early with another round of the Boto-x before the semi finals of the freestyle, both went well with a strong win and a controlled run to take me to the finals of both. As time was running short all the winners from the Boto-x went straight into the final making it an 8-up affair, nice, and they added an extra gate just to intensify the battle. I managed to get a good start and lead into the first gate followed very closely by 7 angry men!! This battle carried on to the last gate, which I managed to take sweetly and then break out underneath Ben Stone as he broke in?! The Milton Brothers chased me all the way to the line, but I managed to hang on for the win.

The 8-up Boto-x final and the carnage that went with it. Ben Stone trying to 'mount' me as I exit the looping pool eddie!!

Twenty minutes later I was in my Nemesis for the Brit Champ finals, after two storming practice runs, I decided it would be best to spend most of my run time paddling up the eddy!! This meant I was knocked out first and had to watch from the bank. The rest of the final was tight with some super paddling from Ed Smith and Jon Best; they couldn’t however match the consistency and precision of The Pringle, James Bebbington, who styled it for his first National Championships. In the other categories Flea Jarvie took the ladies title after a very close fought final with Jenny Chrimes and Lowri Davies. The big man Ross Montandon took the juniors and Dave Bainbridge the kneely uppers!

Brony Devoy ripping in the ladies qualifiers

Dave Bainbridge, National and European kneely upper champion.

Thats me that is...Loopy loop.

Jon Best washing his hair while styling a Wu'ski.

Ed going large in the Muncher as usual.

National Champion, Bebbington.

The face of determination, going for a cheeky entry.

Pringle popping points.

Photos courtesy of:

Ian Burt

Andy Hurford

Hurley - the self portrait

2007-08-14T22:05:00.000+01:00

Having just returned from a very successful trip to South Korea for the World Rafting Championships, I have taken it upon my self to 'look after' the waterproof team camera that was kindly donated to us by Olympus. On a recent trip to Hurley- on 3, (in August!) I decided to try and take some self portraits.

My first thought was to take some cool shots in mid flight, but in reality it's very difficult to focus the camera and then shoot whilst surfing one handed!!

Here are some more shots of 'two scoops' Harris taken from my boat on the inlet gate at Nottingham...what they don't show is the entanglement that happened afterwards!!

Some more shots of the girls tag teaming, this time the shots were from the safety of the river bank, even if I was hanging onto the side railings by my feet!!

happy paddling...

Summer Strokes in the Derbyshire Dales

2007-08-14T12:41:00.000+01:00

There is nothing better than a river trip planned on the spur of the moment, like whilst shopping in ASDA for tea at 9 o'clock on a Friday night?! After a quick phone call, the plan had been made. We awoke early on Saturday morning with the sun beaming down and the temperature soaring into the twenties, this was going to be an awesome trip down the meandering scenic valley of the River Derwent.

Now, a river trip wouldn't be a river trip without the odd hiccup encountered along the way! Apart from the fact it was the hottest day of the year making Matlock Bath one of the busiest places on earth and the A6 is the slowest moving road ever, we eventually arrived to find that I had decided to leave my paddles at home leaving me with the choice of paddling with my now infamous big yellow flip flops or a chopping board, joy!!

Trips for me are all about the people you are with and the fun that you share between yourselves, this trip was about having 'a grand day out', topped off with refreshments in a beer garden on the way home, bliss.

(It was also helped by the fact i have size 12 feet, making the paddling easier than it could have been!!)

Swinging Sunbury and the Hurley Hotstep...

2007-04-05T13:15:00.000+01:00

With the level of water dropping in the Thames Valley area, all hope of big wave surfing was fast diminishing, until that is, Sunbury reared it's ugly side!! On first inspection it looked like it was going to be a day from heaven, with the sun shining on a monster of a green wave. After bragging to Jon in WWTCC about this beast raging just five minutes from his work, it was time to get on and tame it.

On arrival however i suddenly realized that there was no eddie service, bugger, but with a little man power (me dragging myself along the ledge) and with a little help (Rae dragging me along the wall) I made it on!! joy!!

After a few tiring rides and even more tiring eddie hops I realized how dangerous this weir was at this level, it wasn't the 8ft hole you have to drop into, no, it was the little fact of nearly braking my feet on the serrated weir ledge trying to donkey flip!! That made me think back to the 8ft hole that nearly gave my good kicking a couple of runs before.

It was decided then that maybe sunbury needed to be enjoyed at higher levels, I didn't fancy losing my head with a flip in the hole and my boat and body were battered from smearing myself up the wall each time!! To top it all off, it started to snow, from somewhere, whilst we were getting changed!!

You can see a little footage from the day on the end of the 'Swinging Sunbury and the Hurley Hotstep' video which can be seen on my video page, click on the link under site contents.

There are seven gates that make up Sunbury weir, very often at lower levels (4 or less) it's a no go hole, steep, shallow and not very inviting. On higher levels (5 to 7) it becomes a wave/hole that can be front surfed on, spun on and looped in. Good for all levels of confident paddlers (and a little deeper!). Every now and then however it opens out into a lush green wave, very dynamic and shed loads of fun. The weir that day was on the four middle gates. Please bear my advice in mind if you choose to paddle it on this level, maybe best to wait until it's on six.

Stay safe kids...adam

shepperton supermen...!!

2007-01-10T12:32:00.000Z

With hopes of big water action in the Thames Valley fading the water gods came through, drenching london with days of rain. As the Thames rose gradually, all hopes were once again regained. With a late night call from Local Best waking me from my sick bed, dawn patrol was arranged.

Local boys Pete and Mike Scutt, Dons of White Water The Canoe Centre often overlooked as the heavyweights of the Thames Valley area. Having almost 80 years paddling experience between them on the 'local' scene, pioneering some of the funkiest moves and discovering the now legendary Sunbury weir.

winter grooves...updated!!

2006-12-17T18:18:00.000Z

With the competition season out of the way, it's time to kick back and enjoy the big weir action of the Thames Valley and Nottinghamshire.

The early season rains brought the Hurley queues out in full force, meaning any raids were done at dawn!! Pre-work paddles were the order of the day, being on the water for six and racing down the M4 to get to work for nine!!

As the water continued to pour, Sunbury was founded and Shepperton raged on ten gates for the first time in three years. The regulars were there Jon 'local' Best, the Scutt brothers and regular visitors from oop north Pas, Georgie, Bry, Em, Dickie, the short haired shep and even a couple from the dutchland.

Jon and Casper look on in amazement!!

Heading back there, Jon and I found glorious levels, a big green super steep monster formed. Perfect conditions (except for howling winds and sub zero temperatures)!!

Of course any winter wonderland paddling adventure isn't complete without a trip to the local Inn, here, Jon gets carried away with the quality of the coffee and downs the cream afterwards!!

Onontario in Canardadar

2006-09-29T04:52:00.000+01:00

The Garburator wave

It was another late summer spent on the east coast of Canada, surfing the awesome waves of the Ottawa river. Along with what seemed like 8,000 brits out there to compete in the World cup of kayaking or to have a good time boating and partying.

This is not a picture of our camp site!!

While out there i managed to squeeze in two World cup events. One on the Garburator which didn't go so well and one in New York, road trip!! With our Focus fully rammed it was ready for the off. After loading up on subways with the money that pringle left in his tent and donated to us, it was time to try and jump the border. Not easy if you don't follow the simple rules, like stopping when it tells you to and trying to take pictures of the police officers!!

Fully loaded focus!!

On the road and very shiny!!

Me and dickie prepare for border control!!

After the heat of the battle, myself, dickie, jenny and em headed up to the lachine rapids in Montreal for a few days and then back to the Garb to finish off a very busy but enjoyable trip, enjoy the pictures below from the Garburator wave and check out my video of a mornings paddling from Lachine.

Video from the Lachine rapids, Montreal

broadband sports

Backblunt

Dickie thrusting hard!!

Me blunting on Garb

Thun in pictures...and a few words

2006-08-27T20:19:00.000+01:00

Lowri Davies and I have just returned from an awesome trip to the last eurocup in Thun, Switzerland. Set in a beautiful location with a tricky feature, skill with a little bit of luck was the order of the day. After qualifiying well I ended up in 10th and Lowri in 6th. My day was nearly saved by the king of the wave competition but a flush in the dying seconds took it away from my grasp. So it was off to the losers party to drown out sorrows and look forward to the 800 mile return trip!!

Next stop, Ottawa!

It's a walk over!!

2006-08-16T01:11:00.000+01:00

Here is the winning video from 'the money shot' video competition held at the European Championships this summer. This video includes footage from Uganda, Lyon and the rest of the years paddling all package together with a comedy feel set to funky music, stunning!!

See it at...

broadband sports

It's quite a big file so takes a minute to download.

Right, I'm off to Thun in Switzerland to compete in the last round of the Eurocup, you'll know all about it on my return!!

Big waves and pool parties!!

2006-05-30T20:48:00.000+01:00

Well it's been a cold and dry winter, but i can finally see the light of summer. The competitions have started to roll in thick and fast, the NEC show and the Student Rodeo have both come and gone.

The Outdoor Show Event had a different feel to it this year without the wavebox feature. Pressure was on Pete and the rest of the Peak boys to come up with a challenge to both test the competitors and entertain the crowd. The format was pretty similar but with a few added twists! These included a slalom run, a head to head freestyle duel and a bungy down 'pool' race, which proved to be the highlight with the crowd getting behind all of the competitors as they stretched themselves all the way down to the finals! The overall results were added together to show who then went to through to another 'extreme' slalom which would determine the overall winner. I managed to get myself into the playoffs ending up in second place, only losing out to Enttienne Stott, a slalom millionaire!!

The Student Rodeo Weekend is always a ball, with hundreds of competitors turning up to do battle for their University. I was judging the mens heats which contained a constant stream of 140 paddlers 'throwing down' in the muncher. Most of them, however, turn up for the 70's stylee party and event shenanigans, which happened to clash with the Ra's birthday, double celebration!! The open event which was on the Sunday is as the name suggests, open to all and sundry. This year there was a field of around 20 paddlers including some team paddlers and many up and coming juniors. The conditions were shocking, with driving wind and rain combined with a bad level in the looping pool but there was a good, relaxed atmosphere. We fought our way through the heats into the finals where I managed to edge it in front of James Bebbington and Chris Chapman. I think what pleased me the most is that James only came down to beat me for a re-match of last years competition which I managed to steal by 0.25 points.

My non-kayaking life has also been hectic, i have just completed my grueling 18 week training course to become a fully fledged firefighter in London, being stationed in Ealing, West London. With the training out of the way i'll now be working 4 days on 4 days off pattern to give my plenty of time off to get in the water as much as possible.

Here are a few snaps from my recent trip to Lyon with young jingle bells, read the full review and see the video on the news pages

pommie productions

Lyon pictures include myself, jingle bells and John Breen all taken by 'the stag do monkies'.
Myself and 'the cat' popping entry moves at the NEC taken by mendipmammoth.

Enjoying Trouser Jazz!!

2006-03-12T03:35:00.000Z

Trouser jazz is my first videological trip report from The White Nile in Uganda. Based mainly at The Nile Special it is a smooth flowing journey that I hope will leave you feeling warm inside!

trouserjazz

It's been a dry winter so far with the hectic training for the firebrigade in London but I have managed to get in a few quality sessions with Pringle and Jon Best, at Hurley, Nottingham and Newark. They have been few and far between but well worth the wait.

photo by ruthie@theriverbank.co.ld

One Moment In Africa

2006-01-30T03:50:00.000Z

With my forthcoming entrance into the fire service and my recent visits to North America for the Canada Cup and to Ecuador for the Rafting World Championships, I thought it time to take a break, a well earned rest! This time the plane took me and Ben Spencer to Uganda, Africa. Well, I say that in the loosest possible terms, after a twelve hour wait in Dubai we finally arrived some thirty hours later!

The Nile River Explorers camp by Bunjgali falls was to be our stop for the first few days of river running. We relaxed into the swing of things, enjoying the section from the campsite to silverback, this section contains a few fun waves and some big, but straight forward rapids. Our first day proved to be the most action packed, starting off with Ben trying to end his holiday with the first splash of the water in order to spend the rest of the time at the bar! Flying from the launch ramp, soaring some 15 feet into the air before landing pancake flat! The day carried on thankfully, with painkillers being the order of the day on return to the camp. We met up with a group of locals to be guided down the river, arriving at 50-50, one of the girls' deck popped forcing her to swim out of the boils, myself and Ben to the rescue! After failing to get her in her boat by the joining rapid total gunga, in all the confusion of this, she re-exited her water filled boat and I paddled it without my paddles! Nice introduction to this huge rapid. Note to self don't expect anyone that you give your paddles to while you rescue a boat, to be anywhere near when you would like them back!

Our main section of the stay was to be at the island retreat of the Hairy Lemon, now I don't think you could ask for a more random park and play camp site. They offer full board dorm rooms with three fantastic meals for $15, peace and tranquility of the island but with no electricity or running water- however you can pick up wireless internet connection! To top it all off it is situated next to one of THE best play wave in the world, Nile Special. We spent six days down there surfing the monster of a wave throwing all sorts of shapes and ariel madness. While we were there we had a good mix of people, from some of the best in the world including the rest of the "Pommies" and a group of hooligans from Coventry. There's always someone that will paddle with you as you wake from your dozing afternoon nap thinking that you might fancy a little splash around.

As the days raced away it was time to head up to the top of the river to complete the rapids you missed on your first visit and have one final messy night in the bar, waking up in the morning wondering how something that tastes so beautiful as Nile Special does, can make you feel this bad! As you pack away your things and head to the airport you find yourself wondering how long it will be before you return to this wonderland and hoping that the journey home is as painless as possible...It took us 42 hours!

All pictures courtesy of www.ben-spencer.com with the exceptions of 'the taxi cue' and 'Nile special from a distance' courtesy of stu@coventryhooligans

The first post!

2006-01-30T02:30:00.000Z

My obsession with kayaking started back in 1997. Since then my passion has grown to a sometimes worrying level! It started at Leeds Canoe Club with weekly pool sessions on a Thursday to arrange the weekends activities then it was off to the Lakes! We were 'the boys' fast food and even faster cars! These were some of the finest kayaking times as i was being pushed by far more experienced paddlers and they were all epics! This either being on the river or just the journey getting there!

During the next few years the few hardcore ones of us started playing at our local Leeds playspots with regular visits to Nottingham and to the surf on the North East coast. This continued until 2003 when i decided, after a trip to Africa, it was time to move down to Nottingham to take this paddling lark a little more seriously.
Since the move my kayaking has gone from strength to strength, winning the Peak Challenge Series in 2004 was a definite highlight as well as winning the Student Rodeo Open Competition in 2005 which led to a sponsorship deal with Fluid Kayaks...(cheers Pete!) and more recently a deal with Elephantwear...(cheers other Pete!)... but achievements like these certainly makes paddling in the cold winter worthwhile.

I have managed to get in plenty of travelling this year, much to the delight of the missis, I had a week in Lyon with the other 'Pommie' boys in April, followed by three weeks in Canada with Jon Best and Emily Wall-where I competed in the North American Championships, and was extremely satisfied with my 11th Place in the Pro Event, especially as I was fighting a major hangover at the time.

It was over the pond again for my next trip which was to Ecuador with the other 5 boys on the British Raft Team to compete in the World Rafting Championships where we finished a very respectable 15th- a brilliant result for our first international competition! I finished the year off with a return trip to Africa with one of the original Leeds Boys, Big Ben Spencer. Two weeks paddling the White Nile finished another successful year!

'leeds playspots' photos by www.ben-spencer.com
'first day in a fluid' photo by james reeves
'garb flip' photo courtesy of jackson kayaks
'GB raft team' photo by dunny@dunniesmobilephotobooth