After and epic few day and mid summer night in Trollfors we started on the creeking adventures. We headed toward the Norway Sweden border in search of a few rarely paddled rivers and perhaps a first descent or two. During our drive we caught a glimpse of a nice looking drop just off the road and after pulling over to check it out it looked good. We then referred to our trusty maps to find that a small dirt road ran near the river to the lake 4kms downstream to where the river emptied into it. Perfect. A short shuttle and a new adventure. Later we would learn from some research that this short creek was named ‘Umnas River’ or at least that is what we have named it.
This short little run turned out to be quite epic with a ton more whitewater and drop in elevation that we expected. There we nice slides (with chunky rock) and one of which located in the middle of the run was a three-stage 100 meter long beauty. We also enjoyed numerous small boofs, a few very tight and technical lines, an absolutely perfect twisting 8 meter drop, and the final drop was a sweet 6 meter waterfall. After a short walk back to the van we were packed up and on route into the snow covered mountains and our next creek….
Of course the next epic adventure will be posted soon so stay tuned.

With the biggest snow pack in Northern Norway and Sweden for the past few years, I simply had to head north and explore some epic whitewater!

The first stop was to head way north to Trollfors for midsummer night and some days of 24 hours of sun. It was my first trip to this area of Northern Sweden and this place lived up to everything I had heard. This destination paddle location has not only a prime surfwave but also a great creek run with numerous lines to entertain. Because it never got dark it was possible to put-in for a paddle at anytime you wanted.
I managed to get some time in a carbon playboat which has changed my view on the future of playboating…CARBON is the future!
Trollfors proved to be a great place to warm up for a solid tour of paddling. Three paddling sessions a day was the only schedule for the day as telling time was impossible without a watch.
Check out some photos of the goods and stay tuned for the next stop….creeking in the north!
Photos taken by Lisa Lind

Tjo bing!

The season is over and that means its promo time! I had i very good season this year, i learned a lot of new tricks and have so much fun! Now further im heading to folefonna june 21th, can´t wait to get snow under my feets again! i will also move back to Oslo this summer, and looking for a season with more competitions and filming! Hope you enjoing my new promo from this season!

PROMO 09/10

After some epic surfing on the Ottawa River it was time to head for Norway.
This will be my 5th season in Norway and every year seems to get better and better. My time in Norway will be spent on the water kayaking every day possible. My focus for the beginning of the Norwegian Paddling season will be playboating. There are tons of great features all over Norway and I plan to surf them all.
Over the past week I ventured to Sweden to check out a few spots and there seems to be good water levels everywhere…With a few pit stops along the way I eventually landed in Umeå and was stoked to find the local playspot Rödå. A sweet little spot to work on some big loops and mcnasties..
After a few sessions and a great visit I headed back to Norway and the freestyle capital of Norway Kongsberg. I spent a few days surfing with the Youngboaters in the local spots before heading to Sarpsborg in the south. Sarpsborg is a wave that only shows up when the Gloma River hits flood levels. This wave that looks more like a hole is a powerful beast with a shoulder to entertain some good beat downs. At the flow I was there the shoulder was pitching into the meat and also created a good tube to tuck into. After 3 sessions in a day I was truly exhausted.
I was then on my way to catch a session at Norway’s famous Skjaak wave before gearing up and heading to Plattling and the World Cup.
Here are a few images from the tour taken by Lisa Lind..

If your senses need a shake up New Delhi is the place to do it. The heat is the first thing to unsettle you, kind of like walking into a drying room full of unwashed wet thermals. The next assault is a good nasal bashing, Delhi has no overriding stench, no one dominant smell, instead Delhi suffers from a mish mash of fragrances stirred into a poignant broth of pong. This pong falling somewhere between disgusting and exotic. Your ears and eyes are the last ones to turn up to this sensory party and at the door they are inducted with a good shot of traffic chaos, an overflowing pint of civil anarchy and an oversized beer bong of pestering street venders.

Luckily we were not in Delhi for the subsequent sinus smashing we received, but to go kayaking. So as fast as our rupee wheeling fingers could wave down a rickshaw, we were out of the melting pot of mayhem and heading at an alarming rate and on the wrong side of the road to the Himalayas. As with most kayaking trips we were a concoction of nationalities, a motley crew of internationalists assembled with a common goal; to explore the un-explored to boldly boof plastic onto river rocks that have an absence of heritage when it comes to Tupperware tootling amphibious scumbags.

In our jeep we drove north into the province of Uttaranchal, following the mighty Ganga to Rishikesh. Where we sourced more local knowledge about the rivers that form the upper catchments and feed the Ganga. There was not much information of what was up there, so after getting provisions, acquiring another jeep and driver we continued upstream heading towards Nandi Devi, the Indian Himalayas and China. Mostly we were chasing blue squiggly lines on a map, with little knowledge to whether these lines would amount to classic white-water or another misadventure. Due to the inaccuracy of maps and the lack of past kayaking exploration in the region the only way to find out the quality of these rivers was to drive as close to them in the jeep and peer down into their canyons, we were not disappointed.

It quickly dawned on us that most of the blue lines we had been mulling over were in fact beautiful class 4-5 runs, and first descents. It seemed that we had wandered into the region at the perfect water level to explore the tributaries of the Ganga. What we didn’t realise at the time was how many great kayaking runs were scattered amongst the hills of the Indian Himalayas, by chance we had stumbled on kayaking Xanadu, an untouched, virtually un-explored white-water haven.

Several teams had been in the region to paddle the big volume upper sections of the Ganga (Alcanada) but mostly in June when water levels on the upstream creeks would have been inappropriate. Only one team lead by Shalabh Gahlaut and accompanied by an international squad of misfits the likes of JJ Shepherd, Steve Bates, Zac Shaw, Ben Jackson and Sam Hughes. Had explored the region with the intention of getting deep and steep into the canyons of Uttaranchal. We had been in contact with members of this team before we headed to India and received their trip notes, thus new what had been explored and what had been missed. To our advantage we had arrived in October when water levels were still high. At first we thought that this might be a problem because our intention was to kayak some of the rivers the boys had done 2 years before, but were worried that they may be juicing high because of the current water levels. What we had not considered was that because of the high water levels there would be more creeks currently flexing their muscles, creeks that had never been ventured into.

It doesn’t take a kayaker long to sniff a bargain. And so we started smoking Bidee cigarettes, and why wouldn’t you for eight rupees per packet. Such a bargain that four non-smoking paddlers would develop a habit. Bidees are a unique item, very different to your conventional cigarette. Bidees are basically un-refined tobacco rolled into a leaf and tied off with a slender piece of pink string, and in India they are as popular as cricket among the lower classes. I think we justified the smoking habit by deeming it good for cultural relations or maybe it was just the satisfaction of controlling what pollutants engulf your lungs for a change.

Uttaranchal is currently in the midst of a dam building bonanza, and there are very few rivers that will escape this concrete fate. An initiative of the Indian government has been to develop hydro schemes throughout the mountainous regions of India to supply the rapidly growing population and its fast track to industrialisation. Uttaranchal being a poor province with little industry has wholeheartedly mounted the dam building beast for a good solid ride. Most of the rivers we paddled were either in the process of being Damned (pun) or had future schemes proposed on them. A couple of the runs we paddled will by next year, be no longer. Its hard to rationalise the destruction of such a naturally free thing like a river, but when coupled with poverty, a constant struggle to not only break even but to feed your family, then its understandable that India has embarked on such a large scale Hydro-electric program.
The bad news for kayakers is obviously the loss of many beautiful runs, but the good news is that road development because of the Dam building has increased and will in the very near future open up a lot of the upper sections of certain rivers, sections that have never been kayaked and will like most rivers dropping from the Himalayas be steep and white-water infested.

In the first week out of Rishikesh we completed 5 first descents. All good quality class 4-5 runs that are destined to become classics. Most of the runs were steep, technical and continues much like the creeks of Nepal. But unlike Nepal most of these runs were roadside. I guess roadside can be a relative term, and in India a road is a relative term, often the most fearful part of the kayaking trip was the white-knuckle drive up to a suitable put-in. At times it was class5 driving along rough mountain roads etched into the cusp of a gaping canyon, with barely enough room to pass the occasional donkey or heard of goats.

On one occasion we were commuting to another valley when out of the corner of our well trained river scouting eyes we spotted a wee gem tumbling off the hillside and into the upper Alcanada. It was the kind of thing kayaking dreams are made out of, a steep mountain creek, running clear green, bathtub warm water falling over granite river boulders and on closer inspection there was a road to a potential put- in and take out. We would make a day out of it, and at the end of that day it was not only a first descent but one of the best runs we did in India. Its name was the Balikilla and we hit it at exactly the right water level, 5 more cumecs and it would have been too full on, 5 less and it would have been too low. The Balikilla left a lasting impression and broad smiles, it helped to wash away the grit and grot of Indian travel. Rivers like this are the reason kayakers go to great lengths to travel and explore new destinations. Because after all the airport lounges, scungy hotels, dysentery ridden meals and epic bus rides, the Balikilla is a unique and pure vision of a sublime World, where the only thing that matters is the river and your journey down its watery path.

We soon realised the magnitude of rivers in the Uttaranchal province, and with that realisation new that we would run out of time to explore all the river valleys. But as the curtain closed on India and we headed for the Nepali border in search of a Buddhist steak house, a chunk of cow and a bottle of Everest beer, we new that one day we would be back to continue exploring Uttaranchal. Because no amount of Dahl and dysentery , no amount of chapatti or chai, or reckless rallies on ragged roads above raging ravines would stop the adventurous from exploring the far corners of the globe.

Thanks so much to Frig for all the support, especially on the cold days!
- Thorpie Thorp,  Santiago Le Greco, Monica Gokey and Leon Bedford.

By James Thorp
Photos by Santiago Le Greco
Whitewater Frontiers; The Indian Himalayas.

I have been back on the Ottawa River chillin’ in my house and enjoying the warm weather and daily paddling. With little snow this winter and an early spring, the river level has been very low. We are all feeling a little lost without the legendary Bus Eater happening, but I am finding plenty of good surf and having great days on the water.
Just out my back door and around the corner I have been spending a few hours a day surfing the features of McKoy’s Chute. Fun times and numerous BBQ afternoons are filling the days.
here are a few photos and I should have a video up date to follow shortly.
I hope the paddling season is off to the same great start for everyone else!

Yeah, this weekend it was time for the last round in the Norwegian Freeride Cup! Filip and Henrik drove down Thursday morning to reach the riders meeting.. This time we actually showed up in good time, witch we don’t usually do.. After the meeting we met Anders Eidså, head chief of the longboard comp. We didn’t have any plans about where to live at that point so he luckily offered us to live in his dad`s house, supernice!

Early Friday morning we went up to Bondalseidet ski resort, where the qualifications was meant to be.. Because of totally whiteout we had to wait for a while in the top-cafe. After a few hours thought the organizer we could do an attempt, but it turned out to be pointless ..
At least we got a couple of turns in the resort, and with better weather forecast for Saturday, people were optimistic.

The crowd went instead down to Ivar Aasen hotel in Ørsta to celebrate David Underlands 30-year day .. Wonderful social evening with cake, hats, chair dancing and Longboardskating:)

Saturday it was up even earlier to reach the good weather in the mountains … Or rather, skiers had earlier on, the snowboarders was about to start last so it was not very stressful ..
This day went very according to plan for the organizers .. The qualification was surprisingly painless! Filip had a steady and solid run, got a little lost before the last drop, but saved in good again.. The mountain was quite convex until the last dropzone, so it was not easy to hit straight. Henrik was happy with his run, showed little emotional big mountain style at the top of the face, and concluded with a solid drop further down.

After a bit, if and but it was decided to run some finals. Finals were held in the same face, something boring, but understandable in terms of time and other logistics. Henrik came with David Underland and Morten Brøckerman to the finals. David and Morten are solid snowboarders, so Henrik decided to go all in and have some fun. He started his run with a big fs 360 melon, followed by some thomahawking, so to ride on down to more exposed parts og the face. He missed the last drop, but came down with a little creativity ..

This would prove to hold a 4. place for Filip and 2. for Henrik, very happy with that!

The party afterwords was long and wet. The trip home, even longer …

Here`s some pics from Henriks last run

Look what I just found…this is ages ago! hahaha

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Ola Reidar Nyrnes powdercruising Hochfügen. Photo: Ove Nestvold

Knut Myking frontflip Hochfügen. Photo: Ove Nestvold

Hans Petter Bakke powderturn.  Photo: Ove Nestvold

Epic Last day at Kristall Bar. Photo: Ove Nestvold

Ove Nestvold at lemonsjøen. Photo Olav Haugaløkken

Ove Nestvold at lemonsjøen. Photo Olav Haugaløkken

Ove Nestvold at lemonsjøen. Photo Olav Haugaløkken

Ove Nestvold and Ole Grinvold stiga jumping at Leirvassbu. Photo: Live Andrea Sulheim

Ove and the Leirvassbucrew on a trip. Photo: Live Andrea Sulheim

Ove Nestvold sideflip on a small jump, Leirvassbu. Photo: Live Andrea Sulheim

Helo boys and girls, maybe fans? hehe!

This will be my first blogging, I have never done it before, so (dont) make fun of me, hehe!. I havent blogged this winter, so I will take all i one, and resum the hole winter in one text..!  

This winter started in december with dislocaded shoulder at Torgrim Voles pre-opening skatepark in Vågå. Am not any good skateboarder, but my progress in the halfpipe felt very good, so I got maybe to exeded and fell down in the bottom of the pipe and landed on my arm… And that did fucking hurts, so me and Torgrim took the car to Otta 1 hour drive. The doctor there gived me morfin and send us to Lillehammer Hospital, my shoulder is still dislocated, it took 3 hour drive from Otta. The doctor in Otta gaved me to little morfin so it hurted ass hell all the way,  so me and doctor-Otta havent the best relationship. I was off skiing for 4 weeks. I had  3 days skiing without poles at the local ski resort Lemonsjøen, it was good training for my ski balance and feeling..!

20th of January me and some friends travelled from Norway to the Alps of Austria to Hochfûgen in Zillertal, and we hooked up with Jørgen Valde who had found a very nice apartment in Kaltenbach. The next morning we went for skiing and things went a little bad. Jørgen V and HP Bakke went up to a big face in Kaltenbach, the snow was good so Jørgen droped in to a big line, took two turns and droped out a big cliff, the landing was harder than he though and got in to backseat and loose controll. He tomahawked the hole face and hurted his knee. So his season was over for him at the first day with us… I felt a bit bad for Jørgen, but he took it like a man should do, think positiv!

The next weeks we had some realy good days, very good pow and skiing, faceshots every turn! Ove Nestvold came down to us 1 of February and me and him went to ski the day after. It had been windy in the night so things where a bit schetchy and I went on a bit stupid little face and heard a boom, it craked around me, I trayed to ski out but the snow just pulled me down and out of a 5-6meter cliff so I was worried about whitch was under me in the landing . I landed very soft and it was over. The avalanche wasent that big, but I had no chance to get out of it, So avalanches are scary as hell, so I got a little reality check..  

4th of Februar I travelled to Switzerland for the FWQ (Freeride World Qualifier Tour) Competition in Engadine, not far away from St Moritz. It took me 9 hours with the train to get there. I hooked up with some good friends from Stavanger, Bjørn Thomas Romsø and Bård Øymar and a swedish kid Viktor Åsander, they got me in to theire hotellroom, but I had to sleep in the bathroom. I didnt pay for the hotelroom, so that was all good. I slept actualy very good.. Cato Lægreid and some norwegian girls was allso there. The next morning was the competition day.. Get up urly, eat breakfast and got up the hill with the gondola.. The comp-face wasent that big, but it was very rocky and little snow. Im not a big fan of rocks.. I got wrong startnumber from the crew, my real number was 22, but I got number 2. So I started Alpine men..that is good, I got the little snow who was there.. Cato started as number 4, so me and Cato talked shit to get the nervousity out of the body, talked about hot girls, showing pictures, and it actualy worked. I started my run, fellt rocks under my skis every turn. stomped some small drops, I fellt very good about my line, and I skied good untill I got to my last big cliff drop in the bottom of the face, I droped out and saw the landing was really flat, so I fell.. 12meters to flat landing its hard.. Cato Lægreid actualy droped down half of the face and stomped the landing, 30meter drop, but a rock under the snow took him and he tomahawked.. Very sad for Cato, that was really hot shitt.. Bård Øymar on telemark won his clas and got to final day after.. Bjørn Thomas and Viktor fell.. Viktor went home to Sweden, me, Cato, Bjørn Thomas and Kristina Slinning went out for party in st Moritz..

When I got back to Austria the snow was not so good, it was warm and slushy.. Torgrim Vole came down to us in Hochfûgen after filming with Fieldproduction in Alberg.. We had one day in the terrainpark in Mayrhofen who was really funny, and got one new trick in my little trick book.. Next day Torgrim was unlucky, he was skiing and realaxing, and went switch then the ski went out and he fell a very stupid way, and twisted he`s knee. So Torgrim had to skip the worldtour in Squaw Wally and Verbier..  Very sad for him.. He hoped he got ready to Røldal Freeride Challenge, I hope so too.! Then we got really drunk for two days and went home to Norway. We where 6 in a 5 seats car, for 28 hours of driving, so that was not the moust comforty tour I have been to, but it was funny.. I actualy slept the half of the trip…

Have been home in Norway for 3 weeks now, got 3 pair of the new next year ski from 4frnt, so happy with new skis.. the old skis has fellt the rocks, poor skis..! Have only been on ski 3 times at the local ski resort.. This weekend Hemsedal freeride should went of, but they couldnt, with little snow and a big risk of avalanches.. Very bad.. Sauda is the the next comp. and then Røldal Freeride, the big happening, so stoked for be in the comp..!!

Now we are playing som Rock band, Am a bad as drummer, Ove is a bad as guitarist, and we now play the all Metallica songs in expert.. So now I have to play some more drums..!

I will try to get more into this blogging, i get update more often!

See yaaa!