In 4 days time I'll be flying to Canada to finish a trip I started a few years ago. John Breed and I will be paddling 2500kms from Thunder Bay on Lake Superior across Canada and then into the US and hopefully finishing in New York city. We will be going around large lakes, up rapid rivers, down rapid rivers, portaging around dams, big rapids and locks. When this trip finishes I would have paddled 6300kms across Canada, as well as having paddled the entire 3300km Yukon River, 4000kms from Jasper to the Arctic Ocean on 3 rivers, 4000kms down the Mississippi River and 4000kms down the Missouri River. We are going to miss all the paddlers at the Saturday morning training session, at Ascot, all the races and of course the Avon Descent but I suppose life must go on. For big items like boats and paddles Alaine will be available to help you out, but she won't be dealing with small items. I can be contacted at terrycdu@hotmail.com whilst I'm away but I can't guarantee a speedy reply as I will be in the wilderness much or the time. More details to come.

The Down River Buoys Race at Point Reserve this Tuesday evening 14th Feb has been cancelled as the marker buoys would be swept away by the swift current. The area is also well underwater including the car parks on both sides of the river.

The summer Avon River flow was enjoyed by many in the last few days. For me it was a good opportunity to take young Luke Dooley up to the Walyunga National Park to teach him some more whitewater skills. Last year I managed to get him into the whitewater only once in a play kayak, which was his first time. (A bit hard to get in the whitewater when he lives in Kalbarri.) Since then he has paddled the Wavehopper a couple of times in T Trees and completed the Avon Descent on a PRS ski. So we returned to the park today to see if he had remembered some of the skills I taught him. The river height 0.8m was perfect to surf the waves. I could instantly see a change in his skills from the last session. He was much more confident and when I got him to do some surfing in the wave at the chute, I thought oh-no he will be teaching me how to do it soon. Luckily it wasn’t this week, but I will have to watch out because it won’t be long.

Summer Down River Training Around Buoys Starting Friday 20th January Claughton Reserve, Bayswater 6.00am for 5 weeks Open to all paddlers Best suited to DR Kayaks and Wavehoppers Practise on flat water will benefit all paddlers paddling on whitewater. Being fast is one thing but being able to control and position your kayak around turns using boat leans and paddle strokes is another. 0417 977 330 or terry@canoeingdownunder.com.au

CDU Epic Christmas Sale (New Epic Skis) Canoeing Down Under is discounting $600.00 off the new Epic V10 Performance lay-up models which are approx 15.5kgs to $3290.00. The Epic V10 Club 17.5kgs is also discounted $600.00 to $2590.00. The V14 and V10L in Performance models (15kgs) discounted $800.00 to $3100.00. The V14 in Ultra 12kgs discounted $800.00 to $4100.00 Barracuda Interface $2900.00 discounted to $2500.00 save $400.00 Used Mission Surge 2 person sit-on top $500.00 Call Terry on 0417 977 330 or email terry@canoeingdownunder.com.au

Epic Doctor Sale (New Epic Skis) Canoeing Down Under is discounting $600.00 off the new Epic V10 Performance lay-up models which are approx 15kgs to $3290.00. The Epic V10 Club 17kgs is discounted $600.00 to $2590.00. The V14 and V10L in Performance models (15kgs) discounted $700.00 to $3190.00. Sale ends November 26th (the Doctor race) or while stocks last. Call Terry on 0417 977 330 or email terry@canoeingdownunder.com.au

The Saturday Morning Fitness Training is back on at Sandy Beach Reserve, West Road, Bassendean. Time 7.00am - 7.15am for a 7.30am start. The training starts with a 4km race, which is timed so you get to know if you are improving. The race is followed by different training routines every week. All paddlers welcome but must have their own boat preferably longer than 4.5m. The Downwind and the Marathon racing season is approaching so why not try an Epic ski, which are great on the flat water and the ocean. Call Terry on 0417 977 330 for everything Epic as well as many other craft, paddles, PFDs, roof racks etc. Also call if you want to try a kayak or ski. Check my website www.canoeingdownunder.com.au

Well it was a pretty good day for me today. Not only did I receive an Avon Descent jacket for having competed in 25 Avon Descents (I have done 26) I joined an elite band of people who have devoted much of their life to the Avon Descent in one way or another and become an Avon Descent Legend. Past Chairman Kevin Harrison and I joined Jim Smith, Rex Adams, John King, Darryl Long, Neil Long, Kim Epton, Ian Williamson and Greg Kaeding. It was an honour to receive such an award. I’m not quite sure if I should be called a legend, (there is probably a better word) but looking back much of my life has been encouraging beginners to enter the Avon Descent as well as participating myself. I have had the pleasure of conducting Avon Descent fitness, flat and white water skill sessions over many years with the help of other dedicated instructors. As well as conducting Avon Information Lectures, Support Crew Lectures, organising and doing Avon Descent Competency Assessments, writing an Avon River Guide, a paddling text book, I have also been an Avon Descent sponsor. The Avon Descent has given me a great amount of pleasure since my first one in 1978 and I thank all those volunteers and organisers who have kept it running over the last 44 years. Unfortunately it was a sad but spectacular finish to the event for the owner of the food trailer when it went up in flames.

Well the Avon Descent is over for another year, my 26th. It was a very successful event for Canoeing Down Under passed part time employees, Josh Kippin who took out first place, Sam Pilton who was the first lady and a once sponsored paddler Coran Longwood who teamed up with Brea Roadley to win the mixed team of two. Not forgetting Luke Dooley (16) the youngest paddler in the event who I have sponsored and encouraged and who took out 15th place in the plastic division. Not bad for a first timer and a paddler who had a hole in his ski for much of day two. Special congratulations also go to paddlers who train with CDU, Baillee Liddle 3rd female, Jane Liddle and Erica McKnight first female team, Rob Jarrett and Chris Watson who we think won the plastic double kayaks, Peter Liddle who was 3rd in the DR class and Brett Young who was the first plastic kayak. Then there were the other 60 paddlers who had been regulars of my different training and fitness sessions who reached home. Well done to all of you. It was also pleasing to see Peter Tomczak (2nd double kayak with Brett McDonald) and Darryl Long (3rd double kayak with Paul Genovesi) who, when they started paddling I had a hand in developing their skills and interest in the sport. It was my 20th Avon Descent in a DR kayak, 3 times in a C1, once in a High Deck Wizard Kayak and twice in a plastic double. I was 2nd in the DR kayak class this year, the 15th kayak and the 39th single craft (kayak and ski) over the line so I was pretty pleased with my effort considering I am 65 year old. Congratulations to all those paddlers who entered the event, it was yet another great weekend, hopefully I will see you at the race next year.

The new V8pro has arrived. Like all the other Epic Skis it looks slick, elegant and stylish. Just to look at it even if you don't paddle it, it can get you excited as it has such a classy finish and design. Epic have really kept up with the times. The V8Pro is 5.79m in length and 50.5cm in width, 30cm longer and 4cm narrower than the V8 and 30cm shorter and 2.5cm wider than the V10 Sport. Like all other Epics it had the amazing bailer which I love, water bottle holder, leg leash attachment point and end and side handles. I love the side handles as they are so easy to carry. On my first trial on Tuesday I cruised up the river not trying to break any records and although I forgot my GPS I could see the trees on the bank were flying by. I noticed it didn't quite slide through the water like a V10 or V14 that I was more used to, but just sitting in it, with its great stability it was still a luxury. It was so stable I could take photos of the wildlife without worrying about capsizing. What was really so different from the V8, apart from the extra speed, was its turning ability. The V8 turns well, but the V8 Pro spun around with ease and although I wasn't on the ocean I could feel it was going to be one hell of a great ride surfing the swells. Being that little bit narrower than the V8 it meant I could tilt it over and hold it there which helped it to turn ever better. Whow, I could feel the V8pro was going to be a frisky, fun ski on those downwind runs. I paddled home quite excited. Later that day I thought I would take it out for another test run. The guys at Ascot Kayak Club were doing their usual sprints so I thought I would join them and see how it would go. They were all in faster boats, V10s, V10 Sports, long Multisport boats so I knew I would have quite a task trying to keep up with them. The group took off on the first sprint and for a few moments I was taking them on, although it wasn't long before their boat speed started to get an edge, but I wasn't lying down and as long as I kept on a wash they couldn't shake me. Luckily the sprints were only about 250 metres long, nevertheless after 5-6 sprints I was pretty pleased with my efforts considering I was 65 and in a slower boat. I left them pretty happy. The next day I had the chance to see how fast it was on a longer run by taking part in the Ascot Kayak Club Wednesday evening race. I wasn't the fastest paddler off the line so I didn't whiz away but I kept up with several paddlers around me. Mark Sedgwick who was several metres ahead was my target. Mark is a much faster paddler than me (and a lot younger). He was paddling a Paddling Perfection Excalibur which is a similar length to the V8 Pro so it was going to be a good test to see if I could keep up with him. After about 600 metres I managed to pass many of the other paddlers and claw onto Mark’s wash. And that’s where I stayed over the entire race. I was very impressed with the speed of the ski because Mark is much faster than me. So the V8Pros performance so far was very encouraging although I still have to test it on the ocean but I could feel it was going to be amazing ski for a lot of paddlers. I was never expecting it to be as fast as a V14, and I didn't expect it to be a popular ski for an Olympian, but I could see it would be a great ski for a beginner in flattest waters, a fantastic ski for the intermediate paddler in a lively ocean and a really fun, frisky ski in a spirited, dynamic ocean for the intermediate and experienced paddler. The V8Pro is optimized to fit paddlers from 147cm (4’9”) to 196cm (6’4”) in height. The cockpit has been designed with a slightly reduced "hump" under the paddler's knees, a feature which will be appreciated by smaller paddlers and I loved it. I can see all paddlers with different experience and skills will enjoy the V8Pro. Call me for a demo on 0417 977 330

I hope to get the new V8pro in this week so it will be available to test paddle this weekend. If you are paddling one on the river you might just experience nature at it's best. I was busily working in my garage this morning and notice a commotion on the river, a feeding frenzy with hundreds of cormorants and about 30 pelicans. I soon retrieved my camera and took a few shots. How nice it is to live overlooking the river.

Coming Soon - The V8Pro. If you want to give it a try call me on 0472 720 243 or email me at terry@canoeingdownunder.com.au The New V8 Pro is Epic's brand new surfski design. It is the perfect surfski for paddlers seeking a significant performance upgrade from the popular Epic V8. Compared to the V8, the V8 Pro adds 12" of length (30 cm) and cuts nearly 1.5 inches (4 cm) off the width, creating a surfski design with paddling dynamics that are both livelier and faster than the V8. In terms of stability and speed, the V8 Pro fits perfectly between the V8 and V10 Sport, allowing proficient V7 or V8 class paddlers to take the next step in performance. The V8 Pro cockpit has been designed with a slightly reduced "hump" under the paddler's knees, a feature which will be appreciated by smaller paddlers. It is optimized to fit paddlers from 4'10" (147cm) to 6'5" (196 cm) in height. Specs Length: 19’ (5.79m) Width: 19.9” (50.5 cm) Depth: 12.6” (32 cm) Capacity: 80 - 280 lbs (36 – 127 kg) Weights Club: 37 lbs (16.8 kg) Performance: 33 lbs (15 kg) Ultra: 26.5 lbs (12 kg) GT*: 20.3 lbs (9.2 kg)