Peter’s Paddling Blog

Yet another long due update. I have a couple of events I’d like to write on. Today it’s about surfing.

This weekend I was organizing another surf session at Klitmøller on behalf of the Canoe Federation.
Although we had near perfect conditions the turn up was rather poor.
In a country with no WW traditions, establishing a surf kayak culture isn’t going to be easy.
My inner Soviet dictator dreams of enforcing a strict Five Year Rolling Plan. By the year 2013 50% of all danish kayakers must be able to roll. You cannot have your pudding if you don’t roll your kayak! Yes I’ll be losing the popularity contest.

At least the majority of the future EPP/Surf group joined us. They are to design/translate the danish EPP surf levels. With a bit of luck the federation will run entry level surf classes in 2009. This could be what the paddlers are waiting for – classes.

Saturday evening we met up with the local wind/kite/board-surfers centered around the Cold Hawaii project, who gave us a fantastic introduction to the area and the surrounding culture. In more than one sense the North Sea is far from my normal K1 flatwater lake.

Heading for my playground.(Photo Finn Søeberg)

Sjef S and Jan S into the waves.

Martin P watching his kayak.

We’ll be back with an official surf session at the end of September.(Photo Finn Søeberg)

On a super unrelated note – Danish kayakers are currently in a frenzy as we won two European Championships (K1 500m and K2 1000m) this weekend and thereby qualified two kayaks for Beijing.