Norway - Land of the Trolls - Ekstremsportveko
Back on the festival circuit and I headed to the Voss ekstremesportsveko. This festival takes place in a beautiful small town called Voss, which is located about an hour and a half from Bergen. The festival celebrates all sorts of different extreme sports and there is a festival tent where numerous bands play during the course of the week. It is well worth the experience as the night life is awesome.
Close up of me on the Upper Brandseth!
Arriving to find that the road from Bergen to Voss was closed, I spent a rather uncomfortable night sleeping in the airport! I headed across to Voss by train the next morning (one of the most scenic train rides around). I arrived to be greeted by Benji and the kiwi boys (who cleaned up at the races later in the week!). The week began with the play-run on the Strondelva (a medium volume river with big waves and holes that are easily avoided) with the local boys Eirik etc– this was high and a lot pushier than I would expect a play run to be – luckily I was in my Mamba and not in a playboat. Next up was a day spent on the competition run of the Brandsethelva with Per Christian. It is probably only a kilometre long but contains a long slide at the beginning loads of rapids and even a 3m water fall half way down the course!
Morten on the Upper Jordalselva
On the Monday the whole Norway crew headed up to do the Upper Bransdseth – an amazing river with plenty of steep slides and drops. Monday evening turned out to be a pretty big night thanks to lots of beer and some Bacardi Razz… and everyone woke up with a sore head. Time for a chill out run with Per, who was suffering as much as me - we headed to the lower Strondelva. The following day the usual suspects went to check out something stupidly difficult, so I joined a different group and we gave the upper Jordalselva a try. This river is high up in a really beautiful valley and is a low volume, dropping off steeply with numerous slides and creeks as is typical of the Voss area. On the way back I stopped off for a quick run down the Brandsethelva competition run, with Zak and then a bbq by the river bank before heading into town to the festival tent as usual.
Lots of people on the put in for the Upper Jordalselva
Thursday was competition day and we headed for the Brandsethelva. The start ramp gave you a flying start into sprinting down the section and there were so many stylish paddlers there. Everyone had a great day with Mike Dawson (NZ) and Marianne Seather (NO) taking the winning places. I finished 8th in the ladies event.
Me on the first rapid of the competition run during the race.
On Friday we headed back to the Upper Jordalselva – this time with the whole crew of Norwegians. That night plans were hatched to head to Money Drop on Saturday (full story above). After Money Drop, Per headed home to his lovely wife and daughter and I went along to the BoaterX to see NZ take first second and third places (Sam Sutton, Mike Dawson, Bradley Lauder). They then went on to the big rapid by the campsite (not sure of the name)… all I know is that is one huge hole! After some fun and games there, we headed to Mikey Abbot’s house for a massive dinner with about 15 people with plenty of (imported) Gin and tonics flowing before heading to the epic last night party!
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