This is Why We Do What We Do!

Friday, March 23, 2007

(This note comes from a past forward stroke kayaking student. Enjoy! brent)

Hey Brent, so good to hear from you! Considering I'm thinking of, and referencing our lesson, as well as the Margaritas, I'm embarrassed for not following up with you earlier. Please except my apologies.

Anyway here is the update....Yes, first time in Black Burn history the race was cancelled (FOG). I understand there was a new head of the Coast Guard who in my opinion was overly cautious. Although to be fair, it was like Pea Soup. The first 3.5 miles are in a canal leading out to the Atlantic, so they did hold 6-7 mile race in the canal....half of the entrants were still around once they made the decision to have the abbreviated race. There was a lot of pent up and pissed off paddlers, so it was just a free-for-all sprint! My buddies and I were more exhausted after this 6mi race than last yr’s 20mi Black burn. Totally lost focus on everything you taught me.

3 weeks later there was a 15-mi race on Long Island Sound (lighthouse to lighthouse, L2L)....leading up to it my training totally focused on your lesson and I was starting to make improvement. 5 days prior, I bought the v10 Sport, so I was more focused on staying on the ski than technique. Race day - 25-35mph headwinds for first half of race...4 miles into the race, the Coast guard cancelled the event. East coast wimps! Given my instability I wasn't 2 upset.

The last race was the inaugural Mayors Cup around NYC, 29mi. (you have to come up for it next year)... the week prior, I finally felt like my timing and technique was all coming together and felt great on the ski. Event day was beautiful fall day and felt great. After 15 miles I felt great and although miles behind Barton and Glickman, I was in third place, relaxed and having fun. Two more miles under the Triborough Bridge I jumped on a ships wake and was getting a lot of help when my rudder Pedal cracked at the hinges…no chance of fixing and was done for the day. Coast guard took me the rest of the way home.....although disappointed, I was thrilled that I finally put your teachings to practice and was too caught up in the day’s excitement to be upset. Next yr, Jim

Another GREAT training day in the Wild World of Moss Landing

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Today was filled with Rock'n Wind-Chop and a fairly good sized swell here in
my little world of Moss Landing California. Along with my normal "Dos
Amigos", Mike McNulty and Chris Stout, Craig Tanner drove all the way down
from Benicia to get some "Combat Training" out in the Open Water here @
Moss. We were pleasantly surprised upon cranking out of the harbor-mouth to
find a very confused and crazy sea..Most Excellent for Surfski'n and we had
a great workout! Paddled about 5 miles off shore and then rode the craziness
back home. Can't beat it! The Sun was shining and the wind was up, so Life
is Good! I hope you all had a productive weekend of training too. Here's to
Keeping the Right Side Up, all the best Brent.

Zsolt’s Surfski Workout ROCKS!

Monday, January 29, 2007

Yesterday I attended one of the most productive Kayaking/Surfskiing workouts for a long time. Zsolt's workout in Sauslitio, CA Kick's Butt! It was a flashback to Olympic Sprint Training days for me. It was intense AND Fun! We had 9 guys and one woman, all on surfskis. Zslot had a coach-boat and driver. He also took video. We had an ass-kick'n sprint workout that focused on not only Speed but Technique as well. Then off to Carter and Sally's home to have our technique critiqued from the film. The Video Session was a special one-time item added. The Workout is the key ingredient for everyone to take advantage of. Everyone came away a Stronger and Smarter paddler! Zsolt holds these training sessions each Sunday at the Sea Trek Beach @ 9:30 am. If you want a taste of the Real Thing, head on over to Sauslito Sunday mornings! I do not have all the contact details for Zsolt, but you can follow the action by watching the Surfski Websites. He posts his upcoming workouts there. Cheers, and go join The Real Deal on Sundays! Brent

Sorry for the long gap in updates…

Friday, November 10, 2006

Hello All, I've been busy teaching and training, but clearly NOT paying attention to my site.... ("My bad"!). Wildsprint has concluded teaching for this 2006 Season, with Many NEW Dates booked for 2007. Currently, most teaching escapades are scheduled through California Canoe & Kayak and you can check out the teaching dates on their site at http://www.calkayak.com (I'll post on this site soon...)
I raced with my training partner Chris Stout in the K-2 Surfski at the Nationals this summer, as well as, my annual attendance at Sea Trek's Regatta. Both results were satisfactory, given the amount of time I've been in the boat. Between Work, Musician (check out our site at http://www.badhabitsmusic.com) & Kayak Teacher...training time has been a bit impacted!
I'm now the proud owner of a brand-spanking-new Epic V10-L "Ultra" and she is a very keen motivator for getting more time in on the water...What a GREAT boat! I'll be checking in more regularly from here on out! Chris, Mike and I will be training all winter, and I'll fill you all in on some of the BIG WATER DAYS out here this Winter!
Cheers and Keep On Strok'n, brent

Sacramento Clinic was a BLAST!

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Teaching The Forward Stroke Kayak Clinic for California Canoe & Kayak in Lake Natoma is always a pleasure. The Sun was HOT, The Facility is State Of The Art and the folks in my class were Great! Everyone was happy at the end of the day. Of course there are always those times throughout the day where I catch my students concentrating so hard that they need to be reminded that they are suppose to be having FUN! It's a good thing tho. I had beginners up through advanced intermeidate paddlers. No racers, but there was one woman on Huki Surf Ski. (Once she gets "the racing bug" it's hard to give it up!). This class was embraced by the Sierra Paddling Club, and it filled fast once they got wind I was coming to their area. Another interesting factor was that most of this class were women. They were turning to Kayaking as a low-impact sport that they planned to do for a very long time. Women understand that Technique is key to get the most beniifit from their muscle-mass. In many cases, a guy can have poor technique, but be able to move the boat quickly simply becasue he has more muscle-mass. A woman understands that she needs to "use what she's got", in it's most efficient manner, to get full enjoyment from her sport. It's great to turn folks on the the sport I love. Looking forward to my next class for CCK in Oakland this July! Cheers, b

Thank You to WISCONSIN & Rutabaga!

Friday, June 09, 2006

Forward Stroke Kayaking Clinics In Wisconsin were a SMASHING Success as usual! Thanks to all back in Madison WI. and Rutabaga Paddlesports for the enthuisum. Man, folks back there are HUNGRY for the knowledge! As usual all my stroke clinics were sold-out. I had a very wide range of abilities in my clinics, which always makes me feel good. One fellow was, as he referred to himself, The Old Guy" and probably in his Sixties - Seventies. I also had two High-School kids as well. I Love That! Everyone seemed very satisfied with the training they received, and had Big Smiles on their faces by the time the clinics were over. Remember my Motto: "Paddling is More FUN, The Less Tired You Are". Darren, Jeff, Nancy and The Staff of Rutabaga are always very supportive when I arrive. I really feel like their shop is a Flagship for what a Paddlesport Shop should be. Great Job you guys, and THANK YOU for the Warm Mid-West Hospitality! I'm off to Sacramento to teach this weekend for California Canoe & Kayak, so The Beat Goes On! Just remember "Long & Strong"! Have Fun on the Water, b

Off To The Midwest for 3-Back-To-Back Clinics Memorial Day Weekend

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Headed to Madison WI to teach 3 Kayaking Clinics this Weekend! Hey All, just a note to let you know it's time for my annual pilgrimage to Madison, WI once again. I love it there, and the folks there are really Hot for paddling info! In the past, I have taught as many students in Madison in one solid week, than I teach back home in California in the entire summer! Crazy and Great all at the same time. The folks at Rutabaga, http://www.rutabaga.com always treat me special. I enjoy supporting their teaching program "back home". Yes, I was raised in Wisconsin, (before I even considered what a kayak was or what it would do to me!...), it's nice to get back to my roots each year as well. So, off to The Great White North and a lot of good teaching and good times. Enjoy your holiday weekend, Brent

San Diego ROCKED as Usual!

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

The 2-Day Forward Stroke Kayak Clinic in San Diego was another Smashing Success We had 16 students over the 2-Days of Forward Stroke Workshops May 6 & 7th. It's always great to teach down in San Diego, aside from the obvious attractions, The Climate, The Lifestyle and The Vibe; my students are always so hungry for the knowledge! It seems as tho, regardless of their ability or stature in the Kayaking Universe, beginners to experts all gain obvious satisfaction at the day's end. I think that's what keeps me doing this! I had folks from all-walks of paddling: Over the 2-days, I had Five Adventure Racers, One or Two paddling couples, and of course, both individual Men & Women paddlers. They all came from varied backgrounds and all had their own set of expectations. They all seemed to be Smiling at the end of the day, and that's how I Declare Victory! Aqua Adventures does a fantastic job of taking care of their students, and Jen always seems to throw a bit of a Private-Party as we come off The Water to decompress from a Big Day. Thanks to all My Students and "Jen and The Crew" @ Aqua Adventures http://www.aqua-adventures.com. I'm looking forward to booking the next Forward Stroke Workshop toward the End of Summer or early Fall. Cheers and Happy Paddling! Brent

One SWEET Stick!

Monday, April 17, 2006

A Hot Kayak Paddle for Touring Okay,...so I'm Spoiled! I guess I've been paddling for too long to use anything but the finest of gear...and guess what? 2 weeks ago I got about the BEST Touring paddle I've ever owned. Man, this thing's a Beauty! Now, most of you know I don't really push product much on this site or in my DVD. I produced that film without any sponsorship for one simple reason, I did not want anyone to think what I had to say was bought and paid for by The Man! However, The Werner Cyprus in Carbon is a JOY to paddle! This beauty is Super Light, The Finish Work is impeccable and The Adjustable Feather Device is bomber. I really love the Foam-Core blade, while the blade-shape is EXACTLY what I like. This thing is Tight & Light! I know I'm known as a bit of a "Racer-Head" and most days you will find me with a Wing Paddle in my hand. However, ever since this new arrival has taken up residence in my garage, and I see that Sweet Stick hang'n on the wall, well, I get a Hanker'n to grab my Touring Boat, forget the racing gear, and take my New Baby for a Spin! My Hat's Off to Bruce, Shelly, Andy and The Crew at Werner, you guys have done it again! The Cyprus is One Sweet Stick, and I'm enjoying each and every stroke! Cheers, b

Lot’s ‘O Fun @ Half Moon Bay Clinic

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Half Moon Bay Kayak Clinic was another Great One! We had a blast in Half Moon Bay this past Sunday, April 9th. California Canoe & Kayak always puts on a great show in Half Moon Bay! I even got to jump up on stage with my harmonicas, as John Lull invited me to play with him at the local pub that evening! I was a bit concerned about all the rain us soggy Californians have been slogging around in for the class tho. From my standpoint, not a big deal for paddling, but YES a big deal for Mark Burk my videographer! He was undaunted tho, and Low & Behold...The Weatherman Was WRONG! NOAH Weather called for 70% chance of showers, but we ended up paddling in (some) Sunshine instead! Looking forward to seeing those of you who are coming to the San Diego May 6 & 7th Clinics. Always a blast down there too! Cheers, b