Equipment for Creeking

Creeking has exploded onto the whitewater scene, advances in equipment, especially kayaks have opened up a whole new style of river that a whitewater kayaker can now paddle. Here is the creeking equipment we take on the river.

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Steve Brooks
A Kayaking Guide to the River Inn

The Inn is the biggest volume of river in the Alps and has been the training ground for many Himalayan kayaking pioneers, past and present! What is great about the Inn is that there are sections of river for everyone, from touring to beginner whitewater, an abundance of class III for the intermediate kayaker and enough sections for the experienced river runner to stay entertained!

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My Top 10 kayaking Rivers of the world

As we head off kayaking during the season here in Base Arlberg, Austria, I am often asked what are my favourite rivers I have kayaked. It is certainly not an easy question to answer as I have kayaked on 5 continents and have completed first descents on 3 of them including a few solo first descents.

So here is my “current” Top 10 kayaking Rivers of the world.

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Season 2020

To say it has been a difficult year is a bit of an understatement!

At the beginning of March Steve headed out to India to kayak the Lohit river in the far north-east with Stanzin. However, a day before they were due to set off from Rishikesh the state of Arunachal Pradesh closed its borders.

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Steve Brooks
The Best Rivers for Creeking around Base Arlberg in Austria

Creeking has become absolutely huge in the whitewater kayaking scene. Steep rivers with features that require a kayaking technique of their own to make a safe and fun descent. There are some well known areas around Europe to go creeking and sometimes Austria does not get the attention its steep rivers deserve! So here are our Best Rivers for Creeking around Base Arlberg in Austria.

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A Kayaking Guide to the Rosanna River

We are based high up in a small mountain village in the heart of the Austrian Alps. The Rosanna is our home river, a steep Alpine river with a reputation of continuous whitewater. It has 5 quite different sections from the Corsica style Upper Rosanna, the deep and committing Rosanna Gorge and of course the Classic standard section. After living by the river for the past 17 years we have got to know the Rosanna extremely well kayaking, coaching and guiding whenever it is running.

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Keeping paddle fit over the winter

Living in the ski region of St.Anton am Arlberg I enjoy spending the Winter in the snow but I am all to aware of the need to keep a level of fitness and not loose any of those kayaking muscles. We are renowned for snow throughout the Winter and with temperatures averaging around -5°C you would think I am in the gym for the season!? Well, not so! Here is my guide to keeping fit for kayaking over the (northern hemisphere) Winter.

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Autumn 2019 Base Arlberg

Summer flew bye and quite suddenly we woke up one morning and the weather and atmospheric conditions had changed. The mornings were crisp with a heavy dew and the vegetation up high in the mountains was turning a rust colour - it meant Autumn was here!!

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Steve Brooks
Paddle Expo 2019

Paddle Expo, the worlds biggest kayaking trade show, has been happening last month in Nürnberg, Germany. We take a 3 day break from instructing and guiding to go and work with the team on the Peak UK stand showing dealers and retailers the 2020 season equipment.

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Steve Brooks
Summer 2019

We had another fantastic Summer of 2019. At the beginning there was still high water with the River Inn pumping throughout those hot early Summer sunny days!! Stanzin had now arrived and it was great for him to get to know one of the reasons why kayaking in this part of Austria is so good!

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Steve Brooks
Our story behind the Venga Boys

Here in Austria we are in the midst of a huge political scandal! The Vice-Chancellor was caught in a honey trap in Ibiza and currently the number 1 song being played and downloaded in Austria is “Going to Ibiza” by the Venga Boys.

This could not have come at a more apparent time, since the video of our Soča Valley, Slovenia Class 3-4 Kayaking Trip by Gina comes with the music from the Venga Boys….

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