The Butterside

Swiss freestyling

2009-05-16T00:50:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks I'm spending an awesome time. First, a couple of friends from Moscow came to Graz to our local wave here. Weather was fine, the level awesome, the company great. Lots of rides on the wave and a couple of vodka-induced headaches later we together headed on to Munich, where some of the group had to leave back home and others just arrived.

Harald Glanz caught a nice moment on the Radetzky

Well, having lots of free time at the moment, I quickly decided to join the second and move on to Bremgarten/CH. Firstly we wanted to go to Lyon, but Peter Csonka was there a week earlier and recommended not to go there at the actual level. That's what we did, and found a perfectly working wave in the nice middle-age town. Narrow, not too easy, but lots of speed and a nice eddy.

Boys (Kirill and Misha) on the playground

One evening I went to the Gotthard Reuss with the local and new Swiss freestyle Champion Severin Häberling (who fed me with tasty food and homegrown salad, until I almost exploded ;) ).

Severin Häberling in Bremgarten

The first three nights we managed to stay on an army training base in the woods under a big wooden tent. The fourth morning they didn't like us anymore. Anyway, now we're spending our last two days on an official camp ground with WLAN connection in the close village Sulz.

Swiss Army

Switzerland is nice. Friendly people everywhere on the pros, highly priced food on the cons.

Moscovitian Ninja Misha Burov

Our new basecamp

Last but not least...

2009-04-21T06:34:00.000-07:00

Reiner's Altay film is ready to watch on youtube:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Enjoy!!!

Daniel

Déjà-vu - Radetzky is on!

2009-04-21T05:50:00.000-07:00

Having lived the past month back at my parents' place, working in a sports outlet store I'm now in Graz again for a couple of days. My beloved Radetzky wave shows itself from the most beautiful side - half wave, half hole with a ramp in the middle.

Luki kissing the lip

...and taking off

Not having too much time to spend I decided to paddle twice a day and check out my new freestyle boat for this season. So far it's pretty cool. For sure not as fast and crisp as my Thruster, but really easy to handle and fun!

bounce it...

...bounce...

Together with my new paddle (a Werner Double diamond - luxury, but is there a better one out there???) I'm feeling kinda like a river pimp :) Well, seems like I gotta catch up my equipement with my paddling too. At least clean blunts are getting realistic already...

...platsch!

Rothbach

2009-04-21T05:23:00.000-07:00

Manfred Stich

On Sunday David, Bernard, Max, Mandi, and me caught the chance and carried our boats up to the Rothbach creek. Never having paddled this pretty steep river I was pretty eager to get to know it.
Well, as we quickly found out, the river will not stay an early spring creek THIS year. The 1,5 hour hike entirely led through 1,5m deep snow. Fortunately temperature is already rising, and nights are still cold to keep it reasonably compact :)

Max at the put in

The creek itself is quite untypical for the area. Close to the beautiful class 2-3 Salza river, it reveals nice drops and slides that are worth the sweat of getting up.

Max at one of the first smaller drops

Unfortunately some of them are blocked by trees and have to be portaged through the snow. Seems like next time we have to bring a saw.

David aka MC Danger

Bernard on one of the more spectacular slides

We'll for sure get onto this river again the next weeks!

One evening

2009-04-17T17:24:00.000-07:00

Low light weir paddling on the Mitterweissenbach. Flo and me.

Sunshine Ragga

2009-04-07T23:34:00.000-07:00

Last sunday was really nice. Bernard, Max, Babsi, Ralf and me went to the Ebensee area to go for some boating finally. Our plan to paddle and shoot (Ralf is a professional photographer) the Offenssebachwaterfalls, a nice triplecombination was somehow crossed by the high waterlevel and our long night before.

Max on one of the first drops of the Gimbach

So we decided to head on to the Gimbach, another classic in the Salzkammergut Area. Water was low, but paddlable. Clear, cold water, nice drops, sun. Good.

Bernard in the cascades

In the later afternoon we drove over to a park and huck action on the Mitterweissenbach. A three meter weir leads into a slide with a double drop in the end. Kinda nervous (it was my first time creeking this year anyhow) I had to wait for Ralf to get his position (which was great actually!) and at the same time hear a passenger telling my - to paddle the waterfall, but by no means the line I told him...

Basti at the tubedrop of the Naarn river

Well, happily the line was not too bad and my Critical Mass just flew over the small table. The following small gorge was pretty much fun too... concentrating on the fall I didn't really scout and was surprised by a almost three meter drop in the end (having suspected that it's about a meter high)... Ok, somehow chaotic, but really fun!

Roman boofing a nice one

This weekend was cool too. I have to admit, that being born in Upper Austria, it's a shame not having paddled any of the "local" creeks here. So this weekend I finally did. The Rodl river was already low, but the Naarn gorges and the Waldaist still had plenty of water.
Being without a car at the moment, my dad spent two hours of his holidays driving me to the boys! Thank you! Nicest weather, good waterlevel, and a saw in our stern we had a great 8km run Sunday afternoon.

Luki clearing one of the tougher lines on the Middle Naarn Gorge

We somehow decided to cut any tree, that's close to our lines, so we spent a little more time than "necessary", but except one nasty one, we cleared the river :)

Fabi getting ready for action

After lunch we made up a fire and spent a chilly evening. Next day we did the same again, just using the Waldaist as a warmup run in the morning.

Daniel

It's been a long while....

2009-03-29T08:58:00.000-07:00

but I'm alive again... haha. Bodily I mean. Having spent the past months mainly inside of my brain, panically writing my thesis, I yes, finally defended it and - don't know what to do yet!
I mean, I don't fear that I'll get bored too quickly. It's just too many plans that wanna get realized, so I gotta sort them somehow.

Anyway. I'm as happy and exited as i could be. And well. I wanna go paddling.

Sunshine out there!

Some new pics from Russia

2008-09-30T02:56:00.000-07:00

Finally I got my slides scanned... I really have to switch to a DSLR, though i like cutting the rolls by myself. The quality is limitted, because I didn't want to spend 5 euros for a quality scan each slide - but I hope you get a nice impression from our adventure in the Altay mountains! Enjoy - click to the album . Also have a look at kajak.at for the full report in German.

Daniel

Thun Worldcup and Album update

2008-09-10T02:18:00.000-07:00

This summer is really filled up with great stuff... two weeks after our return from Siberia, the final of the freestyle worldcup took place in Thun/Switzerland. As said earlier, I couldn't compete in Prague and Augsburg, but really wanted to surf the Aare wave - it was a great event.. The wave stood perfectly, though not being easy. It took me a while to get used to the powerful, yet rather flushy green beauty on the Aare River, but then really liked it. In the prelims i became 7th with two quite good runs, but dropped out in the semifinals as 19th. Well not perfect, but actually can't complain - so I will highly motivated go to Uganda this winter, fleeing winter and preparing for the worlds next year, which will take place on this feature! Yes and 2 thumbs up to the American boys - so far i haven't seen score higher than 1000pts live :), that was impressive!! And for sure - congrats to Peter Csonka, who won the worldcup!

The past few days Boris, Felix and me spent in Hamburg, playing our VADA/ONEX theatreplay at the brandshoffestiv. People liked it, and it was good to see, that our short plays on Saturday/Sunday were frequentely (!) visited between lots of djing and concerts. Actually a nice mixture between culture and party, not only partyculture.

Ok, I finally updated picasa with Jürgens's Altaj pictures! A german report about the trip can be found here, a more detailled one will follow up soon on www.kajak.at! There also will up be a trailer of Reiner Glanz' film about the expedition, he's working on the final cutting at the moment.

So far, hiding in the library for the rest of the day,
Daniel

Back from Russia

2008-08-15T02:50:00.000-07:00

The final rapid before the confluence of Argut and Katun'.

After a long news-break, I finally find the time for a short update. From the end of June until the middle of August I spent my time paddling various rivers in the Southsiberian Altaj Mountains - so far I can tell, that it was one of my best paddling experiences in the past years. Maybe ever. Multidaytrips in super remote nature is what I've been dreaming of for a while already. Paddling classic whitewater, not having the car waiting for you a day, or even a couple of hours later, as usual in Europe... going to sleep and getting up with the sun, already looking forward for the next rapids without contact to the so-called civilisation, is actually what I'm planning to concentrate on for my comming trips.

A bit tired me, carrying 35kg of PE and equipement.

As far as I can tell, this summer is awesome. I managed to become Austrian freestyle champion (for further information look here and here) the day before I left for the trip with the boys, which actually was my secret masterplan. Well, I also noticed, that I have to train somewhat harder in this discipline, to stay internationally connected - Peter Csonka came here too and was pretty unbeatable, as in the first competition in Graz. This guy has got really decent boatcontrol, I just can say wow!

Our beloved car on one of the more easy roads. Here at the put in to the Bashkaus river.

Now I'm back in Graz, working on my diploma, and on the 24th I'll leave for the freestyle Worldcup finals in Thun/Switzerland. I'd really like to compete in the first two competitions in Augsburg and Prag too, but cannot free myself for that at the moment. Anyway, time is short, so I chose the most beautiful spot;).
A detailled report about the trip, with all the pics will follow up soon here and on www.kajak.at, so far I'll just post some pictures from Jürgen Maier (the really good ones are still on his computer, so stay tuned).
By for now, Daniel.

Chicking on the Chulyshman river.

The most tasty fish, I've eaten so far - it's called "Harius". The best way of serving is just cleaning and salting it, let it rest for 2 hours and enjoy Siberian Sushi! Thanks to Rudik, our driver, as without him, we wouldn't have eaten any ;)

New pictures in the album

2008-06-10T16:08:00.001-07:00

My friend and paddle-paparazzo Jürgen Maier just sent me a couple of cool pics from last weekend in the Untertalbach Valley. He will also participate in the Altay Expedition, to which we (Reiner Glanz, Lorenz Holzer, Lukas Seitner, Manfred Stich, Gerhard Schmid, and me) will head on in the end of June until the beginning of August, and for sure document the journey with great images.
Until there I will have to raise the seat of my Critical Mass for sure to avoid the paddle-dwarf optics ;)

Have a look into the album,, and watch one of the nicest creeks of Styria!

For further information about the Altay Expedition, have a look at kajak.at!

Save the Untertalbach!

2008-06-09T01:23:00.000-07:00

I just spent a great weekend paddling one of my favourite creeks in Austria, the Untertalbach. It's short (2-2,5km), technical, steep, and fair. Comparing the river to others of its difficulty the last point is really interesting and important for enjoying it. There is pretty impressive rapids, but lack of nasticities like sivs or undercuts or real serious towbacks.
The reason, why almost a hundred paddlers met there, where the plans of the valley's owner, who suffers from the infamous influenza capitalistica, which leads to a irreversible greed for more than fits into one bank account. In one of the feverish dreams a dark voice told him to build a small magic powerplant that turns unpayable natural ressources into highly payable electrical juice of youth. Well, the Styrian government and the administration of Schladming watches this seductive plans with suspicion due to the invaluable ecological uniqueness of this natural treasure. So do paddlers from Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, and all over Europe, who demonstrated against transformation of water into elecricity, and showed that watching and enjoying the element is a more attractive way than feeding the third TV through glassfibrecables.
Thanks a lot to the KC Schladming, who organized a great event and fed us with tasty "Steirerkrapfen" filled with a tastesenseexploder "Steirerkas"!!!
And a big WOW to Basti Striebl, who due to lack of our knowledge followed and onsightet the river in 25 minutes, hitting all lines perfectly.
On Sunday we left the beautiful place and headed on for a chillout run on the Koppentraun river, a river that recently was in danger, but successfully saved by successfully combined efforts of politicians, environmental activists, tourist administries and paddlers.

Out to the paddlers, who come by - please avoid direct struggle with the local landowners and wildcamping directly in the valley - the situation is serious!

A clip by Reiner Glanz, which shows the river's nices sides.
The kajak.at report about the event.

Pictures of this time will follow up!

Back to Graz

2008-06-04T06:39:00.000-07:00

Being a bit busy the past days, I didn't find the time (and didn't have to tell too much) to post anything new. But I have to tell, that the past days were pretty cool actually. On Saturday I competed at the freestyle competition in Graz, which was part of the Austrian Championships. All in all a great day - perfect weather and waterlevel, a good field of competitors, and fine runs in the head to head. Getting there was pretty adventurous... after leading the prelims, I had problems continuing after my standard bluntseries going for the good moves, and sled into head to head as 5th just by 12 points advantage to the next paddler.

A bit nervous I found my form there and became 2nd in the international results, 1st in the Austrian. Peter Csonka was pretty unbeatable... preparing for helix and mcnasty in the end of the runs by myself, it was pretty impressive watching him throw clean (air) blunts as standards!
Also Luka Stricelj from Slovenija showed up with awesome elements - the only guy who fearlessly started up with fisher kings every run, though the wave was pretty flushy - and, how do you loop there?!!! Lucky me Luka messed up his last run a bit... you're the man! Simon Strohmeier became 4th, Benni Kraler 5th. Women's class was won by Nina Halasova in front of Katrina Migdauova and Katja Stein.

After the ceremony, we had one pretty scary ride home to me in Georg Tschojers white wall (yes, it takes up 15 people!!!), no windows just gravity (hey guys, I' ll just put my gear to dry on the balcony - "PAAARTY AT HERZIG'S"). That's what we did, a slammed couchtable and a couple drops of booze later we headed on to a local club, for which the organizers (especially Oliver Hirsch) checked freetickets for the competitors. Russian style discotheka... pretty fun, pretty sweaty, pretty few sleep. Next day up at seven, up to the beautiful Wildalpen, teaching potential kayakinstuctors slalomstrokes... already fearing the flipchart, explaining the slalom rules without sunglasses, Christophs car broke down on the way - so we had an awesome excuse to be late and do the theory part next morning (and have espresso and breakfast in the sun waiting for the car service). I can tell you, slalomracing is cool, soo much control, speed and energy, incredible! I already know what I'll do next winter to stay in shape.
Thanks to Heimo Streif for the pictures!!!
And congratulations for all the people, who were involved in the perfect organization of the event!
Further links to the competition on Saturday:

Kajak.at
Kleine Zeitung online
ASVÖ Steiermark
Kajak Graz
Peter's blog

The wave is still on!

2008-05-26T03:54:00.000-07:00

Falling into the IT-possibilities, I just opened up a picasa webalbum - and loaded up the first 6 pictures so far, to save the limited account space of this blog. The waterlevel is still up and great, surfer's left holeplaying, center part allows for almost all wave elements (for sure not too aerial, but still dynamic). Peter Csonka recently held a trainingsession for the local paddling club here, walking by I can tell you that also BIG clean blunts don't seem to be limited by the wave!

Picasa Album

Radetzky is on!

2008-05-23T12:35:00.000-07:00

I just found a small video on the web from a recent session on the Graz' Radetzky wave. At the moment we are having awesome levels here (370+). Next week there is a freestyle contest there, so if you have time, come by!
Further information and registration you find under:
http://www.kajakgraz.com/cms/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4NWUeZEugk

Retrospective: Teva Extreme Outdoor Games 2008

2008-05-20T11:37:00.000-07:00

Italy is awesome. The third time competing at the Teva Race around the rivers Egua, Sorba, and Gronda too. Somewhat unsure about my shape after the winter full of bouldering , skitouring, and working on my thesis, but a bit lazy regarding training in the boat I was happily surprised, that there's enough punch. Last year a bit unhappy with my final result as 14th, I set up the top ten as goal for this year's competition. Well, it went better then assumed. Be it the bodytension from climbing, be it the new Mad Boy prototype's speed, I became 6th and 7th at sprint and downriver race. At Sorba's extreme slalom I was not too lucky (I had to paddle for quite a while upstream before the ferry on the pic - thanks to Christoph Hesse, from who's archive I took it!), and ended up 17th. But Sunday was good again, still fired up from the party in Piode I became 2nd at the boatercross and all in all 5th. Team race together with Hannes Brandstätter and Manfred Stich was good too, we ended up 11th.
Rassa is one of the nicest places I know. Actually I'd really like to have a flat there, imagining getting up there, drinking a cup of espresso and after that having the pain of choice whether to paddle the Gronda or Sorba, or both, then to climb, then eat some pasta on the small village-square, well, is really one of my favourites.
Further information, pictures, and results:

Christoph Hesse's homepage Kajak.at
Organizer's homepage
Stohlquist.de (short report in German)

ONAgit

2008-05-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

At the moment unfortunately available only for German reading (this will change in future) people.
Onegassic Agitation Service (ONAgit)
From now on ONEX offers orientation by means of placardation

ONEX pics up the tradition of constructivist placardart and the advertising strategies of Gerhard Seyfried.
ONEX assembles fomenting letters and placards, that paraphrase the ongoing events of the day. Politically and morally motivated slogans reflect the mind of our civilisation and once will illustrate the history books of the 4th millenium.

You can subscribe to ONAgit for free at ONEX. Subscribers will receive ONAgit in regular intervals as small picturefiles.

Subscribe to ONAgit: onex@mur.at - subject "agit"
Further information: http://onex.mur.at

New paddles

2008-05-20T07:46:00.000-07:00

A couple of minutes ago the postman rang and brought me a supersweet package. 2 brandnew paddles of the Bavarian company Robson, which products I'm using for almost seven years now. My old Freestyle paddle was pretty worn after three years of excessive use (nevertheless is still being paddled by a friend), my Creekpaddle mysteriously disappeared out of the boatstack in Graz (somewhen I'll get you!). Fully equipped for the comming rivers to paddle, my new spoons are a 185 Stud carbon blade/ kevlar-carbon shaft and a 197 Stud glass/glass in the new transparent epoxy version. Having a cold I can't go for a surf on the radetzky, but tomorrow surely will.
Thanks to Robert, Karl and all the girls and boys from Triefenried!

Butterside's first tag

2008-05-20T04:43:00.000-07:00

Hi all together. Einen wunderschönen guten Tag. Всем привет. Laughing at the blog, studivz, myspace, bebo, bibo, babo, bembem communities for some while already, looking at the "I'll show you my personality in a nutshell" mentality from the side with suspicion, I finally decided to join the club, and from now on will post this and that out of my daily stuff in infrequent posts.
This blog is planned to be a pretty pure report-page, I'll try to keep out briks of worldview, philosophy about life, love, past and future, etc. Please remind me if I get off track. Looking at the header of the page, I just notice that I already got off track a bit- the pretty agrammatical translation of an Austrian word sled out of my brains, when chewing my fingernails for the blog's title. But I really like it. It's actually part of a whole phrase "auf die Butterseite fallen", (direct and useless translations: "fall onto the butterside", "падать на сторону сливочного масло") and means something between having luck by means of the right point of view. Some might call this opportunistic, forced optimistic, phlegmatic. Well it could be, but might be not.