Big Thanks To Tees Tigers - and anyone who helped.

RussJohnson · Post by **RussJohnson** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:04 pm

I would just like to thank Tees Tigers and everyone who helped in the running of the event at Abbey Rapids this weekend.

it was a fabulous event and i for one would love to see another div1 event take place there in the future.

Thanks again

Russ Johnson

Munchkin · Post by **Munchkin** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 8:02 pm

I concur, it was a great weekend. It is a shame that the water didn't stay up for today though, it was so much fun! I don't think I have ever seen a "pitch invasion" at a slalom before - fab! I have also never been so scared using a portaloo before (Mr Munchkin described it as a 5D experience!)... So many firsts...

Geebs · Post by **Geebs** » Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:43 pm

Well said Russ, great event and in some very difficult conditions, having to retrieve control tents from trees and port-a-loos from the road after being blown away by the wind on Friday night/Saturday morning and rebuild everything I am sure was not in the original plan for the weekend!

The river level rising by well over 2' did not help on Saturday either!

Well done Nicky and team, great event, thank you

djberriman · Post by **djberriman** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:56 am

Dittto, well done on a great event, love to see one there again. Enjoyed it!

dsamartin · Post by **dsamartin** » Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:17 pm

Yes I agree too!!--must also mention the great courses that were set, it was good to see the two pole gate staggers which resulted in a challenging and fllowing course--well done

Spiderman · Post by **Spiderman** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:23 am

Wifey and I decided to attend the second half of the Prem event to get some pictures before my Div 1 race on Sunday. We watched in amazement as the river level rose so quickly that judges taking their seats for the start of the second runs had to climb up the bank to prevent being washed away! It was noted above that it rose about 2 feet but I think it was around a metre or so in about an hour making the upstream gates very real upstream gates that were impossible to negotiate! Second runs were cancelled leaving first runs as the result.

A nice hole appeared below the bottom drop and the event turned into a free-for-all-freestyle

Images from Saturday here:-

http://www.clevercaptures.com/Canoeing/Abbey-Rapids

Sunday images will be uploaded soon

It was clear from the pruning along the river right bank that a good deal of preparation had gone into this event and, apart from the flash flood (that dropped to normal level again for the Div 1), it seemed to run like clockwork. This was a really good event in a great location and, as a diehard river slalom fan, I have to say I prefer it to the Barrage.

Final comment must go to Campbell Walsh who (unfortunately before we arrived) evidently demonstrated why he has represented GB at two Olympics by winning with a huge margin of 4.38 seconds! To put that into perspective that is the same gap that the following 6 competitors fitted into! Im sure subsequent runs would have produced a closer result but it is still very impressive - and a good lesson why you should give 100% every time too! Seems he likes a natural river slalom too

Wish we had the same scenario on Sunday as I was 11th after the first runs! But all those inconsistent tinkers banged in improved second runs and I had nowt left in the tank that could make any difference. Boo Hoo.

Regardless of that, it was a great weekend!! Lets hear it for Tees Tigrrrrs!!

PP