Festival of Freestyle

By Bill Anderson

Festival of freestyle, celebrating the art of adventure.

After a summer travelling around Europe paddling on beautiful blue water with mostly nice sunshine getting back to the UK was a bit of a shock. We arrived back to miserable rain and howling winds but we headed off to Nottingham for the Festival of Freestyle and to catch up with friends we hadn’t seen for the summer.

The Festival had been billed as one of the biggest Freestyle events of the year combining an International Masters, Alpkit PFAKS, Youth Freestyle and a squirt event. However, things in the UK are never that simple and Mother Nature played her part flooding half of the Holme Pierrepont Slalom Course. This lead to a hugely reduced schedule but a very fun event.

Friday night everyone met together in the rugby club for the now annual Money Shot competition. This is a competition of short video clips of peoples’ adventures or just funny things and was very entertaining.

Kayak competition was limited to Saturday due to rising water levels and water quality so it was decided that each competitor would have runs on both the Inlet Gate and Jaws. I had some decent rides on the top wave but was a little out of practice having not paddled on the feature for 4 months. Jaws however I did much better and enjoyed my rides there.

The finals of the event were awesome to watch. Pringle came out on top in the end having fought off the challenge from Ed Smith and Stu Parry.

Stand up paddleboards, kayaks and paddling accessories

  • New

Delta [8'10"] Alpkit Delta stand up paddleboard in Forest

Delta [8'10"]

Inflatable all-purpose stand up paddleboard (SUP) with 100kg recommended max weight
£329.99

  • Email when available

Delta [10'10"] Alpkit Delta and Longshore stand up paddleboards in use

Delta [10'10"]

The one SUP that does it all hitting the sweetspot stability, speed and performance
£349.99

  • New

Longshore [10'6"] Alpkit Longshore stand up paddleboard in use

Longshore [10'6"]

Inflatable touring SUP for long days and overnight journeys
£374.99

  • New

Longshore [12'6"] Alpkit Longshore stand up paddleboard in use

Longshore [12'6"]

For bigger adventures, inflatable touring SUP for fully loaded overnight adventures
£399.99
Oxbow Oxbow

Oxbow

Inflatable 2-seater kayak
£749.99 or from £13/month

  • Email when available

Hooley pump front hooley pump set with valves and charger

Hooley Pump

World's smallest rechargeable SUP Pump
£79.99
Haven changing robe in Reed Haven

Haven

Warm and weatherproof insulated changing robe for before and after swimming and activity
£129.99

  • New

Straven [Womens] Straven [Womens]

Straven [Womens]

Natural rubber insulated shorty swimsuit for wild swim warmth and freedom
£99.99

  • New

Tarka Wetsuit [Womens] Tarka Wetsuit [Womens]

Tarka Wetsuit [Womens]

Natural rubber active shorty wetsuit for wild swims, paddlesports and swim-run days
£119.99

  • New

Tarka Wetsuit [Mens] Tarka Wetsuit [Mens]

Tarka Wetsuit [Mens]

Natural rubber active shorty wetsuit for wild swims, paddlesports and swim-run days
£119.99
alpkit element wetsuit womens vest in black Element Wetsuit Vest [Womens]

Element Wetsuit Vest [Womens]

Front zip wetsuit vest. Keep warm your way and easy to put on.
£86.99
alpkit element wetsuit womens jacket in black Element Wetsuit Jacket [Womens]

Element Wetsuit Jacket [Womens]

Front zip wetsuit jacket. Keep warm your way and easy to put on.
£99.99

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