South Island Missions

After an awesome week of training in Australia with unlimited free water due to the fact that they kept the white water course running 24/7 some reasons to do with the algae in the lake I went out to dinner with all my Czech and some Slovaks to a CZE/Slovak Pub. Then flew home to Rotorua direct from Sydney, it was awesome! Within 20mins of landing at Rotorua airport I was on the Kaituna doing a riverrun! This was followed by a trip in Ryans boat to the hotpools. I arrived to find my Auzzy mate Jonno had taken over my whare in Okere Falls, we were joined a few days later by my good Canadian friend Katrina Van Wilk (also known by most as Canada!). We spent a few days rocking it in the falls doing riverruns and for me I caught up on a bit of Uni work and finished off the week of training with my French Coach Thomas Masuy. Katrina, Jono and I then drove to Otaki to spend a night with my parents. I was fortunate enough to catch up with two of my oldest and really good friends Skye and Ashleigh, it was great!
Canada, Jono and I then headed on the 2am ferry South. We drove to Murchison and arrived just in time for the Bullerfest! Bullerfest is an awesome kayaking event that is run every year on the Buller river in Murchison. I aced the first race which was a head to head time trial with 6 other chicks. But unfortunately got pushed out of contention when I failed to make the eddy at the bottom with the finish banner:(. It was really gutting. Canada was 2nd! and Niki Whitehead took the honours. Sam Sutton won the Mens, closely followed by Johann Roosenburg and Brad Lauder in 3rd. On the Saturday we had the Slalom race. My 2nd run was my better run being clean, I just lost a bit of time in the last upstream to the finish. Canada took out the Chicks and I was 2nd! Johann won the boys. Party that night with a theme of Rubix Cube...so lots of colour! The next day we did a riverrun on the lower Matukituki river which was pretty chilled!Fortunately too because Canada had forgotten her spraydeck!Then we headed to the coast for some epic Helicopter boating. We caught a helicopter into the deep wilderness of the West Coast valleys, amazing!Canada, Jono and I along with Niki, Toni, Sam, and Pete ran the Whitcome River the 1st day. Then Canada and I along with 5 other Canadians ran the Perth river, really really cool run, I must do it again, 6hour venture! It was a dramatic day too as Canadas boat leaked and proved to be pretty dangerous!! Then along with Sarge and Nick Hoffman, Canada, my sister Izzy and a few others we ran the Whataroa River, really fun and cool! Then we packed up our tent and drove across Mountains and through some amazing valleys to Wanaka! We stopped along the way in Okarito where an old paddling friend Sara Jane is now living!Totally wicked little spot on the Werst Coast with a total of 36 residents! We also checked out the gates of Haast along the way...Knarly!
We are now staying with Roy, Kelly, Jess and Holly Bailey in Wanaka! It is really awesome! They are taking such good care of us and feeding us up well with some amazing meals!They Rock! Today we ran Nevis Bluff and did one practice run down the Citroen Rapid! Was really so much fun! Loving this trip, it has been so awesome and everyone involved has been amazing!
Check these photos from the coast and Bullerfest!
Tommorrow is the Citroen Extreme Race 2010! I will be out in full force to defend my 2009 title!