Kaituna/Wairoa- NZ Extreme Race Series

 Me taking the lead over Martina through the couldron rapid in the womans final- Wairoa head to head. Photo Credit- Andrea Radler

 Sam Sutton- Kaituna Weir. Photo Credit: Ryan Lucas

 Me on the Kaituna- Photo Credit: Ryan Lucas

 LU on the Race line, Kaituna River. Photo Credit: Ryan Lucas

 Joe Morley & I- Wairoa race Champions. Photo Credit: Ryan Lucas

 Martina Wegman & I showing off our winnings from the Wairoa Extreme Race. Photo Credit: Ryan Lucas

 Relay event- Kaituna River

Last weekend we had the first two races of the New Zealand Extreme Race series. The first event was the Kaituna Time-Trial and with low water levels (200) it was a pretty hard race. Being local and knowing the lines to cut was a definite advantage. Mike Dawson ended up throwing down the fastest mens time ahead of local Kenny Mutton and Spanish Gerd Serrasolses. I managed to take out the ladies with over a 10 second lead on Martina Wegman and then Louise Urwin. It was cool to see lots of entries for this event.
The next day we had the Wairoa Extreme Race. This event always starts with a time trial from the put in to above Rollercoaster rapid to seed the competitors for the head to head racing. Once again Mike Dawson took out the mens category ahead of Gerd Serrasolses and current Sickline champion Joe Morley from the UK. After winning the time-trial for the last 4years in a row and messing up the head to head I finally pulled it together to take out the Female Title for both the time-trial and the head to head. I was super stoked to race off with my good friend and European rival Martina Wegman in the final, she gave me some good boat contact above the cauldron keeping it exciting! Jennifer Chrimes from the UK finished in 3rd ahead of Toni George who took 4th. There were 7 females competing representing 5 countries!!!
For more info on the NZ Extreme Race Events checkout- http://nzextremewhitewater.com/

Andy Duff Memorial Race Edit

Andy Duff Memorial Race 2014 from Ryan Lucas on Vimeo.

Checkout this sweet edit of the Andy Duff Memorial Race from Ryan Lucas!

TreeTrunk Gorge

 The first drop

 Clear blue waters:)

 Jen- after the first drop

 Looking down at Stefan heading over the horizon of the 2nd drop

Been having sweet times here paddling everyday and working on the yacht. Last week Joe Morley, Jennifer Chrimes, Stefan Gilmour and I headed down to Treetrunk Gorge. Jen & I were stoked to make it after missing out on the week before’s mission. I can still remember going to watch one of the first crews to ever run this, we watched Dyl dissapair in the entry move (Lukily he climbed up the wall)!! I thought I would never be running it. The seal launch is almost the hardest part!! The first drop has a flat water entry that you want to head hard right on, it has a wall connect halfway down that shoots you out. The 2nd drop is about 10metres downstream and you want to boof it centre. The gorge is tight and committing and absolutely stunning!

Champions Race!

 Mass Start- End of Te Akau Rd.

 Jamie Sutton- Race organiser

 Me- swim section

 T Fox & I skulling!

 Tim Pickering- Mens winner

Gerd Serrasolses- Diving in for the swim

The Champions Race was put together by Jamie Sutton a few years ago and combines running, swimming, kayaking, biking and skulling a beer in Okere Falls! Its a super sweet event and I was stoked to take out the female class for the third year in a row! Tim Pickering took out the Mens race. Here are some pics from the race, photo courtesy Ryan Lucas.

NZ Summer 2014!

Summer racing here in NZ has been primo!!! I was stoked to take out the Christmas at the Kaituna head to head event and the short and long boat classes of the Andy Duff Memorial Race! This race is rad every year and this year I took part in all 5 events- Long boat, short boat, swim, raft and topo races!!! Jennifer Chrimes from the UK and I did the first full female race descent and killed our lines!!!

Here is a sweet edit from Ryan Lucas of the infamous Huka Falls! Looking forward to rallying some more laps on this fun set of rapids this summer!

Kaimai Creeking- December!

ABYSS (Mangakarengorengo) from Ryan Lucas on Vimeo.

Checkout this sweet edit made by Ryan Lucas of the Abyss rapid on the Mangakarengorengo run in the Kaimais NZ!!! Stoked to get some rain just before the new year and get on this run with a rad crew- Josh Neilson, Tyler Fox, Stefan Gilmour, Ryan Lucas, Graham Ball and myself:)

Below is an edit from Ben Brown of a good day out with a sick crew back in the start of December! Tuakopai stream at high levels!!!

WHITEWATER GRAND PRIX 2014- APPLICATION

Here is my application for the 2014 Whitewater Grand Prix:

Racing Results:
2012:
New Zealand Extreme Race Series Female Champion
2nd Teva Mountain Games, USA
2nd Sjoa Creek Race, Norway
2nd Voss Extreme Sports Week, Norway
6th equal Whitewater Grand Prix, Chile

2013:
Vice New Zealand Extreme Race Series Champion

 Uganda

 Voss Extreme Race- Norway

 Upper Cherry Creek- California

 Wairoa River- New Zealand

 Chile

 Tiegdale- Norway

 Kaimais- New Zealand

 Rio Gol Gol- Chile

Colorado- USA

In 2013 I worked on strengthening aspects of my whitewater paddling that I wanted to focus on. I was able to get on many classic runs here in New Zealand and took advantage of some of the flood runs when it rained. I am spending pretty much everyday of New Zealand Summer on whitewater. I am feeling really fired up for 2014, I will be looking to focus my year around being on whitewater around the world. I would be stoked to take part in what I see as the most progressive Whitewater event in Whitewater Kayaking at the moment.

Thanks, see you on the river!

Loulou

New Zealand Whitewater Kayaking Edit

New Zealand- Lulu from Louise Jull on Vimeo.

I have put together an edit of kayaking here in New Zealand over the last couple of years. It includes footage from a lot of NZ classics in both the North and South Islands- Hokitika, Kaituna, Huka Falls, Kawerau River etc. 
Thanks to everyone that joins me on the rivers and makes kayaking so awesome and to all of my sponsors for helping provide me with the best gear for multi-days, racing and everyday kayaking! 
Bliss-Stick Kayaks Watershed Drybags Duemstuff Kayak Gear

Kauai, Hawaii

 

Hiking the Kalalau Trail which is an 11mile hike running along the Napali Coast, starting at Ke'e beach.

Waterfall fun- slide was made for the movie 'South Pacific' back in the 70's! My  sister went down it pretty much everyday she was pregnant until about a  week before Arlo arrived:)

 Some dude

Stoked to finally make it out to Kauai, Hawaii to meet my beautiful niece Arlo:) She is probably the most chilled out baby I have met- below in her rainbow blankett

Had a great time here with the family- surfing with turtles, smoothies, papaya, avocados gallore, hiking in bikinis, more surfing, Awesome sunsets, amazing moons, sleeping out on the deck under the stars, Waimea canyon, snorkling, Lau Lau (Local Hawaiian dish, kinda like Hungi), Kava (Drink that makes you relaxed:)), Fresh coconut, playing on waterslides etc.
Thanks so much to Heather and Joe and Arlo for having me, its been radical!

 Really cool to catch up with Kamilla of Norway on the Island of Oahu:) We did some cool touring & her and Erlend took me to an epic party at a sushi bar (free sushi!)..the power went out but some locals bought a generator for the music and we danced in the dark, going outside to dance in the rain when it got too hot!

 Baby in a hammock:)

 Tunnels Beach- awesome snorkling!

 The Grand Canyon of the South Pacific!!! Amazing!

 Water babes at Tunnels beach

 Joe has his gainers dialed! I managed to land a bit funny practicing my gainer and cracked one of my teeth!

 Surfing at Kalihiwai beach- just down from where Heath was living

 When I was younger I was told "If you don't jump you will be disowned"...not much has changed!

 Heather at Waimea Canyon

A dude surfing at Wai Koko's