charnay beach contest full information: 2011

Charnay Beach Contest 2011

After a voluntary absence last year, the Charnay Beach Contest 2011 will remain in the people's minds for a while!

Few months ago, I was not thinking about organizing the CBC this year! Red Bull, the main partner of the event really gave me the motivation, arguments and help to do it : I am really thankful for it. In this process, Mathieu Dumoulin convinced me a little bit more when together we had the idea (in front of a beer in Germany) to modified the rules race in order to give a new life and entertainment to freestyle events. We had in mind to join young and former paddlers to come and have fun on a kayak event without rules like professional competition.

Five nations were represented this year in Charnay (France, Italy, Spain, Belgium and Holland). It seems that all paddlers and spectators really enjoyed the new rules, even if few things can be improved. Only three categories in the program, the riders are registered in the category of their choice, Open, Pro (Junior Senior all together) and Mini-Moi (under age 16).

Ten Mini-moi was advised and judged by French professional kayakers like Mathieu Dumoulin. Young Spanish girl Nuria won the Mini-Moi category, just ahead from the Belgium guy Lane (15 year old) who has been really impressive by his charisma, style and technical in the hole. For those reasons we allowed Lane to join the Pro final. On the third step was Alexandre who, like all young competitors has got a really nice presents from our partners.

For the Open category, the goal was to paddle as much as possible, as soon as the wave was open and whenever they want. All the riders made a vote for his favourite paddler during the weekend without specific indication. The winner of this category is also able participate to the Pro-final at night. The “champion” was Didier Gregory who starts paddling few months ago: big thanks to all kayakers who voted for this guy who is learning freestyle :)

Then the Pro category:
First stage: We create couples of riders in the start list, by any hazard process.
The two paddlers have to make a battle, based on a 1 minute ride, judged with the "classic rules". The best rider goes to the next stage.

Second stage: The winners of battles 1 and 2 meet each other in this stage, like in any tournament. A “rock/paper/scissors” game determines who will start the heat. The first who goes in the wave, does a trick then goes out. The other goes in the wave, and he has to make exactly the same trick (same move/same hand), with at least the same “bonus”. He's got 3 tries: if he missed it 3 times, or flushes out of the wave, he looses. If he sticks the move, he makes a second one. The first riders goes back then in the feature, and has to stick this second move.
It goes like this until one of the guys miss a move.
The winner reaches the finale.

Finales: We made battles until you've got about 5 paddlers. We prepared a box with all the "big moves" written on small papers. The head judge takes one paper, and says on the mike which move is written on. All the paddlers go one by one in the wave, and have to stick that move, any way the hand they do it. The one who flushes or miss the move more than 3 times is out. The judge takes another paper, tells the trick in the mike. Riders have to do the first move then the second one. They always have 3 tries for all the moves. The game goes one until just one rider is able to stick the run, built move by move, stage by stage.

Many thanks for all competitors, volunteers, Dj and speaker!