Voss Extreme week and beyond!

-Trying to get a boof in tired from racing - Arnstein Karlsen

Hey where have I been and where has the last few weeks gone!!!??? So since the epic mission in Italy I caught a cheap and somewhat dodgy plane from a small airport east of Milan to a small airport out of Oslo, Norway where a friend, Val and I drove a few more hours to her place in a cool little ski village called Geilo. We spent a bit of time relaxing after out Italy partying and one day trip to germany! Once we had slept and eaten enough we were hankering for a bit of solid whitewater! (solid as in difficult not frozen!)
We ran the Zambezi section of a river possibly called the Dagalli but possibly I just dont remember!

- Brandseth race - Photo Kjell Håkon Larsen

Anyway that was awesome and had some nice big holes in it with a solid flow! Just what the doctor ordered!
Then it was time to get to Voss to see Mike and Margis and pick up Will from the airport in Bregen. Back at Margis and Mikes was awesome catching up with them and also Greg and Kristy who were out here last year too! Next up was preperation for Extreme sports week! An epic week of racing, partying and long day with even longer nights! We also set out to make a film for the film cometition but once all shot and ready to edit we couldnt get the footage off for some reason!
- Josh Neilson racing on the Brandseth - Photo Marit Stensby

By the thursday we were ready for racing! The Brandseth River is home to the time trials and teams race and this year it was a good flow, the sun was pumping, there was a jazz band on the side and we were feeling good! First runs were good with Sam taking an early lead but then Mike Abbott came back with a 4 second faster run! Once they made the cut down to 15 I had made it through in 10th and knew I had to go fast to hold that position! Overall i gained 3 places and came in 7th with Michelle Ramazza from italy just beating Sam by split seconds!

- The waterfall on the Brandseth - Photo Marit Stensby


Over the day the sun was scorching and the snow was melting! all the teams for the teams race headed up to the top to run the steeper higher section and it was going off! I have to say it was the scariest race ive ever been in! I ran everything big backwards and got smashed in every hole to where i thought i was going to swim! luckily i didnt and we came in 4th with kiwi team, Sam, Brad and Dylan in 2nd and Mikey Abbott's team once again taking 1st place!
The rest of the week was partying and gearing up for the head to head! I didnt know the lines because I was late due to my kayak being left in town and didnt make it through to the next round but once again this year Kiwis dominated with Sam Sutton in 1st, Mike Abbott in 2nd and Jamie Sutton in 3rd! We done boys!

- A perspective of some of the race - Arnstein Karlsen

Once that was over we heard that one of the best creeks in Norway was running and we had to check that out! we missed it 3 times last year but not this time!
The tiegdale is epic! Driving up the river the road switch backs its way up the valley and as you look down you can see the little village well below you!

-Josh Neilson on the Upper Slide, Photo Will Clark

-Upper slide on the Tiegdalen, Sam Sutton givin'it - Photo Josh Neilson

-Sam Sutton sliding high on the Tiegdale - Photo Josh Neilson

-Dylan Thomson on 'Notter Drop', he Styled in but to most its not a drop!- Photo Josh Neilson

It starts off with some sweet manky rock gardens into the first gorge! Drop 1 is a 8 or 9m S-bend waterfall with a nasty pocket at the bottom! Jamie decided to check it out with an epic swim out but luckily he was all good! the gradient picks up as slide after slide you make it to the bottom! we havent documented the river much due to putting on round 6pm each day as this is when its at its highest from snow melt!

- The best boof in the world, land flat then get ready to fly - Josh Neilson - Photo Dan

- The second of the double - Josh Neilson Flyng - Photo Dan

- The Famous and real 'Double Drop' Sam Sutton letting go! - Photo Josh Neilson

- Ian Garcia showing kiwis how to fly! - Photo Josh Neilson

The last drop is where its at though! the famous Double Drop is a clear favourite and the pictures speak for themselves!
Over the past few days we have been sessioning this river over and over while its round and its awesome! from here we are off to Sjoa so keep an eye out cos there should be some more drops coming soon!
Cheers

-Lake to lake on the Eksigndalen - Josh Neilson - Photo Dan

-Lake to Lake middle drop - Josh Neilson - Photo Dan