REALM - Coming soon!!!

-Coming soon to DVD - 'REALM' April 2010

Hey there everyone! So another year has passed and its time to get into the next chapter of Southern Underground Production life! Over 2009 the film crew followed 4 kiwi mates around the world through the seasons they love and shares with you how each of them lives throughout these seasons. It follows Lou Urwin and Josh Neilson as the Northern Hemisphere spring kicks off exploring new rivers up in Quebec in Eastern Canada. While they were here Sam Sutton and Mike Dawson were preparing for the Northern race season which kicked off in Vail, Colorado for Teva Mountain Games where Mike took the grand prize!
After that we all headed to Ivrea, Italy for Teva Outdoor Extreme Games with more wins for the SUP Crew and NZ taking out the World Extreme team Champs!
Some of the crew parted ways here and Sam and Josh Headed to Norway for Voss Extreme week where we raced, partied and ran some sweet rivers (seen in cover shot for 'Realm' - Sam Sutton Double Drop). While we were up there Lou Urwin was back in Canada surfing the big waves of the Ottawa followed by a trip West to run drops in British Columbia and Mike was in training again for the Sickline World Extreme Champs in Austria! After Norway Sam also Returned home to train and Josh headed out to Africa to surf the big waves on the White Nile and document his part that Southern Underground Productions has in raising money for Soft Power Health Clinic on the banks of the Nile.
Now the whole crew is back in New Zealand running the clean clear waters and big drops that we call home! Already firing up Tree Trunk Gorge, Aratiatia, the lower kaituna gorges and Huka Falls at some ridiculous flows! So this is what you can expect to see in SUP's new Film 'Realm' coming soon in March/April 2010!
Thanks Very much to Everyone who has made this film possible!!!
Bliss-Stick Kayaks
Keen Footwear
Smith Optics
Canoe and Kayak NZ
KAYAK Magazine
Snap Dragon Designs
Skull Candy
Hydraulics
And Many more amazing people!

The end of my years holidays! Bring on 2010

- Stitched photos of lake Taupo from where we had new years! - Photos Josh Neilson

So since Tree Trunk it was back to the Okawa bay for a few days then a sneaky Huka Falls run in before heading back to Hawkes Bay for Christmas in the sun with great food, drinks and family!

- Making a swing in the big tree for my mum - Photo Jenny Neilson

- New Years Day Dinner on the beach - Photo Josh Neilson

- Great way to see the 1st of Jan 2010 in! Taupo NZ - Photo Josh Neilson

After a few days it was time to get back out on the road looking for some more rivers to paddle! We headed back to central North for a few Kaituna runs and then Tyler and B hatched a plan to head south to the Mangawhero River which was said to be at a good flow to hit up some nice falls. With 2 cars loaded up we set off and about 3.5hrs later we made it only to find the gauge was far from correct and the river was a meer stream.

- Driving to the river - Photo Josh Neilson

- The Crew with the waterfall in the background...Low - Photo Josh Neilson

With closer inspection the main drop was definatly too low to run but we found a smaller one just up stream to hit up since we had driven so far. We all had sweet lines and B even stuck a sweet free wheel before Ryan took it to the next level and swam it.

- Brendan Bayly having a go - Photo Josh Neilson

-All the way from the building sites of OZ, Corey Kelly on the lip - Photo Josh Neilson

- The flying Fox - Photo Josh Neilson

- Ryan lucas forgets his kayaking gear but goes anyway - Photo Josh Neilson

After that we made our way home for some more laps on the Kaituna and then off to Taupo for New Year celebrations and a couple more Huka runs. Perfect weather meant lots of burnt bodies over the few days drinking and swimming in the lake!

- Breakfast banquet on the 2nd - Great times! - Photo Josh Neilson

Back in Okawa bay now finishing off some film stuff and then the reality of the much needed dolar sets in and its back to Hawkes Bay for me to get stuck into editing the film and back to earning for the next trip. We shal see how things go and keep coming back to see where 2010 takes me!
Cheers
josh