First Paddle of my 9R down the Olympic Course

After a week of fitting out, the time had finally come to try out my new Pyranha 9R on Lee Valley. It was also the first time since my shoulder operation paddling on the Olympic Course, so I was feeling a tad nervous.

All fitted out and ready to GO!

Jumping in on the lake I had a few rolls just to check things were nice and tight. The slender shape of the 9R makes it very easy to roll.

Riding up the travelator I clicked myself in a little tighter. Before buying the boat I was able to try my Seals 1.7 Deck on, fortunately this seems to fit OK. However the real test of LV was still to come.

Driving the boat hard across the first eddy line river left the boat snapped into it just like my old Raptor. I then managed to surf across the top wave to river right with minimal effort. Breaking back into the flow the boat accelerated much faster than anything I've paddled before.

Running down to the first hole lining up for the boof stroke over it I was expecting to come up short. But as I left the lip I could see that the nose was almost over the end of the pile. On landing a nice spray was given off from the front of the boat where the wave deflector edges are. As the back of the boat hit the pile I could feel the boat planing across the hole.

Breaking out river right just under the bridge, I completed the figure of eight route back up and round the corner with ease. The extra length and high bow lets you drive high and hard out of eddies.

At the first big drop I was heading from middle to river left. As the nose hit the still water of the eddy I planted a left stroke, leant the boat over and curved into the eddy a treat. After a third of the course I was really starting to like the boat and happy that my shoulder was still in one piece.

Surfing was next on the agenda. I managed to get onto the second wave behind the first drop. Front, side and back surfed this before falling off the back. I was really impressed with how controlled it felt at the bottom and top of the wave. The peaked bow and stern decks really help to shed the water fast.

In the middle of the course I kept river left, boofing over the small waves. Skirting round Sideshow, I boofed into the eddy river left just above the last drop. Using the upstream wave I broke back into the flow taking the drop middle to right breaking out river right in the pool below. I've done this routine 10's of times in the Raptor and it felt just as good the first time in the 9R.

Messing around in the bottom pool.

In the bottom pool I completed a few high crosses of the second drop. Again the high bow of the boat kept me high and dry when carving across the wave.

To finish off the lap I had a bit of a surf on the second wave back from the drop. I used to find it hard to stay on this in the Raptor but with the rounded edge bow of the 9R front surfing seemed to be much easier and forgiving. Lap complete and in one piece. I was really impressed with the boat. As the session went on I felt more and more confident in the boat trying different eddies and routes.

Now to hit the flat with some training intervals and get it on some real rivers to see how it performs!