ÅREEXTREMECHALLENGE:THEEUROPEAN MULTISPORT
CHAMPIONSHIPS,SWEDEN,JUNE 2019TheÅreExtremeChallengestartedin 1997andis Scandinavia’sfirstandlargestmultisportrace. 2000 racerstakepart
inthe“manvs.nature”event,whichfeaturesdramaticwaterfalls,deepgreenforests,andthepicturesquemountain
townof Åre,Sweden.Theraceincludesa 25kmkayakpaddle(whitewaterandlakeoptions),a 17kmmountainrun,
anda 30kmmountainbike.Eliteenduranceathletes,whocompeteforprizemoneysharethesamecoursewith
recreationalathletesandparticipantscanchoosefromSolo,Duo,or Teamcategories.For2019,theÅECmulti-sport
raceorganizationdecidedto cancelboththeLAKECLASSpaddlingandthe1,000-meterverticalrundueto lowvisibility
andwindgustsofupto 30 m/s.“Thelakeis tooexposed,”saidScottCole,oneoftheracedirectors.“Theriverwas
notonlymoreprotected,butalsosafergiventhatRIVERCLASScompetitorshadprovedtheirskillsthroughpre-race
certifications.”The500+competitorsdidnotmindtheweather-shortenedcourse,andtheextremeweathercreateda
uniquebondamongcompetitors.EmilDahlqvistofSwedentookhomethe1,000EUROprizemoneyforRIVERCLASS
forthesecondtime,beatinga strongfieldof previouswinners.JariPalonenwasthefourthRIVERCLASSracerto cross
thefinishbutwasforcedtowaitfora passingtrainafterthefirsttransition.Onceraceofficialsadjustedhistime,he
wasbumpedupto thepodium,pushingSamMansonto fourthplace.“I amdefinitelycomingback,”saysSam.“There
aren'tmanymultisportraceswithwhitewaterkayakstages,soI willcertainlybespreadingthewordbackhome.”Marie
Nilssonwona tightwomen’srace,wherethetopthreefinisherswerewithinfiveminutesofeachotheraftersixhours
of racing.TheThursdaybeforetherace,over 100 participantsjoinedtheLundstamsKidzEventat CopperhillMountain
Lodge,a courseinvolvingrunning,biking,andropeadventure for youngster aged 4 to 14. Want to take part next year?
The24thannualÅECwilltakeplace on 27 June 2020.Report and photography: ÅECMAKINITO,FRANCE,JUNE 2019
TheMakinitoContestis a freestylekayakingcompetitionthattakesplaceeveryyearintheSouthof
FrancenearAureilleorganizedbytheIstresEntressenCanoeKayakclub.Thisyear,competitorsfrom
morethantendifferentcountriescameto enjoythewarmatmosphereofthisevent,whichtakesplace
amongthetreesin a uniqueoasis.Thelevelof competitionfor 2019 wasveryhighasseveralof thebest
intheworldcametotestthemselvesonelasttimebeforegoingtoSortfortheWorldChampionships.
AmericansKaelinFriedensonandAbbyHolcombewonthejuniormen'sandwomen'scategory,despite
strongcompetitionfromlocalkayakers.AllanStievenardfinished2ndwitha runover 900 points.Asfor
C1,SebastienDevredwon,justaheadof TomDolle,whowonin K1witha singleridescoreof over 2000
pointsaheadofthesameSebastienDevred.AmericanHunterKatichcompletedthepodiumaheadof
thefourth-placefinisherandlocalValentinParasme.Inthewomens'category,MarleneDevilleztook
first,aheadofHitomiTakakuofJapanandKadrianKellogoftheUnitedStates.This5theditionkeptall
itspromises;alltheparticipantscameawaythoroughlypleasedwiththeweekend.TheMakinitohole,
accordingto manyathletes,is thebestin theworld,butit is thearea'scharmandthewelcominglocal
communitythatmakestheweekendsospecial.Saturday’seveningmealanda magnificent sunset on
theEntressenpondmadeeveryonewanttoreturnforthenextedition in June 2020.Report: Olivier Kramer | Photography: Kevin SaussureSMALLSTOTHEWALLSTEEPCREEK
RACE,MAINE,USA,JUNE 2019Nowadaysthereis noshortageof epicwhitewaterkayakingraces.Hugedrops,thebiggestnamesin paddling,allheld
at someof themostpremierlocationsaroundtheworld.Well,upin Mainein a no-nametownthereis anextremerace
fortherestof us,Smallsto theWall!Spring 2019 markedthesixthrunningof thislittleracethatcould.Thecoursetakes
placeatSmallsFallsontheSandyRiver.AndrewCooperdesignedtheracetobea sprint,settinga coursethattakes
somecompetitorslessthana minutetocomplete.Racerslaunchoffa startingrampthennavigatetheirwaydown
icyspringrunoffthrougha uniquesetofslides,chutes,anddrops.CompetitorsfromalloverNewEnglandandeven
Canadacometoparticipatefor2019.Stokeis highwhentheracedaybannerhangsacrossthefalls,andspectators
linethesidesofthegorgeto cheerontheirlocalfavorites.Thedaybeforethe 2019 event,levelswerelookingperfect
andholdingat 250cfs.Therewasa chanceof rainin theforecast,butnothingearth-shattering.Well,theearthshattered.
Mothernaturethrewdowna massivedelugeovernight.At9:00amonracedaythefallshadcomeupto a staggering
1400 cfs!Cooper’smainpriorityis safety,soduetotheextremewaterlevelshemadethetoughdecisiontocancel
theracefortheday.Hekepthiseyesonwaterlevelsthroughoutthenightandwasecstatictoputoutthewordearly
thenextmorningthattheracewasonagain!Levelshadcomedowntoa juicyyetmanageable 300 cfs.Thesafety
crew,ledbyJakeRisch& theWhiteMountainSwiftwaterRescueTeam,stillhadtheirhandsfull.A surprisingnumber
ofracersstruggledwiththehighflowsandendingupswimming,butin theend,somesweetlineswerethrowndown
andallhada fantastictime.MainelocalMikeMcVeyhadthefastestcombinedtimeofhistworunsandwascrowned
thewinner.In additionto high-qualitywhitewater,racersaredrawn back year after year by the impressive prizes, which
thisyearincludedPitVipersunglassesanda Pyrana12R!Report: Andrew Cooper | Photography: Ernie HallNEWS