Meet the team Mondays: Paul Evans

Meet the team Mondays:

Every Monday we are going to show case our awesome team members which we support in the paddle sport world.

This week we are introducing team paddler Paul Evans.

Hi Paul, I guess what we should start with is how did you get into the world of paddle sport and what is your preferred discipline?

Well I was relatively late to kayaking it all started when I moved to a new house and I noticed my neighbour had several kayaks in his garden. After a quick chat I started at Llandegfedd reservoir with the club Wye Bother. Wye Bother was also a lifeguard unit in those days, and I’ve been involved in safety for triathlons and the mighty Teifi tour. 

What is your local paddling venue?

I mainly kayak and sea kayak in the summer and can often be found at CIWW on 10 cumec release on a Friday (but not play boating I’ll leave that to the younger generation). I also help by working on the wye with Monmouth Canoes and activities guiding all sorts of people down the river usually in a canoe. White water started with club trips to Symonds Yat rapids moving to the Usk and getting to my favourite river the Tryweryn although it’s a bit far so locally it would be the Tawe.

What’s your current boat of choice and why?

Kayaks I have quite a collection but my go to boat for big water would be the Pyranha Machno named after the infamous Fairy Glen, it has the ability to ride over most things while staying stable. For an Usk run when nothing else is running it would be the Burn 3 for its fun edges. Both fitted with Pyranha’s excellent stout 2 outfitting.  

Have you got any big plans in mind for when this lock down is all over? Any adventures or new skills you want to learn?

When this is finally over, we’re looking to going back to Slovenia. We’ve been before and the first time was excellent, beautiful place great paddling on the Soca and friendly people unfortunately the second trip was a different story and with more swims than I care to mention. We’ve unfinished business. 

What have you been doing to keep yourself sane during lock down? Any new skills learnt?

So, as we’re not paddling at the moment and being of a certain age, I’ve been learning to stretch, massively important and overlooked.

Thanks Paul for answering these questions, I hope you manage to make it out to Slovenia later this year!