level six news

COME CHECK OUT THE 6TH ANNUAL LEVEL SIX CAPITAL CUP....

EVENT DESCRIPTION:
Every year our company hosts a freestyle kayaking event called "The Level Six Capital Cup" at Bates Island off Island Park. Under the bridge crossing the Quebec side is an amazing wave where kayakers from all over come to play! This year is especially exciting for us because Wilderness Tours will be hosting the World's the weekend following our event. Athletes from all over the world will be arriving in our city to compete, and our event will be a great opportunity to kick everything off. Level Six is one of the main sponsors for the Worlds, and we have been working with Wilderness Tours to create a lasting impression for these athletes. Level Six Capital Cup will offer an opportunity to have some fun and meet other paddlers from all over the world.

WHEN:
The Level Six Capital Cup will take place on the weekend of April 21-22nd, with a big celebration on the night of the 21st. We are hoping for the support of as many paddlers as possible to help keep the industry alive!

COSTS:
Spectators: FREE
As a Sponsor: Email me for details
Competitors: Pro Category(Saturday)- $30.00 with a chance to win a great cash prize. ($40.00 for late entries).
Amateur Category (Sunday)- $25.00 with great prizes offered to top 3 positions ($35.00 for late entries).
That's right! This year we will be holding the pro categories on Saturday, and the amateurs, or open category on Sunday. With all the international athletes coming in for the worlds (the following weekend), we felt the need to break it up a bit to be sure we had enough time to have everyone to get their money's worth. It is also our goal to have the newby freestylers maybe feel less intimidated by all the "pro boaters." No you don't have to be a sponsored athletes or on one of the world teams to compete with the big boys and girls, you simply have to be ready and aware of the level.

THINGS TO SEE:
-Live music (DJ)-and commentary of tricks being done
-MC announcing tricks
-Food stand (bring extra money)
-Rogers Cable TV doing full coverage on the event
-Free Coffee and Goodies
-Prizes
-Outdoor Retail Booths
-Demo’s
-Clinic's
-Bleachers for your family to enjoy while watching you compete.
-After party at Grace O'Malley's sponsored by Wilderness Tours
-Some of the best paddlers in Canada will be there to check out as well

NOTE: Parking is limited, so be prepared to walk from an alternative parking lot located on Island Park Drive). Car pooling is also a great idea!

IMPORTANT: ALL ATHLETES PARTICIPATING IN THE COMPETITION WHO ARE NOT PART OF WHITEWATER ONTARIO MUST BE PREPARED TO PAY AN INSURANCE FEE (in around $5 0r $10)

HOW TO REGISTER:
You can register by emailing me amber@levelsixinc.com with a visa or MC number, stop by the office with a cheque or cash, or mail in a cheque to: (payable to Level Six Inc)
Level Six Capital Cup
c/o Amber Curtis
Unit 31, 174 Colonnade Road South
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K2E 7J5
Please make sure you indicate your name, age, category, email and phone number.
I will also be at the bridge on the 20th between 3pm and 7pm (pre-registration cost is $30.00 for pro or $25.oo for amateur). Space is limited, so please do not wait to register

FOR REGISTERED BOATERS/COMPETITION DAY:
Sign in for competition is between 7:30am and 8:00am on Saturday and or Sunday (Do NOT be late). We need ALL competitors there in order to fill out waivers and such, as well as making sure everyone is there and paid. We will also be going over the heats in each category, rules, judging etc. in the morning.
Remember: If you decide to wait to pay until the 21st, it is $40 for pro competition (cash) and $35 for the amateur competition (NO ACCEPTIONS)

LEVEL SIX CAPITAL CUP 2007
Schedule of Events

Friday April 20th (Registration and Practice)
3 pm to 7pm – Registration – payment will be accepted at site.
Warm-ups (wave is open, you are welcome to stay as long as you want at your own risk)

Saturday April 21st (Pro Competition Day)
7:30am - 8:30am final registration, payment and sponsors booth set-up
8:30am – 8:45am competitors meetings:
***As soon as one class is finished the next will begin.
9:00am: Junior / cadet (girls and boys)
10:00am: Women’s Pro
11:00am: C1/Open Pro
12:00pm: Men’s Pro
1:30pm: Women’s Pro Finals.
2:30pm: C1/Open Pro Finals
3:00pm: Men’s Pro Finals
4:30pm Quick Awards for photo ops on site/ Media Interview opportunities!
6pm – Dinner Location- Grace O’Malley’s (on Merivale).
Live entertainment: “Cherry Suede” (http://www.cherrysuede.com).
Please note: Any and all food or drink purchase is your responsibility.
7pm - Awards Ceremony (cheques given)
PARTY TIME!!!

Sunday April 22nd (Amateur Competition Day and Festival Type Setting)
8:30am final registration, payment and sponsors booth set-up
8:30am – 8:45am competitors meetings:
***As soon as one class is finished the next will begin.
9:00am: Women’s (Open) Amateur
10:00am: Men’s (Open) Amateur
11:00am: Wave is Open to try out Demo’s and a chance to check out booths
12:30am: Amateur Competitions winners announcements and prize giveaways
1:00pm: Big Tricks Competition (winner determined by crowds cheer)
2:00pm: Mini clinic's by David Nieuwenhuis and Billy Harris (clinic type TBD). This is also a good opportunity to try out demo’s and to continue checking out booths as well.
3:30pm: Clean up and take down

Level Six raises $2000 for les amis de la river Kipawa!
(Check out www.kipawa.ca for info on the cause).

Our new arrival of limited edition Level Six Canadian Rivers Kick a$$ T-shirt to help save the Kipawa have arrived. We apologize for the colour technicality on the blog. They are actually all brown in colour, including the lettering.

Thanks for your support,
Tyler-Stig-Brian-Amber and Level Six Team
(Your Canadian Paddling Gear Company)

"Ask not what your rivers can do for you, but what you can do for your rivers!?"

Level Six News: Fall Paddling in the South East United States.

It has been an amazing time down here in the South East of the United States. I have had the opportunity to paddle the CHEOAH River which had 7 kilometers of non-stop class 4-4+ whitewater with no flat water at all. A sweet run to say the least! Here is a photos taken by Milton Mann from that day, notice the many paddlers enjoying the release of water they have only a few times a year! At certain points in the river the crowds became more difficult to avoid than the rocks in the rapids. The terrain here is very interesting, and when it rains it really affects the rivers and streams. I can only explain the Great Smokey Mountains as a boulder chunk drainage, we were on the Upper Caney Fork two weekends ago and there were literally creeks and streams flowing directly out of caves and coming through boulder piles from the shore

I competed in my first ever Green Race this year and had a blast meeting old friends and making new ones on the river. My time was a little slow at 6:16 but enjoyed it with little to no practice. I paddled the Green for my first time in eight years a few weeks ago with Clay Wright and didn't have to scout once, going off of Clay's directions through the first half. And then when we reached the Narrows I remembered the lines and took off down river. I love this run and next year Teva is planning a Mountain Games event #2 too be held somewhere in the Southeast with the Extreme Whitewater Race on the Green River. Should be very exciting! Here are a few shots from the Race shot by Ben Edson and Ben Wiggins from Downstreamphoto.com

Well that's the latest for now, I have some big plans for 2007 and will keep you posted as they happen.

Brad Sutton

REMINISCENCE OF A FALL PADDLING WEEKEND......

The one-month anniversary, special-edition, collector’s issue Moose Fest debrief. Gentlemen, and lady, it was truly epic. A road trip that combined solid mileage, mad boating, wild carnage, and the illest partying the NY boating scene has ever witnessed.

This was to be Zack’s virgin trip to the event that defines North-East fall boating and partying. In celebration of this cherry popping, we both relieved ourselves of employment commitments on Friday and headed south to catch a little Black River release as a warm-up. Unfortunately, I hadn’t managed to get out of work early enough for us to actually catch the bubble, so we got to enjoy a de-watered scrape-fest tour of what has to be the ugliest river valley in eastern North America. You know the run is going to be great when the locals at the put-in make sure you know that “y’all take out ‘fore de shit plant on the right after the third interstate bridge... “All this slalom training around shopping carts and household appliances (maybe this would work for the reconstruction of the pump house, it sure was scenic...) made us extremely hungry. We knew we were in the good old U.S. of A. when the girl behind the counter at a gas station said “Right here” and pointed at the cellophane wrapped bun/patty thing rotating in a heat lamp enclosure when asked for a recommendation for where to get a good burger...

We ended up having a fine spread put on by the Crystal Diner (right downtown, Watertown’s oldest dining establishment, I recommend the liver, make sure you get the fried onions, delicious!). When complimented on the warm status of the bread served before the mains (in my opinion, too few restaurants go this little extra step which makes such a big difference...) our waitress looked at me straight on and said: “So what y’all sayin’ is that you like hot buns?” before sashaying her way back to the counter. On the topic of hot buns, Zack created quite an impression with the young lady at the cashier, who, surprisingly, had to turn down our invitation to join us in Old Forge for the weekend due to work obligations.

The partying on Friday was truly epic. The strong Canadian dollar helped out on the pub-crawl, and while the guy/girl ratio was as skewed as a fall creeking event would suggest, a fantastic time was had by all, and vast quantities of alcohol were consumed. I’ve attached a photo of what we discovered upon the return to the crib.

Hangovers quickly faded after a few laps of Fowlersville, and in fact Zack was feeling good enough to put it all on the line and really test the DWR on his gear in a highly retentive pour-over at the bottom of a funky line at Double Drop. A couple photos of your gear in a beautiful, more controlled Adirondack setting have been included.

When we returned to town we were informed that a member of our party on his way down from Ontario to join the Saturday festivities and Sunday paddling had rolled and written off his car just a few miles out of town avoiding a massive buck, and the jovial atmosphere took a bit of a somber turn. Not to fear, turns out that while the car was done, he emerged unscathed, thanks in large part to the superior fabric of his Level Six clothing (see attached photo of the salvage operation). Keen on getting the party re-started, our buddy said he was ready to head‘er into town and giv’er. Give ‘er we did, right to the wee hours of the morning.

After being out onto the street by the bar we had just closed (the head barmaid got on the bar and screamed: “If you don’t sleep in the bar, don’t work in the bar, or aren’t sleeping with someone who works in the bar, get the fuck out!” a small band of the core and dedicated found themselves in the parking lot milling around, trying to figure out how to get back to their accommodations. During this time, Zack once again proved his unassailable character by downing a beer out of Ben Marr’s soaking wet, festering bootie as penance for his gear-testing exercise (while Ben did remove the insole, one has to think, this Zack is one dedicated dude…) The getting home part was proving to be a challenge, as some intelligent ones opted to hunker down in the parking lot (Ben and Pat Camblin got set to bivy in Ben’s red station wagon, the Motel Rouge…) others were driving the other direction, and as our predicament worsened, I realized that the only woman around was trying to hold a conversation. And she wasn’t bad looking. The conversation turned to how she was there with the band, she was a friend of the drummer since high school, and, cha ching, she had a room in the motel beside the bar! As she kept turning the conversation back to the room, I found myself separating from the group, making our way to the door, and shangria-la! There were three, count them, 1, 2,3 queen size beds in the room! As soon as I saw this I asked her whether we should start on that one, and then move to that one, and then back to that one before finishing on that one… she laughed, and coyly told said “oh, nooo, I don’t do casual sex!” I assured her that there would be nothing casual about this sex. When she laughed and said that the drummer was going to be coming back soon, I replied that we should probably get busy then, and all of a sudden it became clear, this young lady was interested in discussions on life in Utica and all the rest…so, with images of waking up in the morning and no idea where my friends were at, and shuttles missed, I hastily bid my farewell, and opened the door just in time to see a member of our posse roll down the highway, everyone packed into his van. No one in the van saw me trying to chase it down, and I settled in for the long hike back in the rapidly intensifying snowstorm…at 3:30 in the morning.

The next day saw us miss our check out, but we managed to find our way out of the motel through the towers of empties, pizza boxes, and boater refuse to get to town to have breakfast. The previous two nights had taken it’s toll, but even though numbers were reduced, lines were fired up before heading back upstate for a lamb diner and more hot buns at Crystal on the way back home.

The weekend was a perfect transition from Zack’s rock-star summer existence to the full-on fall creeking regime about to unfold. His carpal tunnel syndrome from signing thousands of autographs for admiring youth at the CNE behind him, Zack is poised to up the ante once again. I feel one would be hard pressed to conjure up a more perfect exposure for your products then his time at the CNE this summer; showcasing your gear to thousands of young spectators eager to try a new sport after being wowed by booming flatwater loops and cartwheels, combined with the coverage of your streetwise clothing line at the numerous after parties packed with media, adventure sports participants, and urban style fashionistas...traveling to an event like that, throwing down, adventure athletics, urban cool, the definition of lifestyle, and one company to take you from the session to the hot-tub after-party with the hip hop dance performers to the after-party after-date with the singer from Cirque de Soleil...

That’s versatility in your product line, and versatility in the athletes that represent you. The fall rains have been good to creeking, with numerous assaults on runs in the Adirondacks and the Laurentians completed over the past few weeks (but that’s another update…)

Dan

LEVEL SIX MINI PUTT GOLF DAY!

Friday September 15th was the day....The day of the Level Six staff mini putt challenge (aka.Staff appreciation day!). But this was no ordinary year, oh no. This years event was accompanied by non other than, Dave Nieuwenhuis and Billy Harris.


The day started off at Kelseys with a pitcher of beer, and a plate of wings. It then continued with a quick visit to the local LCBO for a variety of choices in beverages, after Dave ever so generously brought his monthly gift of Slushies to all of us hard working L6 Staff members. (Notice the "slushie" on the ground of this photo).




Billy showed extreme determination after many attempts to drive his ball from the water, after his ball unluckily made it's way into a deep bed of water that was placed ever so nicely on the course. Unfortunately we do not have any photos of this particular situation to share with you...but I'm sure you can all imagine! Dave and Stig also showed some extreme talent with their "hole in ones". After a short break of entertainment in the "Dave and Billy Wrestling Show", we were able to continue on with our mission. ("I have to say that I still cannot believe we were not kicked off the course that day" says Amber)


Our fierce leader, Tyler Lawlor was in the lead for most of the day....needless to say, his vision became more and more blurred as the game went on.....and the office girl Amber Curtis did not give up without a fight. She brought the game to a tie for a sudden death overtime...






So there they were, Amber and Tyler, tied for the Championship, and chance at a prize of a container of wine...




Tensions were high, concentration was key, and game faces were on!



After 4 shots from Amber, Tyler sets up for his final put, which could potential be the winning putt.









But then.....He blows it, Ladies and gentlemen, he blows it. Not once, but twice he misses his shot. Amber leans over in laughter for the win, while Stig laughs directly in Tylers face.

Note from Amber: "Spending a day with 5 drunk guys is like spending a day with 8 year old boys high on sugar....WOW"

TEAM L6 STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE.....
Photographer:Pete Woods


The European Freestyle Kayak Championships recently took place, and we are pleased to annouce that Level Six team member James Reeves took silver in the ‘Squirt’ category – "no jokes please" says James.
The event will be shown on Sky sports on the follow dates/times(It will be shown at the following times plus repeats on Sport Nation):


21st September. 4pm Sky Sports Extra.
21st September. 10pm Sky Sports Extra.
22nd September. 1am Sky Sports 2 Digital
(Subject to time changes by Sky Sports).”

"Thanks to Level 6, Necky, Robin Hood Watersports and Roko Health Clubs".
Regards,
James Reeves