World Cup #3 Sort - Training

Training (or surviving) in Sort's feature has been interesting to say the least. The feature is a complete pafallel to the boat-length features of Millau and Salt: Sort is wide, powerful and has a towering foam pile. It most certainly favours the stronger paddlers. Despite spending much of my training sessions battling the feature, I have been able to spin and loop on occasion but not to the consistency I would like.

Sort has proved to be difficult as paddles have been lost and broken, decks imploded, and multiple swimmers. In addition, the two large eddys are surprisingly difficult to make it due to the sheer speed of the water, but the feature is still deemed attainable.

Aside from the competition feature, the river is awesome, and with a riverside campsite, a quick float down the rapids leads you straight to the feature. The town of Sort is high up in the Pyrenese and is popular with kayakers due to its access to grade 3-5 river runs - even walking back from the feature in all your kayaking kit won't get a funny look.

I have found this feature difficult to master and often find myself bouncing in the trough but after a good training session yesterday, I am more positive about the heats today. However, this feature is sure to bring out another side of Freestyle Kayaking and highlight new talents who strive off these features.