The Paddler ezine Issue 53 Late Spring 2020 | Page 144
ThePADDLER 144
ADRIAN COOPER
OPEN CANOE FESTIVAL,
DRÔME VALLEY, FRANCE
Paul Villecourt has been the
organiser for the Ooen
Canoe Festival for the past
nine events, although over
slightly more than nine years.
Indeed, one year when it was
not on, I took a group of
friends to the event campsite
to run the river despite the
lack of a festival. The festival
plays host to several hundred
paddlers from all over Europe
and is a great place to make
new friends whilst paddling knew of the best
whitewater canoeing rivers in the area.
Having attended five previous festivals I was looking
forward to the tenth anniversary which was
unfortunately cancelled due to the coronavirus. I’ll
definitely be at the next one. The pictures are of me
on the last weir before the take out although the
authorities have now changed this so it is a bigger
bang but much more straightforward.
Photos: Paul Villecourt
Adrian is a long standing canoeist in the UK and a
recipient of the British Canoeing Long Service
Award for volunteers who have committed 25
years or more to paddlesport. Catch up with him
@ https://www.facebook.com/adrian.cooper.9231
OTTILIE ROBINSON-SHAW
SLAVE RIVER, NWT, CANADA
Like everyone here in the UK
at least, I’m massively missing
not only my regular training
but all the paddling trips
planned and especially all the
competitions now postponed
at best. I was lucky to have
Galway Fest as the first
competition of the year and
would be heading off to
Colorado in the next couple
of weeks for the Colorado
tour including the Go Pro
games before heading home for a summer of European
competitions but sadly that is not to be.
For me my Easter paddling would have definetly been
spent paddling and training at Holme Pierrepont
however, a summer day on the Ottawa or maybe the
mighty Slave River might just top my wish list right now.
Ottie is two times ICF Freestyle Junior World
Champion, European Champion and four times
British Champion. At just 18 she is raising the
bar in women’s freestyle and has her sights set
on the senior title at the next World
Championships in 2021. Catch her @
https://www.instagram.com/ottie_rs