ThePADDLER 42
WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY THAT PADDLESPORTS IS RIDING A WAVE AT THE MOMENT , AND DO YOU SEE ANY DRAWBACKS ? Times are crazy at the moment with Covid , Brexit , shortages of shipping containers and more . I ’ d say we ’ re currently surfing in the foam pile ... I hope some calm returns soon ... I think the popularity of paddlesports and the outdoors will continue . Once people start , they generally want to do more .
ANY PLANS TO TAP INTO THE BOOMING SUP MARKET ,? SUP is so accessible and easy to take up . We ’ ll definitely consider paddleboarding in our future development of new products . We ’ ve just launched a great SUP PFD / leash system which there ’ s considerable interest in . Watch this space ...
WHAT ' S THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU ’ VE LEARNED IN BUSINESS ? Great things take time ... Sometimes , we launch a product , and sales are slow for several years , then all of a sudden , just as we ’ re planning to scrap them boom , they become best sellers !! We ’ ve had this with two PFDs this year .
YOU ’ RE THE FATHER TO TWO BOYS – HOW HAS THAT CHANGED YOU ? I ’ m tired ! Just joking . I ’ m the same , just beginning to start enjoying it all again as the boys grow up and explore the outdoors . I hope they like paddling as much as I do . They ’ re pretty keen bike riders at the moment ; that ’ s cool too ; we ’ ll support whatever they get into .
SO YOU ’ RE INVOLVED WITH RIVER CLEAN UPS , THE ENVIRONMENT , ACCESS ISSUES - WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST THREAT TO RIVERS BOTH IN THE UK AND THE WIDER WORLD ? Sadly our rivers are unseen waste highways to the sea . No one takes responsibility for them . Sewage pollution is terrible , as is agricultural waste and litter . The water companies and farmers get away with polluting the rivers , and no one seems to care . We ’ re trying to inspire change here on the Derwent . We ’ re highlighting the problems and trying to work with the local authorities , shop owners , the EA and Severn Trent to find workable solutions .
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 20 YEARS ? Paddling . It ’ s me ...
WHAT DO YOU DO TO RELAX AWAY FROM THE WORLD OF PADDLESPORTS ? I love skiing . I can ’ t wait to go again once the world returns to normal .
IF YOU COULD HEAD ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD TO PADDLE , WHERE WOULD IT BE , AND WHAT APPEALS ABOUT THAT LOCATION ? Nepal is my favourite place to paddle . I have had many great adventures there and made so many amazing friends .
WHAT ’ S THE MOST ENJOYABLE ENCOUNTER WITH WILDLIFE THAT YOU ’ VE HAD WHILST PADDLING ? I once did the Three Peaks Challenge but kayaked and biked between the mountains . I was paddling solo up towards Arran , through large areas of jellyfish , when suddenly a massive basking sharks fin appeared two metres in front of me – so close I nearly hit it ! That made me jump for sure !! Pretty awesome and memorable , especially as I was on my own . Watching Whales in Greenland was amazing , and I remember a brown bear fishing by the sea close to the Skookumchuck tide race back in the Riot days .
WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON , AND IF IT ' S HUSH , HUSH , WE WON ’ T MENTION IT TO ANYONE ;)? We ’ ve just finished speccing our 2022 paddling wear range : improved construction and more sustainable than before . Looking forward to showing it off at the Paddle Sports Show in Lyon in October , fingers crossed , Covid permitting .
IS THERE ANY ISSUE THAT STOPS YOU FROM SLEEPING AT NIGHT ? I ’ m a terrible sleeper . I have feature film crazy dreams every night . A mixture of gold trousers , Corran Addison , winning Olympic medals , in Nepal , made from recycled textiles , all covered in hay bale wrapping , smelling of sewage , being chased by angry anglers and being stuck in customs trying to get into the EU but having the wrong paperwork . Quite tiring !
WHAT ' S YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT ? Telling everyone what my dreams are like !