The PaddlerUK magazine December 2015 issue 5 | Page 12

PADDLERUK 12

W

hat got you hooked on WW
kayaking?

I first tried kayaking on a school trip out of the
city and into the Lake District. Ultimately I loved
kayaking from those first few wobbly strokes on
flat water but I think what got me hooked on
white water was the constantly changing
challenges and environment, the inner desire to
progress to the next level and the friends I have
made along the way.

Which do you prefer: taking part in
competitions such as the Freestyle
World Champs or big water
expeditions and why?
I like competing but I can get pretty tired of
waiting around for rides, going through opening
ceremonies, etc… The type of kayaking I enjoy
the most is with my friends either cruising down
a river or surfing a glassy wave and working on
new tricks.

Photo: Rob Harris

Preparing for big competitions such
as the Freestyle Worlds is a hard task.
Talk us through your pre-event
routine and how you get into the
zone for a big event.

Before we start – just let our readers know a little
about you, your family, background, etc.
My name is Bren Orton, I am 21 years old and from a little
town called Warrington in England and I really like kayaking.

I mostly just go and hide away from everyone,
Visualize my ride a few times, listen to music and
then go send it. My strategy is to always go big
or go home. I will either pull off my dream ride
or crash and burn. It isn’t the smartest strategy
for someone looking to be consistent in
competitions but it is the only way that I enjoy
competing.

Apart from extreme kayaking – are
there any other areas of paddling
you would like to explore?
I would love to try sea kayaking. I really like the
idea of travelling by kayak and getting to places
purely by man power.