2018 Year in Review

Though without a doubt a great year, 2018 definitely saw me struggling more than any other time. Logged 3 dislocations this year, as well as now in the process of recovering from shoulder surgery, which obviously limited my boating, and put a solid stopper in my goals. Regardless, still had a fantastic year, and hope to greatly improve on it in 2019! 

January

-UNLEASHEDxUganda (finished not very well, injuring myself in Stage 1 and being out due to injury in Stage 2)

-Pushed newer tricks on Special, including Airscrew-Clean Blunt, Airscrew-airscrew, ,sidekick-sidekick-airscrew, sasquatch combos, and flashback-sidekicks

February

-Home recovering my shoulder

March

-Expedition up the Sibun River in Belize in the Maya Mountains

-Early STAKEOUT vibes with Quinton Kennedy, Devyn Soctt, and Paul Palmer #firsttoshow

April

-STAKEOUT (Early low water, Minibus and Third Wave)

-STAKEOUT series with Seth

-Took another shoulder injury early in, ending my stakeout after about 2-3 weeks. 

 May

-Explored up the coast of British Columbia northwards on a fishing boat/ zodiac from Desolation sound while healing shoulder for two weeks

-Got poisoned by the same stuff as the guy in Into the Wild (long story, but suffice it to say BC First Responders are the real deal)

-Logged some 1st descent ideas on the Coastal Ranges

June-August

-Ottawa times! Waves, high water laps, good times, good instructing

-Ended up with a third dislocation in late July

-Progressions on downriver tricks- Macho-kickflips going huge, back macho-mcnasty, downriver Spaceloop

-Started to discover best boat on my market- though had a brief time being able to do much in it pre-injury, the 4.0 is actively changing my freestyle to things I hadn’t thought possible 

-Upping wave game in the Antix (airscrews, back tricks… deciding wether longer may be better on steep green waves)

September-October

-Quebec/Ontario

-Solo creeking misisons, as well as high water  Ottawa time and Habitat/Big Joe sessions

-Taking it easy pre-surgery, just living for the fun of it

November-December

-Shoulder surgery/recovery time

Goals for 2019

-Full recovery from shoulder issues/surgery (hopefully by mid May)

-Back into wave/creeking shape

-Run a 60+ footer again

-Regain confidence lost after injuries

-Prep strength for 2019 STAKEOUT/ future UNLEASHED events

-Re-up my hole boating (maybe training for worlds 2021…..?)

-Make Into Kaieteur Expedition happen (Guyana)

-First descent Marcy Creek, Keene Valley, NY

-Most importantly, be back to my best on the water and having fun again. Over injured life.