GREENLAND

Maligiaq Padilla. Maligiaq is in his speciality what Ronaldinho is it football. In Greenlandic Maligiaq means "medium sized wave" and with 24 years he has produced a lot of waves in the kayak world. At the age of only 13 years he was the winner in his age group in the Greenland championship and in 1998 at the age of 16 years he won his first senior championship becoming the youngest champion in the history ahead of the best competitors in the 20 - 34 years group who normally are on the best scores. Since this date he won all the championships until 2004 when he stopped momentarily his participation.

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USA

Dubside competed at the Greenland Kayaking Championships both in 2004 and 2006. His knowledge, expertise, and enthusiasm are captured in two instructional DVDs Greenland Rolling with Dubside and Qajaasaarneq - Greenland Rope Gymnastics. He favours folding kayaks, always wears black, and has been encouraging others to learn the Greenlandic names of the competition rolling and rope moves, as he has done.

www.dubside.net

USA

Greg Stamer, Greenland kayaking has been a passion of mine for over sixteen years. The late John Heath was a dear friend, and mentor. One of my longstanding dreams was fulfilled in 2000 when I visited Greenland, attended a training camp and later competed side-by-side with the Greenlanders at the Greenland National Championship. I earned the most points for my age class, including winning the rolling event for my class. I returned in 2002. I look forward to visiting Greenland again, to compete or tour via kayak, and learn more about Greenland kayaking and Greenlandic culture.

My interests include paddle making, skin-on-frame kayak building, instruction, forward stroke methods, and enjoying the challenge of learning and refining the Greenland rolling methods. Lately I have been working on a few of the Inuit rope gymnastics, and have newfound respect for those who make this look so easy. In addition to traditional skills, I also enjoy kayak surfing and kayaking camping. That's the great thing about kayaking .... there are so many paths to explore.

GERMANY

I am Freya Hoffmeister, and I do still live in North Germany, when I am not travelling around the world for kayaking

I started paddling 10 years ago, when I got pregnant and had to stop my 10 years of skydiving. My son Helge was raised in the back hatch of my Feathercraft K1 and we both paddled just alone all kinds of quiet waters in Germany for the first 6 years. I started in 2004 to travel to international sea kayak symposiums in Wales, Jersey, Scotland and Norway, to learn more about what I really loved, until I discovered Greenland style rolling at the Georgia/ USA symposium in October 2004. Having been an ex-gymnast I guessed: "That's it! That's for me..." So I asked Hakola Dippel, a German friend, to built my first special SOF rolling kayak. In 2005 I started to teach G-style rolls on symposiums in Spain, Germany, USA/ SSTIKS, USA/ Michigan, Denmark, Japan and USA/ Delmarva. I brought my third rolling kayak back from Japan, a 4-pieces Waterfield Qaanaaq SS, which I consider the best teaching and travelling tool!

In 2006 I was teaching at Sweetwaters/ Florida, Spiekeroog/ Germany, Coastbusters New Zealand, Stockentreffen/ Sweden, Adventure Week/ Isle of Man, Qajaq Treffen/ Netherlands, and at the1st UK Storm Gathering/ Isle of Mull, Scotland. I really enjoyed paddling on a 3-weeks expedition with Wendy Killoran along the remote south shore of Newfoundland, and successfully competed in the Greenlandic National championships, winning 8 gold medals in rolling and several races. Also I enjoyed paddling a 7-days/ 300 km sea kayak race around Fyn/ Denmark (2nd place), and raced around the Isle of Man in 14:07 hrs.

My blog can be found at : http://freyahoffmeister.blogspot.com/

UNITED KINGDOM

Olly Sanders. A B.C.U L5 sea coach and a A.C.A Open water instructor, Olly has been guiding and coaching for over 20 years running courses and trips all over the world. He worked for 10 years at Plas -y-Brenin the National centre and ran the Rescue department working on the sea and in the mountains.

Olly also holds the highest British Mountaineering qualification and was Nominated in 2003 for the Piolet D, Or mountaineering most prestigious climbing award for first ascents in Alaska. He has been expeditioning for over 20 years be it on the Sea or Mountains and has had success and failures in India, Greenland, Patagonia, Alaska, Nordkapp, Peru and Canada.

He also runs his own Adventure Company and also a production company specialising in I instructional DVDs for sea kayakers and climbers http://www.rockandseadventures.com/

He always keen for an expedition as long as his body holds out, there is decent coffee and good company!!

FRANCE

Loïck Bourdon, Technical Advisor of National Sea Federation. 51 years, after canoe competition, he started sea kayaking at the Jersey Canoe Club. Improve his skills by touring in Ireland (Connemara) and Cornouailles with Franco Ferreo and Dereck Hairon. On 1980 he made the first Bretagne tour in order to achieve the evolution of the french laws about navigation with sea kayaks. He leaded crossings and expeditions, and taught sea kayak instructors.

He designed several kayaks with Plasmor (Catchiky and Kitiwek) and Polyform (Artika and Ultima). He designed for the French Canoe Federation the teaching system of "Coloured Paddles" to increase the safety and technique at the sea and to protect the environment. In 2006 he published "Greenland Kayak" with "Pôles d'Images" and contributed with F. y C. Claeys y G. Huguenin on the book "Qajaq and Baidarka" published by Canotier that will be presented during the Symposium.

Kayaking in all his variations is an extraordinary way to have a strong contact with nature. The technique is at our service to allow us to access to new lands. By building our own kayaks and paddles with living materials is the starting point of this adventure.

ESPAÑA - Euzkadi

JJavier Knörr was born in Gasteiz (EH) 1949, he is Geographer and graduate in English Philology, and at currently teacher in a high school. He is the author of the book The Kayak of Sea (2000), the first didactic book of sea kayak in Spanish, has collaborated in several magazines and press articles and making of he video Centaurs of the Sea (2002). As an experienced paddler has participated in numerous expeditions around Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Eivissa and Formentera, Mallorca, Menorca, Milos and islands of Stockholm archipelago, the Bàltic Sea, the Índic, the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans and has sailed by the Cantabric, the Mediterranean, and the Aegean Sea. In 2003 it made a solo navigation of 500 km in Greenland and he participated for the first time in the Championship of Greenland de Qajaq de Nuuk. Since then he participated every year in the Championships. He spends long seasons in Greenland, speaks the language and guides of kayak expeditions with the company Tierras Polares. In 2003 he won the Competition of construction of igloos Ohmaniglu and at present participates in the Team SK KAYAK that makes broadcast of traditional Qajaq in Spain by doing talks and workshops about traditional qajaqs navigation and eskimo paddles.

Anecdotes: He knows how to make rolling without getting the cap wet, usually sails with a wooden eskimo paddles and loves singing. Last May 2003 was part of the group that made the circumnavigation of Menorca by Pagaia Club de Caiac Cap de Creus, where we coincided with the tsunami (the giant wave coming from the earthquake of Argelia). From 2004 the Club Pagaia, has the honour of including him as a Member of Honour.

GERMANY

Bernhard Hillejan, started Sea Kayaking in 1991. Later he achieved all the group leading, coaching, and assessing qualifications of the Salzwasser Union, the German Sea Kayaking Federation, and the 5-Star Sea of the BCU. He is regularly attending the German and Anglesey Sea Symposia, and paddled many of the rugged European coastlines.

Special interests: Winter and night paddling, organising and supervising the annual trainings for the Salzwasser Union's board of instructors, getting together with sea kayakers from different countries. After all climbing the steps towards this amphibious way of life.

GERMANY

Stephan A.Müller from Cologne,Germany, started his on-the-water carreer in his early youth with the adventures of Hannes Lindemann and Thor Heyerdahl in his head and some old watersoaking vehicles underneath.

Today he is teaching Sports at school. as a C-Coach DKV(German Canoe association), B-Assistant SAU (German seakayak Association) he assists in many different Training Courses of DKV and SAU (Beginners- and Proficiency Training, Rescue Training-Programs for Outdoorshops and German-Dutch cooperation courses) and does a lot of co-coaching together with Bernhard Hillejan.

Leisurely he is touring the North and Baltic sea, and besides from that he likes Mountainbiking and playing Football.

FRANCE

NORSAQ is an association dedicated to the promotion of traditional kayaking. The propposal of NORSAQ is the construction of an Inuit kayak by yorself according the old artic methods. They organize stages, accesible to everybody, which are a marvellous human adventure. They also organize practical stages about the paddling techniques of the traditional kayak. In May 2007 they will publish the book "Qajaq et Baidarka", which will allow amateurs to build several kinds of traditional kayaks.

NORSAQ is composed by three friends, Gilles Huguenin, Frédérique et Christophe Claeys. Kayakers since many years, they had accomplished several artic expeditions, they are interested on traditional kayak since 1996 and they have build more than 50 kayaks.

More information at http://norsaq.ifrance.com
or by e-mail: norsaq@aol.com

FRANCE

Véronique Olivier, is a kayaker very discreet and she prefers to talk about the association CK/mer where she is the president.

CK/mer (Connaissance du Kayak de Mer) is a french association existing for more than 26 years. Their objectives and identity are: the knowledge of sea kayak, autonomy, individual responsability and open mindset with the spirit to become "the link between all saltwater paddlers".

CK/mer, is a mosaic of people, structures and projects, is organized as a network and allows kayakers from different horizons and modalities to exchange all kind of experiences.

CK/mer, is also, a bulletin distributed to the members 4 times per year, a directory which allows the members to meet in order to share navigations and a website www.ckmer.org with documentation, links, continuously updated information and a Newsletter.

GERMANY

Hakola Dippel, I'm kajaking since 30 years (I'm 45 years old). When I was a young boy, I explored the creeks, rivers and lakes round my home (near Kassel in the middle of Germany). In the 80ies I began with seakajaking in Nordfriesland. 1984 I've made an expedition to the Aland (between Sweden and Finnland),1986 to the Eolian islands (Sicilia),1987 I've been in Corsica,1988 on the Golfe du Morbihan (Bretagne, France).

In 1990, I was on the "Zeekamp" (Netherlands), where I had some lessons with instructors of the BCU. Later - since 1993 - I gave lessons in our sea kajak association: A - Schein = sea-profiency, B- Schein= group-leader, C-Schein = instructor.

In 1999, I've been in Greenland (Uummannaq) with two friends. And two years ago (2004) I leaded a group of beginners on the east coast of Sardinia.

Every year I'm "on the way" on North - sea ( Ostfriesische und nordfriesische Inseln) and Baltic - sea ; day-trips and weekend trips . Since 17 years I'm building my own kajaks - and last year my first umiak

GERMANY

Andreas Dippel. He is 16 and he will be the youngest participant. Since his childhood he lives surrounded by kayaks and paddles made by his father Hakola. The beginners will enjoy and learn from his knowledge on handling and rolling techniques. He will also conduct a workshop on knots. For anyone willing to learn the thousand and one ways to safety tie up.

GERMANY

Urs Peter Steiner. 63 years of age, Swiss citizen. Canoe and Kayak teacher at the German canoe association (Deutscher Kanu Verband) and since 1983 coach for white water racing and leisure sports.
Since 13 years a member of the saltwater union "Salzwasserunion (www.salzwasserunion.de) ". Since 8 years guide and instructor for sea kayak in the saltwater union, Salzwasserunion.

How did I come to paddling?

Valence, July 1953.France: we are with our folding boat on a journey from Geneva into the Rhône delta. I am lying tiredly in the tent on the bank of the Rhône. My father is sitting in front of the tent telling me the stories of the Rhône, the Ardèche with their grottos, our next destination. Aix en Provence, Avignon and the popes, the Camargue and the white horses, the Mediterranean sea, Gibraltar with the monkeys, Tanger, Africa. The virus "paddle wanderlust" has found a new victim. Other rivers followed as the river Rhine etc.

Ardèche, France; July 1976, our first white water journeys with the family and from 1980 on white water and white water racing in the C2 with my wife and our children in K1 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Ex Yugoslavia, France and Spain.

Pilos, Greece; August 1988, our first sea journey at the Peleponnes. We learned much and definitely became slaves to the saltwater. Since this time many journeys in Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Italy, Scandinavia, Canada, The Netherlands, Denmark and of course the German north sea coast.

My speciality is conducting long journeys over several weeks along little known coastlines and island worlds (archipellagos). Most of the time together with my wife.

Participation in international symposiums and educational courses in England, The Netherlands and Germany where I organize and conducted the education and training within the Saltwasserunion.

Hakola, Detlev, Bernhard and I organize and carry out courses and events for many years and are an approved team.

GERMANY

Detlev Kalter. First experiences in a folding kajak with my parents in the early sixtees. From 1965 thru 1970 kajak racing. In the following years until 1984 I only did very few paddling activities before I started again with river paddling and white water kayaking.

1985 I did my first soft tour to the isle of Spiekeroog. From year to year I improved seakajaking, but my favorite still was white water. In that years I paddled on white water rivers in France, Austria, Slovenia,etc.

1992 I joined the Salzwasser Union and in autum 1994 I did the sea-proficiency training. Two years later I did the B-level and since that time I leaded about 10 A-and B- trainings and several tours on Northsea and Baltic Sea for the Salzwasser Union. In my vacation, tours along the Scandinavian coasts are my favorite, and during the weekend you can find my on the North sea.

USA

Tom Sharp: Producer and Videographer.

Tom was the second person from outside of Greenland to score a Qualifying score (minimum 30 points) in Rope Gymnastics at the 2006 Championships (scoring 56 points).? He has been filming more than paddling the last 16 months, when not creating video of the event in Spain, he will bring his enthusiasm for Traditional Kayaking and have fun with the first and second roll students and assist anyone with some determination, to get their first moves on the Ropes.

DSharp Productions is travelling around the USA to many of the Kayak Symposiums and is in planning for a return to the Greenland Championships in 2007.

Recent productions of:
Qajaasaarneq. Greenland Rope Gymnastics, Volume 1, released September 2005
Greenland Rolling with Dubside, Volume 1, released June 2006
Volume 2 for both Videos coming in 2007
Greenland National Kayaking Championships Documentary late 2007

www.dubside.net is our International headquarters and storefront.

CANADA

Wendy Killoran, an avid sea kayaker, teacher and mother of a teenaged daughter, has traveled extensively, paddling in Greenland, Iceland, Italy, Bahamas, Belize, Florida, Bonaire and in Canada, her homeland.

In 2004, she circumnavigated the world's largest island in freshwater, Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron.

In 2005, she became the first woman to circumnavigate an entire province, Prince Edward Island in the Canadian Maritimes. She accomplished her journey solo, covering over 600km.

In 2006, Wendy Killoran kayaked around Newfoundland mainly solo. The south shore was paddled with Freya Hoffmeister. When she completed her circumnavigation on August 16, she became the first woman to circumnavigate the Rock, a daunting but starkly beautiful journey of 2700 km

Her blog can be found at: www.cackletv.com/wendykilloran

ESPAÑA - Catalunya

Fina Vila. I have been part of many 8.000m expeditions and treekings in the Himàlaia, Alps, Karakorum and the Andes. I have prepared the food logistics of several Catalan, Spanish state and international expeditions to following peaks: K2, Everest, Cho Oyu, Manaslu, among other. The last one has been the Pirineus of Girona Expedition to The Everest, the first expedition from Gerona that has made the peak of the Everest the past 17 May, introducing a feeding and preserving innovation, and the ways of carrying it for its conservation.

Since 1993 I have been part of the Xtrem Raid Adventure Team, two times world champion, and of the Buff team. Currently, I am organising an International Women Raids (WIAR), I teach food logistics at a nautical school and also preparing the food logistics of a sail team that participates in international regattas, and to a sailor who wants to make the World Turn alone in the 2009.

I regularly collaborate with the Publishing Company Desnivel, publishing articles in their magazine: "El mundo del Outdoor", in subjects of feeding in competitions and sports.

My father made me love the kayak, he constructed by himself the first one I had! I started sailing at the north zone of the Costa Brava, I have never stopped doing it and wheneverit is opssible for me, I go out to the sea.

The kayak is part of my life. My holidays are in my kayak and I organise going-outs to far places with my friends. I have paddled in different seas of the world and have paddled through Alaska, Chile and the Mediterranean Sea, the Balearic Islands, Còrsega, Sardenya and Sicília.

SPAIN Valencia

Alejandro Franco. Valencia autonomic champion of kayak fishing. Circumnavigation of Menorca, Mallorca, Ibiza, Formentera. Trips Euskadi - Cantabria, Cartagena - Almería y Portugal.

During the Symposium I will iinitiate the interested people to the kayak fishing arts.

SPAIN Valencia

José Ginés. Hi! My name is José Ginés and as a curriculum I can say I have more than 300 captures in the last 5 years with more than 900 hours at sea travelling about 2100 miles.

At least 22 different fish species where more than 20 specimens weighted more than 3 kg (The biggest 4,8 Kg). The last 2 years I participate in the Kayak fishing championship organized by my friend Antuan with the Vila Joiosa Club Nautico.

I am basically self-taught, my experience is personnel but not exclusive, needs to be exchanged with other fishers.autico.

GREENLAND

Ulunnguaq Rosbach. Born in Sisimiut (Western Greenland) 1982.

She was classmate of Maligiaq at school and currently his girlfriend. She is the current Kayak Champion of Greenland (2006), an award that she has achieved several times. Her scores are especially good in ropes and races.

GREENLAND

Steen Nielsen, a sailor, has lived for so long in Greenland that, despite his Danish look, he cherishes an eskimo deep inside. Greenland kayak builder and National Championship participant.

GREENLAND

Idun Sikemsen, from Qaqortoq, Greenland, is a young kayaking granny who has taken to the National Championship for many years and, despite having been a treasurer for Qaannat Kattuffiat, has truly won every single medal in her bunch.

FRANCE

Stan Szlapka I navigate since 1990 and I'm passionate of great crossings
Crossings done:
(Mallorca, Elba Island, Croatia)
* From TROMSO to the Lofotens (Norway)
* Circumnavigation of the Alands (Baltic Sea)
* Around TROMSO (Norway)
* Hibrides interior (Scotland)
You can learn more about him at: http://s2family.free.fr