The Paddler Autumn/Fall issue 2017

ThePADDLER 130
His answer, to paraphrase, is about the event’s
prominence: it received a claimed 2,400 hours of
global TV coverage, including on airlines and
Austrian national TV, where a local paddler told
me it was also one of the main items on the news
while it was happening. Kayak manufacturers build
boats specially to win it. And it is probably the best
known of the competitions. But the real answer is
in the calibre of participants: this is the race that
the world’s best paddlers come to. The great
achievement is its inclusivity, a word that Michael
used. This is an event run largely by its participants
for its participants, and anyone can have a go. Just
don’t expect to qualify, unless you’re a local hero
or international name.
You want to
do Sickline?
The first thing you might wonder is: am I
good enough? I hope this article has made it
clearer, but if in doubt, go. If you find yourself
wanting, (many of us did this year), there is a nice
G3 section below the course to run, not to
mention plenty of other runs in the area, and
you should at least manage the qualification
course which looks a lot scarier than it is. You will
still get to enjoy the movie night, parties, meals
and spectating.
Book well in advance: Sickline was sold out at
least three months before the race this year.
Photography: if you plan on taking photos/video
of your friends (important, as the official
photographers and videographers don’t catch
everyone), a 50-200mm telephoto zoom or
equivalent focal range would be ideal, as you can’t
get as close to the action as you might hope.
Spend more than one hour in the boat
you plan to use for the event! Practise your
boof until it’s confident and consistent. Do some
strength and endurance paddling if you are in it to
try to qualify. If you don’t spend half your time in a
kayak upside down (playboaters and surf
paddlers!), then bomb-proof your roll, including
off-side, back-deck and hands, if you don’t already.
Take solid, grippy, comfortable shoes, preferably
boots with some ankle support – there is a lot
of clambering around on rough boulders, and
long portages.
Make sure your PFD, helmet and boat are
approved (the event website is quite clear on this).
Transport: we drove there and back. It’s about
11-12 hours from Calais to Oetz, and free of all
toll charges if you choose that option, which is a
no-brainer, as it’s probably quicker than the toll
option. This, along with of-peak ferry deals for
about £50 return, makes it a very cheap trip.
Speed limits, particularly in Germany, land of the
contra-flow, are variable, so watch out. We saw
nothing of the much-vaunted autobahns, and if you
see a red light in your rearview, you’ve been done
by a speed cam, but apparently fines are very
reasonable if they materialize at all – we’ll see!
Accommodation: another bargain, as it’s offpeak
time in the Tyrolean Alps, which thrive on
winter sports. We paid about £150 for seven
nights in a passable self-catering apartment with
two double rooms, within boat-carrying distance
of the course.
Boat lugging: if you are not concerned about
cultivating a heroic persona, consider a small boat
trolley – we calculated that Mike carried his 20kg+
Jackson Nirvana two miles on his shoulder on the
first day’s training runs. Why bother? At the very
least, have a thick sponge to slip under the
shoulder strap of your PFD.