kayakstan.net :: dave fairweather
You are: home > profiles > dave fairweather
Dave on the Melach in Austria
Name: Dave Fairweather
Age: 23
University: University of Surrey
Subject: Chemical & Process Engineering
Year of Study: Final year of a 5 year M.Eng. (with one year industrial experience)
Paddling Experience...?
After the Scouts introduced me to the sport about 10 years ago, I went on a family trip to the Dordogne where I paddled a hired boat on a short trip and after that
I was hooked and joined the local club (Meridian C.C.). My introduction to whitewater came through Slalom competitions, in my younger years I competed at both slalom
and polo before deciding that I preferred the challenges presented by a whitewater river over competing against other paddlers. As an excitable young sixteen year
old I went on a trip to the French Alps where I got my first taste of big whitewater, since then I’ve paddled in Austria and Switzerland as well as all over the UK.
I’ve also done a lot of coaching at various levels, paddling is something that I’ve become very passionate about and I get a big kick (and occasionally a small
pay cheque) out of passing that on to others. Over the years I have paddled with a wide variety of people and I have seen some inspirational and some highly dubious
moments on the river, I like to think that I’ve learnt equally from both.
What's your favourite river?
My favourite experience on a river to date was on the Melach in Austria, we had heard that it was a great steep little run but didn’t know any more than
that. When we got to the river it looked like it would be a bit disappointing but we got on anyway, we rounded the first corner and the river dropped away
at an alarming rate and didn’t let up once until the get out, 7 km away. Meanwhile the sky darkened and a huge thunderstorm erupted, so the river was rising
as we paddled and occasionally illuminated by flashes of sheet lightening. This all made for a very dramatic, intense and relentless run, especially as we had
no idea what to expect around each corner. I’ve paddled the river since and it always gives a great full-on paddle.
What was your first boat?
My first ever boat was a fibreglass P&H polo bat, swiftly followed by a Pyranha Premier II slalom boat with a beautiful red
glitter deck – I wish I still had that one actually. My first true whitewater boat was a Prijon Fly, which at the time I remember
high level coaches telling me was “a highly inappropriate choice of boat for the Upper Dart”, I only bought it because all my friends
had Acro 270’s and I wanted to be different!
So, when was your last swim?
River Bonne, French Alps, 2004. Upon rounding a blind corner I was confronted with a nasty little slot with my little
brother stuck in it amongst a mass of several people’s kit (apparently three people had just swum in it). I had a choice of
boofing the drop and probably taking Graham’s head off, or melting it, knocking him out of the hole, and taking the subsequent beating.
Needless to say, if I were ever faced with the same situation again he’d better duck...