Michele & Sam are rockin' it
Two friend-competitors from the other side of the world
In Europe there are a lot of important races for the kayakers during the spring and summer. The two Adidas team members Sam Sutton (New Zealand) and Michele Ramazza (Italy), great friends on the river, are now moving from one race to another traveling across Europe. This year they first met in Italy on the Ayasse river, enjoying this famous classic creek in Val d'Aosta with a spectacular 50 m slide. Few days later the competition started at the Eporedia Active Days in Val Chiusella.
In that race Sam Sutton got the 2nd place overall while Michele screwed up the slalom race ending in 12th place overall. Two weeks later Michele and Sam met again in Meran, Italy, where another international competition took place: the King of the Alps.
This race, at its first edition, had a new and interesting format: a mass start marathon and a boaterX. The two Adidas guys did very well: Michele won the marathon while Sam won the boaterX. However this time the overall result defined Michele as the King of the Alps 2012 while Sam got the second place.
Despite the hard competitions that these guys are doing at the best level in the world, they are very good friends, traveling together with their girlfriends. This year Sam and Michele have the same colors, red and yellow jacket with stripes, and a yellow kayak but a very different style. So, if you will follow the final run of some important extreme races, you should pay attention at the paddling style to recognize these two boys.
At the moment their aim is to paddle the best whitewater in Europe, giving their best to go faster than anybody else at the races. Next appointment is in Voss (Norway) for the famous Extreme Sport Week where the downriver race on Brandsethelvi will take place. Michele has already collected two first places in this river...what is going to happen this year? Voss is also one of the best places in the world for extreme kayakers and these guys will for sure have lot of fun there.
After Norway Sam and Michele will meet again in Lipno (Czech Republic) for the Devil's Race at the end of August. The last competition of the season, the most important one, will be in Oetz for the Adidas Sickline World Championship. Sam has already two titles of World Champion in the two past editions.
It's going to be really exciting to follow the race circuit this year!!
by Michele Ramazza