Like it or not, PFDs are here to stay in ocean racing. There are many arguments for and against wearing them, particularly here in Australia. However, our paddling buddies in South Africa have worn them for years, as do many European countries. The purpose of this article isn’t to discuss…

Held every December, the Royal Challenge is a 23km ski paddle and 23km run endurance event within the Royal National Park, Sutherland Shire. It is open to individuals and teams. As a not-for-profit event, the objectives of the Royal Challenge are to raise money for the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation…

After dramas trying to get an emergency passport on Wednesday getting to Hong Kong was more a relief than anything. I had been looking forward to the race after suffering from a stress fracture and then cracking my tibia in the Nutri-Grain Ironman trial. It had been a long 3…

As important as selecting the right ski and paddle are, selecting the ski with the right ergonomics to suit you is vital. How often do you hear of paddlers complaining of having dead legs during and after a paddle? Quite often I would say. Severity ranges from slight pins and…

Think Kayak Thermals In May, we had a really bad cold snap in Sydney. It was sharp reminder to stock up on paddling thermals for Winter, and be prepared for the worst Mother Nature could direct at us. I shopped around for some new gear, but all I could find…

At Think Kayak Australia, we are lucky enough to work with many knowledgeable, experienced and interesting characters. And Jimmy Walker is no exception. The brains behind the hugely successful Mykayakcoach.com, he is an experienced paddler who has raced at the highest level in surf ski and kayak events, reaching an…

One of the great attractions of owning a surf ski is that it can be paddled in all sorts of conditions, and water types. From surfing down huge ocean swells, to paddling on a flat lake, a surf ski handles it all. However, different rudder shapes are sometimes not ideal…

In Part II of Sean Rice’s interview with Stewart O’Regan of Think Kayak Australia, Sean fields some training questions, submitted by curious paddlers from Australia. What does this red-hot kid from Cape Town do to go so fast? Stewart O’Regan (SOR): I’ve had some people want to know about different…

It’s early 2009, and Think Kayak have been busy working on their first truly elite level ski, the Uno. The culmination of hundreds of hours of work pouring through data, plans and designs, the Uno promised a lot upon arrival to the ocean racing  scene. Think Kayak were confident that…

Wow, what a blast the past 12 months has been. We’ve introduced new designs to the range, had massive wins on the international paddling stage and continued to strive for the highest standards in everything we have done. It’s taken a huge effort by some very important people to get…

Ski paddling around the world is going from strength to strength, with people joining the sport in huge numbers. The increase in numbers is fantastic for race organisers and of course those involved in selling new craft. With that in mind, what should you be looking for in a new…