Kaenon Polarized

This recent video montage is of the girls of the gorge, who are “often imitated, never duplicated” and what they do in the winter season. Sent in by our very own kayak queen, Christie Glissmeyer, who’s been rockin’ and lovin’ Calais this season.

KAYAK – BRITISH COLUMBIA
Recently, Christie Glissmeyer headed to British Columbia for a self-support trip on the Clendenning River. She flew into Clendenning Lake on a float plane with 6 other paddlers and all of their gear. The plane dropped them off and from there, they paddled out of the lake and down the Clendenning River (Class IV, V) to the confluence of the Elaho River near Whistler. Christie wears Kaenon’s Women’s Sunglasses in Georgia Tobacco Olive G12.

Want to track Christie’s adventures? Check out her progress on her SPOT Adventures page.

Straight from Christie…
“I decided that this year I would like do more expedition/self-support wilderness whitewater trips. I chose the Clendenning River in British Columbia as a good warm-up because it is known as a very manageable 2-day class IV-V read and run river. To top it off, it starts out with a float plane drop off on a remote alpine lake. Wow, did we get a whole lot more than I had bargained for! High water levels combined with the remoteness of Clendenning Provincial Park made for an all out epic adventure”…read more

KAYAK – OREGON
Here is a nice shot near the home of Christie Glissmeyer in Hood River Oregon – where she is just “playing” – with Kaenon shades on and logo’ed up. Christie wears Georgia Tobacco C12 on and off the boat, mixed with Eden off.

PADDLE/KAYAK Update From Christie Glissmeyer –

Way to go Christie!
On Mother’s Day, May 10th 2009 Kaenon Polarized’s Christie Glissmeyer dropped in – and in the process – proceeded to set the bar to a whole new level. “I had a clean run of Metlako Falls on Eagle Creek in Oregon last Sunday, setting a new women’s world waterfall record at 82 ft. It is a 100 ft. waterfall with a 82 ft. freefall,” said Christie in an email alerting us how crazy she really is. Luckily, she’s more skilled than crazy! She also looks hot in her favorite Kaenon’s, GEORGIA and EDEN.

Said Christie in an interview after the drop: “After I had made up my mind to run Metlako, I pictured myself sitting in that top pool over and over in my mind. Still, it took some serious concentration not to freak out when I was actually there. As soon as I paddled up to the lip and starting to accelerate over the edge of the drop, the bottom pool looked ridiculously far away.”

“My main concern was to remain calm on the top pool so that I wouldn’t freak out and screw up. When I did float over the horizon I just threw in a rudder to keep my boat lined up with the green tongue. I started to roll my body forward and accelerated into the veil. I felt that my angle was primo so I tucked forward, closed my eyes and let go of my paddle. I melted into the landing just as I brought my elbows in. The hit was seriously so soft it took me by surprise. I resurfaced upside down but hit my first hand roll so I was psyched.” And so were we! Simply amazing, Christie!

Read the rest of the post in Paddling Life Magazine.

Christie wears GEORGIA, EDEN and HARD KORE.

KAYAK

Kaenon Polarized Kayaker Christie Glissmeyer Wins in Nepal

A world away from her home in Hood River, OR, Kaenon Polarized whitewater kayaker Christie Glissmeyer (Georgia Tobacco C12), won the International Women’s Division in the Peak UK Himalayan Whitewater Challenge last week, a 3-day event held on the Trisuli River in Nepal. Christie, who has been coaching a group of Nepalese Women the finer points of whitewater skills and navigations, took 4 Nepali girls from her program to compete in the first-ever Nepalese Womens Division. The event included a day of slalom racing, a freestyle competition and a 10 km mass start downriver race. The catch  – all competitors were required to use the same kayak for all three events, a rule that definitely kept things interesting throughout the weekend. Check out what Christie has been up to and some of her latest adventures.