Record du monde de paddle surf 1000 Kilomètres en 16 jours /World record Paddle surf 1000 Kilometers/16 days
article PARIS PHUKET juillet 2012
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Article The Phuket News 24/06/2012
PHUKET: Patrick Gasiglia is like a kid before Christmas – he even says so himself.
Sunday 24 June 2012, 03:58PM
With just three months remaining before the Phuket resident embarks upon his epic Mekong stand up paddle (SUP) board adventure, it’s now just two weeks until the eagerly awaited arrival of his specially designed ‘Hybrid’ board, created with the help of a team from Starboard.
The board has been designed from the ground up specifically for Patrick’s arduous journey – a 1000 kilometre paddle down the section of the mighty Mekong River that hugs Thailand’s northeastern border with Laos (about a quarter of the river’s total distance).
Made from solid rotomoulded plastic to increase durability, the SUP board features deep foot grooves that will allow Patrick’s feet to sit at water level, improving stability and maneuverability.
Between the two foot depressions is an elevated centre section, about 10 inches high, that will allow him to sit down and rest during his long days of paddling, and even use the board as a kayak if required.
The board’s two fins are also able to retract into the board if Patrick is going through shallow or rocky patches.
Of course, these features, and extra durability, come at a cost; the board alone will weigh a whopping 25 kg, compared to the usual 12 kg or so.
He will then add an additional 15kg of gear – food, first aid equipment, communications equipment and his Intova Sport Pro HD camera – as well as six kilograms of water. The addition of the gear, Patrick said, “also makes it less balanced on the board, because it is elevated about the water level.”
But the weight won’t be his only challenge; standing in the way of Patrick achieving his goal is the unpredictable, churning mass of water that is the Mekong.
On a reconnaissance trip last September, Patrick noted whirlpools several metres in diameter, which have been known to break apart cargo boats. A SUP board, he said, would undoubtedly fare much worse. But Patrick said his biggest fear “is to be injured in some way and not be able to paddle”. Given the large rocks that lie just inches beneath the water surface, that is a very real threat
. Despite many challenges facing him, Patrick said he is well equipped to deal with all of them – evidenced by the dozens of crates loaded with hi-tech gear piled up in his home. Most of that though – the food, water, generator and Karana camping gear – will be transported by 4×4. Patrick will be very much alone on the river during the day.
Of course, until the board arrives, Patrick is “a bit frustrated, because I can’t train with the board I will use.” Instead, he is occupying his time preparing for the journey by spending about two hours a day either paddling, swimming, jogging, or riding motocross.
Even though he will be going for 10 hours per day during the actual journey, Patrick points out: “A marathon runner doesn’t train by running a marathon.”
The Phuket News is a sponsor of Patrick’s journey. For more information contact bambou53@hotmail.com or visit supmekong1000.wordpress.com.
Article PHUKET NEWS
PHUKET: Living free is the philosophy of French water sports expert Patrick Gasiglia, who is set to paddle 1,000 kilometres on a stand-up paddle board in September, down a section of the Mekong River that straddles the Thai-Laotian border.
A resident of Phuket for more than 20 years, Mr Gasiglia first discovered this island on a world tour in 1991. “This place is paradise,” said Mr Gasiglia, recalling his impression of the island at the time. He said his travel around the world was an escape from social expectation for him to get “a real job”, after spending his life until then as a beach boy in Cannes in France, teaching water sports. Before taking off to see the world, he started a job as a manager in a sports store. But he quit after six months, describing the work as unbearable. So he instead headed across the continents, from Paris to Honolulu, Tokyo to Bangkok and Phuket. Although he continued to India, the traveller returned to Phuket, and now enjoys a life in which he has ample time to pursue his busy activities on water, whether they be on a jet-ski, Hobie Cat (a small catamaran), wake board or stand-up paddle board. Long sea adventures have always been part of his intrepid life. He achieved a world record in 1999 by jet-skiing a staggering 360 kilometres from Cannes to Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. This September will see the watery adventurer attempt another world record by paddling for three or four weeks down the Mekong River on a stand-up paddle board. Mr Gasiglia says he feels alone when paddling on this board, but that it’s part of the freedom he seeks. For more information and sponsorship for his Mekong journey, call 087-888-8244, email bambou53@hotmail.com, or visit supmekong1000.wordpress.com
Article RAWAI.FR
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article Phuket News
http://www.phuketnews.com – Mekong paddle record attempt
The Phuket News – Tuesday, 20th Dec 2011 03:32
PHUKET: Phuket resident Patrick Gasiglia will attempt to create a world record for going down the section of Mekong River bordering Thailand on a stand up paddle board.
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| Phuket resident Patrick Gasiglia will attempt to create a world record by paddle boarding the section of the Mekong River bordering Thailand. |
He will attempt the task in September 2012, in memory of his mother whose ashes were scattered in the Mekong River 15 years ago according to wishes in her will.
“My mother liked this river very much,” said Gasiglia. “She is in there. I’ll paddle with her.”
His journey will be more than 1000 kilometres long (about a quarter of the more than 4000km total distance) starting from Chiang Khan City in Loei Province, to Khong Chiam in eastern Ubon Rachathani Province, where the river flows into Laos territory.
The trip will take between two to four weeks, during September, when the rate of flow of the Mekong River is almost at its maximum. This will bring a greater challenge to Gasiglia as the current will flow faster and be considerably more dangerous.
Having lived in Phuket for 20 years, Gasiglia has been involved in many different types of water sports. In his daily life, his is mainly involved in PADI diving, windsurfing and catamaran instructing.
In between however, he still finds time to pursue his extreme lifestyle on the water; splashing around on a jet-ski, Hobie Cat (a small catamaran), wake board or stand up paddle board. He also enjoys riding his off road motorcycle.
He is a part of the Dream Team, a team of talented world stand up paddle riders supported by Starboard, a leading expert of windsurf and stand up paddle boards. The group participate in competitions and are always trying to create new records.
In 1999, Gasiglia completed a world record by solo jet-skiing a staggering 360 kilometres from Cannes to Corsica Island in the Mediterranean Sea.
During this amazing two day journey, he witnessed the unforgettable sight of flocks of dolphins travelling alongside his jet-ski.
Sponsored by Starboard, he will have his own paddle board designed to suit the river’s challenging conditions.
A support team on board a 4×4 vehicle will follow him by road.
Once his expedition is complete, all of the gear including the board, car and camp equipment will be displayed to the public at Amara Watersports in Pattaya and Jungceylon in Phuket.For more information and updates, including details on sponsorship, visit http://www.supmekong1000.wordpress.com, contact 087 8888 244 or email bambou53@hotmail.com.
SUP MEKONG 1000 