The backwards instructors are @charlie wilson, @stevet (I believe) and Sue Plankis. I don't know what year this was or where it was, but maybe Steve can tell us.
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Videos demonstrating many of the freestyle reverse moves
- Thread starter Glenn MacGrady
- Start date
Well developed advanced stroke techniques are timeless. But good grief, that was a much younger svelte Charlie than the still healthy Charlie who I know today.
Hi, Glenn,
Perhaps Steve (or Charlie) will provide more details but I have a digital version of the original instructional DVD that I got through freestylecanoeing.com
FreeStyle Canoeing - Tom MacKenzie
Produced in 1994, the credits show the location to be Lake Parsippany, N.J.
In addition to being an instructional video, it's a good way to review the maneuvers learned at a freestyle symposium.
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Wow, it is NOT fun to watch yourself on video! Everything was done in such slow motion to try to help viewers understand. It was the early days of FS and there really wasn’t any video available for FS instruction at that time. Tom MacKenzie felt there should be, so he paid for a camera crew and several of us that taught at his Adirondack FS Symposium (which ran under him for 10+ years and continues to this day) met at his house in Parsippany NJ. He sold DVDs and I don’t know if they are available today or not. (I would be ok with them not being available as in the first segment pf the video I give what is probably the worst demo/explanation of a low brace on record). At the time it was a great production and runs about an hour if I recall. And for those who don’t know her, Sue Plankis is a GREAT paddler…particularly proficient in Canadian style of the Omer Stringer legacy. I believe she actually knew Omer.
Compared to today, yeah, we were all “svelte” in those days.
I do greatly miss my old friends as we have mostly fallen out of touch. Great times, great people.
Compared to today, yeah, we were all “svelte” in those days.
I do greatly miss my old friends as we have mostly fallen out of touch. Great times, great people.
In this second video posted by Sue Hutchins (whom I don't know), Mark Molina demonstrates reverse and cross-reverse wedges and Tom MacKenzie demonstrates reverse and cross-reverse draws, pries and sideslips.
In this third video, linked manuevers are demonstrated in a variety of canoes by Becky Contois (did she become Becky Molina?), Dan Earle, Mary Lou Greene, Mark Molina (what canoe is that?), Sue Plankis (birch bark), @stevet, and @charlie wilson. I suspect the three videos I've posted so far comprise the DVD that @tketcham and @stevet have mentioned.
I believe Mark and Becky Molina later also became Greenland kayaking and rolling experts and instructors.
Well, you had the challenge of demonstrating the rather impractical cross-reverse Christie. Is there really such a maneuver? Maybe I'm thinking of something else, but I dimly recall that when I took the FS reverse paddling course there was debate about whether a cross-reverse Christie was actually legitimate. What I mainly recall is that Charlie Wilson had a negative argument that gave him the sobriquet, "The Antichristie."
I believe Mark and Becky Molina later also became Greenland kayaking and rolling experts and instructors.
Well, you had the challenge of demonstrating the rather impractical cross-reverse Christie. Is there really such a maneuver? Maybe I'm thinking of something else, but I dimly recall that when I took the FS reverse paddling course there was debate about whether a cross-reverse Christie was actually legitimate. What I mainly recall is that Charlie Wilson had a negative argument that gave him the sobriquet, "The Antichristie."
The saying was always “whatever you can do going forward you can do going reverse and whatever you can do on side you can do offside”. Of course some of those maneuvers are more for show than practicality. In fact practically speaking you never have to change sides anyway to go elegantly in any direction you want. Mr Galt felt that way about solo paddling.
Actually, I have always thought in solo flatwater paddling the only offside stroke that is necessary is a cross forward used from a complete stop to quickly attain speed without losing direction. But remember that before the freestyle movement began touting itself as technical paddling, the whole entire purpose was fun. Period. Still is for me.
Actually, I have always thought in solo flatwater paddling the only offside stroke that is necessary is a cross forward used from a complete stop to quickly attain speed without losing direction. But remember that before the freestyle movement began touting itself as technical paddling, the whole entire purpose was fun. Period. Still is for me.
