2007 CARLSON AWARD WINNER
Riverboarder of the Year (2006) &
RIVERBOARDING AMBASSADOR AWARD WINNER
Raphaël Besson, ~Ice~, and translator Sebastian during the awards presentation
(all photos by Atchoum)
~Ice~ presented the Carlson Award trophy to Raphaël at the 10th Annual Dora Baltea gathering in northern Italy, and everyone was impressed by the beautiful crystal award. Sebastian translated for the crowd so Raphaël didn't have to do it himself (only a couple people spoke English, Raphaël of course being one of them). Some 60+ European hydrospeeders were on hand to cheer for the event.
Raphaël Besson and ~Ice~
Raphaël presented ~Ice~ with a RIPH shirt to go along with the Dora Baltea shirt that he's wearing
Raphaël Besson with his award in Italy, July 2007
[ Editor's Note: I first "met" Raphaël via email several years ago when Face Level was in its infancy, and we have exchanged many emails since. Raphaël has been very informative for me regarding the international scene, and it was obvious from the very beginning that he has a passion for the sport like those of us here at Face Level. I am looking forward to meeting him in July at the 10th Annual Dora gathering in Italy, and I'm sure this is only the beginning of great things to come. I can't think of a more deserving winner for the 1st Annual Carlson Award. ~Ice~
Update: After spending several days with him in Italy and getting to know him a bit on and off the river, he's an even better guy than I thought before. I had an awesome time as well. Thanks Raph! ~Ice~]
A Passion For Whitewater & Travel (in his own words)
In 1994, I was living in Garches, a little town near Paris France. Four
guys from a club of swimming, Lucien Patrice, Alain and Marco, decide to
start an hydrospeed section. I saw a poster and join those 4 guys. We
were the only club in France who didn't belong to a diving or kayaking
club.
During the first two years, it's was difficult for us to find information about where to hydrospeed, how to get a board and to find other people who where hydrospeeding. In 1997, I discovered Internet with my job, and I decide to make a web site about what was now a passion : hydrospeed. I tried to give the more information I can get about rivers, equipment, techniques, pedagogy, races, gatherings ... and to share those information with others. This website is still alive : http://www.dreamnev.org. During many years, there were no others websites about hydrospeed.
It's only a few years later that the most active federation in France, the diving federation called FFESSM, decide to make its own website. In the beginning of the 2000', I realise that I had many contacts, specially with french speaking people from Canada and Switzerland.
In 2002, with Niko from Switzerland and Denis from Canada, we decide to make an expedition in Canada: five guys during five days with no assistance on a class 4 river, pulling all the food and equipment in a floating bag. During this expedition, we decide to found an association the RIPH, Rassemblement International pour la Promotion de l'Hydrospeed, to promote and share all we know about hydrospeed.
Since 2002, we are a team who try to make rivers all over the world : Canada, Nepal, Chile, Uganda, Austria, Ecuador, Corsica, Italy, Spain, Greece ... We expect to swim in South Africa, New Zealand or maybe in USA. We try to widen the group with new members who have the same point of view.
I still swim in France and Europe with my club. We make races, gathering and spend at least a week in the French Alps. Twice a year, we make a big week end with newbies : neighbors, family, friends, meetings on Internet... everybody is invite to spend a week-end near a class 3-4 river with his family. With the program : wild camp-site, barbecue, initiation, discovered river in full nature.
During all this years, I think I taught the hydrospeed with 200 beginners. Beside, I've met many people over the Internet from all over the world, and I try to expand the movement outside the France.
Not too easy, because of my family who need me (Valerie my wife, Timon my son who's 7 and Fantine my daughter 4) and my job. And we have no financing.
The Challenges & The Fun
Why the hydrospeed? Because it's an aquatic sport, not a nautical one. Being in the water and not on the water is important for me. I'm not afraid to take a bath, I'm already in the water.
What I love in this sport is being in the nature, try to exceed our mental limits, playing with the water and its strength. Hydrospeed is for me a good sport which conciliate individual and collective principles: you're alone on your board facing the river but you need the others because of their knowledge about the river, the emulation they can give you and the safety.
Sometimes, the others are here to make you hear the little voice in your head who tell you: "not today" or "not for me". Another favour with hydrospeed is that you can get pleasure and feelings as the first day of practice. Everybody has his chance to get fun and sensation even if he/she is not a athlete.
I've got many projects: develop the RIPH website, building a kind of network of all the swimmers around the world, rebuild DreamNev and translate it into English. I will be continuing to guide the members of my club on rivers and teach them all I know.
Another project which take me some years: my son asks me to transmit him my passion. And I'd like to swim with American people met with FaceLevel, try to understand the common points and differences between hydrospeeding and the riverboarding, I'm sure we are sharing the same passion.
Hope to swim with you in July 2007 in Italy.
Regards
Raphaël
www.RIPH.net
2006 Recap - Raphaël Besson
RIVERS HYDROSPEEDED
White Nile (Class 3-5) Uganda SPECIAL EVENTS
I was the trip leader in Uganda with Charl van Rensburg from South Africa and Marc Ettinger from France, Toulouse. Marc is probably one of the best hydrospeeder.
I'm the webmaster of websites on the hydrospeed. I'm also the president of the RIPH association.
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