Two minutes with ..... Christian Scalbert

Christian is one of the driving forces in paddling in Brittany. Based in Tregastel, on the Cote de Granit Rose, he has ventured further afield to Alaska, Greenland and Scotland, amongst other destinations. He is always an entertaining paddling companion and the interview was conducted on a recent paddling trip to the Golfe de Morbihan in Southern Brittany.

1. How did you get into paddling? When I was a teenager, we used an Eskimo kayak in wood, almost 6 metres long.
2. What type of kayak do you paddle? Nordkapp
3. What is your favourite paddling area? Brittany
4. What is your day job? Kayak coach
5. Who would you say has had the most influence on your paddling development? Guy Cloarec
6. Who do you think has done the most to develop modern sea kayaking? Justine Curgenven her DVD is a revolution.
7. If you were paddling a double sea kayak who would you want in the front seat and why? A beginner so that they can discover the sea.
8. What is the best or most memorable paddle that you have undertaken? Unalga Island in the Aleutians. There was no place for humans in this area. We felt that we disturbed nature.
9. What is your favourite stroke? Rolling, particularly reverse screw.
10. If you were to offer one piece of advice to newcomers to the sport what would it be? Take care with the wind.
11. How do you see the sport developing in the next 10 years? People will have more fun, waves, currents etc for one hour rather than going away for a week or more.
12. What is your major frustration with the sport? Sit on tops
13. What music would be the soundtrack to your paddling life? Celtic music
14. Do you belong to a Club and what is your involvement? Yes, Manche Ouest. I am the leader.
15. Have you ever had an embarrassing moment. Something afterwards that you cab smile about but wished hadn’t happened. I landed with a group on big tide and it was out miles so we had a really long carry. Somebody I know had to carry for 4 hours at Mont St Michel.
16. Do you have any regrets – something that you had wished you had done but now can’t see yourself doing? To go Thule in NW Greenland.
17. Why do you think we are interviewing you today? .....