Here we go! SSTIKS 2017. Please welcome Joanne Barta and Paul Steinberg, our very own members, will be entertaining you with all the nuances of this famous Greenland paddling symposium.. About SSTIKS,,
Rope Gymnastics Allunaariaqattaarneq, “games performed using harpoon line” (rope gymnastics), are known throughout the arctic. The rope gymnastics performed at the Greenland championship are a mix of techniques from both East and West Greenland. Rope gymnastics is an ancient Inuit form of sport, which demands and develops balance, strength, flexibility, coordination, and pain tolerance.
Originally done with harpoon line stretched between two supports, the exercises toughen the hands which may allow you to paddle long hours without developing blisters. Many of the maneuvers are extremely strenuous and painful. Performing them helps to build mental and physical toughness, qualities that were very useful for the hard life of a kayak hunter. Read more at Qajaq USA
Read more at Qajaq USA
Rolling
Nothing frees you to develop as a kayaker like acquiring a roll. Learning to roll is a bit like learning to ride a bicycle – it feels impossible then, all of a sudden, it isn’t. It’s a great feeling to get to the point!
Most of us have a roll or two under our belts which allow us to recover without a wet-exit. For the Inuit and other arctic peoples who developed kayak rolling, it was matter of life or death. If you came out of your boat in frigid waters you were as good as dead. Moreover, kayak hunters were often encumbered by ropes, harpoon lines, and precious tools, which could not be easily discarded.
The Inuit developed rolls to take care of every eventuality -rolling while tipped over backward, rolling holding a tool, rolling with one hand, rolling with no hands, and many more. SSTIKS is an excellent venue to learn your first roll or develop new rolls.
Learn more about rolling on Christopher Crowhurst’s awesome qajaq rolling blog.
