Gigo Castillo

Norway

2011-09-05T13:35:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since my last update, but here we go.
This season is just being super crazy with the water levels, now here in the Sjoa these days we have the 5th flood of the season, so everything around this valley is full at the moment.
I have been working a lot and somehow not much kayaking, bummer, well that is the way it is this year, I think. Hoping that next year will be different I leave you with some pics of just a few kayaking days during this summer.
Thanks to www.tywarp.com and http://www.crewsaver.co.uk/YAK.
www.buenalinea.cl

Norway

2011-06-03T15:32:00.001-07:00

Norway is probably one of the best white water destination, and yes, this is one more season here, this is an update from one of the locals run, the LOGAN or Roster gorge...we will se what Norways has to offer this year......
thanks to www.buenalinea.com for the pics

Pucon-Chile

2010-11-14T13:43:00.000-08:00

Gigo lining her down

holding her

yap...KAVU

Sergio Vidal hucking one of the sweetest drop in Chile

Gigo same spot same feeling same happiness

better feeling

going down in the middle

nice shot from the first rapid on the upper palguin

I ended up going to Pucon in the middle of September, wich is pretty early for kayaking but we
managed to run some of the classics like: Maichin, Todo Puesco, Nevados, Palguin, alto,medio,bajo,Trancura.
The Rio Nevados
From 2004 when the boys from LVM ran it for the first time, this river became one of the classics in my home town (Pucon). These are the pics from my short visit to Chile this year in September-October, the water levels were not the best ones but I had an epic time paddling with the boys, it was very cool to see that the kayak sport in Chile is getting bigger, more kayakers from Chile, more boats, more fun.
The other epic run was The rio Puesco
This run starts at the border with Argentina with a stunning put in, in the first 2 kilometers the river gets very steep with very sweet class V boulder rapids, running the Puesco is like listening to your best tunes, that day we ran the entire seccion, awesome day awesome river
The rio Palguin
I remember running this river with a ducky several times, well, that was before my kayak time. This day I was in my kayak, and yes, we did run the middle too wich involves a 23m waterfall, probably the sweetest drop around, after a week we were there again dropping down.
The lower part is an easy read and run class IV with some portages at the end.
Take a look at the pics and if you have not visited Chile yet, I tell you, you're not gonna disappointed if you do so...Go to Pucon and fire it up, the water levels now are great...
If you're new in town go to www.kayakchile.net and you're gonna find some locals to paddle with....have a nice day.
vaya con rios

Thanks to
www.tywarp.com
www.kayakpro.cl
www.buenalinea.cl
www.universalkayak.com

Rio Nevados

2010-10-30T03:30:00.000-07:00

From 2004 when the boys from LVM ran it for the first time this river become one of the classics in my home town (Pucon). This are the pics from my short visit to Chile this year in September-October, the water levels were not the best ones but I had a epic time paddling with the boys, was very cool to see that the kayak sport is getting bigger in Chile, more kayakers from Chile, more boats, more fun.
We follow Ian Garcia all the way down, he showed us the lines, this guy is spending more time than me in Pucon, probably he is already a Puconino, cool guy!.
Take a look at the pics and if you have not visit Chile yet, I tell you, you not gonna disapointed if you do so...Go to Pucon and fire it up, the water levels now are great...If you there try the lower gorge( you will need low water for that)
vaya con rios
Thanks to
www.tywarp.com
www.kayakpro.cl
www.buenalinea.cl
www.universalkayak.com

pics above courtesy of Gigo Castillo
1. full moon in town
2. Alamo trees
3. view of the Volcano and the glacier
4. Palitroke droping
5. gringo Soto after the box canyon
6. Nice drop
7. Ian droping in the darkness
8. Sergio Vidal on the first one

New Creekboat made in Chile

2010-08-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

I,m very happy to be part of this amazing project. Yes www.universalkayak.com started making creekboat kayaks in Chile. This company is based in Santiago and they design sea kayaks, sit on top kayaks and Hidrospeeds. This year they started designing white water kayaks. Now I`m in Norway and my friend (designer) Sebastian Striebel showed up here with the machine, we paddled a few rivers together and it was crazy to see this guy with the PHOENIX running Norwegian whitewater, making it look so easy.
Now I`m going to Chile and I do not need to travel with a kayak because I can get one there, one made in CHILE, I can get the PHOENIX.
Check out the pics of the PHOENIX in action and stay awake for more news from Chilean spring
vaya con rios

Norway, a creekboating jewel

2010-06-26T08:39:00.000-07:00

Ula, a waterpark....
Situated on the oldest national park of Norway, Ula is one of the classic run around the Sjoa valley.I always keen to go, cause is in NP and cause Ula open the door to everyone who like to try or start with the experience of slide and waterfalls, yes to everyone....
We met at Heidal Rafting with about 10 kayakers that morning, and after a 30 minutes drive we were up on the mountains up at Rondane National Park getting the kayaks off the roof rack. There are days when the river is too big for the waterfalls section and days when is to low for the slides section, this day was the day with the perfect water levels, perfect because the water levels were good for the entire river I mean slides and waterfalls. Days in Norway are days to remember for sure and this one was a nice day, sunny and warm, it was a Ula day...
take a look at the pics courtesy of Gigo Castillo
Thanks to
www.tywarp.com
www.artistic-sportswear.com
www.DIEGO CASTRO.com

1- Diego Bugeguer going for the last one of the triple combo
2- Tipical Ula shot
3- Colin
4- Will Hartman from USA flying on the first one of the combo
5- Santi Showing the boys on how to give her a boof
6- Nice view of the slides section
7- Freeky shot
8- Santi again
9- Gigo
10- Diego at the end of the slides section
11- Gael representing

Norway, Norway, Norway

2010-06-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

Very long time since my last update, after couple of month with out paddling for few enjuries, now, I`m back and this time again in Norway, and it looks like this time in Norway will be epic, having some good plans and missions that need to be done I feel like Norway is the plce to be this summer.
This is a small report of a jewel from this country, the Jori river.
I met with Silvio Gurrieri and Diego Budeguer from Argentina that morning, we drove for about two hours, well distance here in Norway are not to big but the speed limit around here is 80 kilometers per hour so things were moving slow.
The Jori is a tipical Norwegian run up in the mountains, this river is a mix of slides, drops and beautyfulls landscapes around.
enjoy the pics

Norway

2009-09-13T15:25:00.000-07:00

A day to remember in Norway
Lower Rauma by Gigo Castillo
Before I came to Norway I heard a lot of people say that Norway is Da spot for a good summer, good money, good people and off course heaps of waterfalls. I fell in love with this place, by far the second best place on the globe, no doubt. This is my 5" season here and I wanna live here.
Here it is… a day on the Rauma….a day to remember.
We met with the boys at Heidal Rafting that morning and I remember jumping in Santi`s car for a two hours ride to the put in. This section contains 6 amazing slides-drops on less than 4 kilometers, and at the take out there is a 20+ huge cascade, just awesome to look at. Last year I ran the whole section and I guess my brain was too big and my balls too small to run the last one, Flemming fossen. This year my brain is smaller, so I guess it was time to give it a try….enjoy the pics…
Pics:
1 Nice dogs
2 Put in
3 Jussi Tanskanen
4 Thorphe falling
5 The boyzz
6 Santi, what a cool place
7 Thorphe
8 one more Jussi Tanskanen
9 Colin showing us that the embudo has a good plastic
10 Gigo Castillo, Nice shot
11 Ready
12-13-14 Thorphe styling
15 Gigo going big
16 Flat landing
17 Santiago Lo Greco
18 Santi and Gigo, happy to be at the botto

Norway.....Norway and Norway

2009-08-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

This is a small video.....wait for the entire movie....for now.... turn up the volume

Rio Baker and Ventisquero

2009-03-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

Rio Baker.....BIG BOY
After enjoying futafest and spending a week on the river, we dicided to go further south on the Patagonia Chilelna.
The team consisted of Two american, two belgiums, a german, a italian, Fico from Peru as a driver and my self from Chile, all with expedition experience from before, and most of us friend from time ago. The mission was to run severals rivers like:
Rio Ventisquero
Upper rio Cisnes
Rio Baker
Rio Bravo
We drove for about six hours south to get to the Rio Ventisquero Put in, two of ours team members ran it years ago, but this time it was a lot of more water going down.
Here we were ready to fire it up. Man...... this is one of the most incredible put in ever.
Put in on the lake and begind you there is a enormous glaciar hanging out from the andes and a huge waterfall coming from it and in front you can see the Pacific ocean at the end of the valley...awesome view....
The river has a good and step class V rapid until the swing bridge, after that few more class IV until the take out bridge...awesome afternoon run, time for a red wine(gato negro)
Next morning we were driving to Coyhaique and few kilometers before, our car broke down.....fuck.... and there we were stuck in Coyhaique.
We spend like 4 days in town no pla ce for boating so we decided to rent a Van, expensive shit. After two day we were on the afternoon scouting the Big Boy BAKER to run it the day after, dude that river scared me just looking it( a few week ago the river was 3.500 m3s, 1,5 meters higher and the day we ran it...who 850 m3s). We camp by the river that night, and I do not remember a quiet night on the trip.
Well next morning we split the groupfor the photo bussines, because on the river was impossible to eddy out ( you wanna be in the middle of the river all the time man, the eddy lines can make you creekboat looks like a squirtboat). So four of us ran it first and everyone hit the line,but here is the thing, the line can change in seconds, so you can see the kayak in front of you passing green and when you go a massive wave break on you, anyways...happy days for four of us so far. Later was the time for the others, everyone nice and safe. I HAVE NEVER FELT THAT SMALL ON THE WATER BEFORE. probably one of the biggest on earth.
Here is the bad thing about it. There is a megaproyect to dam the baker and the Pascua river, and we all know that this gems need to keep flowing. please help us to keep it that way , fro more info visit www.patagoniasinrepresas.com
We come back to Coyhaique that day, so the Rio Bravo will be for the next time a.s.a.p. because the also planning to dam it.
Not money enough to keep renting a car, we came back to fix our car, that took us 10 more days stuck in Coyhaique.
Here I,m back in Pucon ready for the next season in Norway
enjoy the Pics
vaya conrios
Gigo Castillo

Futa Fest 2009

2009-03-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

Here is a small report from Futa fest 2009
Futaleufu is one of my favorite rivers down here in the patagonia
and every year since the first descens back in 1985 a lot of kayakers
and rafters come and fall in love with this beautiful river.
Well few years ago the rumors star, "they gonna dam the Futa".
we all know that is really dificult to stop this project, but this year
we all figthing in show all over the globe that the Futa is not alone and the
Futa is not to be dam.
Futa fest 2009 is a small example of what people down here in Chile is doing
to protect this rivers for futures generations.
From the 20-22 of february all of us met down here, all of us focused on one
thing THE FUTA MUST FLOW.
Well the party star with a boatercross from the eddy about Cara de indio camp site
until Mondaca over sixty boaters and 5 raft were paddling down to the eddy beautyful
scene, six kayakers at the same time, very fun for the people watching
day two was the down river, 12 rafting team fighting the way down on the famous section Puente a Puente (bridge to bridge) about 9 kilometers, after that was the time for the kayakers, that was a amazing thing to see, more that 60 kayakers at the same time trying to get down as fast as possible...awesome!!!!
Day 3 was the freestyle on the Mondaca rapid everybody trying to do the most spectacular move on the hole, raft, kayaks and even a hidrospeed....
Futa fest for sure is a mission completed, a incredible event for everyone with out mention the party and BBQ,s
Now we all know that THE FUTA MUST FLOW

Pucon

2009-02-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

Pucon is the door to the patagonia and it is been one of the best creekboating
destination of the country, for most of us (cheleans) Da place to be in spring and summer time,
if you wanna go big come to Pucon.
From Santiago ( the capital) drive down to the south around 8 hours, here in Pucon you gonna find
a lot of diferent rivers and sections, big drops and super cool alpine rapids, Pucon offer more than 20
diferent rivers and sections around, the good thing about it is that they are no more than two hours away, so you
can park and huck in the morning,playboating for lunch and creekboatin for the afternoon, and if still energy
you would like to try a Piscola and few beers in one of the locals bar down in town, Pucon offer all, nice beach,
natural hot spring, beautyfull lake and volcanos, Pucon best choice for November-January

Lower Rauma

2008-09-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

This is a small video from the Lower Rauma, Norway
Courtesy of Colin Furmston

Lower Rauma

2008-08-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

I always tried to go there but there was always a probleme with time,water levels and work, but this day I was ready to go, well I did no kayak much before but I was ready to give it a try, and there I was getting changed, and with a cool group of friends and fucking good weather we fired it up.
Lower Rauma is one of the must run river here in Norway, beautyful 3 kilometers of pure drops and pools,the Fluid Solo is just a perfect boat for this kind of rivers...
The Put in is a perfect 10 meters slide drop followed by a nice pool, the number 2 is a smaller drop, there is when we met the Ulva river, another fucking good run, beutyful scenary around, number 3 is just awesome, number 4 is pretty intimidating and crazy fast slide drop, then number 5, fuckingtastic!!!!,then number 6, number of the beast, super nice slide with a big auto boof at the end, preatty shallow on the rigth( my buddy Diego broke his rebs the day after), after that, small drops, and then, the well know flemming drop(massive 18 meters drop) for me that day not too much water, making the landing a bit harder.
Take a look at the pics....
Thanks to www.artistic-sportswear.com
www.tywarp.com
www.fluidkayaks.com
www.conrios.com

My aussie co-pilot Colin and my new JEWEL....fucking great

boofing the number 2

Colin styling it on number 2

hucking on the number 1
ni ce shot on the number 1
me dropping on Number 3

Trying to find my way down on number 4

Maxi on Number 5

on my way on number 6

me boofing the number 6

Maxi Running Flemming drop a week before

Roundaselvi- Norway

2008-07-13T16:39:00.000-07:00

Fuck...this is a magic river.....awesome water level and weather,awesome people...
Roundaselvi is well know because the famous Nosebreaker drom...wich is a prety good drop,but Roundaselvi is not just that....the landscape and the fucking good rapid above make you day....Roundaselvi....a love it too much....
Here are few pics...

Jordaselvi- Norway

2008-07-06T16:02:00.000-07:00

Norway...again and again and again

Before my trip to Norway I thought that this country had the best white water of all Europe and probably one of the best white waters of all over the world, so my time there is to figure out that what I thought was nothing more than pure and totally true.
Voss magic place....
Man.. looks like the water levels in Voss are pretty good at the moment, you want to go??? (friend of mine said) well my pocket is pretty broken but let,s go anyway (I replied)....
Voss to me sounds like a creek paradise. And there we were driving to the put in of the Jordaselvi, we slept right at the put in (beautiful spot). Next morning we were on the water running awesome rapids...the river starts up in the valley and the water is bloody cold....(jejejj well we are in Norway),as soon you go down the river quickly starts droping with several slides and drops....perfect for us, dropping,dropping and dropping until a beautiful 12 meters drop...So all of us ran it...Max ran first and he made it look easy...then I went second, no problem at all, after me Greig, and when he popped up on the surface his boat was full of water plus his nose showing us that the drop was not that easy (deep cut after hitting his face with the paddle at the landing). Then Jeff ran it and his skirt popped up also....well that was a pretty good day for all of us.
We cruised down to town and there was an extreme week competition going on but incredibly there was not a doctor in the hospital to stitch Greig's nose. Amazing!!!!!!!

stay turned for more updates from the country of waterfalls,
until then Vaya con rios
Thanks to : tywarp.com
artistic-sportswear.com
fluidkayaks.com
conrios.com

Solo first descent

2008-05-07T14:23:00.000-07:00

I was looking for a good run, a good first descent, so with my friend Sergio Vidal we jumped in the truck and went to look for the unknown, this time it was the Reco river,
We drove like three hours from Pucon towards Panguipulli.
The river was with a good level,but we found us in the middle of nothing and without shuttle bunny, so we thought of coming back with a better timing and with a driver to make our descent easier.
Somehow I ended up going alone with my driver Chapulin, this time the river was lower and from what we knew that was good news because the first 5 kilometers the river drops like 120 meters which is not that bad if it was true. The map showed us that the river was like 10 kilometers long, so like 4 hours run more less. I started going down and after the firs 50 meters the river started droping without stop, full of undercut and trees then I look back and my driver wa salready gone, so I tried my radios but they did not work, I was already in the canyon so I starte walking, like a gentlelman adn the river was getting steeper and steeper with a portage option class 5+, took me 3 hours to portage 2,5 kilometers, with more water that would be a suicide. I took some Pics from that section. Then the river started to opening up again with a nice class 3 and 4, then the canyon closed again with a fucking beautiful lanscaped around then the class 4 started again, preatty much until the end.
I think the upper section of this rivers looks better
here are some Pics from the first 2 kilometers

Oooooppppssss

Put-in

Walking down the river

On my way down

Half way down

The last couple of hundred meters

The way back home

Pucon Pics

2008-05-07T13:48:00.000-07:00

Well long time since my last update, but here we go.
It's been a preatty good 2008 for me so far and I have nothing to said about it, I'm a daddy now and we bought a awesome propety in my home town(Pucon), Now I'm in Amsterdam, going soon to Norway.....looking forward for that.
Pucon was great not so much water but still great, I could not kayak to much but I had a great summer together with my new family and friends.
Now I hope I can kayak more but we will see. Whit the Fluif SOLO is so much easy
Here are some pics from a always a good run....enjoy it

DO WHAT YOU LIKE.
LIKE WHAT YOU DO

www.conrios.com

2007-12-12T15:36:00.000-08:00

We are working hard on the web, since we are just kayakers it will take longer

PATAGONIA WITHOUT DAM

2007-12-03T14:29:00.000-08:00

2007-12-01T07:43:00.000-08:00

WWW.AGUASLIBRES.ORG

POR UNA PATAGONIA SIN REPRESAS
FOR A PATAGONIA WITHOUT DAMS

Ringebiu, Norway

2007-11-24T13:09:00.000-08:00

PHOTOS
1.- Zorro (Phonics monkey)
2.- Dieguito (like that bro!!!!)
3.- Pablo-Diego (jejjejjejje)
4.- Rulo (going big????)
5.- Diego (front surf) Rulo ( Aereal clean blunt)

Yeap..... I found the pics from a nice playspot in Norway
I remember that day because, there was no many days like
that (blue sky). Awesome.... the wave is really easy to get on and easy
to learn new tricks.
We all have fun and that was the point
Now going back to the real salty water(Dutch see).
Vaya CONRIOS

NORWAY and more

2007-11-24T05:03:00.000-08:00

Small video from Norway 2007 and some pics from NZ,Chile,Spain,France

Ducth Sea

2007-11-13T08:18:00.000-08:00

This boys are going huge

dank u

Kayaking on the Ducth Sea

2007-11-13T07:54:00.001-08:00

This was a nice meeting with the boys from Holland, cool to see so many people learning kayak.....OOP Holland

Ducth Water dreams

2007-11-13T05:38:00.000-08:00

Yap..... Who is going to believe it???... Netherland....flat land... and they managed to build up a artificial river with really nice continuous class III for about 500 meters long, and is under the sea level...jejjejeje
Last October 13th was the Finals of the Dutch Open Championships in Freestyle Kayaking and Boatercross here in Ducth water Dreams.
Was really nice to see all the ducthies fighting for the best time and best score, and not only ducth competitors, there were people also from Germany and Belgium. I was really impresed about the numbers of competitors(names as Casper van Kalmthout, David Joos, Arnd Schaeftlein just to name a few), for sure this sport in Holland is getting bigger and bigger(92 kayakers).also my self representing Chile( I end up on the group of 12, semifinals)
Thanks to www.kanoshop.nl for let us use the amazing solo kayak from www.fluidkayaks.com
Check out the Pics.

Jori River Norway

2007-09-10T04:16:00.001-07:00

This is the upper section of the Jori which is pure pool and drop.There is also a lower section with continuos class III and IV. but the upper is way more fun

Nilahue Fall

2007-09-10T04:06:00.001-07:00

In March 2007 we drive from Pucon down south to Lago Renco, the mission this time was find a nice drop, we had some info from a group of kayakers that the Nilahue fall had change and became a awesome 10 meters slide with 10 more meters of vertical fall. Check this out.....one other reason to come and visit me. The drop has a undercut on River left, but five of us runed it and no one of us when left....

Nz trip 2004-05

2007-09-10T04:01:00.000-07:00

Awesome country

Chile

2007-09-10T03:26:00.000-07:00

There are some pics from Chile around my home town Pucon. Some from my First descent on the Rio Plata,Coilaco and Carhuello..All the pics are from few years ago

Rio Plata

Me and Robby Hugging a Hualle Tree
And more from the Rio Fuy

First descent Rio Coilaco

Home run Rio Trancura

Rio Fuy

First descent Rio PLata

First descent Rio Carhuello

Cool days

2007-09-08T08:58:00.000-07:00

After work , nothing better than a BBQ, with friends and a good glass of wine

Nice view

having fun, my garden

and fun

My way to support my kayak trips is working as a rafting guide here in Norway, is also my way to support my BBQ`s on my days off

Making money

2007-09-08T08:43:00.000-07:00

Another day in the Office, having fun too,Photos Rob Wilson

Here we are

2007-09-08T08:25:00.000-07:00

Photos by Rob Wilson

This Pics are from some trips here in Norway on the summer 2007, this year I have not kayak much but I just enjoin this part of the globe with nice people around. This trip was on the Lower canyon of Finna river.

Rauma valley

2007-08-28T10:32:00.000-07:00

scouting the line on the first one

Going down, hucking!!!!!!

Here we are again, Some Pics from my trip to Rauma, I really Love this run. Nice feeling, yap, going down, Pics from Evelien Lanting

Back in Business

2007-08-16T04:43:00.001-07:00

So many ways to have fun, be safe

mmmmmmmmmmm, lekker

going for the boof

Yap...
This is my New blog I hope you like it...I`ll keep you update. Here are some pics from Ula Falls Norway, and I`ll put more on it,
Nice to be Back in Norway, awesome country and awesome people. Back in Heidal for few month trying to make some money to support my kayaks trips....jejjejejej I think that is the way,