Thank you for visiting!
Alison practicing on the Potomac
on a balmy October day.
Click here for intro movie
Click here for a 56k version
Click here to view in QuickTime
on a balmy October day.
Click here for intro movie
Click here for a 56k version
Click here to view in QuickTime
David Kinney took this shot of a
couple traditional Greenland
kayaks during the competition.
couple traditional Greenland
kayaks during the competition.
The Kayaks Arrive
The means of travel up & down
the coast is by ferry. Here, the
competitors kayaks arrive and
are eagerly unloaded
The means of travel up & down
the coast is by ferry. Here, the
competitors kayaks arrive and
are eagerly unloaded
A Photo Finish
Maliagiaq Padilla and Karsten
Solgard charge for the finish in the
short distance race.
Maliagiaq Padilla and Karsten
Solgard charge for the finish in the
short distance race.
Perhaps you've seen her -- running around town with a 19 foot
kayak on her head. She's not crazy -- at least she'll tell you
that -- just motivated.
Alison Sigethy is in training. She's getting ready to compete in
the Greenland National Kayak Championships, which will be
held in Sisimiut, Greenland, in July. "I admit, my training
schedule is somewhat unconventional," she laughs. What she
doesn't say is that by unconventional she means rolling her
boat in the frosty Potomac to prepare for Greenland's icy
water, running around town balancing a 30 pound kayak on her
head to prepare for the portage race, and throwing a closet rod
at a floating Hula Hoop to simulate harpoon throwing.
Unconventional indeed.
Click this link to hear how people react.
kayak on her head. She's not crazy -- at least she'll tell you
that -- just motivated.
Alison Sigethy is in training. She's getting ready to compete in
the Greenland National Kayak Championships, which will be
held in Sisimiut, Greenland, in July. "I admit, my training
schedule is somewhat unconventional," she laughs. What she
doesn't say is that by unconventional she means rolling her
boat in the frosty Potomac to prepare for Greenland's icy
water, running around town balancing a 30 pound kayak on her
head to prepare for the portage race, and throwing a closet rod
at a floating Hula Hoop to simulate harpoon throwing.
Unconventional indeed.
Click this link to hear how people react.
Welcome to Alison Sigethy's Arctic Adventures
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A Peek at the Event
Photographer David Kinney and
Kayaker Cheri Perry took some great
shopts of the 2004 competition.
These images (and the one of the
kayaks on the right) are from that
album. To view some of my 2006
photos, click here.
Photographer David Kinney and
Kayaker Cheri Perry took some great
shopts of the 2004 competition.
These images (and the one of the
kayaks on the right) are from that
album. To view some of my 2006
photos, click here.
A brief overview of the competition
Kayaking has its roots in the Arctic. In a land made of ice,
survival depended on the sea, and the kayak allowed hunters
to go where the food was. Traditional kayaks were hunting
vessels, and hunting by kayak was very dangerous.
The competition celebrates these historic roots, honors the
brave individuals who depended on the kayak to provide for the
village, and provides a means to pass these traditions on to
the next generation.
There are nine events in four categories: kayak racing, kayak
rolling, rope gymnastics, and harpoon throwing. Alison will
compete in all of them and finds it incredibly rewarding to be a
part of this competition and share in this tradition.
survival depended on the sea, and the kayak allowed hunters
to go where the food was. Traditional kayaks were hunting
vessels, and hunting by kayak was very dangerous.
The competition celebrates these historic roots, honors the
brave individuals who depended on the kayak to provide for the
village, and provides a means to pass these traditions on to
the next generation.
There are nine events in four categories: kayak racing, kayak
rolling, rope gymnastics, and harpoon throwing. Alison will
compete in all of them and finds it incredibly rewarding to be a
part of this competition and share in this tradition.
Getting ready to compete
Team Rolling
The men's team from Nuuk shows
their stuff.
The men's team from Nuuk shows
their stuff.
For more about kayaking, Greenland paddling, what got Alison
got interested in it, and how she expects to do in the
competition, click a link below:
Click here for the movies
Click here for 56k versions
Click here to view in QuickTime
For more information about the competition, visit these links:
www.qajaqusa.org
www.sendthemtogreenland.org
got interested in it, and how she expects to do in the
competition, click a link below:
Click here for the movies
Click here for 56k versions
Click here to view in QuickTime
For more information about the competition, visit these links:
www.qajaqusa.org
www.sendthemtogreenland.org
Rope Gymnastics
Maliagiaq Padilla competing on
the low ropes.
Maliagiaq Padilla competing on
the low ropes.
The Portage Race
Cheri Perry during one of the
portages.
Cheri Perry during one of the
portages.
A Message from Alison
The Greenland National Kayak Championships
Alison competed in the 2006 Championships, was the first
international woman to compete in all nine events, and medaled in
eight of them. She set records for her class in Rope Gymnastics
and Distance Harpoon. This website will tell you more about the
competition and what Alison did to get ready. She plans to compete
again in 2009.
international woman to compete in all nine events, and medaled in
eight of them. She set records for her class in Rope Gymnastics
and Distance Harpoon. This website will tell you more about the
competition and what Alison did to get ready. She plans to compete
again in 2009.
Photo by John Madere
Click here for images from my recent
glass show "Sea Dance." For a list of
other shows, as well as places I'll be
paddling, look at my resume page.
I am thrilled to announce, I will be joining the Arctic Voice
Expedition this summer. Arctic Voice is a 3,000 mile trek
through Arctic Canada to increase awareness and create
community action in response to climate change. I am
proud to be part of this incredible project and am training
and raising funds now. This is a big trip, and I could really
use your help. Click here to contribute online.
As part of my fund raising endeavours, I am working on a
series of Arctic inspired sculptures. All proceeds from
these pieces will help finance the Arctic Voice mission.
These pieces can be seen at Artomatic (May 9- June 15),
at the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival in Reston (May
17-18), and the Torpedo Factory (May 20- July 6).
Expedition this summer. Arctic Voice is a 3,000 mile trek
through Arctic Canada to increase awareness and create
community action in response to climate change. I am
proud to be part of this incredible project and am training
and raising funds now. This is a big trip, and I could really
use your help. Click here to contribute online.
As part of my fund raising endeavours, I am working on a
series of Arctic inspired sculptures. All proceeds from
these pieces will help finance the Arctic Voice mission.
These pieces can be seen at Artomatic (May 9- June 15),
at the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival in Reston (May
17-18), and the Torpedo Factory (May 20- July 6).