Who doesn't know Lipno or Lipno Devils extreme race? It's one of the most famous kayak festival in Europe. The water in river is released from dam only few days a year. It use to be a last weekend of August. Kayakers and rafters from all around the world are coming to this small village in Czech Republic to run this beautiful wild river. From Friday till Sunday you can meet thousands of people on the water. This river is not easy and it is classified as a WW III - V. It's fast and steep with big trashy waves and holes. You don't want to swim there because of many sharp rocks and trees. It may sounds scary but everyone who paddled it just love it! It's hard to explain but this river is just unique. You can run it with friends and enjoy great atmosphere or enter devils extreme race. I think this was my fourth time at Lipno and I enjoyed every moment. We paddled all three days and did several lapses. It's so easy because you don't have to care about logistics. You just walk few meters from take out to train station and wait for train which take you and your kayak up to put in. Sometimes it's a fight to squeeze your boat and yourself to train with hundreads of other paddlers and local passengers but mostly you get it. I don't know if anywhere else is chance like this to get on the river so easy by the train. This is one of the thing except river itself which make this event so special. After all day on the river we moved to main tent where were concerts. Our friend and paddler as well, Vilem and his band, started the evening’s entertainment which continued till late hours. It were awesome three days spent on the cool river with great friends full of laughs, fun, adrenaline and good food. If you haven't been there already and you think about it than I can recommend it as a perfect kayaking destination!
Cheers
Nina
