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The New Zealand Kayak School is run by Mick Hopkinson and Pam Weiss.  

Mick is originally from Britain where he raced kayak slalom for ten years before putting his energies into exploratory boating. Mick was a member of a small team that made first descents of the river Inn in Switzerland and Austria, the Blue Nile in Ethiopia and the Dudh Khosi in Nepal. He was also a member of the Karakorum Kayak expedition, The Karnali expedition and the "Taming the Lion" team which made the first descent of many of the huge rapids on the river Indus in Baltistan. More recently he has been getting his thrills in the backblocks of Wyoming and on the heli trips on the West coast of New Zealand including a fantastic day on the Waitaha, one of the West Coast's (and the world's) premier kayak runs.

In August last year he was inducted into the International White Water Hall of Fame in recognition  of his exploits.  But don't worry he was released in time for the start of the 2008 season in September!

Pam is a native of Jackson Hole, Wyoming and for many years was a member of the US Cross country and Biathlon ski team. When she retired from competition she took up kayaking and climbing as therapy and has paddled the Grand Canyon, much to her satisfaction. But a far greater challenge for both Pam and Mick has been the advent of Liam.  
 
Liam is the blond headed kid, now twelve years old. He is still going through the Lego phase and has moved on from dinosaurs to dragons but has paddled the Middle Matakitaki river a couple of times!   This summer he again took to inflatables and ran all 80 miles of  the mighty Main Salmon.

The Instructors

New Zealand has a professional instructors association... The New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Association. This governing body sets very high standards and all our staff hold NZOIA kayak Two instructor awards. Mick and Peter Kettering  have worked as national assessors for NZOIA. They also both commute to the USA each year - Mick to Wyoming, and Peter to California, where he works for Otterbar Lodge and Tarkio Kayak School out of Missoula, Montana. Both Mick and Peter are ACA (American Canoe Association) Qualified.  
 
Jess Brown  has finally “settled down” and now is resident in only two places:- Murchison, where she is a house owner and California where she works at Otterbar.  Jesse has not seen a winter for six years!   Ask her about her bigwater adventures in Idaho this northern summer!   

Ben Jackson is no longer the team "youth" and rodeo head.  Both he and Jesse have obtained their NZOIA Kayak Two Award.  And Ben has converted to the trans pacific/expedition lifestyle.  He was inspired by Zak's efforts and recently joined him in India on many "good to go rivers".   He is about to make his first decent of the Grand Canyon before starting the 09 season.

Sooty (aka Craig Love) is still our best qualified instructor:- engineer, blacksmith, thespian, personal developer and Microsoft engineer! He is still trying to decide on his real career and is currently living in Auckland,  a white water desert!   But in the meantime we might have his services for part of the season!

Josh Burrell another “Kayak Two” is a teacher at Motueka High School and enjoys teaching so much that he is working for us during the school holidays.  Josh also designs boats and helmets in his “spare” time.

Ashley Cheeseman (aka Cheese) has also acquired his Kayak Two and has used it, and a job at Christchurch Polytechnic to buy a house in Christchurch!  Currently learning "yoallspeak" in the Appalachians but back for 09/10

Zak Shaw is also a Kayak Two and  back from his latest expedition to Northern India. Throw in his trips to Tibet, Bolivia and Africa and his role in the first circumnavigation of South Georgia and voila..Zak is our expedition man! And when he isn't working for us he is sea kayak guiding in either the Arctic or the Antarctic.  Hectic life!

Shannon Mast has made the leap/slip? to instructor and has been teaching for the Snake River Canoe and Kayak School in Wyoming.  He promises to come back on the 14th September.

This season’s “boatslave”, aspiring to become operations manager is Jayne Hanford, yet another Ozzie kayaker crossing the ditch!  

Trying to keep tabs on this motley crew is Janette Kear. Janette lives in Christchurch and takes all our mail and telephone bookings and provides the organization that makes it all happen!  But just to see what all the fuss was about Janette came over to the USA this northern summer and put her life in Shannon and Spannas hands' as they rowed the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho!