Duo attempts Northwest Passage record in Kokatat gear
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ARCATA, CALIFORNIA, July 18, 2013 — On July 18th, two Canadian firefighters, Sebastien Lapierre and Olivier Giasson, will depart from Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories for Igloolik, Nunavut in an attempt to be the first team to kayak the Northwest Passage in a single season.
Over the course of the RÊVE DE GLACE expedition, translated as “Dreams of Ice”, Giasson and Lapierre will need to cover approximately 3500km in less than 80 days in order to reach their destination before the sea freezes. They will travel approximately 45km per day in their tandem kayak, stopping at various Inuit villages to resupply their stocks of food and supplies.
The duo expects to encounter strong winds, raging seas, unpleasant weather, and potentially dangerous polar bears. Kokatat gear, including GORE-TEX® dry suits, PFD’s and accessories, will help protect them from the weather, but not necessarily from the polar bears.
Arctic expeditions are not new for the two men; In 2010 they spent a month un assisted on the Greenland Icecap.
As firefighters the team has witnessed the savagery of fire and has decided to raise funds for the Quebec Firefighters Foundation for burn victims. Donations can be made by sponsoring the trip by the km at a flat rate at the trips website www.revedeglace.ca/commanditaires.html.
For more information on the paddlers and their expedition visit www.revedeglace.ca.
About Kokatat Inc.
Kokatat has been manufacturing paddling gear in Arcata, California for more than 40 years. At a time when many technical apparel brands were moving manufacturing offshore, Kokatat continued to invest in infrastructure in the United States. Kokatat founder Steve O’Meara was committed to the development of the finest and driest paddling apparel in the world and recognized the need to control and continually evolve the development of our dry wear. In the early days, Kokatat worked closely with W.L. Gore & Associates, makers of GORE-TEX®, to refine the sewing and sealing techniques required for full immersion suits and tops. Today, our hands-on approach to manufacturing continues to set the standard in paddling apparel. Into the water with Kokatat! Please Facebook and Twitter @kokatat.
