Anders Thygesen
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Anders Thygesen is Danish, but has lived in Norway since 1992. He founded Kajakkspesialisten in 1996 and since then has worked on building traditional kayaks, teaching others to build traditional kayaks and giving kayak technique courses. Anders was educated as an outdoors guide at Hagskolen-i-Telemark, and spent 3 years studying as an arts & crafts teacher. He has been involved with the Norwegian Canoe Association since 1998 as a member of Technical Committee for Sea Kayaking. Among other duties he has been responsible for the sea kayak instructor education program in the Norwegian Canoe Association. Anders has helped create numerous great videos, including this one with perhaps the best explanation of why we use the Greenland paddle we’ve heard. It’s really worth a view: The Greenland Style Paddle. Also, don’t miss his A 1000 Hands Ago Video.
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Jannie Heegaard​
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Jannie is danish but lives in Norway with Anders where she also works for Kajakkspesialisten. She is a BCU4 leader, the first women to become a danish sea kayak level 3 coach and is also an open canoe instructor. Recently she started SUP paddling and is currently building her first SOF SUP board. A sea kayak instructor since 2004, and since 2008 she has worked in Denmark, Norway and Italy to create sea kayaking symposia and workshops directed specifically toward women. She build her first SOF Qajaq in 2004 and has also built an iqyax. She loves working with the Greenland paddle or the Aleut paddle and has a great passion for traditional kayaking in general. She loves to roll, to teach rolling and to teach others to teach. She has a unique talent for teaching in creative ways with class titles such as “Fun with the Greenland paddle” and “Kayak Ballet”. She holds a bachelor degree in sports science and outdoor life and holds a major in general education.
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