Video: Mike Galt & Marilu Wilson 1991 Freestyle Routine

Here is a rare video I just stumbled upon: Mike Galt and Marilu Wilson performing their national championship freestyle exhibition routine in 1991 in Huntsville, Texas.

They are paddling one of Galt's Lotus Egrets, which has massive flare but not much rocker, unlike the highly turnable later tandem canoes from Tom Mackenzie's Loon Works (the wood-Ceconite Duet) and the Bell/Placid/Colden Starfire. Mike told me he originally designed the Egret as a "bird watching canoe." Sadly, all of these creative and elegant canoes are no longer in production.

Mike and Marilu are using 15° Lutra bent shaft S-blades. Note, among other tricks, how Marilu will cross-sweep right around the nose of the canoe.

Was always fun watching them. Paddled once with Marilu at Mike’s place and it was a real treat.

Beautifully done. Love that cross-sweep right around the nose of the canoe.

G.

Who said straight keeled boats can't be turned? They are just harder to learn in! Love the zig zag pattern you can get out of momentum without paddle strokes.

I enjoy re-watching this video for the performative tandem excellence and because of nostalgia for my old friend Mike Galt. The way Mike and Marilu can move that almost zero-rocker Lotus Egret makes me wonder how wonderful they could have been in the far-easier-to-spin Loon Works Duets and the Bell/Colden Starfires that later predominated tandem freestyle paddling.

Elaine Mravetz was perhaps the best freestyle bow paddler I've ever seen, but Marilu Wilson certainly had a flair for dramatic gestures and poses. Mike Galt was the strongest and most aesthetically skillful freestyle stern paddler I've seen. That said, the "MacKenzie Reversal" employed by Roy and Peg Ivey was impressive.

Also apparently gone from current freestyle is the use of big-bladed bent shafts, which enhance water purchase for some moves, especially tandem.