V7 Academy

The evolution of the practice of canyoning and technical skills must be accompanied by technological availability in the digital age. The era of online learning is here to stay, and it is necessary to keep up with these new times.

V7 Academy's proposal is to offer an online support resource for canyoning training and learning, intensive (in video) and updated for the community. They offer clear, comprehensive and contemporary online programs to support personal practice as well as professional training programs and online teaching.

PROFESSIONAL CANYONING INSTRUCTORS

The V7 team is a group of experienced and professional canyoneering instructors from around the world, all with the same vision for the activity: to make canyoning technical knowledge accessible to anyone, anytime, with a focus on safety. and personal conscience.

Andrew Humphreys (United States)

Andrew is a professional canyoneer from Colorado, USA. He is a co-founder of V7 Academy and owner of Canyoning Colorado. An IRATA professional, he leads the technical development of the V7 Academy curriculum, bringing his expertise from various disciplines.

Panos Papakostas (Greece)

Panos first came into contact with canyoneering in 2001 and immediately fell in love with the sport that combined his love of nature with action and fun. He soon began working part time as an assistant canyoning guide and after finishing his university studies and working for a few years in finance he decided that the call of the canyons was too hard to resist.

In 2010 he co-founded Baseline Canyoning (today the largest canyoning company in Greece) which he ran for 7 years. During this time he spent the winters teaching skiing in Greece and guiding and canyoning in New Zealand. In 2017 he moved to Switzerland where he enjoys canyoning in summer and snowy winters.

The international dimension of canyoning has been important to Panos from the beginning. He did his first training at the Italian National Canyoning School and in 2013 he joined ICOPro, where he became a Trainer, in order to help develop the standards of the activity around the world. He is also a certified canyoneering guide by the Swiss Outdoor Association.

George Yates (UK)

George started canyoneering in the UK when the sport began to gain momentum in 2006. He loved the mix of technical rope work combined with overcoming whitewater problems and watching the techniques develop. George took his new skills to Italy and helped develop canyoning as a new product for a UK based activity centre. He later worked in Australia and spent time exploring some of the canyons of the Blue Mountains. In 2010 he settled in Scotland running a large outdoor adventure centre, and became a professional canyoneering coach providing training, opening canyons and traveling to canyoning destinations around the world.

In 2016 George opened "The Canyoning Company" with co-founder Ben Case. From this point his entire professional career was focused on canyoning, conducting daily guided tours, international travel and providing training for recreational and professional canyoners. He now teaches training throughout the UK and works as a technical adviser for canyoneering.

Ben Case (UK)

Ben is a professional canyoneer from Scotland, UK. He is a co-founder of V7 Academy and co-owner of The Canyoning Company. Ben is responsible for accounts and marketing communication for V7.

Gus Schiavon (Brazil)

Gus is a professional shooter and photographer based in Bali, Indonesia. He is co-founder of V7 Academy and editor of "Re:belay". Gus has 10 years of experience working with canyoneering as a professional trainer, instructor and photographer. He is responsible for V7 Academy's web development and brand communication.

Gus discovered canyoneering in 2011 after the opportunity to work as a canyoneering photographer while living in New Zealand. Since then, he has developed a canyoning photography training course and has actively worked to increase the visibility of canyoneering and help support the growth of the activity through his imagery. A published author for multiple outdoor magazines around the world, he has also participated in numerous high-profile descents, including the 8-day Malishan Canyon descent in Taiwan.

In this presentation, the V7 team will showcase the platform and present The Mountaineer's case study on how using V7 Academy's resources helped strengthen the US Pacific Northwest canyoning community.