The Groundswell Project

The Green River Race - One of a Kind!

Five Time Winner - Green Race Champion Tommy Hilleke
photo by Ian Curcio

The Green River Narrows is called ‘The Fast-food of creek boating’ and for good reason. There is no river in the world that has such easy access to class five rapids, consistent 3-4 season flows, and consistent dam-released water levels. It’s also the home of the most extreme downriver kayak race in the nation – a 4-6 minute descent dropping over 342 feet in about a mile of length.

This year was the 10th anniversary of the event, but felt just like any other – 72 testosterone and Red-bull jacked men and 3 women in boats from 8-12 lengths bombing down, spinning out, and occasionally swimming parts of the bedrock but boulder-choked course as a crowd of 350+ spectators cheered, jeered, and tried to keep from slipping in from the steep bedrock rock banks. The crowd favorite – 4 time race winner and LVM super-star Tommy Hilleke – was back in town with his trusty blue Prijon Tornado to defend his crown while his primary competition – boy wonder Pat Keller – was out due to a recent 80 foot Costa Rican waterfall misadventure. his left the door wide open for the rest of the Asheville / Tornado crowd to grab a place in history should the champ spin-out. Accordingly, the river was jam-packed with Tornado’s doing lap after lap on the course the week before the race. Race boasted 75 degree temps with fall colors peaking throughout the gorge.

The race had its moments, as it always does. Several racers surfed, some went swimming and some hiked back up for a second run. Tommy Hilleke went home with his 5th Green Race trophy and the course record (a 4:32!). The local Tornado crowd dominated the top 10 placings, while I ended up surfing just long enough to let Eric Jackson take 11th and the short-boat title. The post-race party went off thanks to Astral and Liquid Logic’s BBQ but everybody knows it’s just the ‘cool-down’ after one smoking hot race. That feeling you get on course – while the clock is ticking down and you’re rolling through your lines and your 200 friends are cheering as you ‘Ride the Lightening’ off Gorilla . . . that’s best moment in the world. It’s also what the annual Green Race is all about.

Clay Wright

Here’s the Top 15!

1. Tommy Hilleke
2. Chris Grattmans
3. John Grace / Toby McDermont
4. Jason Hale
5. Chris Harjes
6. Adam Herzog
7. Joe Barkley
8. Caleb Coaplen
9. Daniel DeLaVergne
10. Bo Wallace
11. Eric Jackson
12. Clay Wright
13. Jeb Hall
14. Heath Miller
15. Chris Young

Racers of the 10th Annual Green River Race
photo by Christie Dobson

Racers "Ride the Lightening" off Gorilla, while spectators get a front row view of the Class V rapid.
photo by Ian Curcio

350+ spectators hike the 2 miles to the rapids...the trail is famous for it's steepness.
photo by Ian Curcio

What happens when a river doesn't run for 75 years?

American Whitewater secured recreational releases for the Cheoah River in North Carolina. For the first time in 75 years paddlers paddled the river - oh what a day it was.

Click here to see LVM's video of the Cheoah Release.

Thanks American Whitewater!

The U.S. Freestyle National Championships 2005

Clay Wright, the 2005 National Champ accepting his award - photo by Karen Kowalski

The term 'Deep South' would definitely apply to Wetumpka, Alabama; this year's home to the US Freestyle Nationals on the Coosa River. While this remote locale kept some of the West Coast boaters away, it also made for a unique and totally memorable event.

The Coosa river runs as a recreational dam release (negotiated with help of the organizer and Southern Trails Outfitters owner, Lonnie Carden). On the specified days 4-8000 cfs of warm, brackish water entertains kayakers, fishermen in bass boats, as well as rental canoers all enjoying the back-woods feel while hoping to see the elusive resident alligator. Combine 90 degree water with class 2 and 3 rapids and you get a pretty good place to play. And the locals do like to play. Be it Southern Comfort bottles passed around on the rocks at noon, 4-shot margaritas served as 'medium' at the local Mexican restaurant, or the massive quantities of beer provided at every site in the campground it's pretty clear these Southern Boys weren't going down without a ruckus. To the music of Hood River's Moe Dixon the boathouse was hopping till midnight despite long days on the water. Perhaps it was the bonfire's smoke, or maybe the moonshine, but Alabama makes even the recent West Virginia partys seem tame. We had 4 cars sunk deep in the red clay near the event site and another that tried in vain to 'jump' the 5' tall bonfire while it blazed amidst sleeping campers. Yee haw!

Despite our event-site access road becoming a mud-pit due to construction and recent rains causing hectic last minute shuttle arrangements, Kristine Jackson kept the event running smoothly and we were able to get through the heats with enough time to spare not only for a 'freestyle through a rapid' but also for contestants and volunteers alike to get back in a enjoy the surfing those warm waters without the pressure of competition of any sort. The results were:

Women's Pro: 1. Karen Roy (MA) 2. Tanya Shuman (WV) and 3. Devon Barker (ID)
Men's Pro: 1. Clay Wright (Rock Island ,TN) 2. Eric Jackson (Rock Island, TN) 3. Bryan Kirk (WV)
C-1: Jonathan Souter (MD) 2. (tie) Gary Mullins (CO) and Jeremy Laucks (PA)
Emily Jackson (15) took 1st in Jr. Women and Dane Jackson (12) took 2nd in Jr. Men to Billy Baudin.

Women Finalists - photo by Karen Kowalski

Thanks to event organizer Lonnie Carden, Southern Trails, and to Kristine Jackson for making this event a reality.

Expedition Kayaking Group Claims Single Day Descent of the Stikine River

Click Here to check out the video teaser!

Tommy Hilleke(28), John Grace (30), Toby MacDermott (22) and Daniel DeLaVergne (28) completed the first "single day descent" of the Stikine River, known as the "Everest" of rivers for kayaking. See field notes below and an article from Taylor Robertson of his attempt on the Stikine several years ago...it's extreme expedition kayaking at it's best!

Ran shuttle on the 12th.
Rained all night, river already high.

Put on the 13th, 10 people, 6 veterans.
Water got high, was epic, 2 swims at the famous Wasson's Hole
Made it fully intact to camp 1 at Site Zed.

In the AM water was up almost a foot.
3 team members bailed.
7 waited one day- the 14th
The next day they walked out too.

The 16th- 1.25 days later and 15 miles of beautiful canyon wilderness
hiking later we returned to the put in via Willie Williams Ranch (the man
who cut the ingenious trail we used to traverse back upstream of the
canyon (but the trail is supposed to be a secret kind of).

The 17th - water drops back to put in level, or a little lower. Crew hires
"Pacific Western" helicopters to fly to Site Zed and retrieve their boats.

The 18th 4 members rode in on that chopper and paddled out over the next
two days at higher water, several epics ensued, including having to paddle
over a 20 inch lodge pole pine jamed perpendicular to the flow at the
Tanzilla Slot, a pint in the river where the canyon is less than 9 feet
across.

(Meanwhile) on the 19th Eric Boomer and Tristian put in on the river.
These are triple crown boys, and they had already Run the Alsek and
Susitna.

Attempt #2
September 21st 2005- 4 paddlers put on at the Stewart Cassiar highway at
640 am PCT. They exited the Grand Canyon of the Stikine @ 2 pm and took
off at the confluence on the Taltan river at 430 pm PCT. John Grace swam
at the crucial crux at the normal start to day 2. He messed up at the
ferry below site zed and was unable to roll for over 200 yrds, swimming
in to a last chance eddy where his boat miraculously (and I mean that with
all sincerity) floated into. Grace managed to self-rescue and be back on
the river in about 30 minutes. The crux was the “Hole that Ate Chicago” rapid.No good line and a swim meant swimming V drive the biggest run rapid on the river and right at the end.

The Triple Crown repeaters had arrived completing their historic second,
just 30 minutes prior.

Tristian and Eric told stories of proud mad bombing rapids and a made a
push to finish the canyon in two days.

Taylor Robertson's article on his Stikine Experience click here.

Sidenote
We met the moose hunters Taylor refers to in his article. They said they had told the boys "we need your cards cause we are gonna have to call your next of kin if you go in the canyon at this flow. We know Rob (Lesser) and he wouldn't go nowhere near the canyon at this level.'' - which he pointed out would be about up to our shoulders where we were standing: still 40' from the river's edge.

Kayaking's North American Cup Championships

Ruth Gordon - photo by Tanya Shuman

The North American Cup Championships was a two series event. The crowned North American Champion is the person who racked up the most combined points of both competitions. There was a $5000.00 purse for the winners of this event.

The first part of the competition was held on the Route 3 Wave on the Black River in Watertown, NY and the second part was held on the Garberator Wave on the Ottawa River in Ontario, Canada. Both sites are world class and world renowned for white water kayaking and white water rafting.

Both competitions were exciting and thrilling with intense competition from all competitors and classes.

For the women, it was Ruth Gordon who dominated throughout the Championships with such style and finesse!! Ruth continually threw consistent rides with aerial blunts and back stabs. She came in 1st in the Blackwater Challenge in New York and second to her close friend, Cindy Jameson in the Canadian Cup, earning her the title of 2005 North American Champion.

***Little foot note both Hannah Farrar and Emily Jackson are young paddling stars and incredible to watch paddle. In fact, Emily was a silver medalist in the Cup and Hannah was top competitor leading into finals in the Canadian Cup. They both have moved into the Pro Women’s K-1 class and are a powerful force to contend with. It is exciting to see these two excel so fast in the World of kayaking.

Emily Jackson - photo by Tanya Shuman

As for the Juniors…..can you say Generation Next!?! What a strong group of kids!! Joel Kowalski and Todd Baker definitely stepped it up and respectively claimed gold and silver medals in the North American Cup Championships. Joel with the gold medal becomes both the Junior Canadian National Champion and North American Champion. He threw one of the highest rides of the competition even amongst the Pro Men’s K-1 class. His consistent aerial Air Screws were a definite crowd pleaser and high point scorer.

Last and not least, the Pro Men’s K-1…Eric Jackson's winning streak (he won every single event of 2005 till this one) was finally stopped by Andrew Holcombe, who won the Canada Cup and came in second at the Blackwater Challenge to earn the North American Chamionship. Eric Jackson won the Blackwater Challenge but dropped to second in the Championship after losing to veterans Clay Wright and Shane Benedict as well as 'the newcomer from downunder' Anthony Yapp at Garb.

Lotus Design's Ambassador, Clay Wright - photo by Tanya Shuman

Amazing rides from all competitors, truly showcasing the sport of freestyle kayaking. Next year, the World Cup will be held respectively again at these two venues as well as at Rock Island. The competition will be even more fierce with not only the North American paddlers competing but the whole World. Stay tuned for more updates…..next one US Nationals at the Coosa.

Andrew Holcombe going for Gold - photo by Tanya Shuman

Gauley ANIMAL Race

The ANIMAL Upper Gauley Race #13
Gauley River, West Virginia - September 26th, 2005

A downriver race on this legendary section of river. This race is now 13 years old! It starts near the base of Summersville Dam and ends nine miles downstream. Paddlers must negotiate the 'Big Five' on the Upper Gauley and the finish line is at a 12 foot drop called Sweet's Falls. Racers come from all segments of the paddling community- World Champion Rodeo Boaters, U. S. Wildwater Team Members, professional videographers as well as recreational boaters that want to see how fast they can go. It is a "ProAm" race- everyone is welcome. The post-race awards party is an awesome event in itself. At the party, racers enjoy a buffet dinner, live music, and lots of prizes. Remember.... Experts Only - don't swim in the creek!

Click here for more information.
304.658.5016
info@gauleyrace.com

World Class Kayak Academy Paddle-a-Thon

World Class Kayak Academy (WKCA) is gearing up for its 2nd annual Paddle-a-thon on the Saturday of the Gauley River Festival, September 24, 2005. Due to last year’s success and in the spirit of giving & giving back, WCKA invites the paddling community to join in!

Students and faculty will paddle the entire river twice covering 52 miles, and other participants can join the World Class crew for any or all sections of the river run. All participants are asked to solicit pledges or donations for their paddle to help meet our goal of raising $6,000! Also, all participants and spectators have the opportunity to participate in World Class’ fundraising raffle held at the Gauley Festival. The recipient of this year’s Paddle-a-thon funds will be Habitat for Humanity, American Whitewater and the World Class Kayak Academy Scholarship Fund.

Support the Paddle-a-thon through the following Wish List:

- Donations – donate money to a sponsor a specific paddler or to sponsor the Paddle-a-thon in general.
- Product - to give way to Paddle-a-thon participants who raise the most money.
- Food – to provide lunch and snacks for the Paddle-a-thon participants
- Shuttle Vehicles – to provide shuttle for the Paddle-a-thon participants
- Shuttle Drivers – to drive various legs of the shuttle for the Paddle-a-thon

Your contribution will go far! With the help of your donation and participating in the Paddle-a-thon, World Class will help Habitat and AW continue their amazing work and will allow dedicate, motivated students who lack adequate financial resources to attend World Class.

Interested? To paddle with us or to make a donation, contact Erika Peterman at erika@worldclassacademy.com or Aine Franzcyk at aine@worldclassacademy.com or call the WCKA office at 800-538-6716

To learn more about WCKA, Click Here visit our website
To read more about last year’s successful Paddle-a-thon, Click Here