Whitewater Center Relay Race 4/20/07

On April 20, 2007 Jackson Kayak sponsored a relay race at the US National Whitewater Center. Wesley Bradley is an Ambassador for Jackson Kayak and had demonstrated the new Rocker on the Nolichucky on Sunday 4/14 and I truly enjoyed paddling it. Then he leant me the boat to paddle and lend out at the US National Whitewater Center on Sun 4/15, Wed 4/18, and Fri 4/20. I had about 20 people taking laps in it and everyone was impressed. Wesley had organized a team to paddle in the relay race of himself, me, and Andrew Bentley. Then he found he was needed to organize and run the race so we recruited Clinton who was a racer. The teams of 3 raced in heats with 2 other teams. Two teammembers were stationed with their respective counterparts from the other teams in two squirrly eddies downriver awaiting the carribeaner with the float to be paddled to them. Then the paddler who passed the beaner continued on down blocking for their teammates meaning that from trashcan drop through the M-Wave to the bottom pool there were nine boats battling & bumping & trying to get to the finish boat which was ancored in a wave next to a hole making the carribeaner hard to clip to the boat, especially with all the boaters coming through at the same time!!! Andrew and I were somewhat glad that our team didn't win our heat to go to the next round and the eventual finals which was won by the slolahm racers ( 2 guys & a girl). Then we watched videos of the Jackson Kayak team making first descents of rivers in Mexico, Costa Rica, and India. Wesley, Juli, Andrew, and Dan spent the night in Spartanburg at our house. Susan had strawberry shortcake ready when we got home after midnight. Then she cooked breakfast before Dan & I headed to Hot Springs to paddle Secion IX of the French Broad with Jay Cross and the others went back to the Whitewater Center for more paddling and boat demonstrations. What a great day!

The ones who handed off the relay float were allowed to continue on and block for their team!

---