Women of Whitewater

It’s undeniable that California is home to some of the finest whitewater in the world. Kayakers flock from around the globe to catch the runoff and the Golden State breeds some of the biggest names in the sport. With options spanning from the northwest corner of the state to the crystal creeks of the Sierra and even the fickle Central Coast rivers, how do boaters pick their favorites, find inspiration, and decide when to pack up and head overseas for something different?






Meet three California women who have traveled the world and all came back saying, “There’s no place like home!” Pro kayakers Laura Farrell, Katie Scott and sponsored kayaker Diane Gaydos gave ASJ the full scoop on some of their most challenging and rewarding kayaking experiences to date.






   All three have resumes stuffed with enough gnarly Class V runs to make even the most grizzled whitewater veteran stand up and take notice.

DIANE GAYDOS
LAURA FARRELL
AND
KATIE SCOTT
on   http://adventuresportsjournal.com/water_sports/kayaking/women-of-whitewater

Whitewater rafting returns to Upper Blue River after two down years

 

For the U.S. Raft Team it’s a place to practice. For KODI Rafting of Frisco it’s a trip close to home. And for Ten Mile Creek Kayaks store owner Matti Wade it’s a place to get a paddle session in before or after work.

But for the last two years running the Upper Blue River hasn’t been an option due to low water levels being released from Dillon Reservoir. This year, because of the high snowpack, the river is back in a big way. Currently flowing at 1,300 cubic feet per second (cfs), the river has been high enough to paddle on since early March.

“We just don’t see it run this long ever,” Wade said. “It’s been awesome. It’s given all the locals something to do right after the ski season.”

Wade said he’s seen a spike in his business that he credited to a strong start to rafting and paddling season.

Christian “Campy” Campton, of KODI Rafting, said he likes having a paddling option close to home.

“It’s kind of like the home-run hitter,” he said. “It’s just a great Class III in our back yard.”

Campton’s company offers three trips a day on the Upper Blue stretch with about an hour of on-water time — two hours round trip.

“It’s a great river if you have a short period of time in the county,” he said. You can take a trip in the morning and still have time to bike or even ski in the afternoon.

It might sound like a bit of a misnomer naming the stretch of the Blue north of Silverthorne and below Lake Dillon “Upper,” but it’s one of two popular stretches to paddle; the other — the Lower Blue — runs through a canyon below Green Mountain Reservoir.

Commercial trips run from a put-in across from the rock quarry on Highway 9, past the Blue River Campground to a take-out at Columbine Landing. Private boaters or kayakers may choose to ...more

Paddling season in full swing at Wausau Whitewater Park

 

WAUSAU — Dozens of paddlers turned out Saturday and more are expected tomorrow to practice their loops, splitwheels, cartwheels and spins during the second of seven recreational release days at Wausau Whitewater Park.
The tricks, commonly performed by freestyle kayakers, didn’t result in any trophies or prizes, but they were no less thrilling to watch than the stunts performed during competitive events.
“This weekend is all about having fun,” said Margie Wenzel, operations coordinator for Wausau Kayak/Canoe Corp., the paddling group that organized the event. “This is an opportunity for people to get their equipment in the water and have fun paddling.”

During a recreational release, the water flows freely and any paddler — at any skill level — can use the course to practice freestyle or slalom skills in a kayak or canoe. Wenzel said paddlers ranged in age from 10 to 70; some had years of experience, while others were trying the course for the first time.
Each release is open to anyone with a kayak or canoe. Life jackets and helmets also are required. Lessons, which must be reserved in advance, will be offered at every release through the end of August for ...more

100 River Miles via Kayak…in One Day

 

Last year, the folks behind Rivers for Change organized the California 100, a 100-mile adventure race down the Sacramento River in California, from Redding to Chico. Several members of our kayaking club (BASK) did the race and had a great time, so this year, I decided to give it a shot, even though it would mean getting up before dawn for a 6 am start and possibly finishing well after dark. I had only kayaked on whitewater twice. This race would be far different, though: I’d be using a full-size sea kayak. Other competitors would be using racing canoes, outriggers, ultra-fast surf skis, stand-up paddle boards, and of course, kayaks.

Training…and Injuries

To prepare for the race, I signed up for a forward stroke clinic with racing-trainer extraordinaire Susan Starbird and started planning gear, GPS waypoints, and food. In mid-March, Nathan and I headed up to Redding to do a race prep clinic—the first six miles of the river, covered twice. At low flow levels of 4,000 CFS (cubic feet/second) due to the ongoing drought, the rapids were easy for us.
In mid-April, I hit a snag in my training. Upon recovering from a cold, I went out for a jog and stumbled off a high curb, spraining my right foot (or so I thought). Four days later, we had our second race prep session in Redding. Our goal was to cover the first 50 miles of the river. Flows were identical to March, so I wasn’t worried about the rapids. I was trying a new hydration system (consisting of an MSR dromedary bag on my back deck) and new clothing. The first five miles did not go well for me; I capsized twice due to the  ...more

Paddlers aplenty for Fox River canoe/kayak race

 

Hundreds of fierce competitors, paddles in hand and game-faces on, arrived at Mount St. Mary Park in St. Charles on Sunday, eager to show what they could do out on the Fox River.

Of course, also on hand were those people looking for a boating experience that was a little less intense.

"We're in the noncompete group," said a smiling Michelle Wilson of Highland Park. "So for us, it's just about the fun of being on the river, and the Fox River is a great setting for this."

Wilson was one of the participants in the 53rd annual Mid-American Canoe and Kayak Race, a signature summer event organized by the Aurora-based Fox Valley Park District,

The race brings paddlers from all over the area together to compete in either 10-mile or 6-mile races on the scenic Fox River. The 10-mile race launched from Mount St. Mary Park, and the 6-mile race launched from a spot near Route 25 in Batavia, at the local VFW Post. All ended at ...more

Former Dartmouth Gridder Finds New Challenges On the Water

 

Hanover — Once a burly offensive lineman, former Dartmouth College right tackle Alex Toth has transitioned smoothly from the trenches to the tides. A 2010 graduate, Toth has lost 95 pounds since his senior season while building a career around another passion he developed while at Dartmouth — white water kayaking.

Sponsored by Tennessee-based Jackson Kayak, Toth is a white water maven both recreationally and competitively.

The Bronxville, N.Y., native placed 25th of 100 in last summer’s King of New York race series, then placed third in this spring’s Wells River Ramble as part of Ledyard Canoe Club’s Riverfest and recently advanced to the final heat in the Ottawa XL Boatercross last month in Ontario.Toth is also one of the leaders in the Winnipesaukee River white water series, winning a recent race on the 2.1-mile, Class III-IV route in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region in a course-record seven minutes, nine seconds.

Toth’s passion for rapids extends well beyond racing. Always scouting for the most righteous routes, he’s traveled to South America on several occasions to hit Class V rivers and launch off waterfalls as high as 70 feet. This spring, he took an 80-foot plunge off Alaska’s De Soto Falls.

“I just love all of the various challenges. Every river is different,” said the 26-year-old Toth, who thanked his parents, Attila and Constance, for helping to support his expeditions. “Every river presents new challenges, so it never gets old. But I also love it because of the people. I’ve seen a lot of different places and different cultures that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise, and just connecting with people who love kayaking (is rewarding).”

Toth owes the discovery of what has become his life’s passion — at least in part — to Big Green football coach Buddy Teevens. Having never paddled a single stroke before coming to Hanover as a freshman in 2006, Toth received encouragement from Teevens to take advantage of the Dartmouth Outing Club’s “first-year trip” for freshmen. He joined classmates and DOC staff for a white water expedition on New Hampshire’s Androscoggin River and soon after joined the college’s Ledyard Canoe Club, to which he remains an active member.

“I was recruited by Teevens and kind of had the ‘big football player’ (mentality) when I got to Hanover,” Toth recalled. “I was just thinking about working out and getting bigger for the season, but coach Teevens is someone who looks out for you as a person as much as a player, and he strongly encouraged me to do the freshman trip.”

Though he wasn’t a natural white water kayaker, it didn’t take long for Toth to be become fond of the people and culture surrounding the sport.

“Boats for guys my size are hard to come by, but Alex Steinberg, a 2009 graduate, took out his bulkhead and basically ripped his custom boat apart so that I could fit in it,” recalled the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Toth. “That was a really selfless gesture by him. But those are the kinds of people you meet kayaking.”

Toth stayed active with Ledyard, joining them for annual spring break outings to North Carolina and other trips. He found a social environment with the group that offered a respite from gridiron rigors at a time when it wasn’t easy to be Big Green football player. The program went just 7-33 during Toth’s 2006-09 stint, including an 0-10 campaign his junior season. He was one of just two recruited offensive lineman in  ...more