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Sea Kayaking

Grand Aspirations: Running It Blind

For most people, kayaking the Grand Canyon is challenge enough. Try running it blind. That’s what adventure Erik Weihenmayer is attempting, freshly back from a 12-day practice run he took part in to assess whether kayaking all 225 miles in another year is a real possibility or just a pipedream. “Now that I’m back and have had some time to reflect, I feel I have a good shot at pulling this off…” he says. Read more.

	Maryland Funds Canoe Slalom World Championships
	The Garrett County, Maryland Board of Commissioners announced the approval of one million dollars in state funding to support the 2014 Canoe Slalom World Championships at the Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI). This news comes as organizers prepare to host the 2013 USA Canoe/Kayak Slalom Team Trials and Deep Creek Open on May 17-19. Read more.

	Growing the Sport of Stand Up Paddling One Demo at a Time
	The folks at Boardworks SUP manufacturer and Chaco sandals are bringing the sport to more than 30 sites across the nation in their Show Up and Blow Up tour this summer. Read more.

	US Freestyle Team Named at NOC; EJ Earns 25th Straight U.S. Team Spot, Dane Qualifies in 4 Events
	Don’t let the scores in the finals of the U.S. Freestyle Team Trials sway your thoughts as to the caliber of today’s top freestyle kayakers. With two inches of rain falling in three hours, on top of a scheduled water release and another surprise Cascade release, the hole was a little flushy by day’s end. Read more.

	Dagger Resurrects 17-Year-Old RPM
	Rerun the Production Mold. That could well be what Dagger’s RPM, at one-time the world’s best-selling kayak, stands for as the company brings back one of its most popular whitewater models, whose mold has been gathering cobwebs for 17 years... Read more.

	Most Endangered Rivers Called Out by American Rivers, Colorado River Tops List
	American Rivers today announced its annual list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers for 2013, naming the Colorado River--which runs through seven states and is canoed, kayaked and rafted by thousands each year--the nation’s most endangered due to outdated management practices. Read more.

	U.S. Freestyle Kayaking Team Trials Set for April 26-28 on the Nantahala River
	Top freestyle kayakers from around the country will converge on the Nantahala River April 26-28 to paddle for a spot on Team USA and to compete again at the World Championships in September. Read more.

	Paddling Life Creek Race To Be Held June 3, 2013, in Steamboat Springs, CO
	Some of the world’s best creek racers are expected to descend on Steamboat Springs, Colo., on Monday, June 3, for the eighth annual Paddling Life Creek Race -- to be held on Class IV-V Fish Creek -- wrapping up a weekend of fun-filled events and races at the 2013 Yampa River Festival... Read more.

	Attn. Boating Photogs: Red Bull Extends Illume Photo Contest Deadline
	Okay, boating photogs…got a great paddling shot you think can win a contest against some of the world’s best? Here’s your chance: Red Bull just extended its deadline for its Illume 2013 Image Quest Photo Contest until the end of April… Read more.

EJ To Be a Grandpa

Just when you thought the genetic lineage for freestyle kayaking couldn’t get any better – with Eric Jackson’s offspring Dane and Emily ripping it up on the world circuit – now it has, with former World Champions Emily and Nick Troutman seven months into making EJ a grandpa (now you young bucks will feel even worse losing to him). A few thoughts from Emily’s boating-and-birthing blog as she readies for the Team Trials at NOC… Read more.

	Rafting Trip of a Lifetime with Mountain Travel Sobek
	Lovers of river running now have a chance to crack beers and swap stories with legendary rafting pioneer John Yost on a worldwide tour of nine of the world’s best rafting rivers, celebrating the 40th anniversary of renowned adventure guides Mountain Travel Sobek. Read more.

	Deschutes Brewery Debuts "River" Brew
	Finally, a beer that all paddlers can feel good about drinking (and one you can;t go wrong with bringing to the take-out). Underlining the importance of brewery’s namesake waterway, Oregon's Deschutes Brewery has unveiled a new "River" beer that's at home in every canoeist's and kayaker's cooler... Read more.

	Paddling Life/Playak Reach Content-sharing Agreement
	Paddling Life (www.paddlnglife.net) and Playak (www.playak.com) have reached an agreement to share content, bringing their collective reach and news from the paddling world to more readers than ever. Read more.

	Confluence Announces 8 Internal Promotions
	Employees are on the rise at Confluence Watersports, which recently announced eight key internal promotions across the organization... Read more.

	2013 KayaXpedition to be Held in Chesapeake, Virginia
	The eastern seaboard’s KayaXpedition festival will be held June 8-9 for its second year in Chesapeake, Virginia, giving people of all ages and skill levels to plenty of paddling—and learning—opportunities all within 750 miles of two-thirds of the U.S. population. Read more.

	7th Time’s a Charm for Morley at Santa Cruz Kayak Surf Festival
	The stars aligned for both organizers and longtime competitor Sean Morley at this year's Santa Cruz Kayak Surf Festival, with Morley pocketing his first-ever, prestigious high-performance win and organizers getting 10- to 15-foot swells and bluebird skies the entire weekend… Read more.

	Obama Designates New National Monuments of Interest to Paddlers
	Paddlers have plenty of reason to celebrate with President Barack Obama recently designating five new national monuments encompassing more than 240,000 acres, including several of keen interest to kayakers and canoeists. Among the new paddling-friendly monuments are… Read more.

Confluence Pens Tribute to Bomber Gear's Rick Franken

As so many of you know by now, Rick Franken, founder and designer of Bomber Gear passed away this past weekend. We wanted to let you know that Rick’s family has confirmed that he died in his sleep due to respiratory failure while at the Alabama Mountain Games. His family is planning a celebration of life that will take place at the Animas River Days in Durango in June. They have also established the Franken Children’s Education Fund—please see how you can contribute at the end of this post. For now, we wanted to take a minute to remember the man that we all loved and valued. Click here for more... Read more.

	Colo. Rafting Numbers Down 17 Percent in 2012
	Two dry winters have lead to dropping water levels throughout Colorado watersheds, impacting the number of rafters who visit the state each summer and affecting the outfitters who rely on the state’s rivers to make a living. Read more.

	Duffek, Anyone? Whitewater Hall of Fame Announces 2013 Inductees
	The International Whitewater Hall of Fame recently announced its 2013 class of honorees, bestowing kudos on everyone from explorers to boat builders and even a Czech slalom racer who defected to the U.S. and brought along a popular paddling stroke with him.... Read more.

	65 Dams Removed To Restore Rivers In 2012
	Frankly my dear, I don’t want a damn…And last year, communities in 19 states shared that sentiment. Non-profit orgs and state and federal agencies worked in partnership to bring down 65 dams in 2012, restoring 400 river miles for paddlers and other river lovers to enjoy. Read more.

	Paddling World Saddened by Death of Bomber Gear Founder Rick Franken
	The paddling community was deeply saddened this weekend when hit by the bombshell of the death of Bomber Gear founder Rick Franken, who reportedly passed away in his sleep this past weekend while camping on a kayaking trip to Alabama with his son, Kai. Franken reportedly died in his sleep due to respiratory failure... Read more.

	American Rivers Stands Up For Wild and Scenic Protection of Merced River
	A bill introduced by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) would remove long-standing Wild and Scenic River protections from a section of California’s Merced River, inundating almost a mile of one of California’s last, best, free-flowing rivers. The bill would also mark the first time a Wild and Scenic River is essentially de-designated. Read more.

	Mountain Folk to Tackle the Mississippi
	Don’t be surprised if you see a little mayhem on the Mississippi this spring. On May 5, 2013, The Mountain Folk Adventure Series officially begins with the launch of the Mississippi River Run, a free-for-all journey down the entire 2,350 miles of the Mississippi River—starting at Lake Itasca, Minnesota and ending in New Orleans… Read more.

	Russia’s Wild Amur River to be Documented by River Runners
	This summer four female whitewater paddlers look to understand, document and enjoy the world’s third-longest free flowing river with their wide reaching Nobody’s River Project. Read more.

	Congo/Nomad Win Best Documentary at NPFF; Congo Also Takes Best of Show Honors
	Like two kayakers dropping onto the same wave, it was tie at this year’s 30th annual 2013 National Paddling Film Festival in Frankfort, Ky., for Best Professional Documentary between Steve Fisher’s hair-raising Congo: The Grand Inga Project and The Nomad by Anson Fogel and Skip Armstrong. Congo also was awarded Best of Show… Read more.

	Leisure Trends: Paddlesport Sales Surge 14% in 2012
	Okay, okay. We know you’d rather read about boating than business. But all that good weather we had in 2012? While it might have wreaked havoc on ski resorts, the balmy conditions proved a boon for boating business. Read on to see to how the year fared according to Leisure Trends Group… Read more.

	Oklahoma City to Get New Whitewater Park
	The City of Oklahoma City recently awarded S2o Design and Engineering the contract to design a new whitewater park, part of ongoing economic development that has revitalized the city’s seven-mile long downtown riverfront known as the Boathouse District, which already boasts flatwater offerings and other outdoor recreation. Read more.

	Jon Turk to Speak at Canoecopia March 8-10
	Paddling legend and author Jon Turk will be speaking at Canoecopia 2013 to profile what it was like to be part of the first team to circumnavigate Ellesmere Island in Canada’s high Arctic by kayak. Read more.

	Wenonah's Mike Cichanowski Gets LaBrant Award from USCA
	One of the canoeing world's biggest proponents -- both by building watercraft and going the extra mile to encourage people to use them -- was honored recently with one of the most pretigious awards in paddling. Mike Cichanowski, owner and founder of Wenonah Canoe, Inc. recently received "The LaBrant Award" from the United States Canoe Association... Read more.

	Slalom and Women's Canoe Added to 2015 Pan American Games
	The Pan American Sport Organization (PASO) announced women's canoe events will be added to the sprint and slalom program as Olympic track sports, and women's whitewater slalom will make its Pan American Games debut in Toronto in 2015. Read more.

	Vail Summer Mountain Games Gains New Title Sponsor
	After this winter's pullout by Teva of the Vail, Colo.-based Mountain Games, which began more than 11 years ago as the Jeep Whitewater Festival, event organizers and GoPro have agreed to a long-term partnership, placing the company as the title sponsor for what has become one of the world’s premier celebrations of mountain sport, lifestyle and music. Read more.

	REI CEO Sally Jewell Nominated for Secretary of Interior Post
	There’s soon to be a river and mountain lover in the White House. In a move that can only be good for the protection of our wild lands, REI Chief Executive Officer Sally Jewell has been nominated by President Obama to become the next Secretary of the Interior. Read more.

Extreme Kayaker Tyler Bradt Sets Sail for Five Year Expedition

Sailboats may not be your typical shuttle vehicle, nor the fastest way to get to international put-ins, but in this case the journey is more important than the destination, as world-record holding extreme kayaker Tyler Bradt leads a rotating band of adventurers, artists and athletes around the world for the next five years. In March, the sailboat Wizard’s Eye will slip quietly out of the Bay of La Paz, Mexico, and begin a multi-year journey across the planet. Read more.

Brazil, Indonesia Next Up to Host World Rafting Champs

It’s a good time to be a member of a world rafting team – at least if part of the reason you’re competing is to travel the world. After venturing to Costa Rica’s Pacuare River in 2011 and in hitting New Zealand’s North Island this coming fall, the World Rafting Championships are continuing their grand world tour by heading to Brazil in 2014 – home to the next Summer Olympics -- and Indonesia the year after. Read more.

	New Zealand Nabs Its First Whitewater Park
	Founded in 2003 by Scott Shipley, S2o Design and Engineering recently completed New Zealand’s first in-stream whitewater park, the Camphill Surf Park, near Wanaka on the South Island, and it is earning rave reviews by boaters of all abilities. Read more.

Remembering Canoe Pioneer Ralph Frese

The canoeing world lost a true pioneer with the passing of Chicago’s Ralph Frese on Dec. 12, 2012, at age 86 from cancer complications. From his Chicagoland Canoe Base shop on the Northwest Side, Frese, a fourth-generation blacksmith by trade, introduced thousands of people to paddling by founding events, building replica canoes and more. His contributions were such that he received the Legends of Paddling award from the American Canoe Association. Read more.

	West Hansen Ends Amazon Express Expedition with Record Speed Descent
	After 114 days, 4200+ miles, 12 paddlers and two countries, and a cast of support people marathon paddler West Hansen recently completed his National Geographic-sponsored source to sea expedition down the Amazon River in record time... Read more.

	Nova Craft Canoes Offers New Whitewater Boats and Announces the Annual Frankie Hubbard Award
	Nova Craft is bringing back the classic Ocoee OC-1 design in honor of whitewater paddler, competitor and boat designer Frankie Hubbard, who passed away in 2003. As a thank you to the family, the company will give a boat away to a young paddler every year, in his name. Read more.

Rivers Lose Long-lasting Friend with Sec. of Interior Salazar Resignation

With Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announcing his resignation recently, effective at the end of March, more than one river conservation organization will be mourning his loss. “Secretary Salazar has been a true champion for protecting and restoring rivers and his leadership will be missed by everyone who cares about healthy, free-flowing rivers,” says Bob Irvin, President of American Rivers. Read more.

	Julian Monroe Fisher Enters Phase II of Five-Year African Folbot Expedition
	Don’t be surprised if Julian Monroe Fisher starts saying, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” Fisher is one-fifth of the way through his five-year Great African Expedition, exploring Africa’s interior using Folbot Greenland II expedition kayaks... Read more.

	Kokatat Presents 2013 American Made Outdoor Gear Awards Winners
	Jackson Kayaks and Bending Branches paddles were among paddlesports manufacturers praised in Kokatat's first annual American Made Outdoor Gear Awards. Aluminum bottle manufacturer Liberty Bottleworks took the overall prize. Read more.

	Avon Rafts Sold in Zodiac Deal
	Long-time rafting supplier Avon was sold as part of a package that included the entire Zodiac line. OpenGate Capital, LLC has acquired Zodiac Recreational from Zodiac Marine & Pool, a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group. It is unknown how the acquisition will affect production or distribution for Avon customers. Read more.

	Vote Now for Nat’l Geo’s Adventurer of the Year; Steve Fisher in the Running
	Okay, all you paddlers. Here’s your chance to put one of your peers on the podium. National Geographic just released its candidates for its Adventurer of the Year, with kayaker Steve Fisher making the cut for its People’s Choice category for last year’s run of the Congo’s Inga rapids, as documented in his film The Grand Inga Project. So get off your duffs and vote… Read more.

	Johnson Watercraft Rounds Out Leadership Team with Hiring of Industry Vet David Hadden
	Johnson Outdoors Watercraft Inc., home to Necky Kayaks, Ocean Kayak, Old Town Canoes & Kayaks and Carlisle paddles, introduces industry veteran David Hadden as its new Brand Director - Watercraft. Read more.

Creek Co. Debuts New Voyager 2 Fishing Pontoon

While fish kayaks have gotten all the attention in the paddling/angling combo world, a company out of Colorado is making a name by letting you fish tandem out of an inflatable. PL tested out Creek Company’s new Voyager 2 -- a miniature, frameless pontoon-style raft -- on a fall outing on northwest Colorado’s Elk River and gives it a solid thumbs-up when it comes to casting and river running... Read more.

	Colbys Purchase MTI Adventurewear
	After managing MTI Adventurewear for the Takashina family for nearly a decade, paddlesport industry veterans Lili and Gordon Colby purchased the company from them in February... Read more.

	Zimmerman Leaves Legacy
	Legacy Paddlesports LLC announced today that Andy Zimmerman has decided to leave the company to pursue other interests.... Read more.

	Wave Sport Designer Robert Peerson Joins Pyranha
	Whitewater kayak manufacturer Pyranha has announced that former wave Sport kayak designer Robert Peerson will be joining their design team. Read more.

	Current Designs Gets New Look
	Current Designs s getting more current. At least, that'sthe premise behind a new brand identity, logo and boat graphics... Read more.

	Kokatat Gets New Sales Manager
	Kokatat, the 39-year-old independent watersports apparel and accessories company, is proud to welcome Jeff Turner to the Arcata, Cali. Headquarters, as the new Sales and Marketing Manager, effective immediately. Read more.