my name is Rob (Kalifornia Kid) and I am hosting the 2004 Open Canoe Slalom National Championships. A lot of people I know are asking questions about it on this site, so I decided to write this post, which is a basic guideline to what I know so far.
The Nats will be held at Upper Savage Rapids on the Klamath River in Northern California. If anyone has an Atlas that lists 'don't blink you'll miss it towns' the closest town is called Happy Camp (10 miles). The event will be held on July 9-11th with warm-up days the 6th through the 8th. Or maybe the 5th through the 8th.
The water will be (probably) between sixty-five and seventy-five degrees. Wetsuits will not be required. The air will (again, probably) be between 90 and 100 degrees. You'll be spending lots of time in the water, trust me on this. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and shade. That aside, the nights are beautiful, the river stays on all night so if anyone wants to do the late-night swim thing feel free. And the mornings are quite cool, so bring polypro or sweats.
We plan to kick off the event with a joint concert/river lightshow on Friday Night while the boaters work through the course under neon. Open to anyone, with any kind of boat. The spectator area is really good for this event, the crowd will be about five feet from the edge of the river, and there will probably be a good turnout. This part of the event is NOT set in stone, and may or may not happen depending on whether or not we can get the equipment to do it. It would be a lot of fun though. Also, there will be a professional photographer on hand to catch you in all your glory each day. As for me, I'd just as soon he pointed the camera somewhere else.
Saturday Night before/after the mandatory meeting we will be having a salmon dinner hosted by the Karuk Tribe, who will barbeque salmon in thier traditional Indian fashion. Lots of fun, and even people who don't like fish will like this. I think the pow-wow style storytelling while the meal is prepared is optional, but again, it is a lot of fun, and you don't have to into history to enjoy it.
There is lots of parking, lots of camping, and several good lodges within a very reasonable drive from the race site. I will fill in anyone who wishes to know with more exact details, just leave me a message attached to this post, I will be checking it often.
The walk back up from the take out to the put-in is level, wheels will work (for those sissies who need wheels, hehehe just kidding) and all in all will be even easier than the trail at Minden...which was pretty slick.
The downriver part of the combined race will be 2-5 miles of very busy class II-III water. The length there will depend on how long we want to make it, lots of access points. It is a very fun section of water.
There are going to be a lot of western boaters out here attending, so it will be a good chance to meet new people and make new friends.
As soon as I have the Forest Service permit in my hands, which should be within the next 48 hours, I plan to send out flyers with more details and pictures of the race site. (I couldn't apply for the permit until Jan 1, and then the FS insisted that the ACA obtain it, so that took some time) Also, a web-site will be going up.
There are a number of other ideas being knocked around, having to do with sponsor booths, sponsor's, having the Lions club or someone similar around to serve REAL food at the site at lunchtime, water/gatorade for racers, BEER at the takeouts, etc, etc, and henceforth. None of that is final yet so I can't say one way or another. I'll let anyone who wants to know about it as soon as I can.
Also, a final note, we are still looking for a course designer. Are you interested Mr. Kaz?
Thanks for reading, please email me any questions, and I hope that lots and lots and lots of people come.
Rob
Kalifornia Kid
