2011 Open Canoe Slalom Nationals moved to Salida, Colo

[dangerous.dave]

Hey Cadster, my girlfriend is a righty, and would like to race tandem at the nationals. If you still are looking for someone to race tandem with, look for dangerous dave and Gaby. We'll be around Salida starting Monday night.

[c1w]

We're here! The Ark is cold, high and fast and I hope Kent Ford gives us a little space to blow down between gates.

If anyone wants to paddle tues, wed or thurs give me a call.

Cell #: (three one four) three six three - five five seven one

[Smurfwarrior]

I'm here, where is everyone hiding from the rain tonight?

[Smurfwarrior]

What a great event with an excellent bunch of volunteers! This is def on my "to do" list along with ALF from now on. Lots of fun and challenging paddling with the very high water and somehow I managed 2nd place in the citizens class. Guess a blind squirrel can find a nut every once in awhile

[c1w]

All I can say is ... WOW! I won the Spark?!?! Thank you *so much* to Esquif for the donation and the race organizers for the opportunity. I promise that it will be very, very well used. Thank you!!!

The first two days of racing have been a blast. I've never paddled with so many women in canoes! Congrats to Carolyn, Anne, Gaby and all the other women who are taking home well-deserved medals.

~ Laura from Missouri

PS) and thanks to the cboats forum for your sponsorship as well!

[c1w]

for those of you who did not make it, the level of the Arkansas today was apparently a record for this day in history ... 3700+ cfs. previous july 9th record set sometime in the 1960s according to the announcer. Makes for a rip-roaring fun slalom course!

[kslund]

OC Nats was a blast!

I'll echo Thanks to all the volunteers and organizers, and pulling off the last minute venue change. Y'all did a great job!

It was great meeting the boaters from all over - lots of friendly, talented boaters from all over the continent and Japan too.

The high and fast water made for some interesting ferrys and eddy turns. Lots of boils to deal with Needed to stay on your toes, as swims and boat recoveries could go a long ways. Luckily there weren't too many of those and everybody chipped in on safety.

Thanks again Smurf for letting me try out your Ledge, and going so far as to remove your outfitting so I would fit!

I'll definitely attend OC Nats again. Next time I'm bringing a faster boat. Of course I was hoping for a free Spark Congrats Laura, you will definitely make better use of it, you rocked that course!

I took some pics of the downriver race - I'll try and get those posted up in the next couple days.

[Craig Smerda]

any results available yet?

I know... it's only Monday but...

[kslund]

Salida paper has an article with some results in it:

http://www.themountainmail.com/main.asp ... leID=22933

[Craig Smerda]

thanks!!!

WTG Dewey

[Stingray]

TY
nice article
wish i could've been there
looks like i'm not the only one who couldn't make it

I'll be there next

[kerrye]

Got quite a few hundred pictures of the Nationals here. You probably have to be registered with Facebook to see them but you shouldn't have to be my friend.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... .507714128

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id ... .507714128

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id ... .507714128

There are three different albums since all the shots wouldn't fit in one.

[k1c1w]

Way to go, Laura! Besides the Spark, it also looks like you did well on the course! Does Ron get to paddle your old boat now?

It was great meeting you both.

Marty

[cadster]

Great talking to old friends and meeting new folks. Thanks to my three OC2 partners, all people I hadn’t met before.

There were 51 competitors. It’d been ten years since I’d gone to Nationals, but the number of women paddlers in Salida impressed me. Wisconsin looked to have the most boaters from any state.