A LAME North American Freestyle Championship Series

[JoeS]

If you are a c1er and are planning to attend the NAFC in Watertown next weekend or the Ottaw Rodeo the week after you may want to hold off. According to a recent e-mail I received from Eric Jackson there will be no prize money for the c-1 class as there was last year. No reason was given.

Joe

[Mike W.]

Are you telling us that rodeo normally pays prize money Actual cash money? Cool beans man. To heck with this racing mess where you get a t-shirt & a medal (although I do have to hand it to the USCA, the shirts we got at Aluminum Nationals last year were neat).

In rodeo you only compete for a short time, right? Then you can roll to cool off, right? Now I just have to learn rodeo. Anybody got a rope? Can I get a helmet that looks like Toby Keith's hat, but is functional? Hey Seth, got any tips for an old fat guy?

Wouldn't it be neat it they named rodeo boats after rodeo bulls

I lost my stern paddler for a few months anyway so I can't do the 40 miler on the Lumber. Is there a rodeo anywhere on Oct. 1?

*this post should be taken very lightly as that is how it's intended. I do hope you guys get your prize $$

[NZMatt]

Hmmm...I bet the real issue, which Joe didn't openly state was that all the K1 classes still get prize money. Can you confirm this Joe? Any K1 classes also miss out on prize money?

I'm no rodeo paddler but I think equality is kinda important in a sport. Rather than holding off competing, how about going anyway and kicking some K1 butt, then make a stand indicating that you won't come back if this isn't sorted out.

NZMatt

[Mike W.]

NZMatt makes a good point.

I have another idea...just enter the K-1 class w/ your C-1. Then kick their butt & take THEIR prize $$$

[Alden]

Joe,

Don't worry, I'll chat EJ up right underneath the Streamers and you can be waiting up above and I'll give you the signal (an unexpected offside flip) and you can drop down off the Streamer and pay EJ a little visit.

actually, I believe what EJ said one night to his wife (who was alternately wondering if she could start getting by being known as "KJ" instead of Kristine Jackson) was, "Honey, I have often tried to tell that Stumpedfel boy that I would give him the prize money if he would just start posting more often on the dang c-forum! I mean, what's the frickin deal here? He's always on Monocacy. Oh and by the way, honey, how would you feel about living in a kayak instead of an RV next year?"

no im just teasing, all the best with the good fight joe
Alden

[Craig Smerda]

Joe is right... isn't the first time won't be the last. I will disagree on one point though.... If Cboaters don't show up and if our numbers keep getting less and less... they will eliminate our classes at the National and International levels... they've tried it before and they could try it again. It's a hard nugget to swallow but the kayakers have the events and they let us play too. Until we show up with more competitors and have a stronger presence at events... this is the situation. On a side note if Joe was able to compete in the kayak class last year with his C1 his finals ride would have "almost" been high enough to knock at least one longstanding USTeam member out.... the 2005 World Champion Eric Jackson. Kind of ironic isn't it.

Craig

[kneeler]

The Route 3 wave competition isn't about money.

It's about showcasing the latest aerial freestyle moves on a world-class feature. It's about letting spectators become awe-struck at the impressive aerial moves on the intimidating whitewater feature.

No, wait, on second thought, it is about the money. Sorry the money isn't going into your pocket.

But on the bright side, you can look forward to the remaining effects of a 3 million gallon manure release just over a week ago and the effects of the resulting fish kill.

[JoeS]

I was just looking for some equality and it looks like we are going to get it, atleast for now. Today I received a pleasant e-mail from both event organizers apologizing and extending a friendly welcome to all c1ers interested in competing. They have stepped up to the plate and agreed to the same format and prizes at both events. In order to have a legit class though, we will need to have a MINIMUM of atleast five paddlers.... so please come join Seth and I up at the legendary (hehe) Route 3 Wave in Watertown, NY this Friday/Saturday/Sunday.... hopefully, by that time, the manure will have had plenty of time to move downstream. I would like to thank Sharky McGuire of the Ottawa Kayak School and Tommy Gunn for their awesome support and continued hard work in organizing this years events.

Joe

[JoeS]

[quote="Alden"]Joe,

Don't worry, I'll chat EJ up right underneath the Streamers and you can be waiting up above and I'll give you the signal (an unexpected offside flip) and you can drop down off the Streamer and pay EJ a little visit.


That's horrible Alden!!!

Joe

[Alden]

Joe, I know it. But then again you wouldn't feel so bad if you hadn't paid for it to happen . . .

On a separate note, those rodeo organizers should not only be thanked, but generally applauded for their freakin cool names (Sharky? Tommy Gunn?) Just tell Mr. Gunn that I loved that time when he fought Rocky out in the street . . . pupil vs student . . . in a street fight . . . it's like Chappelle vs Stumpfel . . . or Graybill vs Horseshoe . . . Doesn't get any finer!

Alden

"Bullies are like balloons - you pop them and they go away."
- Tommy Gunn, Rocky V

[Craig Smerda]

Joe,

Thats so great of you and Seth to offer to share your prize money with three other competitors. I did the math and from home I'll still spend about $450 in gas alone..... ... SO for the sake of the sport any of you in the NE should at least go to fill the class and at the very least pick up some tips and tricks from Joe and Seth. Maybe as a contingency they could put on a little skills clinic for you all at Hole Bros. right Joe & Seth??????

Have fun and hope they get RT3 dialed in this year... poop or no poop. Tommy and his people are super nice folks and they are to be commended for their hard work and desire to put Watertown on the paddling map. As someone who has run events there is a lot that goes into it that paddlers don't always see.

Craig

[RodeoClown]

I'll be there, and I've already got the c-1 in the truck. Now we just need 2 more people to compete...I've been doing some work on my outfitting, so hopefully I'll be able to do more than just flatspin, and will be able to continue my streak of 3rd place finishes in C-1...

Jeremy

[kaz]

Wait a second here. You mean to tell me that rodeo people won't go to a rodeo unless there's prize money available? Seems like a poor reason to go to a race. Just my opinion. Please don't hurt me.
JKaz

[kneeler]

I can be persuaded to go.

Let me know if there's any trouble making the minimum participants

[RodeoClown]

I think that Joe's main issue is that out of the $5000 cash purse, none of it was going to go to the c-1 class, thus more for the kayakers. There are some behind the scenes politics, or at least the appearance of some politics, that I won't go into here. But it seems to have been resolved, as long as we can find at least two other people to compete, and the organizers will let me compete in both kayak and c-1 without having to drop another $75 entry fee.

Jeremy
C-1 Freestyle Poser