A LAME North American Freestyle Championship Series

JoeS · Post by **JoeS** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 2:14 am

I would never enter a competition only if there is the incentive of a prize. The issue I take offense at is when there is prize money offered at a given event only for butt-boaters when there is a c-1 class offered for paddlers of identical skill level. It seems to me that there are some high-profile kayakers out there who would just as soon see competitive single blade freestylin' disappear and that is not cool. I'm just looking for equality and some mutual admiration between butt boaters and prayer boaters. I'm sure if you went to a race and made 1st only to not be recognized in the same fashion as your k1 counterpart you would be a little ticked off too.

Joe

Alden · Post by **Alden** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 3:10 am

whoa, wait a second here . . . $75 is the entry fee? Man! You best be getting some cash back! For that kind of money each Joe and I could buy Robson - or at least a moped for shuttles.

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Thu Aug 25, 2005 1:22 pm

Last year at Team Trials the Watertown organizers wanted to help out the US Team with thier travel expenses to Australia for the Worlds. It was a "extremely" generous thing they did. The prize money most likely came from those entry fees but thats not important. Joe & I, Seth and Eli ended up walking away with more money each than any of the other classes top finishers because there where only two slots in each class vs. four to five in others. When we left home for this event we had no idea this would happen... it was appreciated and awesome.

I have been to events all over the place. At the '02 Team Trials on the Ocoee we paid $65 to enter and we got squat... not even a t-shirt. At the AUS worlds this year we got T-shirts (mine was a XXL..nice huh?) and some coupons for a tavern after spending more than a few $$ in airfare and more. The locals Gaz, and Jeremy where awesome guys and helped us a ton.. even picked my wife and I up at the airport in Sydney. Open boat nationals is probably the best event(s) I've been to as far as being treated like royalty.. every year gets better. Heck in Wausau for every event you at least get lunches, t-shirts, all the Powerade you can drink and loads of other stuff. At the freestyle event we had this past weekend we even gave away a new Dagger Kayak in the raffle. When folks go to extra lengths to make an event special it's not just about getting the most bang for your buck.. but it helps.

Lastly I can't emphasize enough how important it is for us C-boaters to start showing up at freestyle events. Not that many years ago some unamed US kayakers made a move to get OC out of the worlds. The Euros blocked their efforts and if you saw this years rides... they where awesome. More importantly to you might be the fact that Robson, Esquif, and Pyranha wouldn't bother making these boats if they didn't have a class and they didn't feel that people would buy them. OC and C1 look safe for now but if the numbers dwindle they will try to muscle us once again. Not everyone wants to compete and or potentially suck in front of others but what the hades....? All the OC'ers entered in C1 last year just to give them a bigger class. We knew Joe, Seth or Andrew would be on top but no one cared... and if you ever saw the footage that class had the most fun out there and gave folks a show. We even put 5 boats on that dinky wave before we flushed... (well... I kind of pushed Joe off

) I had a rubber chicken I was flailing around on my finals ride because I knew I didn't stand a chance but thought... well may as well have some fun.

Watch the end of this video from Dale Perry to see what I mean http://www.americanwhitewater.org/photos/?photoid=9948

An important fact that we have to face is that the kayak market, and the number of them is 20X bigger than ours... if they are the ones putting on the events and driving the sport we have to play along sometimes.
Craig

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Mon Aug 29, 2005 6:06 pm

Well... how did it go?

RodeoClown · Post by **RodeoClown** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 4:27 am

Well, it was pretty LAME indeed, but not due to the organization/prize money- though I will complain about that a little later on, regarding the ottawa rodeo. It was LAME because there were only 3 c-boaters at each event (Joe had to work the saturday of the ottawa rodeo, and Seth's ride for the Ottawa backed out at the last minute). That means that I was the only person who competed in C-1 at both events, and ended up with the title of 2005 North American Freestyle C-1 Champion... Which is sad, because I'm a KAYAKER. I was really only paddling C-1 to help get the numbers up in the class, so there would be a class for C-1... but I digress and I guess now I'm pecoming a c-boater...

Kudos to Tom "Tommy Gunn" ORiley and organizers at the Blackwater Challenge. The spot might not be all that great, but the event was well run, all sorts of benefits for competitors, and they gave us prize money (not much, but it was something) even though we only had 3 people in the class, and they gave all the C-1 competitors very nice watches- which they only gave to the winners in all the kayak classes. It was almost like they were trying to ENCOURAGE people to paddle c-1...

At the Ottawa rodeo on the other hand, they held the event at Garb at a low level, which meant that it was hard to catch and very flushy- 2 out of the 3 of us never actually caught the wave. Even the pro kayakers were having trouble with it. And inexplicably, they gave all the kayak classes prize money, including the Junior women, who only had 3 competitors in the class (who all got $100), but there was no prize money for the c-1 class. Instead I got a sprayskirt, and to add insult to injury, it's a kayak sprayskirt, not a c-boat skirt....

I've got to agree with Craig that more C-boaters need to show up to freestyle events. If not, C-1 freestyle will cease to be, as it already has at a lot of events. Some unnamed US kayakers are already talking about trying to get rid of C-1 freestyle in international competition, which would be a shame. As a kayaker, I find it kind of ironic about how much c-boaters like the c-boater identity and are proud of being c-boaters, but then don't seem to care that the numbers of c-boaters and specifically c-1 freestyle paddlers are crashing rapidly. It doesn't matter if you're not a great playboater- my ride in finals at the Black was a roundhouse (actually a spin, but they gave me roundhouse) and a clean spin, and as I said above, I never even got on the wave at the Ottawa. There are two more rodeos this season- one at Rock Island, TN Oct 1-2, and the Freestyle Nationals at Coosa, Alabama the following weekend, Oct 7-9th. Can we see if we can get more than 3 boats in the class at these events? Rodeo's not dead.

Jeremy Laucks
2005 North American Freestyle C-1 Champion

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 7:37 pm

As many ridiculouslly awesome c-boaters as there are around the Montreal (close to the NY Black) and Ottawa area's that's a pertty sad

turnout. Has Luke Hopkins really completely sold out to kayaking?.... very dissapointing

When they finally get rid of us don't be surprised or angry. Hope more folks in the SEast show up for the other events. Sadly I don't see Bill McKnight driving around the country in a WaveSport van, or Barry Kennon getting LL to send him on tour. I don't think rodeo is dead.... but maybe c-1 boating will be in some eyes.

I don't know what else to say............

Craig

marshwater · Post by **marshwater** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 7:49 pm

screw it! i'll come compete at rock island. do you have any more info on the c-1 event. i have not competed c-1 before (do i have to have previous wins to enter). how much will it be?

let me know

ronnie

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 7:55 pm

EXCELLENT

How about you Will? Round the boys up! Get Barry, Mando, BMiller and Braswell out of retirement and make a presence. It would freak "them" out if there where 20 people entered in C1. I'll get ahold of Eli and Dooley and others and try to make them give you guys an OC Class to boot. Wish I could come, but it's still a bit out of my zip code or.... maybe?

FIRE IT UP LADS!

Mike W. · Post by **Mike W.** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 10:22 pm

Rock Island, TN Oct 1-2, are they nuts

Trying to hold a rodeo event in the SE during Gauley Season? I'm planning on going to WV, but just for kicks what are the details?

David Good · Post by **David Good** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 4:53 pm

I could swing a trip to TN for a rodeo. Heck, I'd love to paddle with some of you guys. I have a lot to learn, without any one to learn from (typically).

(I am a little nervous about the location, it's it a pretty scarry spot?)

Isn't this the same weekend as a cheoah release?

Take It Easy,

David

David Good · Post by **David Good** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 5:57 pm

Any information on this rodeo yet?

It may be difficult to swing both Gauley Fest and this trip back to back, but I need some details before I can make that call...

Thanks,

David

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 6:23 pm

I don't know if there is any info aside from this http://www.jacksonkayak.com/jknews05/20 ... hedule.cfm

David Good · Post by **David Good** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 7:53 pm

I e-mailed Kristine Jackson to get details on this event, and here is what I got back today:

It looks like the RI Event will have to be cancelled. The generators are
down and will not be up for 3 weeks. I just found out a minute ago!
To let everyone know, they will not be generating AT ALL until Oct. 16. One
generator will go back online then. The other one will be back online
shortly thereafter.
Sorry!
Kristine

Maybe next time....

Take It Easy,

David

C-Forum

A LAME North American Freestyle Championship Series

Yeah Kaz, I agree, that would be a stupid reason to compete!

boatin

Get me the details!

Rock Island