C-Forum

I thought this was absolutely worth posting.

During the recent Great Falls of the Potomac Race -- a class V downriver race held on a section of rapids just outside Washington DC -- kayak paddler and former race champion Geoff Calhoun broke his paddle in the first rapid. With two more class V rapids to go, he elected to continue his race run as a C-1:

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When he arrived at The Spout, the final 25-foot waterfall, he not only elected to run the challenging race line -- which until three years ago had only been run a few times -- but he elected to do so with a committing cross bow boof. Here is one set of pictures. Geoff's run starts here:

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And HERE is the money shot, hopefully visible on Seth Chapelle's Facebook page:

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Most kayakers in this situation would have simply taken the easier left line, or flipped the paddle over to take a regular left stroke, or, in my case, probably eddied out and walked down. Instead, Geoff's move speaks not only of skill, courage, showmanship, but as a shout-out to canoeists from a top competition kayaker. And it speaks of having some serious fun on the river.

Certainly brought a smile to my face.

Alden

VERY cool! Alden, what is the race line? I only know the left side drop.

I've seen that line up close and I'd be doing a whole lot of puckering one way or the other! Very cool and thanks for post!

Way to go to him on nailing the line too!

Calhoun has more talent and whitewater ability in his little finger than I have in my entire body....edg

Glad you all enjoyed it. I know I did.

The race line is considered to be the river right side of The Spout -- a boof onto a rock shelf that leaves one in the current at the base of the drop, rather than in the river left "kettle."

From 1976-2009 this line was considered very dangerous, and only run a few times. The normal line was the left line, a relatively straightforward 20-25' boof. However, in preparation for the Falls Race -- sometime in either 2009 or 2010 as I recall, paddlers began running the right line more frequently. By 2010, certainly, it had become a commonly accepted line at lower water levels. This is the line Geoff is running as a C-1.

Alden

It's got me wondering if we should all adopt his technique and remove the top hand grips from our paddles and hold our shafts "Calhoun" style.