Event Results

Event Name: Slave River Throwdown #2
Event Region: Yukon/NWT

Event Date: July 24th, 2011 @ 6:00pm
All times are localized to the event location.

** Denotes points earned towards the World Kayak Throwdown Amateur Ranking Program.

If you have not selected the ranking option when registering for an event, you may either do so when you register for an event, or you can Get Ranked Now, and claim the points you have already earned!

Event Results

Event Name: Slave River Throwdown #1
Event Region: Yukon/NWT

Event Date: July 17th, 2011 @ 6:00pm
All times are localized to the event location.

** Denotes points earned towards the World Kayak Throwdown Amateur Ranking Program.

If you have not selected the ranking option when registering for an event, you may either do so when you register for an event, or you can Get Ranked Now, and claim the points you have already earned!

Time: Tuesday, July 26 · 12:00pm – 3:00pm

Location: Fort Smith, NWT

Are you attending?

More Info: It’s going to be about 3/4 days before Paddlefest (July 26th & 27th) starts so we can go out into the river and not have to worry about spectators. This will be an event by boaters for boaters. The feature we use for the competition will be based on the water levels that week/ day. This could be any number of places. The Edge, Sweet Spot, Rollercoaster, Rockem Sockem (not likely unless the water is uber low), Monster Schizer, Ou…trageous, No 1,2,3 wave, or something crazy like Pelican (if we ever figure out how to catch it consistently).

There’s 1000 bucks in prize money (maybe more) split by the top three, and a crown with the words “Edge King,” written on there going to the top spot.

After consultation with the kayak community here’s the rules we’ve decided on. We chose to follow rules similar to that of the White Nile’s Festival. These rules tend to promote people trying to go really big, to try new things, as opposed to safe moves. The rules with also level the playing field somewhat and allow for more people to have a chance at the top spots. Anyways the rules…

It doesn’t matter if you flush or not, this point system is to promote going huge and to the progression of freestyle. It is based on a 5 point system where your 3 best tricks count.

-0.5 point tricks
spin
shove its

-1 point tricks
roundhouse

-2 point tricks
blunt
back roundhouse
donkey flip/ silly flip
flip turn

-3 point tricks
pan am
flash back(back blunt)
Felix

-4 point tricks
Back Pan am
airscrew
helix
pistol flip/ mc nasty

-5 point tricks
-trophy moves Ex. wave monkey, Bear screw

This is the basic point breakdown for each move, but bonus points are awarded as well

Bonus

stuck(stayed on wave) -1 point

Big – 1 point
Huge -2 points
*big and huge are up to the discretion of the judges

linked -1 point, added to the sum of the two moves done

Clean -1 point, with the exception of 0.5 point moves where they are awarded 0.5

Also you can only score once for a move (we will score your best of that move though).

Heres a couple of examples

back pan am- big to stuck

4 point trick
1 point big
1 point stuck

total of 6 points

-Clean Spin- stuck

0.5 point trick
0.5 point clean
1 point stuck

total of 2 points

-Kay- y (blunt to pistol flip)- flushed

2 point trick(blunt)
4 point trick (pistol flip)
1 point link

total of 7 points

Heats are done with groups of paddlers in a session for 30 minutes (or longer depending on the feature) to narrow down on finalists for a final heat. You only get 30 seconds on the wave 45 (or longer depending on the feature) if you are doing tricks, someone will be blowing a whistle at you when your time is up.

Other prizes include best beatdown, best single trick, and maybe a smattering of others like smoothest style, most erratic style, a random “you’re great/ terrible have a prize,” prize.

more details coming soon
www.fskayak.webs.com

The Basics: Shorter, faster, bigger looping, easier cartwheels, looser, lighter, and snappier makes playboating a joy! Once again a boat that makes you better, right away! The secret? Refined rocker profile, drop chines, more volume, refined bow shape, balanced volume distribution, and a new higher seating position that gives you more leverage.

The Playboater’s Advantage: What you can expect when you get in the cockpit of this new high performance machine.

• Beginners will be more challenged for river running, but be rewarded with easier/bigger/faster moves. The higher seating position will take some getting used to, but if you want to progress uber fast, go for it. For the best in conventional playboating and seating- get the 2010 All-Star
• Intermediates will truly know they have jumped into something special. It will take a day or two to get used to sitting 1.5” higher up, but Moves will be easier, bigger, snappier, and your friends will be impressed with your playboating in your first day. The speed and looseness of the hull will shock you as the boat is a full inch shorter than the All-Star.
• Experts will rock this boat after a few rides to get used to the 1.5” higher seat. Wave riding will be more aerial, faster, looser, and the moves will feel effortless. Hole riding will be like a trampoline ride. Powerful launches up and out of the water for loop moves, while the boat will rotate around your body like a pin-wheel for vertical moves due to the improved volume distribution (more in the stern). McNasty and Phonix Monkey moves were made easier with improved rocker profile in the bow to allow it to “reel up” high before throwing. Wow, then Wow, and at least another 20 Wows every time you try something different.

Rock Star compared to All-Star: While moves are easier and bigger, faster, etc.. the All-Star has the standard seating position and is simply the easiest playboating package for beginners, or anyone who doesn’t want to get used to a higher seat.

Key features that set the Rock Star apart from the Star series:
1. 3 more gallons- but cartwheels easier- goes bigger

2. 1” shorter- but faster

3. Sit up higher- 1.5” and more leverage, everything easier, but takes a little getting used to.

4. New rocker in center 2/3rds-

5. Better/looser hull- WAY looser

The Slave River hydro project is dead.
That was the official word from a stark meeting room at the Smith’s Landing First Nation band office where Chief Cheyeanne Paulette, elder Francois Paulette, ATCO vice president of hydro development Doug Tenney and TransCanada representative Gavin Embury met to announce that the two sides have not reached an agreement on the Slave hydro project and never will.

“The Slave River has sustained our people since time immemorial,” Cheyeanne Paulette said. “We have a vision for the river that ensures it will continue to be a home for our people for all time, and we know many other Northerners share our vision.”

For Paulette, the 29-year-old chief first elected in June 2010, the decision to say no to the dam marks a bold start to his tenure at the head of Smith’s Landing.

The fact that he was joined at the table by his uncle, former chief Francois Paulette, one of the most influential Dene chiefs and a man who has long opposed the idea of a dam on the Slave River says much about the young chief’s influences and beliefs.

Chief Paulette was steadfast after the announcement, reiterating that there are no options for hydro-electricity projects on the Slave River.

“There was an overall direction from members that ultimately they did not want to see any hydro project on the Slave River,” Paulette said. “There was no sense in entering into feasibility studies if there was not going to be a project.”

Tenney expressed his company’s disappointment at Smith’s Landing’s decision, but said ATCO and TransCanada will respect the decision and leave the Slave River alone.

“Any economic configuration of hydro-electric generation would likely flood a portion of Smith’s Landing First Nation reserve land,” Tenney read from a prepared statement. “Smith’s Landing First Nation has determined that their vision for the Slave River is not compatible with large scale hydro development. ATCO and TransCanada understand and respect the legal and constitutional rights of Smith’s Landing First Nation and accept the decision made by Smith’s Landing First Nation.”

The Slave River hydro project has been in the works since the late 1970s. In the early 1980s the project boiled to a head, splitting the people of Fort Smith in their support or opposition to the dam.

The project at that time was eventually stopped by economic considerations, as the cost of building a transmission line from the 60th parallel to Fort Saskatchewan to connect to the provincial grid proved too expensive.

In 2006 the idea gained traction again, as ATCO and TransCanada teamed up to examine the possibility of creating what they called a “green energy corridor” of hydro-electric projects on the Athabasca, Slave and Mackenzie Rivers all the way to the Arctic Ocean with a plan to build a transmission line system to the south.

Feasibility studies for the Slave River Hydro Project were supposed to get underway in the fall of 2008, but were later pulled due to the lack of agreement with SLFN.

Since then the proponents have been back and forth to Fort Smith, meeting with local leaders to try and hammer out an agreement on feasibility studies.

Those efforts will now cease, as Tenney assured The Journal there are no alternatives for hydro power on the Slave River that would be both economical and not affect Smith’s Landing First Nation reserve land.

Both sides maintained that there was a mutual respect despite the lack of agreement.
“We’ve spent a number of years negotiating, so we’re disappointed in that sense,” Tenney said. “But we’ve talked all the time about needing a true partnership.

Ultimately you need relationships to build partnerships, and we believe we formed those relationships with Smith’s Landing and others in Fort Smith, despite not going ahead with the project.”

Local boaters from Fort Smith and the local paddling club combined efforts with Paddle Performance to host the second of four Throwdowns at the Playground Rapid of the Slave River. Hosted this past Friday evening, we had the advanced hole ride followed by a beginner surf off and run through the rapid. After the event everyone joined in for a body surf in the hole and a BBQ on the beach. Welcome to paddling in northern Canada…warm water, big waves, sandy beaches and lots of friends!

Event Results

Event Name: WK Throwdown #4
Event Region: Yukon/NWT

Event Date: August 7th, 2010 @ 12:00am
All times are localized to the event location.

** Denotes points earned towards the World Kayak Throwdown Amateur Ranking Program.

If you have not selected the ranking option when registering for an event, you may either do so when you register for an event, or you can Get Ranked Now, and claim the points you have already earned!

There were 173 paddlers that participated in the weekend.  These numbers were split with the Friday Flotilla and War Canoe Race, the World Kayak Throwdown and the kayak clinics from the week before.  The opening ceremony in Fort Fitzgerald hosted by the Smith’s Landing First Nation included a fish fry, awards and Dene hand games and was host to 300 people.  There were 200 spectators on the beach at the Playground Rapid of Mountain Portage Rapid.

This event was covered by CBC North, News North and the Slave River Journal.

A special thanks to the following groups:
Alberta Whitewater Association
Fort Smith Paddling Club
GNWT Industry Tourism and Investment
Joan’s Health and Fitness
North of 60 Books
Northwestern Airlease
NWT Kayak Association
Paddle Performance Kayak School
Smiths Landing First Nation
Town of Fort Smith
Wally’s Drugstore
Wood Buffalo National Park

Event Results

Event Name: WK Throwdown #5
Event Region: Yukon/NWT

Event Date: July 31st, 2010 @ 5:00pm
All times are localized to the event location.

** Denotes points earned towards the World Kayak Throwdown Amateur Ranking Program.

If you have not selected the ranking option when registering for an event, you may either do so when you register for an event, or you can Get Ranked Now, and claim the points you have already earned!