Meanwhile- the atmosphere is quite relaxed so far with most people acting quite sportsmanlike. No weirdness or mind games going on yet. I think that there is a great group of athletes here at this event.

Time to get some dinner, my last before the trials! What to eat???? Hmm- how about Chang’s Spicy Chicken! Sweet! Yes, there is a PF Changs, Kristine, and you aren’t here! I am going to fill up on rice, chicken, and lettuce wraps. That is another thing that is throwing off my balance, Kristine isn’t here to lean on! Yes, I am quite spoiled and she is the best person for me to have on the banks for any event. Well, she is still doing something that is making this trials go much better for me. She went back to Albuquerque to pick up the RV that is now ready to roll out after 5 days of getting a new engine in it. A ford re-manufactured triton V10. She is driving it to Reno, so when I arrive, it will be there for the Reno River Festival.

Also- if you want to do a clinic with me in California this next weekend (one week) email me at eric@jacksonkayak.com . If you want to do one in Reno, also email me, but I don’t have the date set yet. (1.5 weeks approx)

Also, Saturday’s race (there are three races- Friday, Saturday, Sunday), is the Pan American Championships where athletes from Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, USA, Mexico, Canada, Chile, and more are competing!

Today, in about 1 hour, we are doing the athlete meeting and then watching the “demonstration runs” where several retired athletes, like Scott Shipley will be showing us the course. Tomorrow we’ll all get two runs, both combined for the first day of competition. Each race counts, so each run
counts! Cool!

I’ll get some photos of the comp tomorrow!

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EJ

Yesterday was the Short Creek part of the event where a freestyle over a waterfall and a boatercross with 8 people at a time over the waterfall were the competitions. It is in Albertville, AL.

Results:

1. Andrew Holcomb won the waterfall freestyle

2. Nick Troutman was second.

3. Tyler Phillips was third.

I didn’t compete in this event this year, but had fun watching. I figured if I didn’t want to write another story about healing my shoulder, I should consider sitting this one out. There were some great moves to watch! Andrew did some sweet wavewheels into it and over it, while Nick pulled off a McNasty, and Dane did a sweet back pan am. Good stuff. Keith Yell had some sweet rockspins over the falls too. About 200 runs over the falls, at least in one day, maybe more! In the women’s it was Samantha Brunner, and Lauren Burress, with Emily Jackson in third.

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In the boatercross- a backwards start with 8 abreast made for interesting racing. In the men’s expert class, Tommy Hehnen was 1st with Ryan Snodgrass in second, and John (blue C1) in third.

In the women’s boatercross over the falls it was Emily, then Lauren, then Sam for top three.

In the men’s pro class, I won, followed by Nick, and then Dane. I couldn’t believe it when after I had Clay on my tail, along with another 7 people, that Nick and Dane pulled up to the finish line right after me. I didn’t realize that Dane could paddle so fast. Clay was in second to almost the end but tried a ferry that was too low below the falls.

The course was from about 25 yards above the falls, over the falls, to a big flat rock then against some major current below the falls to a stump on river left. Good course. In the past we went under the falls behind the curtain at low water, but it was going to mean a very small field if they did it at high water! This course was great for high water.

Today was the King’s Bend part of the event on the Locust Fork. The water was high, and the hole was really good! All of the hole moves were available, but it was still quite tricky with a heavy diagonal shape to it pushing you to river left. We woke this morning to an inch of snow and 20 degree weather. People were cold and gear was wet or frozen. Luckily it warmed up to about 45 and the sun broke out, while they delayed the event until after 11 am. It was nice enough that a good number of us went out and trained in the hole and found that it was really warm in the water. Dane was the first on the water today and the last off, literally. He got on at 8am, and he was paddling his Shooting Star he rigged as a C1 at dark tonight!

In the competition:

Pro- Men

1. Eric Jackson

2. Andrew Holcomb

3. Nick Troutman

4. Jonathan Shales

5. Clay Wright

Women

1. Emily Jackson

2. Lauren Burress

3. Sam Brunner

Junior Men:

1. Dane Jackson

2. Jonathan Shales

3. Tommy Hehnen

Expert Men: ( don’t know last names)

1. James

2. Ryan

3. Mr. Snodgrass (forget 1st name)

Friday night the bands (5 of them!) played, while fires raged to keep people warm. It was all good fun as nothing got out of control.

On Saturday night there was a premier of Night of the Living Donkey, and Here and Now. This was after two bands played during the day, and then the awards. After the awards swag was given away and then more bands! Everyone seemed to have a great time, even in the bitter cold (below 30 after dark) for Alabama.

I was giving the new Jackson Kayak RV (new to us, a 1999 model) its virgin run and spent much of the day figuring out why the leveling jacks were stuck down, making the RV stuck at King’s Bend until I fixed it. In good EJ form, they fixed themselves just before dark and we are more or less free to go. We have a little problem with a bunch of cars parked behind us but hope that the way will be clear in the morning. Dave and others were quite helpful in trying to get it fixed.

Great event from the boys from the South!

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As per yesterday,  the judges were Nick, Dane, and I for the Ticos and women, while Ruth, Emily, and Jessie judged the Gringo men.    We kept us out of the locals class competition to keep to the Hometown Throwdown ideals which is a fun, free event that allows locals to show off and test their mettle against each other without out of town pros coming in and competing against them, throwing off the vibe of a local event.   At the same time, they begged us to compete and wanted to see what we could do in their local spot too.   This playspot has been there for a long time and is a staple place for many of these boaters to paddle.   Mario organizes events like this each year, and it goes off really well.  

Also, like yesterday, the results walked with Madrigal so he could get them to the TV, Radio, and newspapers, which, unlike in many parts of the world, will cover it.   In fact the national paper had a full page of coverage from yesterday’s competition, with a big color photo of Mario competing on it, and photos of Dane, Ruth, Emily, Stanley, and I.  

Costa Rica Class

1. Hans Mendsgarro

2. David Marillo

3. Roberto Garcia

4. Gabriel Chizo

5. Arnaldo Cespedes Priez

6. Andrei Cot Roldes

7. Aurelio Garcia

8. Mario De La O

9. Alex Sevilla

10. Armando Chavama

Men’s Pro

1. Nick Troutman

2. Mario Vargas (CR)

3. Eric Jackson

4. Bravillo Asaro Siboya (CR)

5. Jud Kiser

6. Dane Jackson

7. Stanley (CR)

8. Roberto Garcia (CR)

Women Pro

1. Emily Jackson

2. Jessie Stone

3. Ruth Gordon

In the “pro class” that anyone could enter (Mario and 4 other Ticos did),  Nick won, followed by Mario!, and then EJ.    In the Women’s class, Emily won, followed by Jessie Stone, and then Ruth Gordon.   Madrigal has our results from the Tico class and I will have to get it to post them for you.   With names like Bravillo etc. I’ll not likely get them right from my memory. 

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On Saturday morning, a crowd of over 1,000 people showed up, with two TV stations, a radio station playing loud music, and about local paddlers (Ticos) and 10 “Gringos”.    We ran the freestyle event from start to finish and had both prelims and finals and it went off without a hitch.    On the shore there were people BBQing, families playing, and making a day out of the event.    Tons of kids had their eyes on the kayaks and a full on kids clinic popped up with Ruth, Jud, Nick, Dane, Mario, and more putting kids in boats in the clear “pool” which was a huge eddy.   One kid randomly did a roll and shocked everyone.   

Roger Madrigal (competed in the Olympics for slalom) was there and brought the number bibs.      Everyone seemed to have a great time and they packed up pretty early to get ready for “Home Town Throwdow” #2 at the Pejibaje River near Turrialba.    This event is a Mario production, one he does annually.   It is another local event, no entry fee, no prizes, just for fun.   Mario’s theory is that he has a group of kids that he paddles with (17-25 years old) that love playboating and gain a lot from the experience of getting together for a “Pick up game” on the river.   These are the same kids that one day could represent Costa Rica at the World Championships or the World Cup.   He wants to make sure that those who show up are their because they love it.      That they do!   It is Sunday morning at 7:12 am and we will be heading to the event at 9am “tico time” meaning at about 10am or so.   Mario put the word out about the event and it he says that even more people will show up to this one.   40+ paddlers and 1,000+ spectators all hanging out for the day, arriving on busses and vans, and bringing food, families, and spending the day there.  Cool stuff!   

Mario is an incredible ambassador for kayaking in Costa Rica.   His kayak school/tour company (Costa Rica Kayak Tours) is a great way to get to know him as he works with Rio Tropicales for lodging and logistics making the best of Costa Rica available in one stop.   We certainly are enjoying our trip with Mario. 

Time for breakfast!   Pintogallo, huevos, a batido, and awesome café’ con leche at Soda Burbujas (Hannah’s place- a local lady that I have known from the early 90’s when I was coming here to train slalom)