2010 Whitewater Symposium | October 8 - 10, 2010

Chris Stec – Preventi...

Introducing Chris Stec Christopher Stec, Chief Operating Officer American Canoe Association (ACA) From south Louisiana to western North Carolina to Virginia, Chris has been affiliated with paddlesports in a variety of ways. Prior to becoming the Chief Operating Officer of the ACA, Chris worked as a Program Director at a prominent summer camp, a raft guide for the...

Empowering Your Employees

Introducing Danny Mongno Werner Paddles is more than a career to Danny Mongno; it offers a lifestyle and a family. Traveling in his house on wheels and paddling most every day has allowed him to add a constant flow of new thinking to over 20 years of experience. Coaching from event to event it is helping paddlers develop a love for the sport that keeps him coming back...

From our Presenters: Yoga f...

(By Anna Levesque) In a recent yoga class the teacher encouraged us to roll up out of a side-bending pose with our heads as the last body part to come up. I had to giggle because she sounded just like a kayak instructor teaching the roll! As she was giving her instructions she made the comment that bringing our heads up last can be challenging because we tend to be...

Jackson Kayak Lead Sponsor

Stalwart supporter of the Whitewater Symposium over the years, Jackson Kayak has once again stepped up to become this year’s event’s premier sponsor, registering a strong affirmation of the richness and importance of the topics to be addressed and conversations that will follow. “I am very proud to be a presenter/participant/sponsor of the...

Key Presenter Darren Bush, ...

We are thrilled to announce that Darren Bush, owner of Rutabaga, will be the key presenter Friday night at the Whitewater Symposium. Rutabaga is the largest paddle sports retailer in North America. They offer canoes, kayaks, and paddle sports gear from 150 manufacturers. Plus, Rutabaga Outdoor Programs puts over 1,000 children on the water through their outreach...

Key Speaker Chris Fanning, ...

Christine Fanning is Executive Director of The Outdoor Foundation, a national not-for-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Outdoor Foundation is dedicated to inspiring and empowering the future generations of outdoor enthusiasts and environmental stewards. Bringing together diverse partners from the public, private and nonprofit sectors, the...

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Register Today

Registration for the 2010 Whitewater Symposium is now open through this year’s event host Natahala Outdoor Center’s website. Click on REGISTER NOW – You simply can’t afford not to be...

NOC – Our 2010 Scene

The 2010 Whitewater Symposium will be held at Nanthala Outdoor Center in Western North Carolina. The Symposium board is proud to have one of America’s greatest whitewater organizations as its host as it remains one of the true great paddlesports destinations on the globe. Some Background: Since 1972, NOC has shared the outdoors with millions of guests on white...

Mission

Promoting the Spirit of Whitewater

The Whitewater Symposium seeks to advance the spirit of whitewater paddling through bringing leaders of the sport together. Our focus is on generating new ideas to support the future of whitewater among those who are genuinely passionate about it. Collectively, we have the greatest potential to influence its future.

2010 Symposium

joej4 The 2010 Whitewater Symposium takes place October 8-10 at NOC. This year marks the “Next Rapid Evolution” of this important gathering with a NEW series of conversation TRACKS: the Business Track focusing on the strategic side of our industy, the Development Track aimed at service delivery and product and the Paddler Track, for paddlers, all of us!

Register NOW!

19742_312703548211_72062778211_3501705_6489844_n Registration for the 2010 Whitewater Symposium is now open through this year’s event host Natahala Outdoor Center’s website.

When Registering on the NOC registration system, you will need to select one of the three Whitewater Symposium attendance options in the linked menu… if you are having issues with the registration process call NOC at 888-905-7238!

History

The first Whitewater Symposium was held on October 3-5, 2003 at Zoar Outdoor on the Deerfield River in Charlemont, Massachusetts. It was a great first success and brought together key players from all aspects of the whitewater spectrum including freestyle, river running, racing, rescue and rodeo. In all, there were about 75 attendees and presenters participating.From October 23-25, 2004, the second annual Symposium was hosted by the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City, North Carolina. There were over 70 attendees, including many of the country’s top instructors, club leaders, retailers, manufacturers, kayak schools and paddlesport organizations.

The 2005 Symposium took place in Glenwood Springs, Colorado from October 8-10, using the Glenwood Canyon Resort (Rock Gardens Rafting) as a base of operations. Attendance grew to almost 100 participants, noting that the first Whitewater Courses and Parks Conference was also held in Glenwood Springs just before the Symposium and there were a number of people who attended both.

Lotus, California was the site of the fourth Symposium, hosted by Current Adventures on October 14-16, 2006. While the total range of attendees reached just over 75, the number of industry leaders and top presenters remained significant, in keeping with previous Symposiums.

The fifth Symposium was hosted by the Adventure Sports Center International at their freshly constructed mountain-top recirculating whitewater course on October 19-22, 2007. There were over 90 attendees, almost half of whom were also presenters. A distinct enthusiasm among participants lead to a number of spin-off commitments and planning efforts that will be continuing as the next Symposium is being put together. You can read more about it through the various links on this website.

The sixth and most recent Symposium came full circle back to Zoar Outdoor, where the event started in 2003. The 2009 Symposium, tagged by many as the “best yet”, brought a number of new presenters to the mix and included several new pieces, including a manufacturer’s exhibition area and a one-day “paddlerfest” – designed to attract local enthusiasts for a single day of activities. The event also premiered Kent Ford’s new film, “The Call of the River” … an engaging look back at the history of whitewater paddling in North America.