Kayakers ready for Rock Island rapids
|
Park rangers said the U.S. Team Trials, a free-style kayaking event, was scheduled to be held there yesterday but was moved due to recent rains. However, they expect a crowd for the Triple Crown this weekend as two events designed to produce spectator appeal and other competitive events are still taking place.
One of those events, the first-ever “Ranger Joe Rumble,” takes place Saturday and includes professional and amateur kayakers that will race as a group.
“It’s a huge race with about 80 competitors. They’ll race from the bridge in the back of the power hose to the sand bar,” Ranger Joe Moore said of the event organizers named for him. “The first one who crosses the finish line gets a check for $500.”
The other spectator-friendly event conducted at Rock Island is the second annual “Fat Eddy’s Fat Trick,” a showing of technical kayaking moves, which is scheduled to follow the Ranger Joe Rumble Saturday.
Other competitive events are scheduled to take place there throughout the day Sunday and professional competition will continue Tuesday. The Triple Crown will continue through next weekend at the Nolichucky River located near Erwin, Tenn.
Triple Crown event promoter Spencer Cooke said water levels will determine where this weekend’s events are held at the park and said if water levels don’t change, the event will be held on the waterfalls upstream from where kayakers would traditionally compete on the competition wave.
Moore said despite this week’s change, the park is still the place to be for kayakers.
“Warren and White counties are real paddler-friendly and they like Rock Island. Hopefully by this weekend, it will be very paddler-friendly again,” said Moore, adding hundreds, including kayakers from other countries, are drawn to the event each year, which gives the local economy a boost.
“They do make quite an economic impact and it’s just good all the way around,” Moore added. “They’re good environmental citizens and it’s just a lot of fun.”
Moore welcomed spectators and said the best viewing area is from the Twin Falls overlook and from various vantage points nearby along the river. The park entrance fees are not in effect for that area of the park at this time.
Triple Crown Events
Saturday
• 11 -11:15 a.m. – Ranger Joe Rumble, 80-person mass start race, pro/am at Rock Island rapids
• 11:30 a.m. – Fat Eddy’s Fat Trick, pro/am at Rock Island hole
Sunday
• 9:30 a.m. to noon – Paddler Magazine Boato, pro/am at Rock Island rapids
• Noon to 4 p.m. – Kayak Session Magazine Fat Trick, pro/am at Rock Island hole
• 7-11 p.m. – Competitor Dinner party with Foglight Foodhouse and Sweetwater Brewing Company