Bellingham Whitewater

Bellingham WILDwater

I’d like to call your attention to some big happenings in the local boating scene that a lot of you might not have heard about. On local runs such as the Sky, the Skagit, the North Fork Nooksack, and the Green, most boaters are out there hopping from eddy to eddy, looking for some sweet surf waves or fun rocks to boof off. Most of these same boaters think of canoes as crafts best suited for lazy floats down placid rivers, fishing rods in hand and a cooler full of cold ones in tow.

A couple of local paddlers see these rivers a bit differently.

Mike Baker and Rich Roehner, both of Bellingham, have been training hard over the last several months to compete in wildwater C-2 races. In wildwater, eddies and rocks- features normally seen as refuges of safety and fun spots for boofs and rockspins- become things to avoid, adding precious seconds to a race that might last all of two minutes. Where most kayaks that you see on the river are stable, have lots of rocker (making them easy to turn), and are made of durable plastic, wildwater boats are made for pure downriver speed. They are long, narrow, and tippy, and require precise technique to maneuver down often technical courses. These boats are made of fiberglass, carbon fiber, and Kevlar, making them less impact-resistant than plastic boats. Add to this the difficulty of coordinating with a canoe partner, and you can begin to see the challenges faced by Mike and Rich.

Bellinghamsters Rich Roehner and Mike Baker at the U.S. Wildwater Team Trials, Lower Youghiogheny River, PA. Photo by Clay Roehner

Hours of time spent training on local rivers and lakes paid off in April, when Mike and Rich qualified for the U.S. Wildwater Team at the United States Canoe and Kayak Team Trials, held on the Youghiogheny River in Pennsylvania. They leave today to travel to Austria, the Czech Republic, and Italy, where they will represent the U.S. in the 2007 World Cup of Wildwater. They are the first US C-2 team to qualify and compete in a World Competition in five years. Washington is well represented on the team this year: Tom Wier of Snohomish will represent the U.S. in wildwater C-1, and Seattlites Doug Ritchie and Jennie Goldberg qualified for the team in K-1.

Rich and Mike about to punch a big hole at Cucumber Rapid on the Lower Yough. Photo by Clay Roehner.

A lot of us probably don’t know a whole lot about wildwater racing. Popular in Europe, and building in popularity in the U.S., wildwater typically involves a couple of different types of races. Sprint races typically last two minutes, and as the name implies, are an all-out sprint down the course. Classic races usually last about 25 minutes, and require excellent river-reading skills to find fast lines. Wildwater race courses are held on class II to IV rivers, and competitors say that being in a wildwater boat generally adds a class to whatever rapid is being paddled. I would tend to agree- I hopped in Mike’s C-1 training boat in the pool, and I spent far more time upside down than right side up. Mike and Rich have the goal of growing the sport in Western Washington, and at spring flows, the Nooksack Canyon is one of the best wildwater training courses in the state.

Rich and Mike looking intense. Photo by Clay Roehner.

Here’s a quick video of Mike and Rich on a training run down the Green River that will let you get a feel for a wildwater sprint race:

As paddlers, we should all be extremely proud of of Mike and Rich as they represent the ‘Ham and the U.S. in competitions this month in Europe. The United States Canoe and Kayak Wildwater team is asking for tax-deductible financial support to help cover travel and race expenses, including plane tickets, auto rental, lodging, and meals, and a new C-2 for competition. Any amount of support we can offer these guys would be extremely helpful and appreciated- racing in Europe is super cool, but it ain’t cheap!

As Mike and Rich compete in various races, they’ll be taking some photos and writing race reports as time allows. I hope to be able to post some updates here so that we can follow their progress.

Rich and Mike in a sea of boats at the Team Trials. Tom Wier of Snohomish is in front of them, wearing a red helmet. Photo by Clay Roehner.