Splash

Well that rare time of year has come in the Pac Northwest when water levels are sinking lower than the President's approval rating. At this time of year when the mighty Little White is reduced to barely more than a trickle and the mountain runoffs have long since peaked, there is one run that remains a dependable source of a summer time splash: the Truss. Here's a little clip from a recent summer stroll, enjoy. Video by Nathan Herbek.

Later roller blader

Andy

Skook News

On tOp of the WORLD

Where to begin? This year has been one endless skook session! Each day is remembered by which paddlers showed up, what crazy sweet steepness the wave brought, and of course by pictures and footy! We've had everything from incredible tides all to ourselves, to packed days being forced to surf the meaty pile for a ride, even a few days when the druman had to work and i had not a sole to surf with... that was the day the seals showed up... check it out:

this is me!
I hear a pod of dolphins are still up the inlet but no sign of them at skooks yet. Here are some pics from the last while - its been fabulous!!

Dru

Chris Gragtmans

Spencer Cooke

James Mole

Karl Moser

Big heads UP!! boats are not safe at skook! We have had three taken from the wave. Two of our stolen boats our good buddy Jay found for-sale online... So we got the cops to bust the thief and dru's astro and boogie will be back on the Skook this week!! Thanks so much Jay!! Thanks to Spencer and Chris for leaving dru the loner too!

Jay Clarke

The summer is just starting. Gonna bust out the shortie tomorrow!! We'll keep the skook news coming. Oh and just wait till we blow your mind with some footage. Keep it real yall..

see ya at skook..
emily

PS. the logging issues are far from over in the skookumchuck area. The Friends of Egmont have expressed much gratitude to all the kayakers who sent word of their concerns.

The fight continues! On the Friends of Egmont website there are a list of Brisith Columbian government contacts that you can email your thoughts/concerns to. The more people that fight for the trees the better chance that they will stay standing!!

Colorado 2007...

Hey Sports Fans,

Well I recently returned from an incredible trip to the Western US, and just wanted to share a couple of pics and video from the first stop of our trip... Colorado.



Watch the Colorado Tour Vid.

Woohoo made it!!


Lake Creek. This was one of the more stressful rapids of the trip... big entrance drop before it fires around the corner into Paralyzer Rapid.

Photo by Josh Werts.

Moving left in the thick of Paralyzer, below the double boof, above the huge pillow rapid run-out.

Photo by Josh Werts.

The put-in for Oh-Be-Joyful Creek, 10,500 ft elevation. The Magnum took good care of me out there...

Photo by Dylan Bruce

Dylan Bruce post-styling Stupid Falls on the Upper East River.

Photo by Jim Toman.

Watch the Colorado Tour Vid.

Peace, and good lines out there! Upper Cherry Creek update/video coming soon.
Chris Gragtmans

Riot at the Potomac River Festival 2007

The Great Falls of the Potomac River at the MD/VA line. Pictured here is the MD side of the falls where the race was held this year. Senor Finney Photo:




Watch the Potomac Fest Video.

Adam Johnson absolutely rocked it for Riot at the Potomac Fest last weekend. "Riot AJ" made finals in the falls race, the freestyle event, and the boatercross, placing well in all. I think if they had named overall winners of the event Adam would have definitely made top five this year. Good job AJ!
Bryon Dorr Photos


Adam boofs the dickens out of Pummel. Photo by Dr David Finney


On Friday, prior to the festival, the Riot team taught several free, private kayak clinics ranging from strokes and rolls to cartwheels and bow stalls. We were excited to be able to help out so many people with their paddling skills. Thanks to Risa Shimoda for setting up the clinics.

Team Riot as a whole had a huge showing and incredible performance at the Potomac this year. Four of the top twelve placers in the Great Falls Race in the short boat division were Riot team members in Magnums. The top placing junior was 14 year old Danny Doran in a Riot Thunder, and the top placing C-1 was Joe Stumpfel in a Riot Thunder. In the freestyle we had Riot AJ in the Astro 54 place fifth in men's pro and Alan Young placing second in juniors in the Astro 54, followed by Danny Doran in third with the Flair 47.

Additionally, Riot was pleased to be the freestyle event sponsor this year, giving an Astro 58 as a silent auction item. The company is very excited to be supporting our dealers close to the DC area, Appomattox River Company (Midlothian VA) & Starrk Moon, (Delta PA).

We proceeded with Riot Karaoke at the Saturday night party with several happy singers stepping up to the mic. We gave away Mion shoes, IR, Shred Ready and Astral gear and Riot Karaoke Tour t-shirts to all the fabulous contestants. Watch the Potomac Fest Video to see some of the lively karaoke action.

Please enjoy the photos, event results and video from the weekend.

Nathan Silsbee races off of Pummel, the first drop. At 19 years of age, Silsbee is absolutely killing it. He was a top contender at last year's Green Race in the Magnum and has made finals at top events this year including Potomac, Vail, Lyons and more soon! Bryon Dorr Photo

Nathan is also known as Mr Smooth. Dave Finney Photo

Mr big shot Nathan had to go and freewheel the drop since it was so easy for him to run forwards. Dave Finney Photo

Nathan tucks... medicated. Finney Photo.


This was me running Horseshoe drop on a post-race run. Bryon Dorr Photo

Pummel is a really fun waterfall. Photo Mr Captain Macho Man Dave Finney.


Joe Stumpfel is shown here boofing Pummel in the Thunder during his C-1 race victory. Bryon Dorr Photo


Paul Twist from New York caught huge air off Pummel during the race. The Magnum jumped right off the rock with him. Bryon Dorr Photo

Photo by the one and only Dave Finney


Andy Gates is another up-and-comer to keep an eye on. Here is he boofing the dookie out of Pummel Falls. Bryon Dorr Photo


This is Cooper Lambla who is a poetic genius and an amazingly fast paddler, partly due to his long wing span and partly due to his very fast Riot Magnum. Correction: The poetic genius is not directly correlated to the wing span or Magnum, just good genes.


Here are all the Potomac event results from this year with Riot paddlers and boats highlighted.

Men's Short Boat Race Results - Only the top 12 places are shown here
Bib Name Time 1 Time 2 Boat
74 Geoff Calhoun 00:48.60 00:47.38 Nomad 8.5
90 Eric Jackson 00:48.94 00:47.50 Super Hero
110 Jason Beakes 00:47.16 00:48.13 His own/WS
119 Danny Stock 00:50.07 00:48.53 Super Hero
112 Jay Kincaid 00:50.25 00:49.44 Mega Rocker
41 Adam Johnson 00:51.78 00:50.65 Riot Magnum
114 Bryan Kirk 00:51.91 00:51.44 WS Habitat
34 Nathan Silsbee 00:50.84 00:51.77 Riot Magnum
117 Jessie Shimrock 00:51.16 00:53.04 LL Jefe
101 Cooper Lambla 00:51.19 Riot Magnum
102 Billy Murphy 00:52.09 Jefe
36 Spencer Cooke 00:52.25 Riot Magnum

Junior Men's Race Times
56 Danny Doran 01:00.63 Riot Thunder
91 Dane Jackson 01:02.00 Punk Rocker
115 Nathan Sass 01:02.35 Punk Rocker
92 Jason Craig 01:06.40 Punk Rocker

Men’s Long Boat Race Times
Bib Name Time 1 Time 2 Boat
55 Aaron Mann 00:44.56 00:43.47 Excel
74 Geoff Calhoun 00:42.94 00:43.63 T Canyon
90 Eric Jackson 00:46.41 00:44.47 Excel
110 Jason Beakes 00:48.07 00:45.13 Excel
38 Nejc Poberaj 00:47.38 00:45.55 T-Canyon
114 Bryan Kirk 00:46.10 00:47.36 Momentum
119 Danny Stock 00:45.72 00:47.70 Excel
34 Nathan Silsbee 00:47.78 00:49.87 Riot

C-1 Race Times
Bib Name Time 1 Boat
100 Joe Stumpfel 00:56.06 Riot Thunder
49 Alden Bird 00:57.97 Necky Blunt
37 Seth Chapelle 01:08.75 Fluid Solo

Boatercross Results
1) Geoff Calhoun - Dagger
2) Jason Beakes - WS
3) Adam Johnson - Riot
4) Eric Jackson - Jackson
5) Adam VanGrack - ?
Jay Kincaid (DNF) - Jackson

Men’s Freestyle Pro Class Preliminaries
1st Jay Kincaid 535
2nd Bryan Kirk 455
3rd Eric Jackson 445
4th Todd Baker 330
5th Adam Johnson 325 - Astro 54
6th Alex Mohn 305
7th Aaron Reimer 175
8th Joseph Potoczak 165
9th Spencer Cooke 140 - Flair 47
10th Paul Twist 120 - Astro 58
11th Jeremy Laucks 115

Men’s Freestyle Pro Class Finals
1st Jay Kincaid 335
2nd Eric Jackson 320
3rd Bryan Kirk 215
4th Todd Baker 130
5th Adam Johnson 95 - Astro 54

Junior Freestyle Class Results
1st Dane Jackson 300 - Jackson
2nd Alan Young 190 - Astro 54
3rd Danny Doran 130 - Flair 47
4th Jason Craig 120 - Jackson
5th Nathan Sass 115
6th Jordan Poffenberger 60
tie Andy Gates 60 - Astro 54

See the Potomac Fest Web site at http://potomacfest.com/

Watch the Potomac Fest Video.

Later,

Spencer Cooke, Team Riot

My son made me do it, I swear.

Photos of Yore: Chile and Middle Skool USA

Here are some photos from yesteryear. Do you remember the days when cartwheels were still cool but going out? When loops were the hot new move that everyone wanted to learn? The days when aerial freestyle kayaking was sought after but much less prominent than today. Well, here are some photos from that time. Bringin' it back to the middle skool days!

Valley Falls, WV, Center Falls 2003.
Valley Falls, Tygart River, Lower Right Drop 2003.

A slot on the Palguin River, Chile. An absolute classic--crystal blue water, warm temps, and great drops.
Pistola Wave, Futaleufu River, Chile, Early 2004

An unbelievable wave and place. This is one of two places I have traveled which I promised to return to someday. This wave is on what's called the "Bridge to Bridge" section of the Futa. Above there was the short run with a very large rapid called "Terminator" (aptly named), and above that was a long, Class V section of big water rapids called "Inferno Canyon". Additionally, there is a run below the Bridge to Bridge run which has some good rapids. While our group was there, we must have run the Bridge to Bridge section about 25 times in 30 days and it never got dull in the slightest. The other days were spent either running Inferno Canyon, Terminator, or combining two. All in all, an absolutely beautiful place and something to visit if you have the opportunity. The window for when the Futaleufu is prime is late January to mid-march, although that changes a bit from year to year depending on the water.

Adam Johnson at Portage Hole, Potomac MD 2004

See you on the water,

-Adam Johnson

Big Wave update from Munich, Germany

For all paddlers who want to check out the Munich waves on the river Isar with high water watch out, 2.1m is not enough any more. Here a picture from the old times and one from a few weeks ago. Good old times:
Photo: Nico Langner

Status Quo:
Photo: Seppi Strohmeier

The link to the full story: http://soulboater.blogspot.com/2007/06/big-wave-surfing-in-munich-rip.html

As I´ve already got eMails from friends around the world expressing their condolences and sadness, because the waves were on their to-do-list, I´ll keep you all posted on the development with higher water and if we maybe find other waves...

peace and out
Markus

Potomacfest 2007 July 13-15: Great Falls Extreme Race, Free Clinic Hosted by Riot Team Members, Rodeo, and Festival

Potomacfest 2007 will be held July 13th-15th on the Potomac River near Great Falls, VA. Competitors must pre-register for the event by going to http://www.potomacfest.com/ . There will be an extreme race down Great Falls, a boatercross, a freestyle rodeo, clinics, old school wave surfing, downriver race, attainment race, eddyline squirting, a silent auction, karaoke and, of course, a great party!


If you do not want to compete, the festival will be held in Great Falls Park, VA side. The park is equipped with several options for viewing all of the events.


ALSO, there will be several Riot Team members hosting a FREE CLINIC Friday (13th) at 3pm. Show up at Carderock, MD and get professional instruction from Spencer Cooke, Adam Johnson, and Cooper Lambla, among others, on anything from your forward stroke to McNasties. Remember, its all free, so you cannot go wrong.

As always, Team Riot will be at the Potomacfest Party with the legendary Karaoke machine video taping the antics throughout the night whilst adding great humor and liveliness to yet another boater party.



Also, as Riot Kayaks is the official sponsor of the freestyle events of Potomacfest, the enterprise has donated a Riot Astro to the silent auction. So, come out, bid, and get great gear at great prices.

There are several options and lines to paddle down the falls, as well as several playspots to choose from, water level permitting. So, do not hesitate, register today! http://www.potomacfest.com/





See you there,


-Adam Johnson

A Quest to Find the West

On the Road to the West. To find the Best of the West. A Quest. I feel Blessed. For the Rest. The Rest my Guest. Is a Dest.

A Destiny. A Contingency. A hows-it-goin-matter-a-fact-no-i'd-rather-be. In California.

The Promised Land. Where Upon the Land. We Learned That We Can.

Live our Dreams.

Please join me on my website, Downstream Movement, to re-live the trip of my life that I just got back from. Here's some random shots of fellow Rioters and I searching for the goods...


Here I am dropping into the first rapid on the Poudre Narrows, CO. Photo by Will Stubblefield.


"Nasty Nate" Silsbee coming in hot on a drop on South Boulder Creek, CO.


Chis GoldenGrahams lining 'er up on the Good Morning Rapid after Sick Camp on the Middle Fork of the Kings, California.


David Finney riding the rapids through the First Gorge on the Clear Creek of the Ark, CO.


Giving 'er the old boof stroke in the midst of some action on South Boulder Creek.


Chris Gottahavemypops on the Big Slide on Day Two of the Middle Kings.

Got plenty more pics, so ya'll stay tuned on Downstream Movement.


Signing off at the confluence of the Middle Fork of the Kings and the South Fork of the Kings, pretty stoked to be there.



-Cooper Lambla