FATHER’S DAY: TUCKER’S FIRST KAYAKING AT 11 MONTHS OLD

Well it is Father’s Day today and my first Father’s Day as a dad. My son Tucker is just now 11 months old and it has been the biggest and best learning experience of my life. I can’t express how much joy I get in such a small bundle. Just three days ago I was able to take Tucker out on the river for the first time. We have been having a blast at the Kelly’s Whitewater Park. He has been excited about my kayaks and paddles for a while, though I haven’t taken him onto the river yet. Though with the perfect weather and warm water I figured it was as good of time as any to take him out as he turns 11 months old.

NORTH FORK CHAMPIONSHIPS TRAINING

Well the North Fork Championships Elite race starts tomorrow. This is my first year being able to compete and race here and it blow away any expectation. The race course is extremely demanding with tough big whitewater and 5 added slalom gates to make it even harder. There is a ton of amazing paddlers here from all over the world, many of whom I have seen while at the Sickline Race in Austria. I have been here for a week and the levels have come up everyday which has made it hard to train and which has made the lines harder everyday. Yesterday was the qualifier with 45 racers and the top 5 making it into the Elite class Jacob’s Ladder Race along with the 10 top finishers from last year and the 10 paddlers voted in. Now the time has come, tomorrow we will see who is able to be the fastest.

Here is a GoPro course Preview from my last run today, I hope I can pull it off again tomorrow.