The NFC is one of the coolest and most visually impressive events I have been to. Imagine taking a class 5 rapid, throw some of the worlds top paddlers in to race it, I know this sounds familiar, but now add some slalom gates to make the course almost impossible, this is the North Fork Championships. You know it is hard when the organizer’s plan is to make one gate so hard that 50% of the field won’t make it. 

This year was the 4th year of this annual race and every year it gets bigger and better. This year there were a couple added changes from years past, first off they made everyone race in the “Lower 5 race” which is 7+ minute race where you can prove yourself and earn a spot into the Elite race down Jacob’s Ladder. Other changes were that for the first time in the 4 years of the race’s existence they changed up the gate location making it an entirely new race down the same rapid. 

I was fortunate and had already earned my way into race by finishing top 10 in last years race, this made it easy for me to focus my time and energy into the Jacob’s Ladder Giant Slalom race. I showed up a couple days early and was able to get some good training laps in before the race, though while practicing I slightly pulled a pectoral muscle. This was just a minor speed bump, though it did make opt out of the boat-x the day before the race. I still went and watched and took some cool photos of the race and watch the frenchie Eric Deguil take home the top spot followed by Dane Jackson and local youngster Alec Voorhees. 

Saturday was the big day, the Jacob’s Ladder Giant Slalom. I was feeling pretty good and had several good practice laps under my belt. The race was two laps and your best run counts. I wanted to lay down a good first lap and decided to go at 80% power to start things off. My first run started off strong cleaning up the gates at ‘Rodeo Hole' and ‘Rock Drop’ which were the two hardest offsets of the whole course. Next were the back to back up gates and the ‘Golf Course’ rapid which also went well, I was having such a good run I decided to step up the pace and sprint to the finish. This in theory was the smartest idea, though in reality maybe not so much, I started sprinting and wasn’t focusing as much on my line, I was only a couple feet from the finish line as I clipped a curler wave which pushed me slightly left as I went full speed into the finish gate. BAM. I nailed one of the hardest race courses and then ran into the finish line, maybe not my best finish. This little mistake would in the end cost me a 5 second penalty and the possibility for a 6th place finish. 

As I walked up for my second run I tried to laugh it off, knowing that I still have one more shot, though deep down I knew that I may have blown my chances. 

For my second run I decided to go all or nothing and give 100% power, this was a good strategy until I hit the first gate with my should, another 5 second penalty, then my run started to unravel as I flipped going through the ‘Rock Drop’ offsets. I knew at this point that my first run would inevitably be my better run. I decided to try and finish strong and kept racing the course through the finish, this time I focused a little more carefully as I passed the finish line.

This year I watched from the side lines as the top 10 racers jumped up on stage, with the podium being filled by Gerd Serrasolses in first, Dane Jackson in second and Isaac Levinson in third. I ended in 13th place with my 5 second penalty, which served as another valuable lesson, the race isn’t over until it is over, and focus all the way through the finish. 

I didn’t earn my place for next years race though now I have even more motivation to paddle even harder in next years qualifiers.