Not much had changed on the event circuit in 15 years. Freestyle comps were surfing along at predictable venues, soul boaters had events like FiBArk and Gauley, and slalom remained obscure. Then, unrest took over and in 2011, the Whitewater Grand Prix was born. Scene-boaters are raving. December’s second annual Grand Prix was a huge success—it’s changed how we look at whitewater competition. Here’s why:
Lost in the Jungle
The Mountain Games take place yearly in Vail; the 2013 edition of the Freestyle world Championships on the Nantahala—hardly remote in comparison to jungle rivers of Chile. These events draw crowds and dollars from deeper-pocketed big-name sponsors and Olympic-level federations. they get exposure. The coveted 18–49 market fills bleachers to take in a competition, energy drinks in hand. The Whitewater Grand Prix sacrifices all that for the sake of balls-to-the-wall whitewater.
Sooo Much HD Video
The answer to a venue inaccessible to spectators? Both installments of the Grand Prix have been nothing short of media production machines. Judging by the footage, paddlers weren’t allowed within 50 feet of a river without a bobble head-inducing GoPro mounted to their helmets. For competitive whitewater paddling—remote by nature and with no reliable…
This article appeared in Rapid, Spring 2013. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read the rest here.
