New “Cool” Event for Three Week June Paddlers
April 9, 2010 by Don Gentle
This summer, we have something new for our June Session paddlers. High Rocks will be one of many camps participating in the 1st Annual “Green River Games,” June 23rd, hosted by Green River Adventures in Saluda, NC. The best part is that the event is almost at the end of the session, which allows our campers who sign up for whitewater paddling to get fully in shape for the fun day on the river.
As many of you know, our paddling program has its roots in tandem whitewater canoe. As boys progress, they can then take a choice of kayak, C-1 (decked canoeing: basically paddling a kayak on your knees with a canoe paddle), or OC-1 (Solo open boat canoe). The program is designed to challenge you every summer you come back. Each year the boys learn more and more skills on the lake as well as on many of the rivers in our area. The guys start out on easy moving flatwater and then progress on to more difficult rivers as their skills allows. Many of our most advanced paddlers (sometimes after several summers) paddle class III+ rivers during the summer. Last summer we even introduced C-2 into the program. Our C-2’s (tandem decked canoeing) are world class slalom boats and are the same boats paddled by Olympians in the whitewater slalom competition. The boys will have plenty of time to get up to speed before the big event, including several trips down the Green River before the event even happens this summer.
The Green River Games will be an all day event on the Lower Green River near Saluda, North Carolina. Sponsors, including Green River Adventures, will be providing mini clinics, professional athletes, extra boats to try out, and live web coverage. We will wrap up the day with some fine Hubba Hubba BBQ, and a little entertainment. Parents, we will send you information about the web coverage when we get closer to the event. What fun to see your son on the river! It’s going to be a great day on the water!