Kayak Hot Dogs: From Swim to Win and Win to Swim!

The 1^st Annual Borderline Boaters Little Slocan Race

With only a week's notice the West Kootenay paddle club, Borderline Boaters pulled off an amazing race on the Little Slocan June 29^th 2013. From the ashes of the Kootenay Whitewater festival party the weekend before arose an idea for a fun loving race on the Little Slocan. Most slurred conversations at festival parties rarely culminate but the executive at Borderline Boaters had a winning idea that stuck. With multiple runs on the Little Slocan during the festival weekend the race seemed an obvious choice with road side access and sustaining medium to high levels. No one had any idea until the day of how much of a great event it was going to be.

Race day started out perfect with the sun shinning on the emerald coloured waters of the little Slocan. A solid crew of paddlers came out to test their racing skills on the kootenay classic run allowing for three races; a novice boater cross, a down river race, and a expert boater cross. Adequate safety and on land volunteers made the event run smooth as a downstream "V", even local spectators joined the excitement viewing the races from the crux of the river run now being called “5-stitches” due to a mishap the weekend earlier.

The novice racers started out first in a good sized heat of 8 paddlers starting on the lower half of the course through continuous class II and III. After a humbling swim on the Little Slocan the week before Endless Adventure store manager, Meredith took first place to vindicate her previous missed roll and clench victory over second place paddler Nick K, also a staff member at EA. Nick and Meredith were neck and neck most of the race until Mer made a break for it on the final stretch. Third place went to Jordan.

A down river race was next on the docket testing paddlers ability to paddle fast and conserve energy while paddlers navigating around other paddlers and river hazards. JD stole the show on this race winning the Down River and showing us all the benefit of experience and paddle conditioning. Endless Adventure Raft guide and Big wave assassin Lazer took second place with Meredith in Third.

The big event had all involved psyched for an thrilling expert class boater cross race. Sam “Hammer” Butler arrived fresh from work, safety kayaking an Inflatable Kayak trip with Endless to attend the race and show us all how to properly execute a vertical power stroke and keep your hair dry doing it. Two heats of staggered start times had paddlers battling for position with four to five fellow paddlers per heat. The first heat produced some big action as down river winner went from Win To Swim at Five Stitches capsizing on the eddy line of a difficult gate before the drop. Fellow racers did not hesitate to provide support but JD had the death grip on his paddle while he swam to shore like a wet cougar. Thanks to all that chased his kayak, this is the true nature of kayak racing--keeping your friends safety paramount over the glory of a win. Second heat racer Sam Butler took the podium with EA team rider Steve Ethier on his tail. Some may credit the win to the fact Hammer missed the first two races due to work and was a little fresher than other racers, others may credit the win to his flawless technique and paddle conditioning.

All in all the event was a huge success and a building block for more annual Little Slocan races and a paddling club solidifying their place in the community providing a fun loving and well organized event. Thanks to all the volunteers and organizers who helped make the event one to remember.

Stay tuned for race dates for 2014. Check out Kootenay Paddlers (Wednesday Night Paddle) facebook page for more details on club trips and common adventures.