On to the World Championships

August 24, 2006

By Devon Barker

Dear Friends,

I am so happy to tell you that I just made the US
Freestyle Team for the World Championships in May on
the Ottawa River! I won the event to boot with an
outstanding final ride. It was incredible to kayak to
my potential. I stayed on the Garbarator Wave for
the full 45 seconds and as I paddled into the eddy I
was throwing my fist into the air in happiness.

Jackson Kayakers won every event but CI where Dan
Burke was second. Our Farm House was pretty happy
last night. EJ, Dane, Emily, and Jay all had
outstanding rides. In the JR. Men, Ian McClaran from
McCall placed 6th just missing the cut to the final
five. He had outstanding rides.

Here are the results for US Freestyle Team: Top 3 &
Top 6 for Men
K1 Women Devon, Tanya Shuman, Hanna Farrar
K1 Men Eric Jackson, Andrew Holcombe, Rush Sturges,
Dustin Urban, Marlow Long, Jay Kincaid (7th Stephen
Wright, 8th Bryan Kirk, 9th Todd Baker, 10th Karl
Moser, 11th Rusty Sage, 12th Clay Wright)
K1 Jr. Men Dane Jackson, Evan Garcia, Alex Mohn (6th
Ian McClaren, 7th Jason Craig)
C1 Joe Stumpfel, Dan Burke, Seth Chappelle
K1 Jr. Women Emily Jackson, Brynne Weeks
OC1 Jeremy Lauks

After the exciting men’s final where Karl Moser and
Bryan Kirk had outstanding rides I went downstream to
paddle back to the Farm House where we are staying. I
was no more than a few strokes into my paddle home
before I was crying my eyes out. My highs and lows
are so strong. I was crying from all the raw emotion
of this high. My best friend, Megan, tells me it is
because we experience life to its fullest- highs and
lows. Bless all of you for being there for me on the
highs and the lows.

This is just the beginning of the fall season as World
Cup begins next weekend in Canada. Then we are off to
New York, and then Tennessee for the final World Cup
event. This is the first World Cup for Freestyle
Kayaking. A World Cup is required before Freestyle
Kayaking is eligible for Olympic status. The first
two events of the World Cup will also determine the
North American Champion. The season for freestyle &
squirt kayaking will wrap up in West Virgina on the
Gauley with squirt trials. Then a short break and the
Surf Kayaking events will begin in mid-October.

It is just an exciting time in our sport. I miss
Idaho dearly and cannot wait to be back. Thank
goodness we have lots of big waves in Idaho because
the next World Championships will be on a wave called
Bus Eater! I’ll be spending some time at Black Hawk,
Chair, Gold Hole (wave) and the Bladder Wave. I
cannot wait to surf with all of you at home on our
waves.

Lots of love always!

Devon

Airblunt

Backblunt

Garbarator Wave