My Kayaking Career, the Early Years – Part 10

My buddy Steve Fisher

Back to the event- I was dominating again and had just won the Quarter finals, having the first and only “trophy move” of the competition, a big air blunt, at that time it was quite uncommon. I was flying high. In the next round I had the worst luck I have had in a kayak event in my life. I flushed off the wave on my first move on both rides taking 9th out of 10 people. This is after doubling everybody’s score in the previous round. I cried for the first time in my life at a freestyle event. But, it was quite temporary because my life was so full of incredible things that had nothing to do with this competition that it was easy to let it go.

Me in my ForPlay

Upon coming home, I took over as “Director” of Wave Sport while still living in an RV. Now we have upgraded to a 33 foot Georgie Boy Landau. Oh, yea, life gets better! This RV was compliments of Wave Sport. Now, I must say, the new owner of Wave Sport had one idea of what I was supposed to be doing, and I had another. It was a struggle to keep myself from getting locked into the four walls of the factory. However, I finally learned to stand up for my lifestyle at all costs and would trade that job for the freedom to be with my family on the road any day. It all worked out though and I was able to help boost Wave Sport up while setting my sites on Spain for the Pre-Worlds and Worlds.

Winning the Gorge Games extreme race my fourth time

Meanwhile- I got to take my racing skills to other venues by competing in extreme races. I won four Gorge Games extreme races and numerous others like the Great Falls race. So I became an extreme racer and freestyle boater primarily. I also competed in the 1999 slalom team trials, but didn’t make the team for the first time since 1993. ( I was on the team for the world cup in 1996, just not for the Olympics) It was not a shock but I realized that I should expect to train a little or not compete well since I was getting rusty.