54th Annual Fibark Festival (Arkansas River, Salida, CO) was a huge success

June 21, 2005

Once again the volunteer FIBARK organization put together
an incredible event, best described as the Gauley Fest of the West. A
28 mile downriver race, a slalom race, a major freestyle competition,
a boater cross, announcers, parties, 110 kegs of New Belgium beer consumed
in 4 days, a great town with great restaurants, and of course hot weather,
high water, and lots of friends. A carnival is also going on in the park
(on the same block as the whitewater park) so the crowds are impressive.
This is just an overview of this “be there or be square” kayaking
event in Colorado.

My last update was on Friday after the Freestyle Prelims.
On Saturday, in town, the slalom race and the National Wildwater Championships
took place, while the boatercross took place on Pine Creek about 45 minutes
out of town. I was torn between the boatercross and the slalom race. Ultimately
the boatercross is more exciting for me and it was on a great stretch
of whitewater. However, the slalom race was right in front of the RV,
and the kids wanted to race, and I have my new slalom boat on the RV.
Clay wanted to take my new Super Hero out for a test race, so I decided
to race slalom.

For an update on the boatercross check out Clay’s
story on that. (yes, the Super Hero won the race…)

Slalom Race:

Saturday was very low key for racing, with no announcers
and lots of people milling about, playing at the carnival, etc. I had
a slow run on my first one, hitting two gates, ending up 7 seconds behind
Scott Shipley. Nec Poberj from DC was in second, and I was in third. On
my second run I got my speed back and pulled ahead of Nec but not fast
enough to catch Scott.

Sunday: Freestyle Finals:

Every Jackson Kayak paddler qualified for the finals
by doing well in Friday’s prelims. Ali Wade, Zach Mitchell, Clay
Wright, Emily, Dane, EJ, Stephen Wright, and Mike Harvey all made it.

In the men’s kayak we had our quarter finals
first: the results were:

EJ-All-Star
Jed Selby-prototype
Clay Wright: All-Star
Stephen Wright: All-Star
Jimmy Blakeney: prototype
Ben Guska- prototype

In the men’s semi-finals: Cutting from 6 to 3

Stephen Wright: 110
EJ: 108
Jimmy Blakeney: 85

Final Results:

Eric Jackson : All-Star
Jimmy Blakeney: prototype
Stephen Wright: All-Star

Junior men:

Finals:

Todd Baker: prototype
Nick Troutman: All-Star
Dane Jackson : Fun 1

Pro Women Finals:

Tracey Brabant: ZG
Hannah Farrar: ZG
Emily Jackson: Star

What was it like?

PT Wood and Mike Harvey did an excellent job announcing
as usual, with a great mix of music blaring. The quantity of people hanging
out watching crowded the banks all day making this one of the best attended
events we do. The hot weather made the Arkansas rise from 900 cfs to 2100
in three days. On Friday we competed in a hole that produced huge loops
(the Stars went the biggest, again, proving to be the best looping boat
on the market), but Sunday, the river was over 2000 cfs and the hole became
more of a breaking wave. The set up time increased, and it was less retentive,
meaning lower scoring rides, but the aerial moves got even bigger. A typical
ride started with an entry move, into a three loop sequence of air loop,
space Godzilla left, space Godzilla right, all linked together with no
setup time. Stephen and Clay Wright (no relation) impressed the crowds
with Enormous air followed by screaming, oohs, and ahhs. I went for the
same effect, showing that the best freestyle boaters not only go for quantity
of moves, but the quality of them too, but going bigger, higher, and faster.
Stephen takes the cake, however, reaching the stratosphere, as the announcers
are fond of saying. I got second in the semi-finals and the first ride
of finals, but had my highest scoring ride of the day in the last round
against Jimmy. Stephen had his lowest scoring ride in the cut from 3 to
2, getting knocked out.

All day long there was a bombardment of media, with
My Business Magazine photographers, Paddler, Session, radio, Real Thrills
TV, and more that I can’t even remember, crazy.

It is amazing just how much freestyle continues to
grow in terms of exposure, spectators, and the quality and quantity of
competitors. Team Dagger, Team Wavesport, Team Fluid, Team Liquid Logic,
Bliss Stick, some Pyranha, and of course Team Jackson Kayak were all there
in some form.

I got to go out on the water and paddle with Carman
and John Ratliff after the competition. Carman is still learning and did
a great job running the rapids in the park, only flipping in the eddy,
but staying upright in the rapids. John did some surfing on the bottom
hole and wave, while I did some enders and loops in the Rocker. Carman
and John got to check out CKS and see what that shop is all about and
see a big event first hand. Kristine’s mom, our office manager,
was there too and I think had a good time, especially watching the kids
paddle.

I had the RV set up on the boat ramp with all of our
boats on the ground out front for people to try. It was a busy day. Everyone
is quite excited about the comfort of the boats, and the new Happy Seat.
The Star series is getting a lot of attention after seeing just how big
they go.

We packed up and headed to Confluence Kayak in Denver
on Monday morning. We saw Don and John and had a great time meeting some
customers and going to the Brother’s Bar/restaurant that is down
their street and been in business forever.

Right now we are in Missouri, narrowly escaping a tornado
last night in Kansas, by hiding in between two oil trucks at the truck
stop. It was so crazy that I don’t think the roof racks would have
held in the open. We are stopping at a model log home, still hoping that
perhaps we can swing one this winter. Perhaps one more year in the double
wide with mom in law, we’ll see.

🙂 EJ