11 year old Lauren Burress sends in this update from the Junior Olympics

By Lauren Burress

Yesterday was the North American Junior Olympics in Golden Colorado. It was really cool! There are a lot of kids here (I think over 150) that are from all over the place. Team Oregon, Evan from California, Hayley from Wisconsin and so many more that I have met and hung out with over the last few days. My days have been filled with waking up early and paddling and then playing and hanging out with friends, and then paddling again. Switching out boats along the way.

I have been testing my skills with boatercross, and slalom a little and really like it alot. I wasn’t sure I would like slalom at first but after trying it I am stoked to learn it some more. I think it is awesome to go out and try another form of whitewater. You can do Freestyle, Boater cross, Slalom, C1, and C2. I competed in Freestyle yesterday and I was in the Cub Cadet class for 12 yr. olds and under. I was jumping for joy when I found out that we had a full class but not only that, they were all GIRLS! Awesome! I haven’t been able to compete with a class of all girls before. It is mostly boys but that has been cool too.

I also did Boater cross for the first time and I placed 3rd. I really liked it. I had so much fun racing with the other girls. Saturday is the Slalom race and even though I have only paddled a slalom boat twice I am really excited to give this a try. I am just going to have fun and try to clean the gates all the way down.

Before writing this we had gone to dinner and after walking home a dog was stuck in the swirly eddy below library hole and almost drowned. The fire trucks, police and ambulances came and rescued him. I was so glad he made it.
I am off to bed for a good nights sleep for comp tomorrow.

Lauren Burress

Lauren Burress winning her first junior olympics in the cadet class

Lauren in her Shooting Star