The ‘Fun Tour’ is now fully underway. This past weekend we hit the Nantahala Outdoor Center for the NOC Shootout. The Nantahala is a South East classic and is the host location for the upcoming World Cup Final and the 2013 World Championships.

We showed up on Monday to a river feature that wasn’t finished yet, and four days to finish the playspot and host the competition. Though the folks from NOC and McLaughlin group got in there and in a day and a half had a great playspot for us.

The week was filled with rain, which brought the water levels up and made the spot even better.

Saturday came, and everything was ready. The store was busy with people demoing all of the new boats, NOC was testing the World Championships high tech scoring system, the river was high and playspot was kicking, and competitors were ready to show off for the crowds. Prelims ran late in the evening with the last rides finishing at 8:30 PM. Competitors getting off the water just in time for the band to start playing.

Sunday morning started off with a bang with everyone shooting hard for the top finish. All classes were raising the bar, but non more than the Pro Men’s class. Pro Men’s Semi-Finals were impressive enough, though Finals was a whole other story. All five competitors had rides other 1000 points, which would be an impressive feat on its own. Though it was a fight for the podium with Eric Jackson making 3^rd place with 1206. Dane and I battled for 1^st both with rides in the 1400’s. Though Dane took it with a score of 1466 while I came in 2^nd with a 1406. It was cool to see three Rockstars on the top podium.

Senior Men’s Class: Single Ride Scores
1. Dane Jackson – 1440***
2. Nick Troutman – 1416
3. Eric Jackson – 1206
4. Michael Patterson – 1103
5. Clay Wright – 1086

Senior Women’s Class: Single Ride Scores
1. Emily Jackson – 780
2. Haley Mills – 390
3. Courtney Kerin – 300
4. Kat Levitt – 280
5. Alexis Jennings – 100

C-1 Class
1. Dane Jackson – 813
2. Seth Chappelle – 720
3. Jordan Poffenberer – 570
4. Hunter Katich – 320
5. Nick Troutman – 216

Men’s OC-1 Class
1. Jeremy Laucks – 126
2. Dane Jackson – 120
3. Nick Troutman and Jordan Poffenberger – 100
4. Brad McMillan – 70

Expert Men’s Class
1 Andrew Koch – 290
2. Brad Caldwell – 260
3. Ty Caldwell – 243
4. Ash Doty – 160
5. Elliot Berz – 150

Junior Men’s Class
1. Hunter Katich – 1013
2. Galen Volckhausen – 760
3. Jordan Poffenberger – 573
4. Bennett Smith – 370
5. Joey Brown – 180

Junior Women’s Class
1. Rowan Staurt 200
2. Alexandra Muck 140
3. Hailey Stuart 100
4. Sara Jane Daub 50

It was a great event and a great showing of the 2013 World Championships feature.

Now we are off to the cold weather of New England for the T’Ville Triple Crown.

Signing out,

Nick Troutman

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