Rush Sturges- Whitewater SuperStar- Now Team Jackson Kayak by ericjackson | Aug 7, 2014 | Whitewater | 4 comments [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHz55tDZZVs[/youtube]I have paddled with Rush Sturges, mostly meeting at competitions or events around the world since the 90’s. He comes from a family that has been a leader in whitewater for many years before that and still is with Otter Bar. Watching Rush grow up from a junior paddler, to Senior, to film maker, to Adrenaline Rush, to Rudy Rampage, back to competitor again is an impressive growth phase that has spanned many years. He has been a big part of Team Dagger for so long that I never imagined him on Team Jackson Kayak. When he started paddling our freestyle boats in competitions, I was so proud to have a boat that Rush felt was worth paddling even though he wasn’t on our team. This past winter, Rafa left his Karma in Rush’s yard and told people they could try it if they wanted. The result was unexpected to me. Rush and many others who paddle together on the Little White started paddling the Karma and by the Spring Rush wanted his own Karma to race in. I was, once again, so thrilled that he liked the boat enough to want to paddle it, even though he wasn’t on our team. Fast forward and Rush is now on the team, and will be an integral part of the team with both Rush Sturges and also his production company- River Roots. Rush’s first production is a promo video he made to tell the story of his transformation to Team Jackson Kayak. Team Jackson Kayak is not a team of purchased paddlers paid to paddle JK boats. We are a team of people that paddle regardless of getting any cash or support and we chose Jackson Kayak because we love the product, and our kayaking experience is more important than money. The day we stop making boats that the best paddlers want to paddle, the best paddlers will no longer be on Team JK. No amount of money could keep them. Our selection of kayakers is very careful at the factory team level. We are almost batting 1000 on having long term team members who love the product and stay forever. We are excited about Rush coming to us and hope to provide him with a home for as long as he wants one. Welcome Rush Sturges- Adrenaline Rush- and even Rudy Rampage…. 🙂 EJ 4 Comments Jan Liska on August 7, 2014 at 3:16 pm Great news… how about a WW/fishing expedition to someplace far away?? 😀 Reply Rebecca Mermaid Lewis on August 7, 2014 at 5:07 pm This story gives me something to believe in. I support Soulful Kayaking and thankfully so does Jackson! Thanks for giving this Mermaid her magic x Reply Rob on August 11, 2014 at 5:30 pm While I think that welcoming Rush to JK is a win-win, the pandering to his alter-ego Rudy Rampage is a disservice to your brand and his reputation. Add the reasons for his severed connections with BDP and Dagger and you’re hyping a facet of our sport that most find reprehensible and regrettable. I, for one, sincerely hope that this is a new leaf and direction for Rush’s incredible and admirable talent. And as a reinforcement of JK’s founding values of positively growing participation in our sport. On that note, I’d also like to know why, on the same day that Rush announced his joining JK and Jesse’s camp, you chose not to acknowledge another Jackson Team member’s accomplishment, C&K’s Female Paddler of the Year, Sage? Aren’t these two team accomplishments and contributions more characteristic of the values Team JK wish to promote? Reply Clay Wright on August 16, 2014 at 9:27 pm Hey Rob – Rush is a great guy and fits the JK family really well despite the off-color tongue in cheek posts of his alter-ego. I don’t recall any connection to BDP except zip code, and I know Dagger has seen the loss of James Bebbington and Pat Keller so I’m not sure what’s going on over there, just happy to have another great all-around paddler who loves out boats on our Team! Oh and congrats to your daughter’s new place on Team D. As for CnK awards, it’s a popular vote contest which doesn’t change my opinion of Sage one way or the other – why should it? I get to SEE her paddling improvements and accomplishments instead of just read about it :-). Congrats to Sage for her great season for sure, but we saw it first hand and were proud as punch already! Clay Reply Submit a Comment Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ
Jan Liska on August 7, 2014 at 3:16 pm Great news… how about a WW/fishing expedition to someplace far away?? 😀 Reply
Rebecca Mermaid Lewis on August 7, 2014 at 5:07 pm This story gives me something to believe in. I support Soulful Kayaking and thankfully so does Jackson! Thanks for giving this Mermaid her magic x Reply
Rob on August 11, 2014 at 5:30 pm While I think that welcoming Rush to JK is a win-win, the pandering to his alter-ego Rudy Rampage is a disservice to your brand and his reputation. Add the reasons for his severed connections with BDP and Dagger and you’re hyping a facet of our sport that most find reprehensible and regrettable. I, for one, sincerely hope that this is a new leaf and direction for Rush’s incredible and admirable talent. And as a reinforcement of JK’s founding values of positively growing participation in our sport. On that note, I’d also like to know why, on the same day that Rush announced his joining JK and Jesse’s camp, you chose not to acknowledge another Jackson Team member’s accomplishment, C&K’s Female Paddler of the Year, Sage? Aren’t these two team accomplishments and contributions more characteristic of the values Team JK wish to promote? Reply
Clay Wright on August 16, 2014 at 9:27 pm Hey Rob – Rush is a great guy and fits the JK family really well despite the off-color tongue in cheek posts of his alter-ego. I don’t recall any connection to BDP except zip code, and I know Dagger has seen the loss of James Bebbington and Pat Keller so I’m not sure what’s going on over there, just happy to have another great all-around paddler who loves out boats on our Team! Oh and congrats to your daughter’s new place on Team D. As for CnK awards, it’s a popular vote contest which doesn’t change my opinion of Sage one way or the other – why should it? I get to SEE her paddling improvements and accomplishments instead of just read about it :-). Congrats to Sage for her great season for sure, but we saw it first hand and were proud as punch already! Clay Reply
