EJ headed to New England for Triple Crown and more

The T’Ville Triple Crown, brought to us by Jamie McEwan (1972 Olympic Bronze Medalist) and New Englander, will be a great new event in Connecticut for 2009. New England was once the center of the USA paddling circuit with many of the best paddlers coming from colleges like Dartmouth and Amherst. The scene died off up there, while the rivers are the same and just as fun. Now, we will see a new rise in the New England scene for competitions, training, and fun events, thanks to Jamie McEwan and other volunteers. I was a New England paddler in the late 70’s and early 80’s as an early member of the Merrimack Valley Paddlers and my dad was president of that club for a while. The White and Green Mountains were my early training grounds, followed by the rivers of Maine (Kennebec and Penobscot). It is fitting that I return to New England to race and compete in the T’Ville Triple Crown. I raced at T’Ville in 1984 for my first time and the last time I raced there I won that event in 1995 or 1996. it has been that long since I trained for slalom and longer for wild water, but it is the fun of the event that attracts me. The freestyle event, well, I expect I’ll hold my own.

My plans are to compete on Saturday and Sunday mornings and wrap up the competition at the awards on Sunday. After that I’ll be leading a group down the Satan’s section of the Farmington, about 10 miles upstream of the Gorge in the new Jackson Kayak All-Water! We’ll go to Margaritas for some beer and nachos after the river run as well! On Saturday Night we’ll be hooking up with the Collinsville Canoe and Kayak store and paddlers for an event they are putting on. Collinsville and JK are sponsoring the T’Ville Triple Crown with a Jackson Kayak of your choice (excluding the Dynamic Duo), that will be raffled off. Don’t forget to get your raffle tickets and be the lucky winner.

Look for the Jackson Kayak RV to be at the Gorge on Saturday. For the rest of the New England Tour? We’ll be visiting Zoar Outdoor, Stillwater Outfitters, Umiak, Suncook, and my dad’s house in Brookline New Hampshire. I am hoping that the Swift, Smith, Otter Brook, Ashwelot (sp?), East Branch of the Pemi, etc. are running! I haven’t been on those since the 1982!

See you in on the water New England!

EJ