KINGOFTHEALPS,PASSER,ITALY,JUNE 2019
In 2019,LevelSixKingof theAlpsearneditselfa permanentplaceonthelistof topPaddlefestsaround
theWorld.OverdoubletheanticipatedmeltwaterforJunemeantlevelsinItaly’sSouthTiroleanAlps
werejuicy,leavingeveryonewide-eyedandwhite-knuckledin anticipation.JacobsYoran(BEL)wasthe
firstwinneroftheweekend,walkingawaywitha brandnewKoberpaddleafterFriday’sPADDLEexpo
Rollcompetition.In theSkateyakcompetitionyounglocalCharlottePragalwonherselfa newExoRexy.
WaterlevelsforSaturday’sMarathonwerehigherthanin yearspast;however,a roamingstarthelped
reducetheusualmass-startcarnage.In K1/C1men,MartinUnterthurner(IT)(23:47min)showedthe
wayhome.Behindhim,a battleforsecondraged,withEricDeguil(FR)followedbyMarcoBubuin(IT)
3rd.Althougholder,theMasterswerebynomeansslower.64-yearoldHansjorgMayr(IT)became
Masterin theAlpswitha timeof 24:06mins!In theWomen’sclass,thefastlinesandenduranceskills
ofBethMorgan(GB)(25:02)keptNoriaNewman(FR)in2ndplaceandCarolineTrumpeter(DE)in
3rd.In OC1,KotAnewbieJerrodJones(USA)tookfirstplacewitha timeof29.00min,leavingformer
kingBobbyMcKeesecondandFelixHundemer(DE)third.SabrinaBarmsquicklyclaimedtheOC
Women'stitle.The 2019 finalsweren'tforthefaintof heart.Athleteshadto beastthroughchallenging
lines,thenbravebeingblindedandknockedaboutlikeragdollsbeforefacinga trickyholewithlittle
roomforerror.Theelectricatmosphereintensifiedwhen,forthefirsttime,thewomenannounced
theirpresencein thefinal.FirstupwastheTeamRace,wherepaddlersfromthesamecountrypaired
up.Thecompulsoryupstreamgatecauseda fewdifficulties,butit wasMattiasWegerandlastyear’s
King,MarioLeitnerfromAustria,thatwonthetrophyswords.Thewomen'steamracewasdecidedby
combiningMarathontimes.BethMorgan,accompaniedbyBethanyPalmerearnedsome1stplace
medievalweaponryforGreatBritain.Duetorisinglevels,a singlequalifyingroundontheIntimidator
woulddeterminethe 2019 crowninsteadoftheusualtwo.GregorBecke(AT)tooka fewbysurprise
whentheretro-coolformerOlympicslalompaddlerhadbyfarthequickesttime,crowninghimasKing.
SecondplacewenttoAdrianMattern(DE),andMarioLeitner(AT)took3rd.Thewomendidn’thold
backin demonstratingtheirskills,courage,andpower,andthephrase“paddlelikea girl”is nowone
ofthebiggestcomplimentsaround.Intheend,NoriaNewman(FR)wascrownedQueen,withBeth
Morganin 2ndandMollyAgar(GB)3rd.Thosetooslowontheriverstillhadplentyofopportunitiesto
pickuptopgoodiesintheathlete’slottery.Spadekindlydonateda kayaktoauction,witheverycent
of the 780 eurosraisedgoingto theFreeRiversFund.Theweekendfinished with the legendary “Moos
BeachParty,”where200+paddlersandlocalspartiedpast sunrise.
Report: Caroline Goodall | Photography: Jens Klatt
AWPWORLDCHAMPIONSHIPS, NFC VIII,
BANKS,IDAHO,JUNE2019.With 160 participants(137maleand 18 female) andgreatwaterlevels,the 2019 editionoftheNFCdidnot
disappoint.Forthefirsttimein2019,NFCofferedmorethanthetitleofKingoftheNorthFork.Theaddedtitleof
WorldChampionshipledorganizerstochangetheeventformat.TheremovaloftheInviteOnlyplusWildCard
systemofthepastmeanttheintroductionofanopenqualifieronS-TurnRapidthatwouldfullydeterminewho
advancedtothefinalsonJacob'sLadder.A semi-finalroundofhead-to-headracingwiththetop 40 menand
thetop 10 womenfollowed,ofwhichthetop 20 menandtop5 womenfinisherswereeligibleto competeforthe
WorldTitle.MariannSaether(NOR)andDaneJackson(USA)tookthetophonors.TheadditionofanAWPWorld
Titleandopenqualifierattractedmorepaddlersfrommorecountiesthanever.Theevent'seveningfestivities,such
astheWhitewaterAwards,onceagainaddeda true festival feel to what is America’s premier whitewater event.
Moreinfogoto northforkchampionship.com.Report and photography: David Sodomka