"
Big Trick Freestyle
I believe the overall
goal of Unleashed is to
crown the best all−around
kayaker in the World.
− Natalie Anderson
Stage 1
Thesunflashedoverthehorizonassteamdriftedupwardsawayfromcoffeemugs.Accom-
panyingthebiblicalflowswithintheOttawaRiverbasin,dormantgiantsalsorose;two
waves,neverseenbefore,cametolife.A uniqueaspectofUnleashedis no-oneknows
whereeachstagewillbeheldin advance.Withthegoalof facilitatingprogressionin mind,
mostfeaturesarechosena mere 24 to 48 hoursbeforehand.Record-flowsontheOttawa
meantthewavesofthepastwereunderwater.EvenwiththestartofUnleashedformally
announced,no-oneknewwhattoexpect.A fewdaysearlier,JoelKowalskiofWilderness
Tourshadgonetoexplore.Ona stretchnormallytamedtoflatbythehydroelectricdam
downstreamwasa newwave.Dubbed“TheRib”fortheunpredictablespineforming
throughthemiddle,thenewwavewasdynamicandmassive,fastandblack-faced.It
possessedallfeaturesnecessarytobecomea Stakeoutclassic.Stage1 utilizedthe
UnleashedBigTrickformat:Twoheatsofriders,eachgivena two-hoursessiontoletit fly.
Judgesrecordedeveryride,watchingthefootageat theendof thedayto determineeach
athletes’topthreetricks.Combinationswereencouraged,andair,style,anddifficultywere
rewarded.Thefirstdayofcompetitionbroughtthestorylinesof 2019 intosharpfocus.
WouldDaneJacksontakea thirdstraightUnleashedtitleorwouldoneofthenextgene-
ration,TomDolleorHaydenVoorhees,perhaps,risetotakehisplace?Wouldthewomen,
whochosetocompetealongsidethemen,pusheveryonetonewheights?Despitethe
tensionsintheair,thecomraderybetweenathleteswasonfulldisplay.Huddledalong
theshoreline,athletesfromalternateheatscheered,supported,andcoachedeachother
aseveryonemadetheirwaybackupstream.Withitsspineandanunpredictableboil,‘The
Rib’wasimpulsiveandvolatile.Beingreadyif spontaneouslygiftedtheperfectrunway
meantchancingcolossalcrashes.Athletesworkedtogethertofigureoutthenewfeature,
willinglysharingadviceonhowtoshredthedynamic,blackfaceandbuildingoffeach
other’sstokeinthejam-stylesessions.ForDarbyMcAdams,thedayexemplifiedwhat
Unleashedis allabout.“Themostrewardingpartof Unleashedis meetingnewpeoplewho
encourageyou,and whose goals align with yours, creating great friendships as a result.”RESULTS-
1 st: Dane Jackson, 2 nd: Kalob Grady, 3 rd: Leif Anderson, 4 th: Bren Orton, 5 th: Tom DolleThetruesplendorofUNLEASHED:generations connecting. Old Tom
(IRL) gifts wisdom to Young Tom (FR).OrganizerBrenOrton(GBR)
displaysthepotentialof The
Rib with an epic clean blunt.