Kayak Session Magazine – December 01, 2019

EVENT

FogfilledtheJacquesCartierValley,thevibrantgreensoftheconiferstwinklingin thesoft

morninglightofearlyspring. 40 mmofrainhungintheair,andtheforecastprojected

a majormiddaystormstilltocome.Theriskofrapidlyrisinglevelsposeda significant

concern,buttheBasseCachéRiverprovedtooperfecta GiantSlalomcoursetobypass.

Notwantingtomisstheopportunitytotakeadvantageofoneofthebestsectionsof

steepwhitewaterinQuebec,organizerspulledthetrigger.TheyannouncedStage4 on

theBasseCachéandbegansettinggateswhileprayingforMotherNaturetoholdback

ontheinevitabledownpour.TheGiantSlalomcoursewassetto beshortandchallenging,

withthreesmoothbutrebelliousdowngatesandoneremarkablyperplexingup.Overall

standingsweretightasthefourthandfinalstagebegan.Whethertryingtotakea top

spotorwinanindividualplacingbattle,everyoneknewwhotheyhadtobeat,andbyhow

much.Athleteswalkedthecourse,studyingit intently,oblivioustothesnow-filledforest

surroundingthem.Penaltiesof2 secondsfora touchedgateand 50 secondsformissed

gateloomedwithincompetitor’smindsastheyvisualizedthemoves,thehazards,whereto

gofastandwhereto stayconservative.Theracewasn'tlongenoughto makeupforevena

two-secondpenalty.Towin,youwouldneedto benotonlyfastbutsmoothandclean.With

safetyready,thefinaleventbegan.Thepressurewason,andmanypromisingrunsquickly

spiraled.Tosaya singlemovedefinedeachracer’srunwouldbea stretch,buta double

dropintotheupgatewasthemakeorbreakmomentformost.Racersexplodingoffthe

kicker towards the right wall, or spun around backward, or went for a ride in the extremely

Giant Slalom

Stage 4

"

Unleashed is more than you think.

Yeah, it's a competition, but at the

same time it's an epic kayaking trip

with amazing friends! − Andi Brunner

retentivefeatureabovethefinish.ForlocalAndrewOxley,theBasseCachéGiantSlalom

is theonehehopeswillhappeneachyear.“It’ssteep,fast,technical;it’sa racelikeno

other.Livingaroundhere,wewaitforthissectiontocomeinallspring.It’sawesomebut

alsoreallyluckythatUnleashedhasbeenabletohostmultipleraceshere.”Noteveryone

sharedOxley’senthusiasm.Allracerscouldtaketwolaps,butaftertheagonyorgloryof

theirfirstlap,somechoseto laydowntheirkayaksin defeat,intimidatedoutofcontention

bythesteep,challengingcourse.Whenthedustsettled, clean runs took the day, and the

cruxmovedidindeed define the finishing order.

RESULTS-

1 st: Dane Jackson, 2 nd: Andi Brunner, 3 rd: Kalob Grady, 4 th: Adrian Mattern, 5 th: Bren Orton

A steep race course usually results in a steep hike out!

DaneJackson(USA)cruisesoverthemostretentivefeatureon

the racecourse en-route to his fourth consecutive 1st Place finish.

Goodweather=Goodvibes

with Quinton Kennedy (CAN).

SethAshworth(CAN)operatesa walkthroughcoffeeshop out of his Toyota Tacoma, keeping Bren

Orton (GBR) functioning through the final stage.