RENO RIVER FEST, RENO, NEVADA, USA
The 2017 Reno River Fest saw warm, sunny days and record levels of 6,000 cfs, six times as high as in previous years. Water levels meant that the slalom and SUP
events were cancelled, and Reno’s normally retentive hole turned into a flushy wave, challenging the small group of freestyle competitors. Nine women and
eight men competed on Saturday to see who would make the Sunday final. Sixteen year-old Nevada native Sage Donnelly went into the women’s final in the
top spot, but ended up finishing second to veteran competitor Emily Jackson, with Erin Clancey in third. It was a fitting win for the mom of two, as the competition
took place on Mother’s Day. Young Abby Holcombe celebrated her thirteenth
birthday by joining the women’s class, where she put down some solid rides in her
first adult competition. The junior boys category was strongly represented by Reno
locals Nathan and Camden O’Conner and their friend Skye. The flushy feature
was put to its test with high scoring rides from Nick Troutman, Stephen Wright,
and Jason Craig, who finished first, second, and third in the men’s class. Airscrews,
helixes, and huge aerial loops were crowd pleasers, as were the entry mishaps of
a few select competitors. Due to high levels, many athletes chose to walk up and
launch into the river off the walkway, rather than access the wave from the eddy.
While this meant not missing the wave, a few fell off the wall backwards into the
street, rather than into the river. Sunday’s BoaterCross race was short but sweet,
with a floating start and two gates to touch before the finish line. Nine women
battled it out, Sage Donnelly taking the win, followed by Emily Jackson and Elaine
Campbell. The men’s competition was an event highlight, Nick Troutman edging
out Pyranha team paddler Matt Anger and Californian Will Crenshaw at the final
gate. Highlights of the festival included the nearby Reno Sculpture Festival, several
music performances, and a fun, community friendly vibe.Words: Anna Bruno - Photo: Peter HolcombeNEWS
WORLD WHITEWATER NEWS
KALI KAYAK FESTIVAL, KARNATAKA, INDIA
The Kali Kayak Festival (KKF) was held on June June 2nd-4th, 2017. The first of its kind to be conducted in the state of Karnataka, India, the festival was hosted
on the Kali River, a dam-fed river that flows through the town of Ganeshgudi. The Kali River carries enough water for the beautiful ten-kilometer, class 3-
section to be runnable throughout whole year. One of the best locations for water sports in this part of India, the Kali Kayak Festival attracted athletes from
all over the world. The festival had three race categories: beginner, intermediate and pro. The Festival saw a staggering 167 competitors, making it one of
Asia’s largest kayaking festivals. Though the majority of participants were in the beginner category, pro athletes came from all around the world, including
New Zealand, the U.K and the U.S.A. Kayakers from Uttarakand, Meghalaya and Karnataka and other Indian states also made their way to the Kali, for an
amazingly diverse representation of the Indian paddling community. Total prize
money worth over Rs. 8 Lakhs, or $13000 USD, was awarded. New Zealander Sam
Sutton placed first in all of the Pro category races, bagging the title “King of the
Jungle.” Dinesh Prasad from Uttarakand took first place in the category of “Best
Sub-Continent Paddler” with an amazing overall performance in the Pro category.
Surjan Tamang from Nepal came second, while Amit Thapa and Pawan Thapliyal
from Uttarakand shared third. For the intermediates, local boy Prasad Suresh from
Dandeli fired through to the first position in the downriver sprint, followed by local
Sachin Indalagi. Banjop Lawphniaw from Meghalaya came third. The boater
cross final was largely dominated by paddlers from Meghalaya, with Shiningstar
Basawz and June Borlang L Nongbri in first and second. Kerala paddler Nishtul
Jose took third. The beginner race had over 100 participants and 30 heats, but
the highlight of the event was the team marathon. Teams of four were formed
at random, mixing intermediates and Pro category athletes. The object was to
charge down the ten-kilometer section, though the entire team had to finish
together for the race time to count. All in all, it was a highly successful event. The
Government of Karnataka and the Department of Youth Affairs whole-heartedly
supported this event to make the resounding success that it was. Onwards to Kali
Kayak Festival 2018!Words: Siddharth Seshan - Photo: Neil Productions and Team