new wave
by Capo Rettig
By Capo Re t t ig
TECHNIQUE
Nathan “Nate” Pruzan has earned some attention in kayaking communities across the western US, where this young Jackson Hole-based paddler has been
taking full advantage of what has been a good water year in the Western Rockies. The 10-year-old son of Jackson Hole whitewater pioneer Aaron Pruzan has
already paddled rivers in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. This spring, Nate was the youngest competitor at the Bigfork Whitewater Festival
in Montana, and ran the lower 5 on the North Fork of the Payette for his first time. Look for much more from this young talent, who is unlocking the potentialof
the next generation of Western Rockies paddlers.NEW WAVE
Bringing new perspectives and fresh ideas, up and
coming paddlers help keep our sport growing
and evolving. In this column, Word Class AcademyPrincipal Capo Rettig introduces new young talent
in the whitewater scene.Nathan Pruzan
Introduce yourself. What is your name, how long have you been kayaking?
My name is Nathan Jack Pruzan. I am 10 years old and I have been paddling
for 7 years.Wow.... That means you started paddling when you were around three?
Yes, I started paddling in my pond, playing around and learning in flat-water, just
getting used to the feel of the edges and everything. Then I progressed to the
South Fork of the Snake, near where I live in Jackson Hole, WY. My first full river trip
was on the San Juan River.Do you believe that the rivers of Wyoming and the Jackson Hole community
have influenced who you are as a paddler?
The rivers I paddle around my home in Jackson Hole have influenced me a lot- the Snake River, Gros Ventre, Greys & Hoback, have helped me learn different
skills, like how to river run and surf. The kayaking in Jackson is great; in this area
there are lots of options and there are all levels of boating. There are fun play
spots, challenging whitewater and the paddling season is very long. The nearby
North Fork of the Payette in Idaho is a river that gives me goals to reach for. The
kayaking community is big in Jackson, and is growing. The biggest challenge is
that almost half the year we are buried in snow – but then we get to ski.
I take it.... You must ski as well? A question most Jackson Hole kayakers
probably get asked, right?
Ha, yes. I ski as well... freestyle and racing. Growing up ski racing has really
helped my progression as a kayaker. Like kayaking, you have to think about
multiple moves and linking things together. Only in kayaking, linking the moves
together takes place in the rapid.Do you compete in kayaking as well?
Yes, I like kayaking competitions. It is very fun to be at an event and run new
rivers, meet new people. I like to paddle hard and train. I like slalom and have
done some downriver in a wild-water boat. I have been to quite a few events,
such as the Cody Whitewater Festival, Wyoming Whitewater Championships,
Gallatin WW Fest, Gore Canyon Freestyle, Greys River Slalom, Feather Fest, Pole,
Pedal, Paddle. This year I was also the youngest competitor at the Bigfork Race
in Montana.You come from a whitewater family. Your father Aaron Pruzan is a legendary
Wyoming kayaker who has had a tremendous influence on the sport. He
founded the Jackson Hole Kayak Club and is the owner of Rendezvous
River Sports in Jackson Hole, WY. How has your father influenced you as
a paddler?
My dad taught me how kayak. He taught me how to roll, and how to read
whitewater. He takes me kayaking a lot and has taken me to fun festivals. Healso taught me how to respect and care about rivers. I would not be the kayaker
I am without my dad. He is my main paddling partner. My dad has a bunch of
first descents, raced a lot, and has paddled some of the hardest whitewater in
the world. He has been my biggest influence for the paddler I want to become.This past summer you ran the lower 5 miles of the North Fork of the Payette.
How was that experience?
Yes, the level was 3,900 and it was fun and huge! I got to paddle it with (Brian)
Burger, Isaac (Levinson), Owen (Kurth), and my dad (Aaron Pruzan). The waves
were humongous. I was very happy at the bottom to have run that section of
river. My dad made me show that I could hit a number of moves and not flip on
other sections before I was allowed to paddle it. Once I was able to accomplish
that, I was able to come paddle the lower 5.What are your goals as a paddler?
I want to go back and paddle in the Columbia River Gorge. I have run the top
section of the Green Truss, and want to paddle more in that area. One of my
big goals is to run the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone, a river my family has a close
connection with. I also want to run the entire North Fork of the Payette and get
better at racing.Capo Rettig is the Director and Principal of World Class Academy, an alternative high school with an athletic focus on whitewater kayaking. The school travels the world in search of the best rivers while
providing a fully accredited high school experience, inadvertently producing some of the world’s best kayakers. Under his leadership the program has expanded to include The Climbing Academy
and World Class Kite Academy, programs for climbing and kiting that follow the World Class model. Capo has paddled and travelled all over the world, notably spending time in Columbia, for which
he wrote the first whitewater guidebook.