GIANT SLALOM
Stage 3 of UNLEASHED traveled to the Basse
Cachée River for the Giant-Slalom race. This
was the event that loomed heavily over
the organizers’ heads. Steep, technical and
consequential meant high potential for both
risk and reward. All would need to perform their
very best in order to finish successfully. Swims in
practice runs had everyone on high alert, and
some competitors chose not race, rather than
crash and risk injury. The course was set, and
water levels dropped into the ideal range.
Flow Motion Aerials buzzed above, filming
via drone so others could focus on safety.
Roosting boofs took place alongside glorious
crashes at the crux move, but the standout
performance of the day belonged to Darby
McAdams. The young female charger calmly
crushed both her practice lap and her first
race run before stepping up to go full throttle
on the final run of the day.
Seth Ashworth
maneuvers
through a tight
move on the
Basse Cache.BIG TRICK FREESTYLE
The Ruins carries its own reputation; giant
stone pillars defy raging currents to create
perfection. As athletes gathered on the
shores of the Ottawa River, an electric energy
radiated. A combination of stoke, perfect levels
and sunshine made for an atmosphere that
was inspiring. Thriving off a unique jam-session
format designed to encourage paddlers
to move away from throwing airscrew after
aircrew, competitors let loose in what might
have been the most progressive four hours
of freestyle kayaking to date. Dane Jackson,
Devyn Scott and Bren Orton paced the men’s
class by throwing monstrous tricks and insane,
three-trick combos, while Katie Kowalski and
Brooke Hess dazzled for the women.Devyn Scott
shredding
during Stage
1 as seagulls
swarm the Ruins.