Kaweah & Brush Creek Extreme Race
The Reno-Tahoe Blog will occasionally feature entries from athletes sponsored by Reno-Tahoe, America’s Adventure Place. Jay Kincaid, professional kayaker, has been paddling over half of his lifetime, and is back to blog about his life as a professional kayaker living in Reno, NV. As 2003 Freestyle Kayaking World Champion, 2001 U.S. National Champion and three-time U.S. Point Series Champion, Jay is the most proud of the many first descents he’s done on rivers and waterfalls in his native Oregon and in California.
I left last Wednesday for the East fork of the Kaweah, in the Southern Sierra. Thursday morning we put on the river at the highest flow that most of had done it. We had an excellent group of people and it turned out to be a great day on one of my favorite day runs in the world. We had to walk the best water fall rapid on the river because the river was simply to high, but other then that everything was as run able, or not run able, as usual.
That night I drove the three hours south to Kernville. The next morning I met up with the Jackson’s and we did a few practice runs on Brush creek, the location of the extreme race the next day. The water was a lot higher then I had ever seen on that creek and it only made it that much better.
Saturday was the Brush Creek Extreme Race, and with lots of water and lots of competitors it was sure to be a great race. It seemed as if everyone was there. There were Olympians, World Champions, Extreme racing Champions, expedition kayakers, and everyone in between. Eric Jackson came out hard and won the race. Dave Garinger finished second, and I finished third. I always compete to win, and that is always the goal, but I didn’t feel bad about finishing third. I have high expectations for the races that I am going to be in this year.
Saturday night I went out on the Slalom course and did a work out in the new Jackson Kayak Ricochet. I had Eric on the bank giving me instruction, and that was awesome. It was the first time that I had been in one of the new slalom boats and it is definitely something that I am going to do more of.
Sunday Morning I met my group of people who had signed up for my play boating clinic. We headed up the river to a small wave and I spent the next couple of hours helping everyone to learn and refine their play boating skills. I think that everyone had a great time and I know that it was fun for me to see everyone learning.
When I left Kernville to drive home it was 75 degrees. Four hours latter it was 25 degrees and snowing like crazy. Last night it snowed 3 inches here in Reno, but seems to be melting off pretty quick. I am hoping that it gets warm fast because I am meeting Jason Craig in two hours at the white water park. I cant tell you how ready for summer I am!
The American River Festival is this next weekend, so I will heading back over the mountain in a couple of days.
