International Whitewater Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, September 26 at NOC

Part of this year's GAF celebration will include the International Whitewater Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held for the second year at Nanahala Outdoor Center. The hall of fame, otherwise known as IWHOF will host a series of events in conjunction with the induction ceremony on Saturday, September 26. All guests who will be visiting NOC for our annual Guest Appreciation Festival are welcome to attend these special events with whitewater legends.

Here is the tentative schedule of events:

9:30am - Commemorative Nantahala '90 Project RAFT Trip
IWHOF Honoree and NOC founder Payson Kennedy will guide this trip on the Nantahala River, in commemoration of Project RAFT's Nantahala '90 trip. Project RAFT was initiated by American and Russian whitewater raft experts who wanted to create an event to overcome the political animosity between these two countries. First held in Siberia in 1989, Project RAFT next moved to the Nantahala River in 1990. Participating in this year's commemorative trip are IWHOF Honoree Rafael Gallo, who represented Costa Rica at Nantahala '90, and Andrey and Svetlana Kolchevnikov, the son and widow of IWHOF Honoree and Project RAFT founder Mikhail Kolchevnikov.

The commemorative raft trip is open to the public. The trip will me at NOC's Rafting Center at 9am, with a 9:30 shuttle to the Nantahala put-in.

a shot from the Nantahala '90 raft rally

12:30pm - Lunch with IWHOF Honorees
Following the river trip, IWHOF honorees will hold a meet-and-greet lunch at Slow Joe's Cafe. Again, this event is open to the public. During lunch, a slide slow of the 1989 Chuya Rally and Nantahala '90 Rally will be shown on the TVs at Slow Joe's deck area.

5:00pm - IWHOF Induction Ceremony
Tickets are available for this event, held at Relia's Garden Restaurant, by calling NOC (800-232-7238) or through our online reservation system. The ceremony begins at 5pm with a reception, followed by a showing of the 2009 Honoree DVD at 6pm. A formal dinner begins at 7pm, concluding with awards, speeches and remarks.

For more information, visit the International Whitewater Hall of Fame website by clicking here. You can also check out the 2009 inductee biographies and professional accomplishments.

Another Nantahala '90 image. Why wouldn't you take along an accordion?!