2014 NOC Special Events Sneak Preview

After a year like 2013, when NOC hosted US Freestyle Team Trials and the ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships, it would be easy to write off 2014 as a gap year before the 2015 Wildwater Junior World Championships. However, that's not the case. The 2014 NOC events schedule offers a strong variety of revitalized on-the-water events and some all-new land-based races that we're excited to announce.

River Races and Competitions

NOC is excited to renew our commitment to the Nantahala Racing Club and to hosting more youth paddling events in 2014. With the help of our partners, we'll be rolling out new ways to get young paddlers involved in slalom, wildwater, and freestyle competitions and clinics, as well as hosting casual weekend paddling sessions run by professional instructors and coaches.  The highlight of the season will be the 2014 Junior Olympics (August 9th – 11th). Sponsored by USA Canoe/Kayak, this event features serious competition in all three whitewater disciplines alongside lighthearted games and social events.

Making friends and racing kayaks is what the 2014 Junior Olympics is all about.

In June, July and August, expect more clinics, quicker results, and of course a new 2014 T-shirt as Carolina Canoe Club, Georgia Canoeing Association and Nantahala Racing Club step up to help us expand and improve the Canoe Club Challenge. Best of all, Canoe Club Challenge proceeds will be donated to the partner paddling clubs for use in their programming and outreach.

NOC's biggest freestyle event of the season will take place September 4-6, as we once again host the international freestyle community, this time for the ICF Canoe Freestyle Pan-American Championships. The best paddlers from the Western Hemisphere return to show off the results of another year of training, and amp up for the 2015 Worlds.

New and Improved Events

Of course we’ll also be looking hard at the classic events like GAF and NOCtoberfest. Last year we listened to popular opinion and brought the GAF Used Gear Marketplace back to river left, which meant more space, more booths, and a better time had by all. Send suggestions for 2014 our way on NOC's Facebook page or by emailing events@noc.com.

Searching for sweet deals in the Guest Marketplace at GAF 2013

And runners take note, on April 5th, we're also debuting new races like our first half-marathon, the Nantahala Hilly Half & 5K in partnership with Run Bum Tours. And this Memorial Day, don’t miss NOC’s Adventure Dash – a fun 2K obstacle race suitable for the whole family, hosted right here at NOC’s Wesser Campus, featuring plenty of fun elements to shake things up.

Participants will enjoy challenging climbs, scenic views, and great singletrack at the Nantahala Hilly Half & 5K.

Stay tuned for the full 2014 Event Schedule! Check out noc.com/events to download the final events calendar and for more details on how to get involved.

2014 Paddling School Season Outlook

The Paddling School's 2014 calendar is set. Changes have been made, courses have been added and updated, the instructors are excited and paddlesports popularity is continuing to grow! Here's the rundown on what to expect:

Time For a Change

The most obvious change Paddling School guests will notice this season is the check-in location. Instead of meeting on the Adventure Deck as in previous summers, guests will meet instructors in the new Padddlesports Center, located upstairs in the Outfitter’s Store. Here guests can easily find their instructors, discuss program goals and ask questions about gear and equipment before beginning the day. This change will provide guests a more comfortable and private start to the day.

The Start of Something New

•              New for 2014 is a two-day ACA Update Course.  Any paddling instructor needing to update a Level Four ACA kayaking certification can attend one of several courses we have scheduled during the season. This is the quickest and easiest way to update and maintain a level four certification. To see level four ACA qualifications click here.

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•       Also new is the five-day all-inclusive Women’s Adventure Getaway, which is scheduled for fall of 2014. “The Women’s Adventure Getaway is a new concept for NOC,” commented Jae Jackson, Paddling School Assistant Manager. “The program will center primarily on kayaking and stand-up-paddle boarding but will also include mountain biking, hiking and other outdoor adventures. The program gives adventure-loving women an opportunity have a good time doing what they love, but also to encourage not-so-adventurous women to get out and try something new.” Click here for more information on women’s paddling courses.

Growing Popularity

Our youth programs continue to grow each season as more and more kids discover the excitement of paddling. To accommodate the most kids possible, we have developed a few different options that appeal to youth paddlers of all levels. These include the following:

•            For youth strictly interested in paddling, we offer all-inclusive and multi-day campkayak instruction options.
•            For youth interested in outdoor leadership, we have a seven-day all-inclusive YouthLeadership Camp, which includes swiftwater training and Wilderness First Aid Certification. 
•            And for those who enjoy camping out, we offer two traveling freestyle camps for intermediate youth paddlers. For five days students travel to our river outposts to learn and refine freestyle skills on some of the best freestyle features in the Southeast. 

Additionally, the Nantahala Racing Club (NRC) and NOC have renewed their relationship with a shared commitment in youth leadership development. Together we will be hosting a series of youth-focused events throughout the 2014 season. For more information on these events, keep an eye on the NRC event page and the NOC event page.

The 2014 Paddling School season is going to be great! Be sure to keep up with us via the website for information about all the courses offered at NOC. We look forward to seeing you out on the water!

2015 ICF Junior Wildwater Canoeing World Championships Come to NOC

Thanks to the success of the 2013 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships, the Nantahala Gorge has won another bid to host an international championship, this time the 2015 ICF Junior Wildwater Canoeing World Championships.

Winning the event keeps world-class athletes training in the Nantahala Gorge for the next two years. It also changes the spotlight to a new discipline after years of focusing on freestyle. Wildwater racing, one of nine officially-recognized disciplines,  is paddling's equivalent of downhill skiing; it's just a straight ahead race. There aren't any gates like in slalom paddling, and no style points like in freestyle.

Wildwater races feature two different race courses. The "sprint" course is usually 500 to 750 meters. This exciting race usually takes less than two minutes. These results from last year's junior worlds race in Lofer, Austria show times as low as 1:11 in the finals.

Video of a sprint run from the 2011 Wildwater World Championships in Augsburg. 

These close finishes point to exciting spectator events. The entire length of the course will likely be visible from the Founder's Bridge at NOC, and the finish at the 2013 Wave will be very intense, with some racers separated by only tenths of seconds.

The "classic" course is the long-distance counterpart to the sprint. This course is usually around five miles. Last year competitors finished the course in about 10 to 13 minutes in the individual race, and the finishes in the men's finals was still only separated by four seconds. The classic also features an interesting team event where three boats have to paddle together; the best time of the three boat teams wins.

So 2015 is going to be a another really interesting world championship year. But, you don't have to wait until 2015 to get into the wildwater scene. Two early-season Nantahala Racing Club events, the Glacier Breaker and the Bank of America US Open, will have wildwater components. The ACA Open Canoe Downriver Nationals will have a similar format--and this is an open competition (no pun intended--sign up and compete).  If you're interested in participating in a wildwater race for fun this year, come to one of NOC's Canoe Club Challenge races. And finally, the Junior Olympics, a multi-discipline paddling event that returns to the Nantahala River this August, will have several different wildwater competitions for aspiring athletes.

And for those just looking to get involved, the Nantahala Racing Club will be offering wildwater focused programming for youth and casual paddling sessions on the Nantahala. Stay tuned to the NRC website for more information on wildwater racing, as well as freestyle and slalom events.

Nantahala Bridge Dedication Honors NOC Staff Member's Heroism

Earlier this summer, members of the Nantahala River community gathered to honor NOC's Vice President of Operations, Rob Kelly, for his heroic rescue on the Upper Nantahala last September. In a ceremony held at the Mystic River development, representatives from the Mystic Lands community dedicated their bridge over the Nantahala to commemorate Rob's selfless act and his quick action.

On behalf of the Mystic Lands homeowners Ami Shinitzky made the following remarks:

"Heroes in literature and mythology have always had roles that go farther and deeper than surface plots would suggest. Acts of heroism are acts of transcendence. These are moments in which we exceed our normal or habitual capacity, reaching heights that set new standards for ourselves, and even for all mankind.

Though mostly isolated acts, these heroic acts are important nonetheless, for they reassure us of our hidden reservoirs of strength, even if we do not often tap into them. When we cheer for heroes, we cheer for ourselves, for heroes are the harbingers of the greatness within mankind that is in our collective future to come.

Heroic acts may be as private as holding the hand of a dying friend, or as spectacular as jumping into the rushing whitewater river to rescue a drowning fellow human being. With hardly a thought that both might perish, on that last Saturday of September 2012, that moment of singular supreme courage is what Rob Kelly displayed to the wonderment and admiration of us all.

While we gratefully acknowledge the contributions of others to this memorable rescue, it is your singular yet modest display of heroism, Rob, that hereby shall be memorialized so as to inspire the countless, nay millions, who will raft or kayak down our beloved Nantahala under this Mystic River bridge. A bridge that from this time on shall be known as the Rob Kelly Bridge, underscoring an act of human triumph that you selflessly and heroically displayed: COURAGE!

And who better to dedicate the Rob Kelly Bridge than Sue Martin, for whom what was going to be but another adventurous run down the Upper Nantahala, transformed from a near certain death, to a life where joys, small and large, and not the least the joys of motherhood of her two children, are hers to savor again.

It is our honor to know and celebrate you, Rob."

The ceremony took place on June 30 led by Sue Martin, the rescued paddler. The bridge is located between Patton's Run and Ferebee Park. Look for it next time you paddle the Nantahala, and use it as a reminder to be alert and aware of the other paddlers on the river.

Announcing NOC's 2013 Canoe Club Challenge Series

June kicks off the first of the three-part Canoe Club Challange series at NOC! For those of you new to the event, you just need to come out and see it (i.e. be a part of it) for yourselves. Featuring both a downriver and a slalom race, the event is designed to give paddlers of all skill levels a chance to get on the water and take part in some good natured, low-key competition. Talk smack with your friends, cool off on the river, and challenge yourself to a personal best time in the downriver or a clean run on the slalom course. Following the event, enjoy time with friends at Big Wesser BBQ + Brew, catch some live music, and hang out for your chance to win great prizes courtesy of NOC and Dagger.

For those of you who are Canoe Club Challenge veterans, there are a couple of changes to this year's event format that are worth noting:

• Thank you to Dagger for once again sponsoring NOC's Canoe Club Challenge. Following the Canoe Club Challenge Championships in August, we will hold a drawing for the Grand Prize, a new 2013 Dagger kayak (model is the winner's choice).
• $5 race registration includes: downriver race, slalom race and Series t-shirt (each competitor only gets one shirt, even if they come to multiple events). Competitors who come to both June and July races will receive FREE entry to the August event.
• Bring your kids! We're trying to make competition special for our smaller paddlers, and will have awards to recognize all our paddling kids aged 16 and under.

We thank you for understanding that your event entry fee goes directly towards the purchase of prizes and t-shirts. We still won't break even on the event, but the entry fee will help to recoup some of our costs.

 

Slalom Race Format Changes:

• Once the race starts, the course will be closed to practice runs.
• Competitors get two race runs in each class, and can compete in a maximum of three classes.
• Each completed run earns the paddler one raffle ticket.
• Each completed CLEAN run earns the paddler two raffle tickets. (A clean run means making it through each of the gates in the designated order without touching any poles.)
• As always following each event, we will hold a raffle for prizes. Individuals win prizes when their name is picked at the Canoe Club Challenge drawing.

Downriver Race Format Changes:

• This year, each Canoe Club Challenge Downriver Race will be a different length. 
• June: Sprint race from above Nantahala Falls to NOC Founder's Bridge.
• July: Classic race from Ferebee to NOC Founder's Bridge.
• August: Marathon race from Wayah USFS Put-in to NOC Founder's Bridge (GCA Southeastern Whitewater Championships)

Please visit the event page for more information and a full event schedule. We look forward to seeing you out on the water!

2013 NOC Events Preview

Let’s not beat about the bush: the biggest thing going on at NOC this year is the 2013 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships. Top freestylers from around the world will be coming right here, to the Nantahala Gorge, to put years of training to the test and show us their best moves. Last year’s ICF Canoe Freestyle World Cup Final on the Nantahala saw record-breaking rides in both the men’s and women’s K1 classes, and the premier of a state-of-the-art digital scoring system that got the crowd jazzed up like never before. This year, we’re pulling out all the stops for a first-of-its kind outdoor festival here in Western North Carolina.

Spectators line the banks during the 2012 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Cup

What to expect: 300 top whitewater athletes from around the world. Appalachian Heritage Expo with artisan demonstrations of regional folk crafts, traditional Cherokee tribal dances, fun hands-on educational activities for kids, great live music, and plenty of contests, demos and games to get you moving and laughing, even if you don’t know how to do a Space Godzilla.

Curious? Check out the USA Canoe/Kayak Freestyle Team Trials this April 26-28 for a sneak preview as America’s best vie for their chance to represent their country at the Worlds this September. Enjoy a real Appalachian hoedown at NOC's Spring Fling with craft fair, free film screenings by the Reel Paddling Film Festival, kids' activities, Roller Derby demos, and a special release of the Cascades & Upper Nantahala.

Emily Jackson rides the feature at the 2012 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Cup

For those of you who want to get in on the action, the Nantahala Racing Club will be putting on two slalom races this spring – the NRC Glacier Breaker and Bank of America Whitewater US Open. Come out to cruise down the course with some of the best slalom paddlers in the world, or just to cheer them on. NRC is also hosting two youth-specific slalom events in 2013, the NRC Youth Regional Team Qualifier and the NRC Southeastern Youth Championships - a great time to get your little ones out having fun on the water with kids their own age.

 Kids being kids at a Canoe Club Challenge

You won’t want to miss the Canoe Club Challenge, the nation’s most popular citizen’s whitewater race. The whole family will enjoy this fun, low-pressure excuse to splash around in the Nantahala on a hot summer day. Camaraderie, good-natured competition and raffle prizes are followed by live music at Slow Joe’s Café / Pourover Pub.

Other events we’re excited about:  

• AT Founder’s Bridge Festival, April 4-6, features wilderness-themed film screenings, live bluegrass, AT slideshows, group hikes and phenology education with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.  

 The AT Founder's Bridge Festival caters to thru-hikers and day-trippers alike.

• NOC’s Summer Music Series: Memorial Day through GAF weekend, enjoy live music, cold brews and good company at Slow Joe’s Café / Pourover Pub following a day on the river or the trail.

 

 Dirty Bourbon River Show plays the Pourover Pub in 2012

• We're always excited about thanking our guests for a great season! Come out to NOC's Guest Appreciation Festival, September 28-30 for blow-out gear sales, live music, beer specials, dance parties, bicycle pump-track, rock tower, story-telling, kids' activities, GAF Gates Race & World Kayak freestyle competitions, and a bounce house!

Bikers, kayakers, hikers and lovers of good times enjoy a GAF afternoon at Slow Joe's Cafe

• NOCtoberfest! This October, we’ll be serving seasonal brews in a German-style beer garden by the river while we jam out to the Autumn Live Music Series. On the 26th, don’t miss our Halloween celebration, including the Great Pumpkin Pursuit, costume contests and kids’ activities.

Kids show off their creations at NOCtoberfest 2012

Calling All Paddlers: Tune Up for Fall Paddling Season

NOC's nationally known Paddling School is offering an early-booking discount throughout August. Why? "Because paddling in the Fall is awesome!" if you ask Tosh Arwood, Paddling School manger. Arwood went on to explain there are fewer crowds in the Fall than during the summer rush and that you'll be surrounded by beautiful, colorful fall scenery.

In plain terms, this discount means you can save 15% when reserving a multi-day course or a private instruction course in September or October if you book it before August 31st. That's perfect timing for most paddlers since the fall is often the time for releases on some of the Southeast's most challenging rivers like the Gauley, Cheoah, Tallulah and big-water releases on the Ocoee.

Take your skills to the next level and enjoy the thrills and beauty of creek boating.

World Class Instructors
NOC instructors like Andrew Wilmott can make a lasting impact on your paddling skills. Andrew has been teaching kayaking at NOC for 17 years now, and attributes his love of teaching to his students.  "It's about the people.  It's not just about kayaking, but the community of the sport and the relationships built around it."  Andrew, along with many of our instructors love to share the experience of learning to kayak with guests.  "When someone is in 'Truck Stop' eddy, nervous to run Nantahala Falls for the first time, I put myself back in their position when I was first learning. I get into that mindset to go through what they are going through at that exact moment.  It's all about sharing the experience and reassuring the guest they can achieve their goals if they want to," explained Wilmott.

Andrew instructing a multiday course starting at Lake Fontana

Multi-Day vs. Private Instruction Courses
NOC offers a variety of programs to fit each guest's needs, time and budget. For this blog, we contacted two guests who have taken a multi-day course or a private instruction course to see how their experience with NOC's Paddling School played out.  Chris Mahannah took a 5-Day Learn To Kayak course while Steve Pack chose the Private Instruction.

Five Day Course Experience
During a multi-day course, the instructors concentrate on advancing skills through gradual progressions and building a relationship between kayaking and the guest. Mahannah enrolled in a multi-day course with his buddy, they both had very limited experience in whitewater kayaking.  They chose the multi-day course because they thought they would benefit from having more time on the water and simply had the time to do it. Mahannah had two goals before beginning this course: 1) to learn to roll and successfully do it in fast moving water, and 2) to comfortably and safely navigate a river. "I had no clue there were so many strokes and so much involved in moving in and out of eddies," explained Mahannah when talking about his experience. Throughout the Five day course, Mahannah paddled the Nantahala, Pigeon and a section of the Chattooga.

When reflecting on his course Mahannah explains, "On day four, our instructor let us take on some faster moving water (part of the Chattooga River), and it was a blast.  Andrew Wilmott was a super cool instructor, who taught us a lot and adjusted the course to our desires."  Depending on how many people are in a multi-day course and how smoothly everyone progresses determines which rivers the class will get on. Mahannah's final feedback was not uncommon for the Paddling School to receive: "I learned a ton about kayaking and had a blast doing it.  Andrew was incredible, the food was great and the gear was top notch.  I would definitely take another course!"

Roll Practice at Lake Fontana

Private Instruction (PI)
NOC's private instruction service is very focused on a paddler's personal goals more than any set curriculum. NOC's most experienced instructors use their veteran know-how to diagnose problems and offer suggestions for individual student's abilities.  Steve Pack has some experience paddling, but due to his geographical location he never progressed pass being a class II paddler.  He moved back to Western North Carolina in 2009, making it easier to paddle and start learning again.  Pack explained that he signed up for private instruction because he "wanted an honest evaluation of [his] paddling skills with feedback on what [he] needed to improve." With a one-on-one course, all of the attention goes to the guest.  They can choose what they want to do and work with an instructor that determine how to get the most from the course.

When deciding between a full and half-day course, Pack went with the half day. "I chose the half-day PI because I felt I could accomplish my goals in this time frame. I also viewed it as a first course in a series of instruction," said Pack.  This is a popular route as well, many guests book their first PI as a step in a series of courses.

Pack learned a variety of skills that will improve and prolong his health in paddling.  Previously he stated he did not fully understand key skills and techniques of paddling resulting in strain on his elbow.  Tosh Arwood, Pack's instructor, "had the ability to accurately judge my limits and push me past them in a manner which challenged me and build confidence," explained Pack.  In a PI the instructor really gets to know the guest during the time they are together.  They learn how to take their skills to the next level in a time efficient manner.

A private instruction course below Nantahala Falls.

If you are in-between levels and are not sure what course to take, give our reservations office a call at 888.905.7238. They can assist you on selecting the right course. Or, you can visit the Paddling School's website for more information.

10 Ways to Cool Off at NOC

It's hot now, and it's only going to get hotter: Atlanta, Charlotte, Greensboro, Columbia and Knoxville are all preparing for four 100° days spanning this weekend.

So, we created a top-ten list of ways to cool down here at NOC. Whitewater rafting always offers refreshing summer fun, but we tried to focus on some other options to mix things up a bit. So, here it goes:

1. Paddling the Nantahala: Whether you kayak, canoe, stand-up-paddleboard or raft the Nantahala, the river's famously cold temperatures are going to feel great this weekend. Sure, sometimes "the Nanty" is a bit chilly, but not now. The beautiful, shaded river will be the best place in the entire Southeast to cool off this weekend.





2. Get a Chilly Pad: A Chilly Pad? These cooling towels are amazing. Just wet one, and it starts to cool to the touch immediately. Technically there's nothing unusual going on (it's just evaporation), but you'll swear there's more to it. We've got this high-demand item stocked up at the Outfitter's Store and at NOC Gatlinburg, so pick one up before you go hiking or biking, and you'll be much more comfortable.


3. Lake Paddling on Fontana Lake: NOC offers guided tours and rentals of the Nantahala channel of Lake Fontana. Starting below Big Wesser rapid--the Nantahala's last hurrah--paddlers enjoy a two-hour round trip out to spectacular Bird Falls.

4. Catch the Breeze: NOC's new Zip Line Adventure Park uses wind, not water, for its cooling effect. After soaring down an almost-600' zip, climbers take on a series of high-altitude, high-exposure challenges. These include additional zips, wobbling obstacles and fun climbing puzzles. Located at the Nantahala, the Zip Line Adventure Park compliments Nantahala River trips with an additional two hours of excitement.

5. Surf School: Yes, you can surf in a river. And, just like surfing at the beach, it's a blast. Join NOC Paddling School instructors at NOC's Nantahala River campus for a free surfing session almost every summer Saturday. They've got kayaks and stand up paddleboards available for casual demos. Guests can just paddle around in a calm, flat eddy, or they can venture into the small, but exciting Surf School Wave. Either way NOC instructors are only steps away with encouragement and support.

6. High Altitude Hiking: Temperatures tend to drop 3-5° for every 1,000' of elevation you gain. So, Clingman's Dome in the Smokies, which is 5,895' higher than downtown Charlotte should be around twenty degrees cooler. Good, cool, high-elevation hikes include Andrews Bald and most hikes starting from the parking area at Newfound Gap (if your goal is staying cool, drive up to the 5,046' gap and start there). Our guides at NOC Gatlinburg know the best hike for any situation. Stop by and ask for some free advice.

7. The Famous Cool Jewel: The signature dessert at River's End Restaurant. This tasty, cool snack requires smothering a scoop of vanilla ice cream in granola, chocolate and caramel syrup. Easy to make. Easier to enjoy!

8. Rapid Transit: If you really can't enjoy the sizzling outdoors, then you can compromise. Ride the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in a comfortable, climate-controlled car, or enjoy an open air car with the breeze blowing through. You'll be able to see great Smokies scenery without baking in the sun. And after the train ride you'll enjoy lunch and a rafting trip on the refreshing Nantahala River.


9. Treat the Heat: If you're serious about outdoor recreation eventually you'll need to learn about thermoregulation both in hot and cold environments. SOLO Wilderness Medicine classes, like the basic Wilderness First Aid certification, show you how to manage these medical issues and others while having fun outside. The next course starts July 14th.

10. Frosty Brews and Riverside Tunes: Weekly microbrewery tastings at The Pourover make great opportunities to relax after a day of playing in the summer sun. Upcoming events feature the Nantahala Brewing Company and Lonerider Brewery. Cool drinks are on tap every night at The Pourover, and the shady riverside atmosphere always provides an ideal place to chill out. The tastings and the live music schedule just make a good thing even better.

River Leader of the Month – September 2011: The Other Side of Pat Keller

I do realize a lot of you already know Pat Keller or at least heard of him.  You probably know him as a big name in the paddling community, may have read prior interviews with Pat or seen footage of him on the internet, maybe met him in person or even had the opportunity to paddle with him.  Pat’s well known for his many paddling accomplishments including multiple first descents, Green River Race wins, World Kayak Freestyle Championships, river expeditions and the list goes on.  You can read about all of this in his other interviews.  But I’d heard there was much more to him than just all of these wins and accomplishments.  My mission: Meet the other side of Pat, the one that’s having fun while getting others involved in paddling.

Recalling the first time I met him, I didn’t think much of it.  Simply a really nice guy at the Dagger tent one demo day.  After that I continued to see Pat come up in cool videos and articles online and hear his name around town amongst my paddling buddies.  Even one of my friends that has been showing me the ropes (as I am just beginning to paddle) was stoked about having paddled the Green River Narrows with Pat for the first time a couple months back.  I didn’t think much about it and then realized, huh, this guy’s really trying to get others out there and into paddling, opening up, sharing his knowledge and leading the way as a role model for a younger generation of paddlers. 

It all began for Pat with his first experience on the water at age 3 when his father took him down the Nantahala River.  As a youth he continued to return to the Nantahala and progressed over the years to inflatable kayaks eventually getting his first boat, a Dagger Blast.  NOC is a home to Pat having grown up visiting the gorge frequently as if it were chapel.  But Pat was an active child involved in paddling, gymnastics, karate and skiing.  At age 9, when he tore his ACL all else ceased and he turned only to kayaking.  He began attending NOC Paddling School Youth Camps where he learned to steer, ferry and turn.  This made kayaking easier and allowed him to focus his attention on fewer things at once having the basic skills coming to him naturally.  “Learning to kayak is such a fun progression. A fun dance!” as Pat likes to put it.  “It builds self-confidence and awareness even with all of the real consequences.”  He pushes himself now by blending the skills he has gained from years of paddling across disciplines, combining freestyle, slalom and creeking to create new challenges.

 A Few Fun Lines on the Green River Narrows with Pat

Good role models are hard to come by in athletes these days.  We hear it almost everyday on the news and in the media about scandals: baseball player Mike Jacobs testing positive for HGH, Tiger Woods’ infidelity, Michael Vick’s dog fighting fiasco, and many more.  Pat desired to not only further himself and his paddling career meeting personal goals but also wanted to help others get into the sport and be a role model for paddling.   In 2001, he became an American Canoe Association certified instructor and began teaching at NOC’s Paddling School.   “To not spread the love seems bad. Everyone’s welcome.”  He continues to get friends and beginners out on the water even offering his own gear for use, showing the way and giving pointers.  “The life experiences paddling has brought me and the fun of it is satisfying.  Bring others in and you see it click.”

Pat is now living his life as a chameleon: working in the “real” world and continuing to progress his involvement in the paddling world.  He is a “suit and tie” at Merrill Lynch a few days a week working toward his professional career goals.  But he has “a foot in both worlds” and feels comfortable.  His passion for paddling continues to consume his free time.  “I haven’t lost who I am.”  Pat is a Dagger Team member, an Ambassador for American Whitewater and is working on his latest venture: a creek boating safety video.  “Your level of knowledge influences perception.”  Pat has plenty of paddling experience he has gained over the years and now he’s sharing it.  This year he’s looking forward to accomplishing a few personal goals as well and continuing his “Grand Adventure” with paddling in Mexico, getting back to the Green Race and skiing throughout the winter.  “My life is good!”  So, be on the lookout as Pat’s making waves and paving the way as a role model in the paddling community. 

Outside Magazine Picks NOC as the "Best Whitewater Kayaking School"

Thanks to Greg Melville at Outside magazine for selecting NOC's Paddling School as the "hands-down best whitewater school in the country." Melville was writing for the "Adventure Adviser" feature and answering the question "What is the best Whitewater Kayaking School?"

Previously the magazine has noted NOC as a "Top School"and a "Best Place to Learn" in its "Zero to Hero" feature that runs early in the calendar year. This feature encourages outdoor enthusiasts to pick up a new pursuit as part of their new year resolutions.

Upon hearing the news Jon Clark, Director of NOC's Paddling School, commented "It's great to be recognized by an authority like Outside. Our instructors are always refining their techniques, developing new programming and simply working hard to help their students improve. I'm proud that we're contributing to the tradition of excellence this school has built over decades."

For a list of NOC Paddling School programs, including a brand new Stand Up Paddleboard program, click here.

Congratulations to Jon and all the NOC instructors!

River Leaders of the Month July 2011: Kristin and Sean Bierle

Here at NOC we're looking forward to the Camp Cup Challenge next Monday and Tuesday. The Camp Cup is an exciting youth paddling event that gets a dozen summer camps and about 150 kids on the water for a slalom competition and a downriver race. It's likely the biggest kids whitewater paddling event anywhere. And though we enjoy, welcome and support the event here at NOC, the fact is it wouldn't be happening without two motivated and committed volunteers: Kristin and Sean Bierle. They come all the way from Boise to put this amazing event together for the campers. Why? According to them, "It's one of the highlights of our year."

Sean, Pebbles and Kristin paddling on one of the Alzar School's recent sessions.

Kristin and Sean spend most of their time supporting the Alzar School, a non-profit school that currently runs three-week programs focused on cultural exchange, service learning, leadership training and outdoor adventures. Between these programs the couple is devoted to building the foundation for the school's first full academic year in Fall 2012. Kristin works as the school's Executive Director and Sean is the school's Head Teacher overseeing curriculum development and implementation. The school's main campus will be near Boise, and students will get to embark on two international adventures a year. It is a really cool organization, and it's going to be even better when it goes year-round.

So why do these educators from Boise want to put on a race in North Carolina? Well, Kristin is a Tar Heel from Cornelius, NC who grew up paddling and going on outdoor adventures with her father. When she was 13, her father bought her a kayak, and she took a few lessons from NOC's Paddling School. She further developed her paddling with Gordon Grant at Camp Green Cove, and also at Green Cove she participated in the Camp Cup Challenge as a racer. Back then the race was organized by the Nantahala Racing Club with sponsorship from the American Canoe Association.

Though Kristin moved on to bigger rivers and now has her own kayaking students, the "Camp Cup" stuck in her memory as a wonderful event, and when she learned that the event stalled out in the early/mid 00's she decided to bring it back, which she and Sean did in 2008. Besides just executing on the event, the couple has rallied a strong coalition of manufacturers, instructors and outfitters for support, and the Camp Cup has grown very strong again over the past three years. The expectation is for another 150 kids to hit the water again in 2011.

Racers pose on the banks of the Nantahala before a run through the Camp Cup Challenge slalom course.

The event allows kids and teenagers to compete in a low-stress, supportive environment; they paddle one-person kayak (K-1), one-person canoe (C-1), open-canoe (OC-1) and two-person open canoes (OC-2). Racers get paddling experience, but also get to meet new paddling friends and practice leadership skills by rallying their camp teams.

The camp cup even brings together paddlers who already knew each other: more than once Kristin and Sean have seen kids who attend the same high school "back home" discover that they both like paddling, but they've been at different summer camps. Our hope at NOC is that the race participants will form lifelong paddling friendships and become the future leaders of paddling in the Southeast.

A Camp Cup Challenge downriver racer punches through the bottom of Nantahala Falls.

In the meantime though, we're looking forward to the riverside cheers, exciting gate runs, downriver sprints and, yes, even some of the "carnage" these boaters will provide early next week as they push and expand their abilities on the water. These guys and gals go all out.

So if you happen to be here Monday or Tuesday of next week, stop and thank Kristin and Sean for their meaningful impact on whitewater recreation and their extra effort to make an impact on the water and in the racers' lives.

Paddling School and Wilderness Survival School Announce 2011 Calendars

2011 Paddling School Calendar
2011 Wilderness Survival School Calendar

Two of NOC’s most popular programs, the Paddling School and Wilderness Survival School, will provide even more learning opportunities this year with expanded curriculums, new courses and more dates.

Learning to surf at a private instruction session with
NOC Paddling School instructor Anne Sontheimer.

Under the direction of Jon Clark the Paddling School (and its staff of over 30 instructors) has adapted its 2011 schedule to offer the most variety possible for all skill levels and ages. The 2011 PS Calendar is packed full of whitewater kayaking and canoe courses, women’s only sessions, kids and teen kayak programs, as well as an array of leadership courses including ACA Swiftwater Rescue, the all new Youth River Leadership course, and NOC’s famous Raft Guide School.

Paddlers should also consider affordable one-day workshops on rolling and paddling the Nantahala, and the always-popular private instruction session, where you dictate your itinerary with one of the best paddling instructors in the world. Whether you have one day, a weekend, or a week to spend on the water, NOC Paddling School has the fun courses that will develop your paddling skills.

Survival school students learn basic trapping methods
at NOC's Hemlock Ridge survival course.

It's hard to imagine that NOC's Wilderness Survival School (WSS) started this time last year! Thanks to higher-than-anticipated demand our instructors have accelerated the development of the program curriculum, which debuts this season. This program's goal is to provide participants all the tools needed to survive in challenging wilderness environments. The process involves three stages of progression and multiple skills workshops along the way to hone in on specialty areas.

The 2011 WSS Calendar offers the opportunity to complete the entire progression in 2011. Also, there are special offerings like a Father/Son Survival Weekend Retreat (mothers and daughters are encouraged to attend as well!) and an Ultimate Survival Youth Camp—the coolest summer camp for outdoor-loving kids. Our instructors' philosophy is one of advancement through experience, so expect to build your own shelter, refine your knife skills and learn to start fires with your own two hands. These courses are just as fun as they are enriching!