# Ranking Kayak Races



## boonekayak (Apr 13, 2010)

Potomac River Festival (Great Falls Race)


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## yakkeranna (Jul 8, 2009)

little white race


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

Here in CO. FIBark down river race deserves respect. Pine Creek race.


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

King of New York race series. Lord of the Fork on the Russel Fork.


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## soggy_tortillas (Jul 22, 2014)

Whitewater Grand Prix?
Aren't a lot of the races already listed qualifying races for the Grand Prix?


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## Pizzle (Jun 26, 2007)

Can't Forget the premier race in CO, Gore Race. It once meant something and I would speculate in another few years it might rebuild its former reputation. 


Honorable mention sickbird race, GnarFest on Little Grass Valley Section of the South Feather. Which includes a 30 footer that just a few years ago was considered unrunnable by most. 

But in reality the only races that matter are the Green, NorthFork, Sickline, and Grand Prix. The rest are just fodder for local heroes. 

Homestake is just a silly sketchy place to conduct a race.


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

There are no qualifying races for the Grand Prix. It is by invitation.

"But in reality the only races that matter are the Green, NorthFork, Sickline, and Grand Prix. The rest are just fodder for local heroes." Way too harsh and not really accurate either.


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## soggy_tortillas (Jul 22, 2014)

Right, but aren't the invitations dependent on winning one of the underlying races?


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## jmack (Jun 3, 2004)

Vallecito Race- so sick that most of the pros don't even show up. 

Vallecito creek race 2014 - Kayak Session Magazine


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## Pizzle (Jun 26, 2007)

Not harsh, just reality. Who won the King of New York Race, some canuck. Who won the BV flat water race? Who won the Great Falls race, probably a local hero. The Gauley race, probably a 16 year old in a wild water boat. Who won the sickline: Gerd Serrasolses. Who won the Green: Isaac Levinson. Grand Prix: Dane Jackson... North Fork:Gerd Serrasolses

Theres a reason those races are the center piece of the kayaking world. Those top racers are next level.


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

soggy_tortillas said:


> Right, but aren't the invitations dependent on winning one of the underlying races?


I'm quite sure no. There are more athletes than races on the "circuit" at the Grand Prix. Also, the Grand Prix is multi disciplinary so a top freestyler without a strong race record might get invited.


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

Pizzle said:


> Not harsh, just reality. Who won the King of New York Race, some canuck. Who won the BV flat water race? Who won the Great Falls race, probably a local hero. The Gauley race, probably a 16 year old in a wild water boat. Who won the sickline: Gerd Serrasolses. Who won the Green: Isaac Levinson. Grand Prix: Dane Jackson... North Fork:Gerd Serrasolses
> 
> Theres a reason those races are the center piece of the kayaking world. Those top racers are next level.


Well, my opinion and perspective is different than yours. Gore, Pine Creek, King of New York have some of those very boyze you're pointing to participating in them. Not disagreeing with your ranking of the races but some of the others draw some of the top dogs you mention and all of the top racers came up through the races you choose to minimize.


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## soggy_tortillas (Jul 22, 2014)

Seems we're both either right or wrong on this one...
Not that I ever think I'll compete in something like this, but I have looked at the qualifications before out of curiosity:

Qualify! – Whitewater Grand Prix


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## Don (Oct 16, 2003)

*Pat Keller won in NY*

Pat Keller won King of NY on the Moose racing Dane, Nick and many other Pro Boaters. It's a legit race. As is The Upper Gauley Race, Upper Yough Race, and the Lower Yough Attainment Race.


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

soggy_tortillas said:


> Seems we're both either right or wrong on this one...
> Not that I ever think I'll compete in something like this, but I have looked at the qualifications before out of curiosity:
> 
> Qualify! – Whitewater Grand Prix


Cool. Thanks for linking that. I'm not positive but I'm quite sure that initially it was invite only. I think I remember it being controversial at the time. My son got one of the invites...


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

Don said:


> Pat Keller won King of NY on the Moose racing Dane, Nick and many other Pro Boaters. It's a legit race. As is The Upper Gauley Race, Upper Yough Race, and the Lower Yough Attainment Race.


Who's Pat Keller?


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## k2andcannoli (Feb 28, 2012)

Upper yough race started in '81, anyone know of a race that's been around longer? Isaac Lev won it when he lived in the area, I remember him being very fast.

The Upper Yough Race - History of the Upper Yough History of the Upper Yough


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## Shitouta (Apr 17, 2008)

Not sure what the big deal is about the green race. It looks pretty shallow and manky.


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## Pizzle (Jun 26, 2007)

K, there are some big names in the King of New York series. Kind of disappointed that Pat won. Thought the Canadians would bring more heat. But, what's the grand price some stale Saranac Beer and some losing stubs from the OTB. How about the Losers Cup who won that event? Gore Race, who is Charlie MacArthur, Melt Down Madness, psss.


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## SKeen (Feb 23, 2009)

What about booty beer drinking races?


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## buckmanriver (Apr 2, 2008)

*ca the land of*

California is the land of unofficial races. 

That said, during a summer paddling gathering at cherry creek one man paddled in run in about 35 minutes. It was commendable indeed. And I was much slower than that.


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## hojo (Jun 26, 2008)

It seems they've mostly claimed some form of unique title and are not vying for any particular overall supreme claim. I think they all rank close to the same in skill and difficulty and bring the best paddlers (with exception to Vallecito and their egregious anti-sheeping rule violations). I think they're all pretty awesome though Sickline tends to draw out the fastest as they give the US pros a stomping ever year. I blame the allure of European sheep.


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## bystander (Jul 3, 2014)

hojo said:


> It seems they've mostly claimed some form of unique title and are not vying for any particular overall supreme claim. I think they all rank close to the same in skill and difficulty and bring the best paddlers (with exception to Vallecito and their egregious anti-sheeping rule violations). I think they're all pretty awesome though Sickline tends to draw out the fastest as they give the US pros a stomping ever year. I blame the allure of European sheep.


I was thinking Sickline was dominated by Europeans due to it being in Europe, where they get a practice advantage. Home turf is a real advantage.


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## hojo (Jun 26, 2008)

bystander said:


> I was thinking Sickline was dominated by Europeans due to it being in Europe, where they get a practice advantage. Home turf is a real advantage.


That might be part of it. I'm thinking it's more to do with the fact they are all diehard slalom racers. The NZ boys also kick ass in Sickline (Dawson pretty much owns the Homestake Race and would practice maybe 2 weeks total) because of their slalom emphasis.


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

Who's Mike Dawson? 

Interesting how something as cool as down river races is "fodder" for trash talk. Pizzle, if you want to measure their value based on prize money then my guess is the Mountain Games (Homestake) is the biggest race in the world. If you want to measure based on name athletes then it would be a top event also.

Love the Green Race. Some quality boaters racing on a quality run in the home of one our best boating communities. Enjoy it.

Sorry Hojo, I don't think sheep are part of the prizes there either.


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## TennesseeMatt (Jul 21, 2005)

*Unknowns*

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Pat Keller cut his teeth boating in the southeast and attend Brevard College in western North Carolina. I believe he's pretty well respected in the region.

Charlie MacArthur is a kayak (Aspen Kayak Academy) and ski instructor out of Aspen, CO. He is also an instructor trainer and his ACA certification courses are excellent.

Matt


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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

TennesseeMatt said:


> Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
> 
> Pat Keller cut his teeth boating in the southeast and attend Brevard College in western North Carolina. I believe he's pretty well respected in the region.
> 
> ...


Yeah, nobody knows who they are, or respects them either. 

Pat is respected by pretty much anyone who knows much about boating, not just in the SE.

Charlie who? I know him from the 10,000 times I watched Meltdown Madness. Heard a few favorable things about him out here except now he's succumbed to SUPPing. ;-)


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## hojo (Jun 26, 2008)

Phil U. said:


> Sorry Hojo, I don't think sheep are part of the prizes there either.


No sheep? That explains why very few CO boaters take part in the Green Race. I blame Obama


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## tango (Feb 1, 2006)

Green Race, NFC, Sickline, Grand Prix are the big events these days for the shit runners that are competitive. NFC is gnarly.

The small events are awesome. Keeps the stoke alive for everybody from weekend warriors, to the traveling sponsored nerds, to the local weirdos out for fun. Gore, black rock, obj, fibark, vail, gnarrows, animal, yough, nw creeking series, all those cali events, fish creek. Everything is rad.


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## Cphilli (Jun 10, 2010)

I was at the finish line of the moose this year. Pat didn't win by much, and 2 of the top 5 swam through the finish line.

I honestly don't think the NY runs get the credit due to the remoteness. I can say that in my experience swimming out of a rapid in Colorado is much easier than getting a beat down in the tubs or in the hole at fowlersville above 5 ft.


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

la ruta Maya ..even flatwater canoe races can be way more brutal than you'd expect


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## NYourd (Mar 29, 2013)

I will throw out the Cheat Down River Race, holds high stock in the PA, WV, MD community. Definitely the most unique race I have ever done. 150 person mass start through 11 miles of IV and if its highwater V. To have a fighting chance you got to run a old school glass or WW boat, which gets interesting. Plus the start is gnarly, paddles to chest, spinning out, pulling skirts. Always a swim or two just in the start ha


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## smauk2 (Jun 24, 2009)

The South Saint Vrain race seems to bring out some big names.


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## AndyFarq (Sep 17, 2014)

K2andcannoli,

Fibark has the oldest whitewater race in America


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## Pizzle (Jun 26, 2007)

Just to clarify, Charlie and Paul are my boys and I have learned a lot from the two of them in the last few years. Melt Down madness was a huge accomplishment and people seem to post the snow kayaking scene on Facebook almost every other day. I just like to do a little trolling on the forums. 
I guess my criteria for a top kayak race is that it needs to be solid class five with the kind of bragging rights that leads to someone quitting their job or buying a plane ticket to attend. That right there knocks out all the minor grass roots races. And I guess that adds the GOPRO race on Homstake, which is a real POS river, but one of the easiest for spectating.


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## Favre (Nov 17, 2010)

TITLE PRESTIGE:
1st: (Tie) Sickline / Grand Prix
2nd: Green Race (due to the number of racers and it's history)
3rd: North Fork Championship

DIFFICULTY OF RACE:
North Fork Championship / Whitewater Grand Prix

NUMBER OF RACERS:
Sickline and Green Race both attract well over 100 kayakers

Lots of honorable mentions including the Little White Race, Russell Fork, and King of New York races.


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## blutzski (Mar 31, 2004)

It seems that kayak races heavily favor local boaters. Learning those small differences in currents and boat placement is what determines the winner and separates great boaters from great boaters that can paddle the same stretch 100x per year. That's why Americans don't win Sickline and Europeans don't win the Green Race. Winning a top level mountain bike race, by contrast, depends more on conditioning and individual ability than on line choice.


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## Dwave (Mar 23, 2009)

The most comprehensive race, inviting the world over to qualify not selected, gathering the biggest talent group around from slalom racers to downriver heroes, is Adidas SICKLINE in Oetz Austria. This year was a perfect example as all of the top paddlers that race in Merka along with others from Europe and elsewhere showed up. Hundreds of qualifiers for the top spots. Maybe the format should be changed...and that's a whole other discussion, but it's definitely THE race if you want to look at gathering the best. As for the best event..hands down NFC. Burliest race, ridiculous talent, old school...the only school.


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## paulk (Apr 24, 2006)

"It seems that kayak races heavily favor local boaters. Learning those small differences in currents and boat placement is what determines the winner and separates great boaters from great boaters that can paddle the same stretch 100x per year. That's why Americans don't win Sickline and Europeans don't win the Green Race. Winning a top level mountain bike race, by contrast, depends more on conditioning and individual ability than on line choice."


Didn't a French guy just tie with Dane Jackson for the green race? I agree that it is an advantage, but Top talent seems to place regardless ie Dane Jackson finishing top 5 in sickline and Gerd winning the North fork and sickline.


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## blutzski (Mar 31, 2004)

paulk said:


> "Didn't a French guy just tie with Dane Jackson for the green race? I agree that it is an advantage, but Top talent seems to place regardless ie Dane Jackson finishing top 5 in sickline and Gerd winning the North fork and sickline.



You're right. Didn't realize he was French. Good points. 


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## whitewater_fishin (Mar 28, 2012)

speaking of the dirty frenchman - anyone know what boat he was paddling in the short boat race? The green results say "custom". i think he's technically a liquidlogic pro, but he references a boat he helped design on his facebook post about the race. Is it a new LL boat? does he have his own thing going on in France?


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