December 31, 2009
 

Dear Wildwater Racers and Friends:

It seems fitting to wrap up 2009 with our first article, "2009 Wildwater Highlights and Challenges". We assembled a great Junior Team for the Wildwater Junior World Championships in Buochs, Switzerland this summer. Our sponsors stepped up and helped us provide world class coaching (Maurizio Togniacci) and management (Chris Osment) for our Junior World's Team, as well as funds to help defray the cost to our athletes. Our Junior athletes stepped up to the challenge and did quite well. We are all very proud of them.

We are also blessed to have several donors who were generous with their support for USA Wildwater. You can see who they are in our first article. USA Wildwater needs their continued support, and the support of everyone, if we are going to continue to grow our sport. Now it is easier to donate to USA Wildwater. Just go to our home page at www.usawildwater.com and click on the bright orange "Donate" button to learn how you can contribute online or by sending a check to us.

I was hoping to report the results of the election of the USACK Wildwater Committee for the 2010/2011 term. Unfortunately, I have not received them as I compose this e-Zine on New Year's eve. I will publish the results on www.usawildwater.com as soon as I get them from USACK.

The (Almost Final) 2009 Wildwater Rankings are also available for your review. I beat the bushes for the results for all races that are listed in our 2009 Calendar. The races that I have results for are noted in the calendar. If you know of any results that are missing, send them to me or let me know where I can find them - before January 15, 2010.

Now it is time to get going with our program for 2010. Check out the articles on the upcoming "Chute the Hooch" training camp that is scheduled for January 23-24 in the Atlanta, Georgia area. This is a great opportunity for current wildwater athletes and newcomers to learn and train with some very accomplished coaches. Also coming up are the NRC 2010 Glacier Breaker Wildwater Race and Team Trials Training Camp.

Before you know it, we will be holding the 2010 Team Trials to determine which athletes will make the 2010 U.S. Wildwater Team. The Senior Team Trials and Eastern Junior Team Trials will be held in conjunction with the U.S. Open on March 28-29 on the Nantahala River near Bryson City, NC. The Western Junior Team Trials will be held in conjunction with the Glenwood Wildwater Jubilee on April 24-25 on the Colorado River near Glenwood Springs, CO.

We also have news about the U.S. Wildwater National Championships which is being hosted by The League of Northwest Whitewater Racers on July 31 and August 1. This race will be on the Skagit River in Washington State.

One of our goals for 2010 is to organize and conduct a series of regional "Cup" races. Read about the "Western Cup Series" in the article by Denny Adams. Stay tuned to www.usawildwater.com for more about other regional "Cup" races.

Lastly, I have included a link to an online video of the 1992 World Cup race on the Arkansas River in Colorado. It includes some great footage of the 1949 race on the Arkansas River.

I hope that you all had a great 2009 and that you are looking forward to more fun in 2010. (Yes, training can be fun!!)

Chuck Brabec
Editor & Webmaster, USAWildwater.com