a freestyle kayaker, a slalom kayaker or an freestyle kayaks—six-foot-long spuds designed
instructor. Now, without video, no one would for wave and hole tricks—and longer, more
have the ability to get the kind of recognition versatile river running playboats has created the
necessary to maintain sponsors.” perception that freestyle is falling out of favour.
Dagger-sponsored boater Rush Sturges is at “If you combine river-running playboat sales
the leading edge of the filmmaking revolution. with freestyle sales, it’s still the biggest segment.”
Sturges and Young Guns Productions have Callaway believes the surge in popularity
re-shaped freestyle from choreographed of whitewater parks might be freestyle’s saving
45-second rides to big wave surfing in exotic grace. His theory that playparks will lower the
locales. Since winning the 2003 World Junior average age of competitive freestyle kayakers
Championships, Sturges says he’s become could be already playing out at this year’s World
more interested in “progressing the sport” Championships, with baby face youngsters like
by globetrotting in search of huge, high- Canada’s Keegan Grady and American Dane
consequence freestyle features. “I still totally Jackson poised to steal the show. Callaway
enjoy competition but for me that’s not where sees the changing demographics of whitewater
the progression is right now,” says Sturges, who’s kayaking as a natural progression of the sport,
been a member of the U.S. National Freestyle similar to what has taken place with all-
Team since 2003. “Freestyle just doesn’t get mountain and downhill mountain biking.
me as fired up as surfing big waves. Going out “Right now, most of the people who are into
and finding new waves and inventing new freestyle are in their late teens and 20s,” says
tricks—that’s what really fuels the sport.” Callaway. “It could get even younger. With the
Sturges says that part of the challenge in advancement of playparks, there’s no better
making freestyle appealing to the masses is place for parents to take their kids. If I were 15
“finding a venue for competitions that’s cool.” The or 20 years old I’d be all over that shit.”
element of risk that is inherent to most extreme
sports is absent from competitive kayaking, he
says. Even on a feature as big and dynamic as Bus
Even the staunchest supporters of
Eater at the 2007 World Championships, Sturges
competitive freestyle kayaking—people like
says freestyle competitions are mundane to the
McGuire and Wright—admit that freestyle is
average spectator. “It’s not like the X-Games,”
a long way off from achieving Olympic glory.
he says. “Creating a risk always makes things
“It’s going to be a long battle,” says McGuire.
more exciting to watch. Freestyle has become
“I don’t foresee it happening for another eight
so predictable.”
to 10 years.” Kincaid is less optimistic: “If you
Kincaid has no problem with the fact that
look at established Olympic paddlesports like
he now works a research and development desk
slalom, it seems like they’re constantly fighting
job for Glacier Glove, a Reno-based watersports
to make sure they’re still in,” he says. “I certainly
glove manufacturer, and that his paddling career
hope [freestyle] gets in someday, but realistically
has morphed into weekend warrior. “I think a
I don’t know that it ever will.”
lot of people would rather take the cost of these
Ironically, despite its lack of recognition
events and put it into paddling for fun,” he says.
in North America, Kincaid thinks the Thun
“In terms of professional competitive freestyle
World Championships will be a good thing for
kayaking, Rush [Sturges] and the Young Guns
freestyle kayaking. He says European events
type of guys don’t need these events. Sure, a win
typically get twice the number of participants
is nice to put on your résumé but his talent for
of those held in North America, noting that
doing other things like filmmaking stands alone,
turnout for the Ottawa Worlds was among the
and that’s the direction the sport is clearly going.”
lowest ever. “If the goal is to progress the sport,
whitewater parks miGht be Freestyle’s savinG Grace
“There’s no better place for parents to take their kids.
if i were 15 or 20 years old i’d be all over that shit.” —WooDy CallaWay
A decade ago, new whitewater playboats the big events have got to be held in locations
hit the market as fast as pro boaters like Steve where participant numbers are up,” he says.
Fisher, Corran Addison and Ken Whiting could For Lambert, it makes little difference
link ends. This was the “heyday of playboating,” whether or not freestyle becomes an Olympic
says Woody Callaway, the brand manager of sport—let alone what happens at this year’s
Liquidlogic Kayaks, when “playboats were sold World Championships. “It’s of virtually no
to people wanting to do tricks, compete and run interest to the average paddler,” he concludes.
rivers.” Declining sales in freestyle kayaks isn’t Whatever the future holds, Callaway says
a sign of lack of interest in paddling, maintains freestyle will never die as long as surfing—the
Callaway, but an indicator that the whitewater root of the sport—remains the biggest appeal of
kayaking industry is changing shape according whitewater kayaking. “Competition isn’t the soul
to demand. of kayaking,” says Callaway. “The soul of kayaking
“You can’t really compare then and now is seeing the world from the middle of the river. In
because freestyle has become its own animal,” that regard, freestyle in and of itself is awesome.”
says Callaway, who insists the division between CONOr MiHell is a writer based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
www.rapidmag.com 2
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