Extreme racing
Encyclopedia
Extreme racing involves paddling a kayak
down a section of hard whitewater
requiring excellent boat handling skills. The rivers are typically class V
and involve waterfall
s and dangerous rapids. Races may involve mass-starts or individual timed runs.
By comparison, whitewater racing
involves racing specialised canoes or kayaks down grade II to IV rivers. Whitewater racing boats would be unsuitable for rivers used in extreme races. The rivers used in extreme races would be considered too difficult and dangerous for whitewater racing, and are beyond the ability of the majority of whitewater kayakers
.
Extreme races are often run as part of whitewater kayaking events. For example, the Ulla extreme race is part of the Sjoa Kayak Festival in Norway
.
Extreme races are held on the Nevis in Scotland
, the Ulla in Norway, and the Russell Fork, Green River Narrows
, Upper Gauley River
, Upper Youghiogheny River
, and Great Falls of the Potomac
in the United States
.
It first originated in the wetlands of New Zealand by extreme racer Hans Meimbam. His persistence to create this world wide phenomenon has given him a large amount of fame and fortune.
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
down a section of hard whitewater
Whitewater
Whitewater is formed in a rapid, when a river's gradient increases enough to disturb its laminar flow and create turbulence, i.e. form a bubbly, or aerated and unstable current; the frothy water appears white...
requiring excellent boat handling skills. The rivers are typically class V
International Scale of River Difficulty
The International Scale of River Difficulty is a standardized scale used to rate the safety of a stretch of river, or a single rapid. The grade reflects the technical difficulty and skill level required associated with the section of river...
and involve waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
s and dangerous rapids. Races may involve mass-starts or individual timed runs.
By comparison, whitewater racing
Whitewater racing
Wildwater canoeing is a competitive discipline of canoeing in which kayaks or Canadian canoes are used to negotiate a stretch of river speedily...
involves racing specialised canoes or kayaks down grade II to IV rivers. Whitewater racing boats would be unsuitable for rivers used in extreme races. The rivers used in extreme races would be considered too difficult and dangerous for whitewater racing, and are beyond the ability of the majority of whitewater kayakers
Whitewater kayaking
Whitewater kayaking is the sport of paddling a kayak on a moving body of water, typically a whitewater river. Whitewater kayaking can range from simple, carefree gently moving water, to demanding, dangerous whitewater. River rapids are graded like ski runs according to the difficulty, danger or...
.
Extreme races are often run as part of whitewater kayaking events. For example, the Ulla extreme race is part of the Sjoa Kayak Festival in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
Extreme races are held on the Nevis in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the Ulla in Norway, and the Russell Fork, Green River Narrows
Green River (North Carolina)
The Green River in North Carolina, United States, is perhaps best known as one of the extreme whitewater kayaking challenges in North America that is run on a regular basis....
, Upper Gauley River
Gauley River
The Gauley River is a river in West Virginia. It merges with the New River to form the Kanawha River, a tributary of the Ohio River. It is one of the most popular advanced whitewater runs in the Eastern United States and is the chief feature of the Gauley River National Recreation Area.-Headwaters...
, Upper Youghiogheny River
Youghiogheny River
The Youghiogheny River , or the Yough for short, is a tributary of the Monongahela River in the U.S. states of West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania...
, and Great Falls of the Potomac
Great Falls of the Potomac River
The Great Falls of the Potomac River are located at the fall line of the Potomac River, upstream from Washington, D.C. Great Falls Park, operated by the National Park Service, is located on the southern banks in Virginia, while Chesapeake and Ohio Canal parkland is located along the northern banks...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
See also
- FreeboatingFreeboatingFreeboating is a branch of whitewater kayaking that combines playboating and creeking. Freeboating tricks usually originate in holes/waves and then are adapted to rapids and waterfalls. An example of a freeboating trick is the Hail Mary...
- CreekingCreeking-Creeking:Creeking refers to a branch of canoeing and kayaking that involves descending very steep low-volume whitewater. It is usually performed in specialized canoes and kayaks specifically designed to withstand the extreme whitewater environment in which the activity occurs...
- Whitewater KayakingWhitewater kayakingWhitewater kayaking is the sport of paddling a kayak on a moving body of water, typically a whitewater river. Whitewater kayaking can range from simple, carefree gently moving water, to demanding, dangerous whitewater. River rapids are graded like ski runs according to the difficulty, danger or...
It first originated in the wetlands of New Zealand by extreme racer Hans Meimbam. His persistence to create this world wide phenomenon has given him a large amount of fame and fortune.