Nantahala Waveshaper Grand Opening Celebration
The Excitement Starts Here
The 2013 Wave construction is complete, and it’s time to celebrate! Join members of the Nantahala Games Organizing Committee, world-class athletes and freestyle kayaking fans and enthusiasts for an official grand opening ceremony. Afterwards, paddlers can test drive the wave together while non-paddlers convene for a reception and viewing.
The open paddling session is important, so please bring your boat and gear! Though construction is complete, event organizers have now started the process of “dialing in” the feature for both world-class athletes and everyday paddlers. The waveshaper has 24 different components and thousands of possible configurations, so this is a good opportunity to come and give feedback on the wave.
Grand Opening Celebration
The grand opening celebration will consist of a brief dedication ceremony detailing the state of the project, the concepts behind the feature, athlete comments and a dedication. Immediately afterwards a riverside reception will be held and paddlers are encouraged to hit the water for a group paddling session. Event organizers and project experts will be on hand soliciting paddler and and spectator feedback.
Where: River’s End Restaurant
When: Friday, December 16 at noon
Celebration Program:
- Welcome
- Introduction to Feature Design and Calibration
- Athlete Comments
- Dedication and Thanks
- Reception
- Open Paddling Session
Want to get involved with the 2013 World Freestyle Kayaking Championships?
- *Sign-up
- *Volunteer
- *Learn More
Click the link below to be a part of this BIG evevnt:
Want to get involved with the 2013 World Freestyle Kayaking Championships?
- *Sign-up
- *Volunteer
- *Learn More
Click the link below to be a part of this BIG evevnt:
The Nantahala Wave…still a work in progress
Jackson kayaker Stephen Wright sets up for a loop on the Nanthala Wave.
Construction on the Nantahala Wave, home of the 2013 World Freestyle Championships, was completed in the end of November. However, the feature is far from “done.” The construction phase consisted of excavating the area around the feature to make it deeper and constructing a wave shaper machine, which forms the feature.
There is still much work to be done to dial in the feature in by altering the wave shaper and altering boulders around the feature. However, recent rains have caused high water levels and Duke will have to continue releasing water, preventing work on the wave for the moment. When water levels go back down, engineers will begin tweaking the wave and will be getting feedback from a small committee of World Champion playboaters.
Stephen Wright looping on the wave
The Nantahala Wave is ON!
Daniel Dutton surfing the new wave
The Nantahala wave in Wesser, NC “came on” today and boaters came out to test out the new feature, braving freezing cold temperatures to get a surf in.The water release was combined with natural flow from the recent rains, resulting in a feature that is “beefy” and very retentive. Playboaters will like the recovery pool the feature now has. No more rocks right below and a river right eddy that is much easier to catch and not blocked by guard rocks. There is also a new “bonus” wave that has appeared above the feature. There is still some work to be done to “fine tune” the feature in December.
The Nantahala Wave
New smaller wave upstream of the feature
Zach Thomason showing off some new tricks (and a few 'unintendos')
Lee Leibfarth demonstrating the retentiveness of the feature
Nantahala Wave is Under Construction!
The transformation of the classic surf wave below the NOC is under construction to turn into a world class feature to host the 2013 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships! Check out the web page link below on the World Kayak Nantahala Regional site for a link to the live webcam, info about the project, and periodic photo updates from the locals!
Nantahala Wave is Under Construction!
The transformation of the classic surf wave below the NOC is under construction to turn into a world class feature to host the 2013 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships! Check out the web page link below on the World Kayak Nantahala Regional site for a link to the live webcam, info about the project, and periodic photo updates from the locals!
2011 NOC GAF Hometown Throwdown
The good folks at the Nantahala Outdoor Center are excited to team up with World Kayak to host a FREE Hometown Throwdown event during the Guest Appreciation Festival at the NOC Wave and Surf School Wave located adjacent to the NOC Store near Bryson City, NC.
The Jr’s, Men’s & Women’s Novice classes will compete at the Surf School Wave and all other classes will compete on the NOC Wave.
The NOC Wave has been in spot light for the past four year as the feature of the NOC Freestyle Shootout. This feature will soon be reconstructed into a permanent manmade feature to host the 2013 International Canoe Federation Freestyle World Championships! The current rock stacked dam feature continues to be worked on by local paddlers and is dialed in right now for a great Hometown Throwdown good time! Make plans to join us!
Click here for directions to the NOC
- The NOC has asked that you please obey the parking attendants for parking directions when you arrive on site. This is a very busy time of the year for them, so please be respectful of the parking situation. Please carpool or plan on dropping off your gear and parking at a remote lot. Parking is limited albeit FREE. Parking in unauthorized locations will result in being towed. Please obey all rules or you will inevitably be towed, which is not FREE
- Paddlers please put in and take out on NOC property (river left)—do not use the lower Silver Mine commercial take-out.
- Make sure you have a USFS Nantahala River use pass! You must have USFS annual ($5) or day use ($1) pass which can be purchased at the Wesser General Store, Outfitter’s Store or Rafting Center. The penalty is a $75 USFS fine and you cannot register without presenting your pass.
- Be extra careful about respecting the other outfitters.
- A SAFE event is a FUN event! If anyone on the water needs help at any point in time, the paddlers’ run will not be counted against them if they stop to assist. Also, paddlers will not be bumped or unable to jump back into play if they assist others.
On-Site Registration for the event will be 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. at the tent on the old steel bridge below the wave. The event will kick off with a competitor’s meeting @ 12:00 P.M. on the old steel bridge below the wave. The first heat of rides will kick off after the competitor’s meeting. The awards ceremony and prize draw will follow shortly after the last heat of rides to conclude the event.
The event will be ran with the typical World Kayak Hometown Throwdown format/rules & class registration that will be explained on event day.
2011 NOC GAF Event Sponsors:
This is just one of several events that will be going on during the GAF weekend, so lots of BIG Boomin’ Fun is in store to be had at the NOC during this weekend.
If you have never had the pleasure to join in on the fun of a Hometown Throwdown and don’t know what it is all about; check out this blog post with photos, videos & the story from the 2010 NOC GAF HTTD event that was held at the NOC Wave last year: http://worldkayakblogs.com/throwdown/2010/09/29/2010-n-o-c-g-a-f-hometown-throwdown-event-coverage/
Event Contact Info:
Organizer: Rick Thompson and Cheska Barreto
Telephone: (678) 907-1378
E-mail: rdt70@bellsouth.net
I hope to see you on the Nanty for the NOC GAF Hometown Throwdown!
2011 NOC GAF Hometown Throwdown
The good folks at the Nantahala Outdoor Center are excited to team up with World Kayak to host a FREE Hometown Throwdown event during the Guest Appreciation Festival at the NOC Wave and Surf School Wave located adjacent to the NOC Store near Bryson City, NC.
The Jr’s, Men’s & Women’s Novice classes will compete at the Surf School Wave and all other classes will compete on the NOC Wave.
The NOC Wave has been in spot light for the past four year as the feature of the NOC Freestyle Shootout. This feature will soon be reconstructed into a permanent manmade feature to host the 2013 International Canoe Federation Freestyle World Championships! The current rock stacked dam feature continues to be worked on by local paddlers and is dialed in right now for a great Hometown Throwdown good time! Make plans to join us!
Click here for directions to the NOC
- The NOC has asked that you please obey the parking attendants for parking directions when you arrive on site. This is a very busy time of the year for them, so please be respectful of the parking situation. Please carpool or plan on dropping off your gear and parking at a remote lot. Parking is limited albeit FREE. Parking in unauthorized locations will result in being towed. Please obey all rules or you will inevitably be towed, which is not FREE
- Paddlers please put in and take out on NOC property (river left)—do not use the lower Silver Mine commercial take-out.
- Make sure you have a USFS Nantahala River use pass! You must have USFS annual ($5) or day use ($1) pass which can be purchased at the Wesser General Store, Outfitter’s Store or Rafting Center. The penalty is a $75 USFS fine and you cannot register without presenting your pass.
- Be extra careful about respecting the other outfitters.
- A SAFE event is a FUN event! If anyone on the water needs help at any point in time, the paddlers’ run will not be counted against them if they stop to assist. Also, paddlers will not be bumped or unable to jump back into play if they assist others.
On-Site Registration for the event will be 11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. at the tent on the old steel bridge below the wave. The event will kick off with a competitor’s meeting @ 12:00 P.M. on the old steel bridge below the wave. The first heat of rides will kick off after the competitor’s meeting. The awards ceremony and prize draw will follow shortly after the last heat of rides to conclude the event.
The event will be ran with the typical World Kayak Hometown Throwdown format/rules & class registration that will be explained on event day.
2011 NOC GAF Event Sponsors:
This is just one of several events that will be going on during the GAF weekend, so lots of BIG Boomin’ Fun is in store to be had at the NOC during this weekend.
If you have never had the pleasure to join in on the fun of a Hometown Throwdown and don’t know what it is all about; check out this blog post with photos, videos & the story from the 2010 NOC GAF HTTD event that was held at the NOC Wave last year: http://worldkayakblogs.com/throwdown/2010/09/29/2010-n-o-c-g-a-f-hometown-throwdown-event-coverage/
Event Contact Info:
Organizer: Rick Thompson
Telephone: (678) 907-1378
E-mail: rdt70@bellsouth.net
I hope to see you on the Nanty for the NOC GAF Hometown Throwdown!
