Thanks to everyone who came out and braved the rain (and hail!) Saturday here at the Nantahala River. Thanks to you our 4th annual Nantahala Open was a smashing success! Big thanks to Bryan Kirk (who has helped to put on the Nantahala Open four years in a row now!), Tony Turner, and rest of the WaveSport guys for setting us up with dozens of demo kayaks, including the new Fuse 48 and Fuse 56 boats.
We saw (and captured on film) sick tricks and even sicker carnage as Open competitors tried out new boats!
We had 42 competitors tearin� upNantahalaFallsall day long, including hardboaters, open boaters, C1ers, and even a few runs on an inflatable mattress! We also had just as many spectators cheering on the crew at the Falls, and sharing the WaveSport tent with us when the rain hit.
And paddlers came from all over the southeast…And Canada! Many of the participants have been at every Open–and won prizes every year!
Back at the shop at the end of the day, a keg of beer and plates of dessert helped folks wait patiently for it to get dark enough for Spencer Cooke to show his new movie, �Night of the Living Donkey,� while the Endless staffers scrambled to get the day�s footage ready for presenting to the crowd. TheNantahalaFallsfootage was expertly shot and hilariously narrated by ERA�s Brian Snyder, and captured almost every run of the day for the crowd�s entertainment.
Our sponsors this year were amazing! Winners walked away with Immersion Research dry tops, cool shades by Native Eyewear, WRSI and Shred Ready helmets, NRS gear, and t-shirts and hats compliments Team Scum and Wavesport. Thanks to our awesome sponsors, we had so many prizes that all competitors were able to walk away with something � from new paddle bags to DVD�s to air fresheners and more. And congratulations to Linda Sanders who won the grand prize, a brand new WaveSport kayak of choice!
Special thanks to everyone who showed up, paddled, drank beer and watched the movies, or just plain hung out with us this weekend. Without your support, this event simply wouldn�t be possible. Now start practicing on yourNantahalaFallsmoves for next year!
So how about those pictures? They are yours to check out!
We look forward to sharing time on the river with you this season.
Kelly and The ERA Team
Tony, Bryan, Scott, Juliet, Ken and all the Gang,
A big THANK YOU to all of you for putting together such a fun weekend! Your efforts are appreciated. (Wish I could have helped more but, I felt I had to seize a moment)
Taylor & I and all our friends had such a great time. They wanted me to relay to you that they thought it was all done in a class act way. Both Wave Sport and ERA really shined!
Ken Cote (aka: Sealy Surfer and Dad of Taylor the shred queen!)