Top Picks

Description

The first North Fork Championship was a powerful weekend of competition, celebration and debauchery. A stage was built for the best paddlers in the world to come together to compete on one of North America's most challenging rivers - the North Fork Payette. The giants in the kayaking industry gathered in Crouch, Idaho to compete with the North Fork's powerful locals. What happened was a testament to today's level of kayaking and the power of the North Fork. 80 impressive paddlers from all over the globe competed. 30 of the world's best paddlers raced down Jacob's Ladder - a rapid that is terrifying to run, let alone race through gates. The athletes rose to the occasion and crushed it. Showing the many spectators firsthand where the level of kayaking has been taken. The whole weekend was filled with stoke, and positive energy was rampant.  The party started Thursday night as hundreds of paddlers came out to see the freshest photos and films in kayaking at ‘the meltdown’ at Egyptian theatre in downtown Boise. The festivities continued to ramp up at The Reef Bar with a raging after party thrown by Bomb Flow. The bars closed, but the party continued..  Friday, the many kayakers and spectators made the trek to Crouch for the rest of the weekend. The weather came as you would think on a spring day in Idaho, but the crowds came prepared. They cheered on 60 paddlers pulling their hearts out to compete the following day on Jake’s. The top five paddlers were named the Wild Cards and were announced at the Sponsorship Shoutout Party Friday evening. Those who were done racing made the most of their night by partying and enjoying others company late into the night.    Saturday morning came early, but those who were racing were ready. This day was filled with the most impressive kayaking many have ever witnessed. Racers fired off the Red Bull ramp into the unbelievable chaos that awaited them. The river was in charge, but many of the paddlers styled their line leaving the onlookers in awe.  This amazing piece of whitewater brought all the competitors together and made them work with each other. The camaraderie was so cool. With an incredible safety crew, and everyone intact, the energy from the river went right into the awards ceremony in Crouch. The bash continued as DJ Revolve threw a raging disco party at the Dirty Shame Saloon. The celebration continued the entire night at many campsites throughout the Garden Valley. The North Fork Payette and the city of Crouch gave a warm welcome to year one of The North Fork Championship and it's crew. The NFC looks forward to hosting many more years of the highest level of kayaking, and top shelf partying. Word - James Byrd. Music Ancients \\ Constellations \\ http://shelsmusic.bandcamp.com/album/constellations Hooray For Earth \\ True Loves \\ http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/true-loves/id427907855?i=427907866 Shot, Edited, Directed by Skip Armstrong \\ Thatcher Bean \\