Crash Test Dummy

On Sunday I drove down to Saluda, NC to check out the level on the Green River. I have not been on the Green much this summer, but I knew the water would be low. The infamous Green Race is almost upon us, and it promises to be an interesting year. The 2006 race brought out record numbers of racers, and swimmers.
I have raced in a Prijon T Canyon for the last several years, but on Sunday I borrowed a friend's Tornado. The T Canyon is fast, but incredibly unforgiving. I thought it would be smart to paddle the Tornado instead.
I was nervous about Gorilla, but I have run it hundreds of times at many different water levels. I usually run the far right shelf when the water is really low, but yesterday I decided to go for the middle boof. The word in the parking lot was that it was still dangerously low, but not as bony as it had been earlier in the summer.
I was having a great day in the Tornado, and stopped above Chiefs to discuss the plan with Caleb Coaplen. I decided to run the race line. I ended up with too much right angle coming out of the Notch. I corrected with a left draw and tried to power my way over the Launch Pad. My recollection of the event is hazy, but I believe that I pierced the breaking wave at the pad and pitoned the rock that forms it. The piton killed my momentum and I came to a complete stop at the top of Gorilla. I knew I was in serious trouble so I tucked and braced for a big impact. The huge kayak pitoned (or glanced off the rocks) in the flume below Gorilla. I immediately flipped. Flipping at the bottom of this rapid is unacceptable at low water. I felt blows coming at me from all directions. I took the biggest hits I have taken in years right on my head and thoracic spine. Finally, the impacts stopped.
I rolled up in a daze just in time to see Caleb clean the landing. Some people were portaging and ran over when they heard me hit. I could not even answer them when they asked if I was okay.
I have been thinking about this incident all day today. I got lucky. I have a large abrasion directly over my 1st thoracic vertebrae. My spine could have been damaged. I could have been knocked unconscious. I should have walked the rapid or run my usual low water line, but I let pre-race enthusiasm get the best of me. Unless the river comes up between now and race day, I will not be racing this year. I will be at the Russell Fork Race this Saturday and I know it will be tons of fun, as it always is.
I will miss racing the Green this year, but I can not justify the risk of paddling hard through bony class V+ whitewater. If it is not fun, what's the point?
This was the first bad impact I have taken since using WRSI helmets, and it may have saved my life. Thanks WRSI.

Ottawa lovin' & lettin' loose on the Moose

Let the games begin, heyoooo! Well since leaving beautiful British Columbia I've been teaching up a storm, playing a bit on the Ottawa, getting married and enjoying the Moose River Festival. Although my beloved Ottawa river is not exactly ideal levels, I did manage to get some time on Garb and even through together a little vid for you. Check it out:

(remember I'm a special boy)

Also managed to head up to Old Forge New York for the annual Moose River Festival where the drops are big and the parties even bigger. The first drop on the Bottom section gets the blood pumping with a 40 foot slide that lands beside a really bad hole. Good times had by most (those that ended up in the hole probably immediately regretted that decision). Well I'll shut up now and let you check out the goods. Until next time keep fit and have fun (that's right, I just quoted Hal Johnston and Joanne Macloed).

Dan Caldwell

ORT Men-Gore Canyon Colorado US Nationals

ORT Men - Gore Canyon Colorado
U.S. Nationals

ORT Women - Gore Canyon Colorado
U.S. Nationals

ORT Women - Payette River Idaho

PBR Event

ORT Men - Payette River Idaho
PBR Event

ORT Bio

Oregon Rafting Team (ORT)

ORT began it’s evolution in 2002 when 20 year river running veteran and football coach Tim Brink gathered a crew of his past and current teammates from rugby and college football for a local race. After dominating the regional whitewater raft racing scene for a number of years, an unfortunate career ending rugby injury forced Tim to focus his competitive fervor exclusively to raft racing hence ORT began. After training one summer with world class guides from Colorado, Tim returned home to the Portland area with some new found racing knowledge and began recruiting paddlers to form both men’s and women’s racing teams. During the initial season, ORT raced with a co-ed team as recruiting enough committed paddlers to form two teams proved to be difficult. That is not the case any longer. In 2007 ORT traveled to Colorado with two full teams as the women and men each placed in the top five nationally.
ORT athletes will have to compete with each other to earn a spot on the “Red” team for 2008. However, ORT has a no cut policy as equipment is provided by Aire rafts, Aquabound Paddles, WRSI helmets, and Immersion Research, we now have enough gear to race 3-4 teams at any given event across the country. The athletic backgrounds of our athletes include 4 former college linebackers, dragon boat racers, endurance runners, skiers, snowboarders, mixed martial arts, kayakers, catarafters, drift boaters, skateboarders, rugby, and of course a few river guides.
Off the water once the gear is put away all the seriousness stops and the raging begins. With nicknames like the Nightcrawler, Hoser, Ox, Timber, the Twin Towers, WFE, Cuddy, etc., let your imagination do the rest and the resulting perception may actually be accurate. We are proud to say that ORT is the first of it’s kind. Not a team of guides or even river veterans, but rather an athletic, charismatic body of energy that successfully engages in a variety of adventures throughout the year while reinforcing the bonds we have created through the medium of whitewater raft racing. ORT, we are more than just a racing team.
www.oregonraftingteam.com

Free SRT Clinic and a new Creekin' Vid

Hey all,

Just a quick update from the Wild West. Last week I held a free SRT safety day for any and all to attend. The goal of the get together was to talk about safety, learn some new tricks and actually practice the old ones. We had a good turnout from river surfers to beginner kayakers and seasoned vets. Thanks for all who attended and hopefully these meeting will start happening more frequently and on other rivers around the globe.

Also give you a short creekin' vid I've thrown together. Hope you enjoy!

Violently ill, too much rafting and 90 feet of freefall

The title pretty much sums up my last couple of weeks. After wrestling with some unknown illness that actually made me spend some time in the hospital to get rehydrated I was back on the water. Unfortunately it was in a big rubber raft instead of my kayak, but I guess I need the money for my upcoming travels to NZ. Besides it’s a great way for others to see what whitewater is all about. So after working lots of days in a row I finally got a day off and headed to Sutherland Falls on Blanket Creek. Sutherland is the most perfect 60 drop I’ve ever seen (except for the nasty little drop just below it). To sum it up- paddle to the lip, spot the landing, adjust angle, fall, fall some more, hit your tuck, fall some more, impact. Good times.

After that drop I headed over to another spot that my friend Johnny had heard about only a few days before. Since our beta was from a non kayaker we were a little bit skeptical. When we finally found it we were pleasantly surprised with a nice fun 30 foot drop. After a bit of work hauling our boats we got the mission done. Might be a first descent but definitely can’t claim that for sure.

Well I’m back pushing rubber again just waiting for another day off because I’ve got some big things lined up so stay tuned.
Later,

Dan Caldwell

Mathieu Coldebella-Mix Water Contest-France

Mix Water Contest
2nd and 3rd of June.

Text : Mathieu COLDEBELLA
Photographs : Gaël KERNIN

WRSI fench team (without Marc)

The Mix Water Contest is the only feeestyle kayak event in Paris. There are 4 spots on the white water park, each differents but both nice.
The contest happened in the first hole, a litle one but with a good retention.
Saturday we did the freestyle and funny boarder cross qualifications. Mathieu Dumoulin pass easily but i twas more difficult for me.
There was no party at nihgt so some people decided to ad-lib a parking meeting which keepon for a long time.
Sunday : - Quart of final : don’t remenber the results but Mat and me went to semi final.
- Semi final : 1st Mathieu Dumoulin, 2nd Mathieu Mathieu Coldebella.
- Final : 1st Romain Planchais, 2nd Mathieu Dumoulin, 3rd Mathieu Coldebella.

Mat Dumoulin going ultraclean

Mat Coldebella Airloop

Mat Dumoulin Power flip

Mat Coldebella Airsomething.

In fact, a pretty cool week end with graet friends, great sun, hot water and perfect helmets !!!!


Special Thanks to WRSI.