Scott Feindel following his shadow over Big Kahuna.
Despite losing my 5 week old Dagger Kingpin off my truck and having it ran over by a semi-truck at 85mph, the Kavu crew along with Scott Feindel, Michelle and I headed up to Canyon Creek in good spirits for the annual extreme race, which was to be the opening event for this year's 2004 Oregon Cup. Although located close to Portland, this creek is in Washington State and is NOT to be confused with the more difficult Canyon Creek in Oregon.
Hanging out with the World Class Academy kids before the start of the race.
Canyon creek is a busy little creek that can be pretty friendly and fun to those less experienced with creeking. A couple of drops in the middle section pinch up and can be a bit technical, yet have fairly easy scouting. However once out of the tight walls of the upper section, you will soon find yourself at the brink of Big Kahuna, the first of 3 easy waterfalls (and also the starting line for the race). Basically the race begins as soon as your paddle hits the water in the eddy above 15' Big Kahuna. Upon landing cleanly you must then convert to flat-water sprinting through bony class II and III water for about 70% of the race section. As you near the finish, the final two drops known as the "Drop Zone" still must be ran cleanly before you hustle across the finish line that is located above the final drop of the creek. After the last drop, the creek becomes a lake that you must paddle across for 20 minutes to the bridge. If you are interested in challenging yourself against the clock and other fellow kayakers, the Canyon Creek Extreme Race offers a great introduction to downriver racing through drops. Congratulations to my sweet wife who won her class in the first extreme event she ever entered!
Michelle Basso launching the final waterfall before her finish in the 2004 Canyon Creek Extreme Race.
2004 results and more information about the Oregon Cup can be found at: www.oregoncup.org
