('06 Po Fest Fluid Video: 6.5mb)
This year's Potomac Whitewater Festival was quite an event. There was a huge turn-out and much better organization than in the past. Many of the fun community friendly events where also brought back this year, such as the wave surfing and attainment races. The Saturday Night party was also tons of fun with great food, vendors, a silent auction, a good band, and the local premier of the new Epicocity film.
Team Fluid came out in full force at this year's festival with Ross, Graeme, Seth, Bobby, Billy, and myself all in attendance. I was on photo duty for the weekend due to my bum shoulder. Everyone else competed in the Falls Race and Rodeo, except Bobby couldn't make the rodeo. Fluid sponsored the Expert/Pro Freestyle and also had a booth at the party. Billy also did a freestlye clinic with six lucky paddlers.
The Great Falls Race was the first event of the weekend, and the premier draw for the festival. Tom McEwan ran a great race this year. The big surprise was the right line run by Bobby "The Dogg" Miller that earned him a 4th place finish. Ross, Billy, and Graeme made the finals and eneded up in 7th,8th, and 9th respectively. Seth also did well in a Small C-1 Solo styling his lines in his first extreme race.
The freestlye event was held on Sunday midday, allowing for many competitiors to sleep in and recover from the big Saturday night party. The big upset in the freestlye competiton came from Seth Chapelle beating out fellow C-1er Joe Stumpfel. Seth scored enough points to be in the top 2 pro men. Billy Harris did quite well getting second in prelims and ending up in 6th in finals. Graeme and Ross ended up 11th and 12th respectively in the Pro Men's class. Helene Scalliet earned a 2nd place finish in the Womens Beginner class in her first major rodeo, in a S Flirt. Sera Janson also did quite well in her S Flirt placing 4th in the Pro Women's Class.
I'd like to send a big thank you out to this year's organizers for putting on a solid event. Be sure to check out www. potomacfest.com for all the details.
See you on the river- Bryon Dorr
