Organizers are happy with the turnout at the first ever Jordan River Festival in Revelstoke.
“I’m super-stoked. It was a huge success,” said lead organizer Katrina Van Wijk. “I’m excited for next year to grow it and get more kayakers out.”
The three-day whitewater kayak festival included a film night, clinics and races for all ability levels. It was centred around the Jordan River race — a steep-creek race through rapids, waterfalls, slides and drops on Saturday afternoon.
The race, held for the fifth time, was the focal point of the weekend. It was started in 2012 and turned into a full weekend of events this year.
The race started at the fourth drop on the Jordan River — a 10-metre high slide in the river where a large crowd gathered to watch competitors start their run. It finished at the Jordan River bridge on Boulder Mountain.
Eight teams of two competed in the race. It was won by Scott Hall and Kyle Saganiuk, who navigated the stretch of rapids in 6:18. Van Wijk and her teammate Nicole Mansfield, the only women’s team, finished second with a time of 6:27, while Sean McTernan and Rob Murphy were third in 6:29.
The weekend also featured a short race on the Illecillewaet River for intermediate kayakers. Leigh Hebert from Salmon Arm won the race in a time of 6:18, just edging out Revelstoke’s Samuel Bouchard-Couture, who finished two seconds back. Erica Stewart was the top women, with a time of 2:28.
