2016 Next Adventure Upper Wind Festival

Next Adventure Wind  Festival 2016                     http://upperwindfestival.blogspot.com/

March  12th, Saturday.

Morning Registration is from 7:30 - 9:30am.

1^st race starts at 10am.

- Kayak women.
- (Possible long boat men).

- R2 raft.

Afternoon Registration is from 7:30 – 12:30pm.

Afternoon races start 1pm.

- Kayak men.
- (Possible long boat women).

- R4 raft.

3  miles; mass start by class at Stabler Bridge to approximately 1 mile below Climax. Take out will be river right above High Bridge.

Classes include;  kayak (creek boat design), and R4 and R2 paddle rafts.

• To reach the put in, drive north past Carson about 8 miles. There will be a store and a road on your left (This is Stabler). Take a left, cross over the bridge, after about 100 meters take a right, stay right, and follow that road down until it dead ends at the river. Unload quickly, park your vehicle off to the side of this short access road or park back up on the main road. This is a residential area, please be courteous and minimize traffic. 
• To reach the take-out, drive north past Carson, take last left onto High Bridge Rd, take first right, next right, follow all the way to river (turns into dirt road).
• Carson has gas, a small store, café, camping in the area, and cabins. Stevenson,   Washington is about 6 miles away and has hotels, a supermarket, and many restaurants.
• High water cutoff is 7.5 feet, low water cutoff is 4 feet.

Each  individual  craft  and  competitor  will  be  equipped  with; Type  III – V pfds,  helmet, spare  paddle  for  rafters, spare  oar  for  catarafters  or  oar  assist  paddle  rafts, first  aid  kit, 50  foot  throw  bag.  This  equipment  will  be  inspected  by  the  event  organizer  or  designated  personnel  prior  to  departure.   

Paddlers must possess a class IV+ or higher skill set in regard to whitewater navigation.   

Participants will be screened visually by race coordinators and by their completion of the registration form verifying their skill set.

20 year emergency responder specialist and river veteran Rob Cruser will again serve as the Safety Coordinator. Rob will contact all local emergency agencies prior to establish lines of communication and confirm procedures.

(3) or  more  safety  teams  (rafts  with  oars, additional  paddlers, first  aid  kits, radios, static  lines, pin  kits, 150  foot  static  3000lb  rescue  rope, 6  carabiners, 3  prussic  loops, 2  rescue  pulleys, (2)  15  foot  long  nylon  webbing  anchors  made  of  4000lb  test  material), will  be  stationed  at  the  bottom  of  the  major  rapids.  These  rapids  include; Rams Horn, Initiation, and  Balls to the Wall.

Once  all  competitors  have  passed, the  furthest  most  upstream  safety  boat  will  descend  downstream.  Experienced  Upper  Wind  boaters will  head  the  safety  teams.  Event  coordinators  will  make  every  attempt to  insure  that  the  leaders  of  the  aforementioned  safety  teams  are both  Swiftwater  Rescue  and  EMT  certified.

Additionally, class  V  kayakers  or  “safety  boaters”  will  be  dispersed  throughout  the  course  at  the  bottom  of  the  smaller  drops.

The  last  safety  team  or  “sweep  boat”, will  not  exit  the  canyon  until  it  has  been  confirmed  that  all  competitors  have  reached  the take out. 

Beach  spectators  will  only  be  able  to  view  the  event  from  the  Ram’s Horn  or  finish  line  areas.  Private  boaters  may  view  the  race  from  a  safe  distance  outside  of  the  main  navigable  channel and are encouraged to stand by with throw bags.

$25 entry fee includes:

- Registration for morning AND afternoon races.

- Wind Festival logo t-shirt (while supplies last). They do look cool.

- Food.

- Beverages.

- Photos as provided by the public of the event.

- Insurance.

- Safety.

Food and prizes at the take out after the last race.

This event is part of the 2016 Next Adventure WWCS.

 http://www.wwchampionship.org/