Extreme racing involves paddling a kayak down a section of hard

whitewater Whitewater forms in a rapid context, in particular, when a river's gradient changes enough to generate so much turbulence that air is trapped within the water. This forms an unstable current that froths, making the water appear opaque and ...

. The race is similar to a timed version of

creeking Creeking (sometimes called steep creeking or treetop boating or creekboating) is a branch of canoeing and kayaking that involves descending very steep low-volume whitewater. It is usually performed in specialized canoes and kayaks specifically ...

. The rivers used for this sport are typically class V, containing

waterfall A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in severa ...

s and dangerous rapids. Races may have mass-starts or individual timed runs. Having two boat categories is also becoming popular among extreme racers. Many races have different classes including short boat, long boat, and hand paddle. Lea Extreme Kayak Race

By comparison,

whitewater racing Wildwater canoeing is a competitive discipline of canoeing in which kayaks or canoes are used to negotiate a stretch of river speedily. It is also called "Whitewater racing" or "Downriver racing" to distinguish it from whitewater slalom racing ...

involves racing specialized

canoe A canoe is a lightweight narrow water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using a single-bladed paddle. In British English, the ter ...

s or kayaks down grade II to IV rivers. Traditional whitewater racing boats would be unsuitable for rivers used in extreme races because they are typically made from lightweight carbon fiber, and thus are beyond the ability of the majority of whitewater kayakers. Many whitewater kayak manufacturers are now introducing specialized extreme racing kayaks. These kayaks feature the same durable plastic as many whitewater boats, while incorporating faster hull shapes. Some leading whitewater kayak manufacturers are

Jackson Kayak Jackson Kayak is a producer of kayaks and was founded by its namesake, Eric "EJ" Jackson. After working with Wave Sport Kayaks as a team member and as a designer, Eric Jackson and business partner, Tony Lunt formed Jackson Kayak in Rock Islan ...

s and

Dagger Kayaks Confluence Outdoor (formerly known as Confluence Watersports) is an American manufacturer of kayaks, canoes, and related accessories. The company comprises eight separate brands which each specialize in paddling sport boats or accessories. Histor ...

Extreme races may be included with whitewater kayaking events. For example, the Ulla Extreme Race is part of the Sjoa Kayak Festival in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

. In addition to races taking place at larger events, many extreme races are being held as stand-alone events. The Association for Whitewater Professionals has created a whitewater racing series titled the Whitewater World Series. Some notable extreme whitewater events are: The GoPro Mountain Games,

The North Fork Championship The North Fork Championship is a whitewater kayaking Whitewater kayaking is an adventure sport where a river is navigated in a decked kayak. Whitewater kayaking includes several styles. River running; where the paddler follows a river and paddle ...

, The Little White Salmon Race, The Whitewater Grand Prix, The Green Race, and Rey Del Rio. Extreme races are held on many rivers worldwide, such as the

River Nevis The River Nevis flows from the mountains east of Ben Nevis to its mouth near the town of Fort William in Scotland. Overview The river rises in the Mamores mountain range approximately halfway between Ben Nevis and Loch Treig, 370m above sea ...

in Scotland, the River Ulla in Norway, Russell Fork river,

Little White Salmon River The Little White Salmon River is a tributary, about long, of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. Its headwaters are in the Monte Cristo Range in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The river flows from this part of the Cascade Ran ...

, and

North Fork Payette River The North Fork Payette River () is a river in the western United States in western Idaho. It flows about southwards from the Salmon River Mountains to near Banks, where it empties into the Payette River, a tributary of the Snake River. It ...

in the United States, as well the

Lea River The River Lea is a steep continuous river located in the north-western region of Tasmania, Australia. The river has an average gradient of and a peak grade of that flows from Lake Lea to Lake Gairdner. The river flows during the Tasmanian ...

in Australia, among others. Extreme racing originated in the

wetlands of New Zealand New Zealand has several notable wetlands but 90% of wetland areas have been lost following European settlement. The Resource Management Act 1991, the major Act of Parliament determining land use, defines wetlands as "permanently or intermittent ...

by extreme racer Hans Meimbam.

References

Canoeing and kayaking {{Water-sports-stub

See also

References