Announcing the 7th Annual Nantahala Open!!

Nantahala River, NC. – 2011 - Endless River Adventures and Team Wave Sport, as well as a myriad of industry sponsors are pleased to announce the 7th annual Nantahala Open. The date of this year’s event is Saturday, April 16th, 2011. The Nantahala Open will again be dedicated to Team River Runner.

The Nantahala Open has gained the reputation as a fun competition; open to all boaters no matter the experience or ability, consisting of categories for every skill level--and the prizes that go along with them! The competition takes place at Nantahala Falls from 10:00AM through 3:00PM. Following the competition Endless River Adventures invites everyone to an Open House After Party and screening of the day’s footage at Endless River Adventures

The best part of the event is the support that manufacturers give to an event that is purely a fun event. This is not a “sponsored” event, the participants are typically Nantahala boaters and those who just enjoy a great day of fun on the river. The support that sponsors have given has always been over and above. The event would not be successful without such support.

The Endless River team will be joined by Nantahala Open veteran Team Wave Sport leader Bryan Kirk and supporting team members. The group will coordinate the event from the launching pad at Nantahala Falls, with video cameras arranged to film event participants. Categories always include such events as Best Freestyle through the Falls, Best Top Hole Move, Most Creative Eddy Catching, Best Self-Rescue, Best Carnage, Cutest Run—and anything that comes to mind as the day unfolds! In addition, there will be industry-wide support for the event in terms of prizes. Industry sponsors make it possible to award great prizes for all categories. Everyone comes out of the Nantahala Open a winner!

GEAR SWAP. A gear swap area will be set up at the ERA outpost on the day of the Open. Participants and non-participants alike will be able to set up their gear and swap with, or sell to fellow paddlers.

April 16th will be here before you know it so start making plans now and help make the fifth annual Nantahala Open an event that reflects what we all do-- have fun on the river!

For updates on event specifics, keep an eye on the Nantahala Open blogsite http://nantahalaopen.blogspot.com/. In addition, ERA’s website, www.endlessriveradventures.com and Team Wave Sport’s website,www.wavesport.com. For more information contact Kelly at 828-488-6199.

Mark your calendar for the 7th Annual Nantahala Open

Saturday April 16th
the 7th annual Nantahala Open
sponsored by Wave Sport
and Endless River Adventures

And Fun Was Had By All

The 6th annual Nantahala Open was yet more fun with more competitors and more antics and more post-Falls festivities than ever. Thank you thank you everyone who shared time with us!

The event At the Falls...
We cut off the participation at 60 this year which meant prizes and fun for just about everyone! There was definitely more creativity this year than ever before, giving us lots of new category winners:
Old School Moves for an Old School Boat Award – Chris Singletary
Prom Queen Award – David Gray
Greatest Top Hole Ride EVER Award – Shaun Geist
Commitment to Diversity Award – Mary Mills
The LARA Bar® Endurance Award – Jim McKinley
I Learned It from Watching You Award – Bob & Bob Wiggins
Best Face-Ton/Carnage Award – Alyssa & Garrick Taylor
Snorkel Award – Robert Akins
The Rock Star Award – Cole Dobbs
We Don’t Need No Steenking Paddle Award – Bryson & Selena Popp
Walking the Tightrope Award – General Lee
Big Brother/Little Sister Award – Brian Simpson & Erin Dodge
The Personal First Descent at the Falls Award – Madalyn Hession
Grand Finale Award: Best Alternate Form of Transportation Through the Falls – Louis Boulinger, Lori Helman & Michael Kellis(coming through in an inflatable tiki hut)

Once the party started up back at ERA, everyone enjoyed complimentary pizza from Pizza By The River (PBR) and brownies (compliments Courtney and Juliet) and ice cold beer compliments of the Nantahala Brewing Company all the while jamming to the tunes of local blue grass legend from Aaron and the boys and enjoying a gorgeous evening in the Gorge.

The event video is of course the highlight of the evening and this year was no exception. It is not only a recap of all the antics at the Falls all day, but a glimpse into the mind of our own Brian Snyder who narrates the video from start to finish (yes, he is funny for a full five hours!).

The video was played, we all laughed very hard, prizes were distributed thanks to our awesome sponsors, and then the grand prize raffle.....
Raffle Grand Prize Winner: Tom Hession - who chose a brand new Wave Sport Fuse for his daughter Madalyn!

Every participant of the Open is included in the raffle, and then we offer additional raffle tickets with the proceeds going to Team River Runner. This year we DOUBLED the money raised for Team River Runner, with $650 totaled at the end of the evening. Outstanding!!!!

The Open would not happen without Team Wave Sport - both in their contribution of time, and donation of a boat-of choice. Bryan Kirk is a fixture at the event. And this year he not only coordinated the Open, but blew away the competition at the Dagger Shootout placing first in the men's pros division!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And then our sponsors. Thank you so very much for supporting the paddling community:

• Nantahala Brewing Company
• Northwest River Supply (NRS)
• WRSI
• Shred Ready
• Snapdragon Spray Skirts
• Stohlquist Waterwear
• Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours
• Nantahala Village Spa
• Sweet Helmets
• Fluid Kayaks
• TeamScum
• the Burger Basket
• Level Six
• Pizza by the River
• our very good friend and Open anonymous donor (we know who you are!!)
• Larabar
  
• and of course Wavesport for the grand prize boat of choice.

[Win one of the prizes? Take a minute to write the manufacturer and say 'thanks"]

And thanks to the paddling community. The Nantahala Open would not happen without you!

Sweet joins on for the Nantahala Open!

The gang at Sweet has joined in supporting the Nantahala Open. Come out this Saturday for a chance to win some great apparel from Sweet...

How about trying something new?

Newly added to the Nantahala gorge and to our prize table for the Open is the Nantahala Gorge Canopy tour. The folks over there were so great in donating a canopy tour for two! Check it out here for more info:http://www.wildwaterrafting.com/nanzip.php and come out on Saturday to win this great prize!

Lara bars for the Nantahala Open!

Check out what arrived today...

A whole box of yummy Lara Bars for the participants of the Nantahala Open.

A HUGE Thank You to the folks at Lara Bar for their support!

Check out the new prizes for the Nantahala Open! WRSI Current helmets and a "Hail Mary" throw bag. Make one of them yours! Come out for the Open on April 17.