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12TuesdayAugust62013SportsRecreationPaddlingByMEAGANWOHLBERGBlessedbyMotherNaturetheNorthsonlywhitewaterfestivalPaddlefestcelebratedoneofitslargestturnoutsyetasdrovesofFortSmithlocalsandout-of-townersswepttotherocksofMountainPortageovertheweekendtoenjoytheheatgetwetandwatchpad-dlersofallskilllevelstacklethebelovedSlaveRiverrapids.WhilenumbersarentquiteinforhowmanyregisteredparticipantstookpartinthesixtheditionoftheannualfestivalwhichcelebratesthemightySlaveRiverrapidcor-ridornearFortSmitheveryAugustlongweekendcoor-dinatorGenevieveCtsaidthegoodweatherbroughtalotmorepeopledowntotherocksthanhavebeenseeninthelastfewcoldrainyyears.ItseemstomelikewehadquiteafewmorethanlastyearsoImlookingforwardtocompilingthatdataandac-tuallygetthenumbersoutCtsaid.NumberonewasMotherNatureshesavedourlives.Imsogladtheweathercooperated.Thatmadesuchahugedifference.Apartfromweatheranincreasedfocusonacces-sibilitythisyearalsosawmorepeoplegettingouttothesite.Volunteersblazedanewtrailtotherapidstomakethetrekeasierforel-dersandchildrenwhilemorespectatoreventsaccesstorafttripsandplentyofop-portunitiestotryakayakorastand-up-paddleboarden-suredanyonewhowantedtogetwetcoulddoso.LocalpeoplefromtownwhohadneverbeentotherocksbeforewentforthersttimeontheweekendandthisformeisworthalltheworkjusttoknowthatlocalpeoplewentdownthereandjustsawwhatthatsectionoftheriverislikeCtsaid.TomethatswhatPaddlefestisfor.Formedinitiallysixyearsagoasapeacefulprotesttoproposedhydroontheriver-amovethatwoulddestroytheSlavesrapids-PaddlefesthasevolvedintoacommunityeventandtourismdrawtoFortSmith.ThisyearabouthalftheparticipantsinthewhitewatereventswerefromoutsideFortSmithmostlyfromYellowknife.ThepeoplefromoutoftownwhosignedupImsurprisedathowthankfultheywere.Itseemstomethatpeoplehadareallygoodtime.TheywereevenmoreexcitedaboutallthestuffthanIthoughttheywouldbesothatmakesmefeelgoodCtsaid.Besidestheclassicthrow-downeventsfeaturingsomeofthemoreadvancedpaddlersdoingtricksontherapidstheeventalsoincludeditsfuntraditionsofapooltoyswimracetheteambeachballraceandthecanoesurfandrescuecompetition.Guidedhikesbannockandhotdogroastingthespectatorthrow-bagrescueandridesonbothraftsandduokayaksalsokeptpeoplebusythroughouttheweekendwhichendedonMondaywithitstradi-tionalpancakebreakfastatthemuseum.Fridaysflatwatereventswereamongthemostpopu-laroftheweekendwithsixteamsenteringtheheatedvoyageurcanoerace.ThePro-Paddlerscomposedofsomeofthemorecompetitiveout-of-townkayakerstookrstplacefollowedcloselybytheFortSmithPaddlingClubandtheVoyasharks.Acommunityfeastanin-doorbeachpartyandthean-nualSundaynightsteakdin-nerandawardsceremonyprovidedsomethingfuntodoeverynight.AsitwasthersttimeCtcoordinatedthefestivalshesaiditwasalotofhardworkandlearningbutwillonlyhelpmakenextyearseventevenbetter.Idenitelyhavealonglistofthingstodofornextyear.Ilearnedalot.TakingPaddlefestatitssixtheditioniskindofabigdealbecauseIthinkcontinuityisessentialintheorganizationofsuchabigeventlikethat.Withoutthecontinuityyoudontgetthequalityintheevent.ThatbeingsaidImreallyexcitedtoorganizeitnextyearbe-causeIknowwhattoexpectnow...Imlookingextremelyforwardtonextyear.IthinkImreadyforabiggerfestival.SunnyweatherdrawsgoodcrowdtoPaddlefestKayakerslaunchintothewaterforoneofPaddlefestsmostatobethersttogettheirbeachballaroundthebendfromoknocktheiropponentsoffcourse.HilaryTurkoleftandMarie-lineGentespreparetheirtrustysteedsfortheannualpooltoyracethroughtherapids.TheVoyasharksvoyageurcanoeraceteamhigh-vesthehumanLandingFirstNationteam.TheVoyasharkscomposedoflocalsAlexandreGrauofFrancehasfuninthesunatPaddle-fest.SmithniesoAnaisAubrey-SmithofFortSmithtriesoutastand-up-pad-dleboardinthebaybyMountainPortagerapids..LukeVollmerhausleftandZackFitzpatrickofAquabaticsinCalgarycompeteinthetandemcanoerace.