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The 61st Anniversary of Washington Kayak Club's FABULOUS Slalom la Sac Slalom Race held June 4-5, 2022

These images were taken by James Wakeling - click the thumbnail to make them bigly.

Noah's Flood Comes to Salmon la Sac?

The 61st annual Washington Kayak Club sponsored Salmon la Sac (aka. Bottoms-Up Regatta) whitewater races were held on the Cle Elum River, Saturday-Sunday, June 2-3, 2022 during numerous intermittent heavy downpours that had boaters wondering if Noah's Flood had indeed arrived for a second go-around. From Thursday afternoon when course set-up began until Sunday when course deconstruction was complete it rained inches of Northwest "sunshine" and the river's flow nearly doubled from 2600 CFS to 4600 CFS. The river level made for a challenging course but racers only saw that as ramping up the fun a notch or two.

The downriver race on Saturday from the top of the slalom course to French Creek road bridge set some record times for the array of boat types as there was no long slog at the end. Other paddlers elected for the group river run instead and spent quite a bit of time at the awesome surf wave part-way down the course.

Helping build the slalom course, designed by Jacob Selander, were SLS course setter-uppers Dawn Meekhof, Victor Kress, Bob Duffner, Marc Leonard, Rufus Knapp, Jacob Selander, Karl Guntheroth, and Jim Good. This was a team well-versed in working under adverse sunshine conditions so they saw the rain not as an added impediment but as a welcome change from the norm. Wires were hung for a total of 21 gates with the lower part of the course seeing some challenging moves where the boiling whirlpools and swirlies kept paddlers fighting to keep their boats upright and flat past the finish line under the campground access bridge. There was the expected carnage at this lower part of the course providing much competition for the coveted "Tip-over Trophy." When the river continued to rise on Sunday, our course designer came up with an easier course option, Course A, so most everyone could participate.

SLS Trophy winners included:

Fastest boat: Marcel Potocny and Shaun Smith tied

Fastest Woman: Boo Turner

Best Run by Someone New to Slalom: Kirk Tickell

Tip-Over Trophy: Lucas Nelson

Cutest Dog: Ethel (owner: Dane Anderson)

OC-1: Marc Leonard

Fastest Junior: Hayden McGowan

Full results can be found www.nwwhitewater.org

Prizes this year were 12 ounce drinking glasses with a beautifully rendered and colorful sticker of jumping salmon. Course Set-up crew devoured a full batch of chocolate chip cookie bars and Katie provided race day refreshments to competitors and their friends.

The annual Clive Lister Memorial Toast was hosted by the race director in Campsite #2 on Saturday night. This is an event that allows us all to not only remember the passing of slalom race enthusiast and promoter, Clive Lister, but all the other boaters who have passed away over the years.

The Salmon la Sac slalom race is a fun, family-oriented, annual tradition sponsored by the Washington Kayak Club. It has been held the first full weekend of June since 1961, making it the longest continuous slalom race in the world. Mark your calendars for next year because 2023 is going to be a great time!

Record turn-out and record warm temperatures for the best Spring Cedar Slalom Race ever!

Reservations as of May 20 are filled. Get there early to get your non-reserved campsite!!!!!

Campsite reservations for the Salmon La Sac race are open and are going FAST! Trust us, there's even more demand this year. To make your reservation go to https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232094

Race Headquarters has reserved Campsite 002. It would be great if sites on either side are full of racers, so make your reservation now!

The Clive Lister annual toast will be in site 002

The Chilliwack Slalom course was destroyed by the November flooding.
If you can, please support their "Build Back Better" campaign.
https://www.flipgive.com/teams/152758-cce-paddling-club

The Cedar course is fortunately in good shape. We'll be back out there "Training" as soon as the level drops. Stay tuned. And the Bend crowd has been training into the winter months. http://www.nwwhitewater.org/training.htm