The annual Columbus Cup, held in Columbus, Georgia, takes place on a wave called Good Wave. It is an incredible event for kayakers of all skill levels, offering a fantastic setting with warm, exciting whitewater. I had the opportunity to compete in it this year and had an amazing time! For me the first couple of days were mostly just to get back into a kayak and enjoy the amazing whitewater, Columbus is an amazing spot because the warm water makes it easy to spend full days on the water without getting cold unlike many spots in Colorado.
My first day of paddling there was mostly a warm up day for me, getting used to wave boating and the Chattahoochee River. The second day I started to improve and practice some new tricks on Good Wave, but the Wave wasn’t all that “good” because the pool behind Good Wave was filled up from the previous high waters. The third day was a really fun day, we warmed up with some freestyle on Good Wave, and then Chloe Spears, Mason Smith and Jayden Allison did a really fun Half Slice lap down the 2 mile whitewater course, doing lots of kickflips and trying to macho move in a Half Slice, (it didn’t go well). It was extremely fun, and it was my first river run of the year.
The 4th day was competition day, I woke up feeling pretty good and not as nervous as I usually am for competitions. However, when I got to The Island the nerves started to set in, I went through my comp ride in my head, blunt left, blunt right, backflash, spin right and roundhouse. I did the paddle strokes in my head and focused, and then it was the start of the comp.
Junior Womens went first and most of that time, I was watching and observing them and the wave to see how it reacts to their boats, so I could, in a way train, while they went. Then, I was up, I hopped in my boat, and waited for the thumbs up, when I finally got it, I ferried out until I was lined up with Good Wave. My first ride didn’t go so well, in fact it didn’t go at all, I immediately flushed off, because the wave greened out right as I went on. My second ride went much better, When I got on the wave, I immediately started throwing tricks, I started with a roundhouse to the left, then quickly spun my boat back around and went for a roundhouse to the left. I then went for a blunt to the left, which I stuck! Then I surfed left (a bit too much left) and then when I tried a spin, I flushed off. My final ride from that heat was alright, I did my roundhouses both ways, and then when I tried a blunt I flushed of the wave, but luckily my second ride was enough to get me into finals. After that I got to watch Mens, Womans, and Junior Womans (finals) without feeling nervous and stressed. I started talking to my friend Reggie about how we were both going to try a donkey flip in competition, so when finals came, I was focused on the donkey flip as much as I was on the comp. My first ride in finals was alright, I got a blunt and two roundhouses, But then I flushed off the wave, my second ride was very similar I got a spin, a roundhouse, and another roundhouse. But it wasn’t my ideal ride. My third ride was a fun one, when I caught the wave, I took my time I threw a spin and made sure I was back on the wave, than I did a spin the other direction. After that, I started going for bigger tricks. When I tried a blunt, I over-rotated and flushed off the wave.
After my ride, I spent time in the big eddy behind the wave, thinking about how it was fine and I tried. After Reggie did his ride, we spent our time messing around and trying flat water loops. When I got back out of the water, I watched the rest of the competition. As soon as I could get back in the water, I did! The crowds were gone and I had the place to myself, I could start working on harder tricks – I was working on my donkey flips and blunt mcnastys. It was a fun time just to be with Reggie on a fun wave and I even got a blunt mcnasty.
Columbus is a wonderful place for progression in the warm water and with some of the most fun people ever! I can’t wait to go back to all the next Columbus Cups!
-RMA Team Athlete Owen Forster
