EJ’s Montgomery Whitewater Wrap-Up – National Slalom Championships Review- Apex First real public debut/demo
I had an incredible time at the grand opening of the new self-contained whitewater park in Montgomery, Alabama over the weekend. Scott Shipley, a fellow Olympian from the 1992 team, has been behind some of the most remarkable whitewater parks worldwide, including Charlotte, London, and now Montgomery. This park features a fantastic split between two channels: the main channel classified as class 3+ and the “wilderness channel” rated as class 2, which can be navigated without a guide in a ducky and is perfect for learning.
The event also hosted the National Age Group Slalom Championships, in which I participated in both the traditional slalom and the kayak cross categories. In the Masters class (over 40), Scott Shipley claimed victory, and I secured second place, with Eduard Wolffhardt, a two-time silver medalist from Austria, taking the third spot.
Always fun racing slalom! Back to my second set of roots from time to time.
During the kayak cross event, I won in the Masters category and finished first in my semi-final run. Unfortunately, I received a fault for my roll, which prevented me from racing in the finals. Tom Dolle emerged as the champion and claimed the $1000 prize. I did pick up a black eye and a bit of a cut…
The Montgomery team is currently working on a playhole that is separate from raft traffic. While it’s challenging and not easy to score high, it allows for executing every move. With some fine-tuning, it has the potential to become really great. Additionally, there are other playholes and waves on both channels, offering more opportunities for paddlers.
The onsite restaurant provides a convenient option for food and cold beer. The staff is relatively new, so the service and food quality may suffer a bit, but with time and experience, I’m confident they’ll improve. I plan to try their fish tacos on my next visit.
The Apex Party made a strong presence at the event, with Cheryl and Craig joining us from South Carolina. Cheryl, as always, was incredible and focused on enhancing her paddling skills. It’s remarkable that she started kayaking at the age of 61 and mastered her roll at 64 during our time at Rock Island. She represents what Apex is all about – extending and improving your paddling career. Despite weighing only 117 pounds, she can handle and paddle a Ringer or Rebound with ease, although plastic boats present a challenge.
Joe and Jenny Ball were also present, manning the booth throughout the weekend, engaging in discussions about kayaks, kayaking, and outfitting people.
I brought along a cooler filled with beer, soft drinks, and some boats to showcase, including our Tyr fishing kayak. It was a great opportunity to meet new people and reconnect with familiar faces. Craig Heflin, a lifelong “Apex Party member,” was in charge of security, and David Hepp, a former USA Team member and former employee of mine at JK, held a significant position as the general manager. His wife and daughter were also present.
It was fantastic to see Sylvan, my former slalom coach who moved from Slovenia to the USA, paddling in a Ringer and Tyr. He coached me from 1993 to 1998 and provided me with some valuable pointers this weekend.
The Ringer and Rebounds were in constant use for three days, with people of all shapes and sizes paddling them. The feedback and comments were incredible, confirming that we are on the right track by offering something new and exciting in the paddling world.
We are rapidly selling boats and even sold two on Sunday afternoon after most vendors had left. Apex was the only vendor remaining, passionately discussing boats, putting people in them, and making sales. It reminded me of the early days when I started JK – truly enjoyable.
Joe Ball fired up when a happy face is in one of our boats!
I am eagerly looking forward to the next adventure! If you’re considering getting a Rebound or a Ringer, I recommend making a decision soon while we still have a variety of colors available before they sell out. You won’t regret it! These boats will bring a big smile to your face and elevate the fun of every outing.
Joe Ball is the Man! He is taking great care of Apex customers!
See you on the river!
🙂
EJ