The Deerfield Riverfest will begin at 2:00pm on August 3, 2002 in the large field across the street and just west of Zoar Outdoor on Route 2, in Charlemont, Massachusetts. The event focuses on bringing people to the area to enjoy a weekend of outdoor activities, showcase whitewater paddlesport and raise funds and membership for American Whitewater. The festival is an afternoon/evening event providing entertainment for both paddlesport and non-paddlesport enthusiasts young and old. Saturday afternoon on the river features our 6th annual amateur whitewater rodeo. The festival site will be bustling with activity including a marketplace during the day, and in the evening, we roll out the carpet for our famous chicken barbecue, live entertainment, beer and a silent auction of awesome outdoor gear. Sunday will feature the first annual Boater Cross event through False Tooth and Dragon?s Tooth rapids on the Dryway section of the Deerfield.

For more detailed info on the Festival events and schedule, see American Whitewater's website.

Join up with your friends and paddle down the Monroe Bridge section of the Deerfield River enjoying each other's camaraderie and competing at five of the Deerfield River's best play spots. Judges will be stationed at each playspot and competitors will accumulate scores as they travel down the river.

Play spots include: The Splat Rock, Let Down Wave, Eddy Line Magic, Judy's Hole, and Dragon's Tooth.

Prizes will be awarded at the Festival and include some really cool AW merchandise.

Wilderness Experiences BoaterX
Sunday at 12:00pm

Be sure to check out the latest and most exciting whitewater competition to ever come to the Deerfield. Athletes will be racing down from False Tooth through Dragon's Tooth five at a time. Racers will be jockeying for position in order to make it to the final Dragon's Tooth Sprint. This event promises to be a real heart stopper. Think you have the fastest lines? Or are you interested in knowing just how many different lines there are through the tooth of the dragon!! Be sure to check out this latest addition to the Deerfield River Festival.

Boat Restriction:
Boats must be 8' 6" or less.

All athletes competing at the Deerfield River Competitions must be members of AW. One time event passes are available for $10 or competitors can purchase AW memberships at a $10 discount for $25. Athletes wishing to have their points tracked for the National Championships are required to be registered with the Tour. Tour registration is also available on-site.

Volunteers are the backbone of the Deerfield Fest and people are needed for the competitions, auction, gate, set up and take down. If you are interested, please contact Bob Taylor at bobt@amwhitewater.org or 828-252-0728.

Now it's time to learn the step that lots of people struggle with. The double pump is like learning to roll; at some point it just works and then there is no forgetting it. Unfortunately you don't have a friend standing in the water moving your arms and paddle around as your boat swings to vertical. You may have noticed while doing your half loops in flat water that you create a wake behind your boat. If you can learn to time it right these wakes can help add energy to your double pump. That is why we paddle forward when we practice it. Timing is a key part to the double pump and most boats will be a little different but the concept is always the same.

To start, be stationary, put your boat on its side and rock the ends up and down twelve times. When you can get both ends significantly out of the water 12 times without flipping over you are ready to start. Balance is key. Think of using triangles in your vertical moves to add stability. A straight up and down object will fall over, but if you use your paddle as a leg reaching away from your boat, you have support. Now paddle forward and start doing just one up and down pump with your boat. Start by raising your bow up about one-two feet and then slam it down there.

Now it?s time to learn that cartwheel. This, like most moves, is easier with the help of current but can be done in flat water. Remember S.A.L. (speed, angle, lean), the principles you were taught when first learning eddy turns and peel outs. This applies to cartwheeling in a hole also. You have to control your speed in several ways. Your ideal position is in the middle to top of the foam pile. You have to control yourself from getting sucked deep into the bottom. The angle you start slicing your boat down at is crucial to the verticality that you will get. Start at eleven o?clock and pull to one and you may be vertical, but start at one and pull to two and you probably won't be as vertical. Your lean and hips also impact your cartwheels. Some people find their cartwheels traveling, which is caused by slight hip movements. Varying your lean can cause the boat to get pushed to a new area. Always look at the hole. On your first cartwheel you want to stare at the hole as your stern passes overhead until just before it hits the water then swing your head back to the hole as your stern is swinging under the water. This keeps your torso in the best position for bringing your bow back down. Swinging your paddle around at the right time is also crucial to hitting your cartwheels. If you wait too long, you won't be in position to push on your paddle. Quicker is usually better. Cartwheels use only half of a forward and reverse sweep.

You can also practice during the winter. Find a little boat and a nice warm pool. Many colleges and local clubs are starting to offer pool sessions. Pools provide a nice warm atmosphere for trying some harder moves, and it's easier to feel the balance.

So, get out there and practice. Time spent in the saddle is the only real way to learn. Remember, "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Dare to be different; try lots of different ways. Don't get stuck trying to do the same move over and over again; try to do some sort of variation. With the right gear, some good friends, some new technique, and lots of time spent out on the water you will be on your way to rodeo greatness.

Learn the whitewater play secrets of top freestyle boaters Ken Whiting and Kevin Varette. Ken Whiting is a former world champion freestyle competitor and produced the best-selling videos Playdaze and SOAR and Kevin Varette is a current member of the Canadian Freestyle team.

[outdated course info removed]

Cost: [outdated course info removed]

Participants should have a better than 50% roll on class IV whitewater, the ability to catch eddies, ferry and peel out in powerful current, and basic hole and wave surfing ability. For this physically demanding course you must be in good physical condition.