How to Run a Waterfall August 5 Clinic
Wrap-Up
By Barry Adams

The August 5, 2006 Ohiopyle Falls Clinic, "How to Run a Waterfall," was a great success. We had well over 100 participants running the Falls--including Ohiopyle State Park Manager John Hallas. We had an All-Star Cast of instructors, with Clay Wright from Tennessee (Jackson Kayak), LJ Groth from Oregon (Wavesport), Jeff Snyder from Maryland, and Roger Loughney from Pennsylvania (Immersion Research). They all did an outstanding job. We ran the clinic (more or less) like you would run any river. This worked out well and fits into our goal of running the Falls on an unrestricted basis. We would like to thank Wilderness Voyageurs for sponsoring this clinic.

To see a great crop of pictures, check out www.boaterphoto.com. This site also has last year's pictures.

We will also have a clinic at our Festival on August 26, 2006. Complete the Registration and Waiver (Adult or Junior) and mail it in by August 22 to get a discount.

This clinic is meant for experienced paddlers. Those participating in the clinics will be entered into a database that we hope to share with Ohiopyle State Park. We have proposed that those entered into the database be allowed to run Ohiopyle Falls on a less structured basis in the near future when conditions are appropriate. This proposal is under favorable consideration, and is the most likely means of providing reasonable paddling access to Ohiopyle Falls in the near future.

Water Level and Cancellation. We cannot run the clinics over 1.8 feet on the Ohiopyle Gauge. The Corps of Engineers has indicated that they will try to accommodate the appropriate level but cannot guarantee the level. We have several Cancellation dates planned if need be.

For additional questions contact Barry Adams at: bj2adams@juno.com or 412-242-4562. Volunteers are very much needed and appreciated! There is a discount and T-shirt for volunteers. This event is dependent on getting enough Safety boaters.

LJ Groth Bio
LJ Groth is a graduate of the University of Oregon School of Journalism. He calls the Pacific Northwest home when he is not traveling somewhere else to kayak. He is a certified Riversport instructor as well as an accomplished big waterfall kayaker. He can be seen falling off of some massive waterfalls in the latest video release from the Epicocity Project, "Mission Epicocity." LJ is proud to be a part of Team Wavesport and Team NRS. He also rides for AT Paddles, CLIF Bar and Sweet Helmets. LJ will begin his first year teaching English Literature and coaching for the World Class Kayak Academy in August.

Clay Wright Bio
Clay started paddling at the age of 7, with his whitewater canoeing parents 32 years ago. Worked as video kayaker on the New and Gauley after college. Made US Freeestyle Team in 95, placed 4th at Worlds in Augsberg, Germany. Made every team till 2005. Won World Championships in Squirt Kayak 1997 in CAN, got Silver in 1999 in NZ, Bronze in 2003 in Austria. Has been in over 40 professional whitewater videos, mainly creek boating. Clay holds First Descents in 5 countries and 7 states and has worked as a boat design consultant for Pyranha Kayaks, Perception, and currently Jackson Kayak.

August 26, 2006 Clinic instructors:
 
Adam Johnson Bio
Adam started paddling tandem with his dad at age 3 down the Rappahannock River (VA). At Age 8 he got his first kayak and has been doing it ever since. Adam has been a Team Riot member for the past two years. Additionally, he attended World Class Kayak Academy for his Junior and Senior years of high school. In 2004, Adam was a part of the US Freestyle Team and took 5th at Pre-Worlds in Australia, Jr. Division. Currently he lives in Virginia and is a Graphic Design major at West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Chuck Morris Bio
At age 33, Chuck has been kayaking for 20 years. He has competed in many aspects of the sport like extreme races, freestyle events to open ocean flatwater racing. Chuck is a big fan of playboating, but running the hard stuff is what he enjoys the most. For the last six years he has been a kayak rep and loves working in the kayak industry. He currently works for Confluence Watersports.

Jeff Snyder
What can you say? It's Jeff Snyder.

Roger Loughney
Roger was at both of our Clinics.

Bryon Dorr
Bryon started paddling in Sept. of '99 with the Towson University Kayak Clinic.  After only a month of paddling Bryon switched roles from student to instructor and has been teaching people to paddle ever since.  He has paddled in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica, South Africa, and Zambia.  Bryon has competed in freestlye and extreme races across North America for the past 3 years and currently owns Go Big Distribution, the distributor of Fluid Kayaks in the US and sales and tech. rep. for H2O paddles on the East Coast. Check out his exploits at www.justfluid.com.