to realize this , the second tier athletes in slalom today will see extreme slalom as a faster and more feasible way to get on the podium and make their mark . Sure , there will be purists who will shun the idea of racing in this event that , “ Makes a mockery of their sport ,” but they will be left behind and , with that attitude , will spend the rest of their career disappointed in what they see . There is no stopping the train . Bottom line , extreme slalom provides the media and spectators with a much better show in that little to no experience with the sport is required to understand what is going on .
I have been racing and organizing boater cross events and true ‘ Extreme Slalom ’ events since the ’ 90s . The first-ever Pre-World Extreme Kayak Championships was on the Fish Ladder at Great Falls of the Potomac River in 1996 and the World Championships in 1997 . It was the first head to head racing on real whitewater in the same format you see today under the ICF . However , boater cross has never had a governing body that adopted it and provided races , national teams , and the holy grail , the Olympics , until now . That tidbit of history was to stage up my look into the crystal ball for the future .
I am betting on this future . How do you know I am betting on it ? I started a brand new whitewater kayak company , Apex Watercraft , and my first design is an extreme slalom kayak , the Ringer . I am making it in three sizes . I wouldn ’ t do that if I didn ’ t know what was coming .
Evy Leibfarth performs during the 2021 ICF Canoe Slalom & Wildwater Canoeing World Championships in Cunovo , Slovakia Filip Nagy Red Bull Content Pool
EJ testing out the new Apex Watercraft Ringer kayak
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