Nantahala Racing Club Glacier Breaker February 25-26, 2012
Opening Day for USA Canoe/Kayak Wildwater and Slalom Athletes
The Glacier Breaker is the classic American season-opener for two competitive whitewater disciplines: wildwater and slalom. In the wildwater race, paddlers will navigate a 3.5 mile section of the Nantahala River in a long, narrow craft that sacrifices stability for speed. Meanwhile, slalom athletes, new and experienced, will put their training to the test at the Nantahala Bridge Gates. NOC welcomes the US National Wildwater Team's training camp for the event. These athletes will be training on the Nantahala Thursday to Sunday.
Paddlers! Whether you're new to the sport or have been paddling for decades, this is a great excuse to pull on your spandex, dust off your pirouette, and take a stab at some fancy maneuvers. This year's Glacier Breaker will be held at the Nantahala Bridge Gates, is an unintimidating course ideal for kids and beginners. Competitors will also be among the first to navigate the new wave feature commissioned by the Nantahala Gorge Organizing Committee for the 2013 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships. The Nantahala River offers good spectator access to the events, and the Bridge Gates are a stone’s throw from River’s End Restaurant and the NOC Outfitter’s Store, where visitors can warm up with a cup of hot chocolate or some nice woolen socks if the weather gets too chilly.
The Glacier Breaker is hosted by the Nanhahala Racing Club, a local non-profit organization sponsored by the NOC and dedicated to the development of competitive whitewater athletes in both slalom and wildwater disciplines. The NRC “assists athletes of every age, level and ability in their preparation for national and international competition including US Team Trials, National Championships, World Championships, World Cup, and the Olympic Games." The club is designated a USA Canoe/Kayak "Center of Excellence," recognizing its importance and significant contributions to the development of American whitewater athletes.
Find the complete schedule of events and download registration forms at NRC Events, or email
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with your event or registration questions.
Race Schedule:
Date
Activity
Time
Location
2/25 (Sat)
Slalom & Wildwater Late Registration
8:00-9:30am
River's End Restaurant
Slalom & Wildwater Competitor's Meeting
10:30am
River's End Restaurant
Slalom Races Start
11:30am
Nantahala Bridge Gates
Wildwater Sprint Start
11:30am
Donnie Dutton Park
Slalom Awards
3:00pm
River's End Restaurant
2/26 (Sun)
Wildwater Registration
8:00-9:30am
River's End Restaurant
Wildwater Competitor's Meeting
10:30am
River's End Restaurant
Wildwater Classic Start
11:30am
Ledge's Rapid
Wildwater Awards
12:30
River's End Restaurant
NOC Outfitter's Store Hours: Saturday, February 25: 9am - 6pm Sunday, February 26: 9am - 5pm
Wildwater Race Details: Saturday Sprint Race: Donnie Dutton to below the Bump (approximately 100 seconds). Sunday Classic: Above the Ledges to the 2013 Wave (about 20 minutes).
Slalom Race Details: Slalom race will take place Saturday at the Nantahala Bridge Gates. This unintimidating yet exciting course is ideal for youth paddlers and beginners.
