NOC Freestyle Shootout
April 20-22, 2012

If You Build it, They Will Play

The 2012 NOC Freestyle Shootout will be the first official Freestyle event to be held at the newly enhanced Nantahala Wave, designed for the upcoming 2013 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships. Come out April 20-22 to be a part of this historic event, and get a ride on the wave before the pros swoop in from around the world. 

Made possible through a generous grant from the Golden Leaf Foundation, and commissioned by the Nantahala Gorge Organizing Committee, the 2013 Wave will bring world-class competition to the Nantahala Gorge. The Freestyle Shootout, however, remains open to competitors of all ages and ability levels. Classes and clinics for paddlers of every stripe are also available throughout the weekend; find out more about NOC’s Paddling School.

Competitor Information

The NOC Freestyle Shootout is a USAFK Point Series Event, and is one of 5 designated US qualifiers for the 2012 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Cup. USACK, the governing body of US paddlesports, has chosen not to specify an athlete limit for the 2012 WOrld Cup, so USA Freestyle Kayaking has not scheduled a team selection event. However, US athletes must fulfill several requirements in order to participate at this event.

• Be full members in good standing with USACK. 
• Since attendence ath the 2012 World Cup may be limited due to venue restrictions, participation in a USAFK points series event will be taken into account in deciding eligibility. 
• Register to compete with USAFK. Contact information for US athletes wishing to be registered is forthcoming. Please visit www.usafreestylekayak.com for more information.

Watch this short highlight reel from the 2010 event.

Demo Days

Also at NOC this weekend, Demo Days will be happening Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Choose from over 60 boats and test-paddle them for free on the Nantahala throughout the weekend. Manufacturer representatives will be on hand to help you decide on a boat that is the right fit for your needs, and answer questions about the year’s hottest gear. Whether you’re looking for an upgrade or just getting into the sport, bargains at NOC’s Outfitter Store will make sure you’re geared up for the season.

NOC's campus provides 360° views of the event and convenient foodservice, shopping, and lodging options. If you're new to the sport and don't know what freestyle kayaking is, read this blog posting for a quick primer. Add the Shootout to your April calendar today and be part of the festivities!

Contributed video of training for the 2011 event.

2012 Sponsors

Host & Title Sponsor
Awards/Scoreboard/ Halftime Sponsor
Class V
Class IV
Class III
Class II	Rapid Transit, Shred Ready
Class I	Astral

Dagger Kayaks is getting us some fabulous awards this year! Stay tuned for pictures of our hand-made tumblers, thrown right here in the Nantahala Gorge by the talented Elise Delfield of Pincu Pottery. Plus, don't miss the Dagger Dash for your chance to win a coveted Dagger Greenboat!

Thanks to Kokatat, official sponsor of the K1 Men's Pro Class for some great prizes in 2012. 
Kokatat is also donating: Rogue Dry-top, Ronin Pro PFD, L/S outercore Fleece top and L/S basecore tops.

Also, thanks to NRS, official sponsor of the K1 Women's Junior class,
and to Adventure Technology, official sponsor of the K1 Men's Open class.

A special thanks to USAFK and World Kayak for providing event support, judges, and scoring information. All competitors for the points series must be registered with USAFK. 

Event Entertainment

There's more than exciting freestlyle action at NOC Freestyle Shootout. Check out the skinny on some of the entertainment we've got lined up for the weekend:

	Live music Friday and Saturday night! Hang out at the Pourover Pub, relax, dance, or just enjoy the show.
	Enjoy great deals at NOC's Outfitter's Store, plust industry experts will be onhand at our outdoor vendor fair to answer questions and show off the seasons's hottest new gear.
	Not a freestyle paddler? Enter the Dagger Dash attainment race on Sunday and race from the Founder's Bridge to Nantahala Falls and back for your chance to win the grand prize: a Dagger GreenBoat.  Please see rules, below, for more info.
	Our upstream friends at ERA will be hosting the Nantahala Open at Nantahala Falls from 10am to 3pm. When you get tired of watching, head upstream and hop on the water. This event is FREE and open to paddlers of all ability levels!

About the Competition

The 2012 Prize Purse is $10,000, and includes not just cash moneys, but sweet prizes from boats to paddles and gear. You know you want to win some of this! Chief judge Justin Owen will be joined by USAFK and WorldKayak judges to officiate the event. See below for rules. 

Men's Pro Prizes:
1st Place: $1,000 
2nd Place: $600
3rd Place: $300

Women's Pro Prizes:
1st Place: $500
Cash prizes for 2nd and 3rd place will depend on the depth of the class. (If we can muster a full women's pro category the cash prizes will increase accordingly.) 

Friday, April 20
Open Surf Under the Lights! We invite all competitors to practice on the feature Friday night. We've rented nighttime illumination, so even late arrivals can get some practice time. Non-competitors are encouraged to spend some time on the water too. See the video above for an idea of how this works.

Saturday & Sunday, April 21-22
Hole time is limited to 45 seconds per ride.
Three rides Saturday, April 16 (Qualifier/Elimination)
Three rides Sunday, April 17 (Finals - top six in each division)
Must have five contestants in each division for prizes.

Registration Info:
Walk-up and register for the 2012 NOC Freestyle Shootout at Slow Joe's Cafe on Friday, April 20th from 5 to 8pm. Registration is capped at 100 paddlers. Late registration will be available at Slow Joe's Cafe on Saturday, April 2st from 9-10am, contingent on available space.

Two-day event open entry:
$55 General
$35 Juniors
Free to non-sponsored NOC employees and NOC Youth Paddling Team paddlers..

Classes:
K-1 Men Pro
K-1 Women Pro
K-1 Men Expert
C-1 Men Expert
K-1 Men Open
K-1 Women Open
OC-1 Men Open
K-1 Men Junior
K-1 Women Junior 

(All Classes are subject to participation. Other classes may open if there are enough participants.)

The Dagger Dash: The Nantahala Attainment Race

Dagger Kayaks are donating a Dagger Greenboat for the winner of the famous Dagger Dash - a Boater-cross-style Attainment Race held at halftime on Sunday. Paddle from the Founder's Bridge (located at River's End Restaurant) upstream to the Nantahala Falls, then back to the NOC takeout. Register for the attainment race prior to race-time on Sunday at the Founder's Bridge. (Exact start time is dependant upon Freestyle Shootout participation. This race is free and open to everyone. Dagger Dash competitors need not be registered in the Freestyle Shootout.)

Boats: the official boat of the Dagger Dash, of course, is the Dagger Greenboat. NOC and Dagger will pool their resources to provide approximately ten Greenboats. Boats will be loaned out on a first come-first serve basis. All remaining competitors are welcome to provide their own boats - remember to be sporting! (All boats must be plastic whitewater boats - no see kayaks, wildwater boats, or slalom boats allowed. Acceptable boats will be determined by participant concensus.)

2012 Freestyle Shootout Event Schedule

In addition to a weekend of world-class freestyle kayaking, enjoy great gear demos, presentations and live music!

*Saturday Registration contingent on available space. The event is capped at 100 competitors.

**All event photography provided by NOC, which operates under a special use USFS permit on the Nantahala. No outside commercial photography allowed.**