New River Academy girls made a clean sweep of the Canada Cup with Runner-up World Champ Courtney Kerin claiming first, Canadian Sara Daub in second and Hayley Stuart claiming the bronze medal.  New River’s Kalob Grady gave Dane Jackson a run for his money in their final junior event.

 

Kerin who traveled to Uganda and trained with New River last year would win each round executing shuvits, both spins, and round houses.  New enrollee Daub would use her spin and roundhouse experience to squeak out a win over Hayley Stuart.

 

It appeared Kalob Grady had goals to one up the Jackson world-champ in their final junior competition.  Dane not having his typical blow the field away prelim rides opened the door for Grady.  Grady narrowed the margin and applied the pressure to the Jackson prodigy in the final rounds.  Dane Jackson would put together combinations of airscrews, backstabs and aerial blunts to dash the New River hopes.
New River is happy to see Dane’s fantastic success and even happier to see him make his rite of passage to the men’s class.

 

Other accomplishments:  Galen Volckhausen impressively hit a Phonics Monkey making the Junior Men’s finals. Returning senior Eric Bartl didn’t have the rides he’d hoped for but with just one day of practice he had an impressive showing.  Congratulations Drew McEachern for having the courage to enter the competition after just one year of kayaking.