Did you know that the Upper Yough Race has never had a Jr. Women’s Class? It’s 2024 and about damn time….
To help make a Jr. Women’s Class a reality, we are organizing three FREE race clinics specifically for Jr. Women to help prepare and the train them for the race! The intention between these clinics is to be raced focused and we will be focusing on not just learning the Upper Yough race lines, but general race preparation and technique.
All clinics will be coached by women, including Kara Weld, Maddie Kimmel and more local legends!
Participants are encouraged to register for one, two, or all three clinics! There are 10 spots available in each clinic. The content of these clinics will build on each other and we hope in the last clinic to have participants put down a race time!
Participants have the option to meet either at the Upper Yough takeout in Friendsville or earlier at Calleva in the D.C. area for a carpool to Friendsville. Calleva River School is providing a vehicle shuttle from the D.C. area to Friendsville to those who need it.
Registration:
Registration will be closed at midnight before each clinic (July 13th registration closes at 11:59pm on July 12th etc.)
Link to Register: https://forms.gle/SDLCe8YnMtSF71ag9
Event Logistics and Timeline
8:30am: Meet at Calleva for Carpool from D.C. Area to Friendsville, MD
9:00am: Shuttle Leaves Calleva for Friendsville, MD
12:00pm: Meet others at Upper Yough Takeout, Eat Lunch and Set Shuttle
12:30pm: Clinic Starts, Pre-Paddle Meeting, and Warm-up
12:30-4:00pm: Paddle the UY!
4:30pm: Post-paddle BBQ
5:30pm: Carpool leaves Friendsville, MD for Calleva
8:30pm: Pick up at Calleva
Requirements to Participate:
- Be a Jr. Woman
- Have a solid combat roll and boof stroke
- Confidently Paddle Class IV
Am I ready for the Upper Yough?
We are not requiring that participants have run the Upper Yough in the past. However, the Upper Yough is a solid class IV run. In order to maximize a safe day on the water for everyone, we have provided a list below of comparable runs to the Upper Yough to help participants gauge their skills:
Comparable Runs to Upper Yough: Russel Fork, Wilson Creek, Top Yough, Lower Big Sandy, Cheoah, Chatooga Section 4, Wautauga, Tallulah, Upper Gauley, Olympic Section of the Occoee, Green River Narrows (step up from Upper Yough), Upper Nantahala / Tellico Ledges
These runs are easier than the Upper Yough but, going for the bigger and harder moves on these runs is a good way to train for the Upper Yough. Recommended Training Runs: Cheat Canyon, Lower Gauley, New River Gorge, Ocoee, Nolichucky
Lastly, we want to emphasize that this is a RACE TRAINING clinic(s). Even though we are okay with showing first timers down, the intention is to prepare for the race and focus on going as fast as we can on race lines. It will be up to individual registers to determine if they’re ready for the Upper Yough. It is recommended that participants try to get a few laps in before the clinic and first timers sign up for the earlier and multiple clinics.
Contact:
Please feel free to reach out with any questions/concerns!
Email- greatfallsfoundation@gmail.com
Maddie’s Cell: (252)207-3694
Special thanks to Immersion Research, Calleva River School, Great Falls Foundation and Yough Vegas for making this a reality! See you GROMS on the water!