Nantahala Outdoor Center
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Nantahala Outdoor Center To Host 2014 Whitewater Junior Olympics

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

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Whitewater paddlers ages 18 and under will converge on the Nantahala River for three exciting days of paddling and racing August 9 – 11. Hosted by Nantahala Racing Club (NRC), the non-profit partner of Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC), the event features competitions in all three whitewater disciplines (freestyle, slalom and downriver). The elite athletes participating in the Junior Olympics will be aspiring to the junior national team with trials being held in September in Washington DC. For these athletes, the event is an opportunity to practice racing under pressure, to explore other disciplines, and to expand upon what they have already achieved. Some of these promising young competitors may one day grace the Olympic podium.

An all-inclusive experience, the Junior Olympics is the largest event being hosted by NRC this year, with children gathering together from across the United States. It will include a fun Ducky Cross through the 2013 Wave, a Stand up Paddle Giant Slalom, and off-the-water community events such as a run and other social activities to encourage camaraderie among participants, families and the broader community.

While NOC offers daily a wide-range of activities such as rafting, kayaking, zip lining, hiking, stand-up paddling, and much more, the organization also partners with NRC to involve young paddlers in casual weekend paddling sessions run by professional instructors and coaches, whitewater races and clinics, and high-level competitions. All activities support the mission to get youth outdoors, promote healthy alternatives for children, and engage families in outdoor recreation.

The Junior Olympics is the ideal setting to achieve this mission. Kids meet other outdoor-oriented youth who are inspired by whitewater; they build lasting relationships with peers who have similar interests and goals; and they become part of the movement to broaden the sport of whitewater. Fourteen year-old Miller Kaderabek of Fairview, North Carolina, is competing this year and shares his thoughts on training and even making his own boat:



The 2014 Whitewater Junior Olympics is sponsored by USA Canoe/Kayak, a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The registration fee is $40.

For the detailed event schedule and more information, please click here.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
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Nantahala Outdoor Center plans outfitter store in Gatlinburg

Friday, May 29, 2009

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Nantahala Outdoor Center, the whitewater rafting and outdoor recreation company out of Bryson City, NC, is planning a major new outfitters store in Gatlinburg.

The new 18,000-square-foot retail store, which NOC will call the Great Outpost, will be located at the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the building that most recently housed the Open Hearth Restaurant. The Outpost will become the largest retail store in Gatlinburg and will add 55 new jobs.

In addition to selling outdoor gear and apparel, the Great Outpost will serve as a launching pad for whitewater rafting, whitewater and flatwater kayaking, fly-fishing, guided hiking, mountain biking, outdoor education classes and nature tours in the Smokies. It will also feature educational exhibits on outdoor education, the environment, and connect guests with outdoor clubs and conservation groups that help protect the Smokies. And if that wasn't enough, the store will also have a 25-foot rock wall for climbing.

The new store is expected to open in the fall of this year.

The major venture into a new market during a recession landed NOC’s President and CEO Sutton Bacon a spot in the “Heroes of Small Business” Congressional hearing in Washington, D.C., last week.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

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