Hello Boaters,

(We are not talking about beer here)…..For several seasons local boaters (including instructors at other kayak schools) have improved their boating and enjoyed getting out on the water in our Cheat Race Workout Program.  This year Tom is expanding the idea and has asked me to head up the workouts for Advanced Beginners and Low Intermediates, ie., – on the “Lite” side.   We are calling it our Cheat Lite Program.

Photo above:  Monika Attaining

It is still a pretty vigorous paddling program designed to develop fitness, balance, strength, and technique by paddling longer boats in a way you may not have experienced before. By getting you out in your boat early in the season, you will have lots of river miles under your belt before most folks dust off their gear. It can help set the stage for your best season of paddling ever.

Here is the link and some relevant details.

Who For?:
Class 2-3 paddlers wanting step things up a bit, but who may want to hold off on the Cheat River at spring levels.

The Program:
2 months of paddling in a group workout format under the guidance of veteran instructors. Saturday workouts on the Potomac in March. 2 day long trips to rivers like the North Branch, Shenandoah, or Rappahannock. 1 weekend trip to the Webster Springs Whitewater Weekend and Festival where we will do the downriver race and slalom events. Thursday evenings in March and April we will do a down river or slalom workout.

You will be a better more confident paddler after spending time with us.

Cost: $245 Register online and direct inquiries to Ashley via email or phone at the office http://liquidadventures.org

Nathan Nahikian

Over past few weeks Irene has been working on putting together a picture/audio presentation of the Cheat River Race.  Many of you have participated in this annual spring paddling program and many of you have wondered what it is all about.  Take a look at this great slide presentation from Irene Owsley.  You can also view some of her other great work at her website featuring incredible albums of various works and panoramas of the Potomac River.

Cheat River Race 2009

Add your comments on this entry about all the fun and stories you have had at the Cheat River Fest and Race or Cheat Training.  Don’t forget to check out the Friends of the Cheat River festival page!

Hélène (pronounced Ay-len with a silent H) began her whitewater career in spring 2005 after moving to Washington DC from beautiful southern California.  She was desperate to find a water sport that would fulfill her need for both fitness and spiritual contentment – and boy, is she glad she had the sense to Google “whitewater Washington DC”!

It wasn’t obvious at first that whitewater kayaking was a good fit for her, as she spent much of her first class alternating between feeling frustrated at her lack of control and terrified of being upside down in her boat.  But there is something so magical about floating on water that she continued to come to the river (that, and she had paid for a bundle of classes in advance).  Soon, she was hooked!  Her favorite paddling experiences involve discovering new rivers with good friends, but summer evenings on the Potomac have their own charm that surpasses even her favorite ice cream flavor (ultimate moose tracks, or anything chocolate-based with chunks of goodness in it).  So you could say that Google changed her life.

In 2009 she became an instructor with LAKS.   Her favorite part of teaching is witnessing the spontaneous apparition of a gigantic grin on a student’s face after running their first rapid.  Here second favorite is when a student brings her homebaked chocolate peanut butter chip cookies – ok, this has never happened, but it’s worth a try.  Be the first!  Hélène has taken part in LAKS Cheat Training four out of the last five years and thinks this is the best spring paddling program around, and a great way to make close river friends too.  Go Team LAKS!

I hope you all have enjoyed meeting Helene.  She is a wonderfully positive person and fun to be on the river with.  We are glad to have her with us for a great season of paddling.