Just 13, Jessica Harrison sits in her kayak only a moment before shoving off, rocketing down a 15-foot ramp, soaring off the end and doing a kayak bellyflop five feet below in the Tennessee River.
"It was cool," Harrison said. "I was scared for a second, but then I just went on and did it. It was epic."
Staff photo by Dan Henry/Chattanooga Times Free Press - Garrett Mayes and Drew Harrison, left boat, attempt to knock Jessica Harrison and Trevor Noblitt, right boat, into the water during a canoe jousting event at Outdoor Chattanooga's wacky paddler olympics on the first day of River Rocks October 01, 2010.Jessica was the first girl down the ramp Friday at the Wacky Paddler Olympics, a set of events that kicked off the first RiverRocks festival in Chattanooga. Her bravery won her fans and a cheering section in the crowd at Ross's Landing.
Events, including biking, runs and paddling, will be held all over the Chattanooga area through Oct. 10.
Along with kayak jumping, Friday night's event at Ross's Landing included canoe jousting - where contestants stand in canoes on the water and thump each other with large, padded sticks until someone falls in.
"It's just for bragging rights and fun," said event organizer Marcus Hulsey.
Jessica, who said she's been paddling for five years, also joined in the canoe jousting, which she said she's been doing for three years.
On Friday, the two events attracted more than 250 adventurers - most of whom were addicted after the first try, immediately heading back to the end of the line the second they climbed out of the river.
Hulsey, who works with Outdoor Chattanooga, saw online videos of people riding kayaks down ramps and decided to bring the sport to Chattanooga.
The 15-foot ramp had safety rails to prevent anyone from falling off the sides and a one-foot "kicker" at the end to give riders a little extra air. One man even rode a bicycle down the ramp.
Although their bravery in attempting "corkscrews" and "180s" grew with each ride down the ramp, this wasn't for the super-competitive spirits, Hulsey said.
"It's relatively safe," Hulsey said. "It's as safe as going down any whitewater river."
An adventuring spirit runs through Jessica Harrison's family. Her mom, Nicole Harrison, said she usually doesn't watch when her seven children and husband push the limits at having fun.
"This is nothing," Nicole Harrison said. "It's when they come back with pictures of them jumping off of 20-foot waterfalls that I start to worry."
Though the kayak-jumping ramp will be disassembled by the end of the festival, Hulsey said Chattanooga will see its return.
"It will be back," Hulsey said. "I don't know when or where, but it will be back."
Contact Jessie Gable at jgable@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6345.