IF YOU GO
The Ocoee River Championships will continue Saturday at 10 a.m. with freestyle, the downriver race and a stand-up paddleboard slalom race. The championships will conclude Sunday with morning events beginning at 10:30 a.m. before awards conclude the weekend at 3 p.m.
The rapids built to impress the world are once again captivating the paddling community as competition returns to this region’s whitewater jewel for the first time in nearly two decades.
Competition at the Upper Ocoee’s whitewater center ceased after the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The center, which was built for the 1996 Olympics, remained a gem of the paddling world after the games for several years, but travel concerns led organizers to cancel events in 2002. As years passed, no one stepped forward to host an event until earlier this year, when a duo announced the Ocoee River Championships.
“I knew it would always come together, but in the back of my mind I did think about what would happen if this disappeared,” said Brent Rogers, owner of title sponsor Raft One. “It is one of the greatest rivers in the United States.”
Local paddlers argue the section is one of the best venues for competition in the nation. Its challenging Class III and IV rapids pair with accessibility for fans and competitors. The river is within a day’s drive of several major cities, runs adjacent to Highway 64, has onsite parking, restrooms and space for spectators on both sides of the river.