Competitors encounter strong currents, get submerged, and face multiple dangerous situations
From February 9 to 10, 2014, the first Red Bull Whitewater Freestyle Kayaking Competition will be held on the Nujiang River section in Lushui County, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. During the event, 22 top athletes from across the country will compete in three disciplines: the Cave Freestyle, Waterfall Drift Showdown, and Downriver Sprint, while also taking on the extremely challenging Submarine Rapid. American father-and-son duo Eric and Dane Jackson will also attend as performance guests and judges. Recently, the organizing committee invited two kayakers to conduct trial runs at the venue. Although there was a close call when a kayak became separated from its paddler, all ended up safely. Through on-site inspection, the committee determined that the water volume on the Nujiang section in Lushui County is currently higher than usual, but still suitable for holding the competition. The originally planned race route remains unchanged.
Freestyle kayakers surf at the Bashuanshuidong rapid at the competition venue
The organizing committee of the Red Bull Whitewater Freestyle Kayaking Competition conducted three days of trial runs and route scouting along the Nujiang River section in Lushui County. On the first day, the committee drove along the riverside road, spending half a day searching for a better river section. However, after careful consideration, they concluded that the current Nujiang section in Lushui County is the most suitable for hosting the competition. Over the following two days, after testing the waters at Bashuanshuidong and surveying other sections, the committee ultimately confirmed that the original plan would be followed and the race venue would remain unchanged.
Before the official competition begins on February 9–10, 2014, the legendary Jackson family—pioneers of freestyle kayaking—will also arrive on the Nujiang River to experience the kayaking paradise of Lushui County’s Nujiang section alongside the competitors. The Jackson family is a truly unique dynasty in the history of world sports: a father and his two children, all world champions. In 2013, the father and son even competed against each other in the Freestyle Kayaking World Championships. Father Eric Jackson is a four-time Freestyle Kayak World Champion (1993, 2001, 2005, 2007), has participated in the 1994 Barcelona Olympics, is the founder of the International Canoe Federation’s Freestyle Committee, and has been a member of the U.S. Freestyle Kayak Team since 1989. Most of the freestyle kayaking instructional videos circulating online were filmed and produced by Eric. His son, Dane “Jackson,” defeated his father to win the 2013 Freestyle Kayaking World Championships and currently holds the world No. 1 ranking.
Upon learning that the two world-class athletes would be arriving, Bi Feng and Li Jinsong both expressed great excitement: “We often watch Eric’s videos—his skills are just out of this world. We really want to see how they perform freestyle moves in the caves!” Unlike their foreign counterparts who have a long-established history in kayaking and freestyle kayaking, for Chinese athletes, freestyle kayaking is a very young sport. Both Bi Feng and Li Jinsong mentioned that they only got into kayaking in 2009, and didn’t start learning freestyle kayaking until 2013. They are among the first group of Chinese people to take up and learn these sports. Li Jinsong said: “Freestyle kayaking is very technical, which appeals to younger athletes. But kayaking itself doesn’t have strict age limits—even seniors in their 70s abroad still do it. Plus, the air above the water is fresh, dust-free, and humid. If there are trees along the banks, the oxygen level is definitely high too. So kayaking is a sport suitable for all ages, environmentally friendly, low-carbon, and good for health.”