2011 Top Yough Race

Almost 40 kayakers came out on a snowy, chilly April morning to race down Maryland's Top Yough . This was the largest turnout by far for the Isaac Ludwig Memorial Race. This year we had about 250 cfs on the gauge in Oakland. Not as much as previous years, which is reflected in the times. Speaking of times, here is race organizer Jon Harmon announcing them to the crew:
Roger Loughney provided start times for everyone and ran sweep on the race, and Walter Augustine went out in front and recorded everyone's finish time at Suckhole rapid. Thanks Fellas!
Jason Beakes won for the 2nd straight year, and Charley Bartlett won the shortboat class for the 2nd time in 3 years. Jack Ditty was the fastest C-1 as usual. We had a ladies class this year, which was won by Paula Knochel in her inaugural race.
Full spreadsheet of times is at the bottom.

The pre-race HQ and post race party were held at Streams and Dreams rental cottage, which was perfect for getting ready beforehand, and for partying after the race. The cottage is a great location to stay if you wanted to paddle in the area. Sleeps 8+, right at the Top Yough takeout, and close to a whole lot of other boating.
We got to eat great food, and check out several hundred photos of everyone's run at Swallow Falls:
Kayakers Love Pictures

Zach Yomboro shot this video of all the racers on Swallow Falls. Pretty cool, and much appreciated. You can see a mix of lines, with a lot of the longboats choosing to go left of center.



The snow on the course made it extra beautiful out there. Good for snowballs at the finish line too.

Full times for the 2011 race:

Jason Beakes	10:26	Overall Winner
Ben Ledewitz	10:34
Jack Ditty	10:42	Fastest C-1
Jon Harmon	11:01	AwesomeOrganizer
Geoff Calhoun	11:05
Matt Fithian	11:08
Andrew Robinson	11:10
Charley Bartlett	11:45	Fastest Shortboat
Bobby Miller	11:51	#2 Shortboat
Micah Weglinski	11:51
Art Barket	11:52
Travis Coles	12:07
Martin Wick	12:09
Justin Teague	12:10	#3 Shortboat
Randy Greidever	12:16
Blake Huber	12:26
Jeff Blood	12:31
Roger Loughney	12:35
Seth Chapelle	12:37	#2 C-1
Andrew Miller	12:38
Andrew McCauley	12:38
Chris Schwer	12:38
Dave and Rob Fusilli	12:48
Matt Burnstein	12:49
JB Seay	12:56
Nori Onishi	12:57
Matt Sloan	13:04
John Stephens	13:15
Paula Knochel	13:18	Fastest Womens
Sean Chapelle	13:27
Max Harbert	13:39
Chris Heim	13:44
Mackenzie Hatcher	13:49	#2 Womens
Bob Norr	13:56
Nico Zegre	14:02
Laura Lindzey	14:26	#3 Womens

If I HAD to leave

The smarter, better half has been interviewing for a Residency position in various locales. I tagged along and got a chilly run on the Green.
If I had to leave West Virginia, I could think of worse rivers to have in the backyard:


Dave from Johnson City on a lap of Gorilla, Scream Machine, and Nies's Pieces.

Jack Frost is a kayaker

Stewart, one of my most stalwart paddling buddies, after a solo run on the Lower Meadow.
Glad his better half had a nice warm car waiting for him.

Kayaking advice from a three year old

Hey Isaac, I'm gonna go kayaking





(sticks head out from shower curtain)
You got your paddle!?




It's right here buddy (waves paddle)





You come back?






I'll be back later




Okay! (goes back to showering)






(kayaks the Big Sandy. returns home. )




Hi Daddy!





You fall in the river?






Nope, I stayed in my kayak.





OKAY! (wanders off to toys)

Notes from the Upper Blackwater

I love the Blackwater River, and enjoy the opportunity to paddle it. I also have a great deal of respect for it, bordering on fear at times. I've donated lots of skin, a paddle, bad lines, a few beatdowns, and way too much adrenaline to the King of the Canaan area runs. Its an unforgiving streambed, raw from repeated high water scouring and jumbled with sieves and ill-placed rocks.

Here are some notes and river updates from a weekend trip. I took several photos of the site of a fatal accident, at Flatliner Falls, to try and further understanding of where/what happened.
High water this spring has also moved a few things around and put wood in unfriendly places, so I tried to note that as well. Clicking on any photo should open a larger version.
I think paddlers familiar with the Upper Blackwater will notice other subtle changes in rock positions and some scouring effects in various parts of the river. If you have noticed any other changes you think people should watch out for, please feel free to comment on them below


Great view from Backbone Mountain on the way over to the river.


Beautiful Blackwater Falls, from the overlook at the put-in parking lot. 220cfs or so. The usgs Gauge at Davis may be reading 20 or so cfs low, maybe more at higher flows. Time and more runs should develop a consensus on any changes.

Adam Johnson finishing up Tomko. The standard left line ( a 6 or 8' boof, driving right) on the bottom falls has a log in it. It is covered at higher flows, but in the low 200cfs range we had, it sticks out into the line. We ran center.

Wide view of Flatliner Falls, the site of a fatal accident on October 1. The line is to boof straight, off the furthest protrusion of the ledge. You are fighting the flow and gravity as you come around the corner and drive to the point. At the time of the accident, there was aproximately 400cfs in the river, almost double the flow pictured here.

From above, showing the tilt of the ledge to the left.

The pin spot/pocket is in the center of the photo. There have been several non-fatal pins here prior to Friday's drowning.


Log in the Turncoat boof crack, on the far right entrance to "My Nerves are shot, I can't take it anymore" Its good the crack is filled, but the log could definitely spoil a line if you are unaware of it.