Tallulah Race, Georgia, USA

« The Tallulah Race Returns! »

After a seven-year hiatus, kayak racing returned to the Tallulah River in Tallulah Falls, Georgia. Thirty racers gathered early on a brisk November morning to challenge themselves and each other in a time-trial style race through a beloved gorge packed with whitewater.

The Tallulah holds a special place in the hearts of all southeastern boaters. Polished metamorphic cliffs line both sides, stretching 800 ft to the rim in some places. In the fall, the leaves on the hardwoods paint the gorge in vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges. There are two huge bedrock slides that, for many first-timers, will be the largest rapids they have ever run. The slides give way to multiple hallway-esque boulder gardens with endless line combinations.

In normal years, the Tallulah is the only game in town during November, which means you’ll bump into old friends and leave with a few new ones. The race seeks to capture and showcase all of this energy on the third and final release weekend. 

Nervous racers lined the put-in platform, visualizing lines and waiting for words from the Dam that the water is stable. The call was received, and 30 minutes of nonstop action in the gorge began as racers sprinted to the lake.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief (and exhaustion) at the finish line tailgate, where racers recovered and made plans for a second lap over breakfast beverages and chili dogs. The party moved on land once the release concluded, and folks enjoyed some barbecue and a bonfire as they waited for results. Holt McWhirt won the Men’s class with a time of 11:02, and Olivia McGinnis took home the Women’s crown with a time of 11:37. 

Words: Eric Braun

L’article Tallulah Race, Georgia, USA est apparu en premier sur Kayak Session Magazine.