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US Freestyle Kayaking Team Trials starting

Posted: Jun 30, 2010 10:03 AM by Derek Buerkle
Updated: Jun 30, 2010 10:14 AM

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MISSOULA - Missoula is a great place for sports of all types and downtown will get to show off one of it's unique spots this week. Brennan's Wave on the Clark Fork River will host the US Freestyle Kayaking Team Trials starting on Wednesday.

The best riders in the country are already in town trying out the wave near Caras Park. The winner's this week will make the U.S. national team for the world championships in 2011. This is the first time Missoula will host an event on this level, and local riders are very excited.

"It's a really big deal. It's really fun to have all the best kayaking athletes in the world here. Not just kayakers, but you have canoe, open canoe as well. And they're all competing for a spot on the team. It's really exciting," said Missoula kayaker and coach Shawn Byron. "We've got ideal water levels right now. Everybody seems to be really enjoying the feature, and throwing up really big tricks actually."

Byron added that one of the reason's Missoula got to host this event is Brennan's Wave is very similar to the one hosting the World Championships in Germany next year. The competition starts at 9:00 Wednesday morning and wraps up Friday afternoon.

On almost any day, you can find local kayakers making turns at Brennan's Wave, and locals say that the Clark Fork River spot is ready to make a splash at it's first big time event.

"This is really the first sanctioned event that we've ever had here. And so, it's not only going to raise some
awareness about some projects we got going on, but also it gives us a chance to show the athletes from other states and around the United States just how great of a spot this is, and a community and a place to put on an
event like this," Missoula kayaker Jason Shreder told us. "It's a lot of fun for the whole family. People of all
ages can do it, and it's a chance to see the best freestyle kayakers in the United States try and fight for a chance to get on the US team to go compete in Germany."

The event also serves as the final stop on the 2010 National Point Series tour.

Topics: kayak, missoula, brennans wave

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