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RECREATION Rafting the rapids, Rogue style Competitors take on the white water in national championship Comment By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Apr. 2, 2016 at 5:53 PM By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Apr. 2, 2016 at 5:53 PM » Social News GOLD HILL — About 100 spectators gathered Saturday afternoon along Upper River Road to see top-rated whitewater rafting teams wrestle some of the Rogue River's biggest rapids. The Western Whitewater Championship, grouped together nine four-person rafting teams, many who traveled from as far away as West Virginia and Colorado to compete against a Southern Oregon men's team. The teams were competing for a nomination to compete in international rafting championships that will be held in 2017 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, according to race volunteer Andrew Huston of Grants Pass. One spectator lived upstream from Gold Hill near Ti'lomikh Falls, formerly known as Powerhouse Rapids, and thought the national event would would be a worthy opportunity to test the zoom on her new camera. Another couple made the drive from Grants Pass to Gold Hill to observe how top rafters make it through one of the biggest rapids on the Rogue River. It was up to Huston to keep the crowd entertained through delays of more than an hour past the scheduled 1 p.m. start time for the race. Huston played audio from the Dueling Banjos scene from "Deliverance" and Talking Heads' "Take Me to the River" between announcing sections from the 33-page International Rafting Federation rules and regulations, along with information about the three women's teams, one under-21 team from University of Colorado in Boulder and five men's teams competing in the Class D R-4 championship. Huston said he chose to volunteer because he's interested in watersports and wanted to connect with others with the same interests for rafting trips. "Originally I wanted to race, but that's sort of a pipe dream," Huston said. Race volunteer Beau Buckman, an employee of sponsor Sawyer Paddle of Grants Pass, said a national championship event bodes well for the Gold Hill Whitewater Center that's been proposed for the area. Sawyer Paddle has been a sponsor of the event as well as previous King of the Rogue events held in the summer, and Sawyer co-owner Pete Newport competed Saturday with a Southern Oregon-based team. "They're trying to turn this into an Olympic training center," Buckman said. All competitors used identical rafts specially made and designed by Sotar rafts of Merlin, according to Gold Hill City Councilor and former Mayor Gus Wolf. The specification meant the slalom race was a test of talent rather than equipment. The competition continues today on the Klamath River. Wolf said that he's a strong proponent for the Gold Hill Whitewater Center. He's currently working with the city of Gold Hill to apply for a $750,000 grant through Oregon State Parks. He called natural watersports "the future" and envisions stadium seating overlooking the rapids where spectators used folding chairs to observe the rafters challenge the Class IV whitewater Saturday. "People are looking for natural recreation," Wolf said. Wolf said that in many parts of the country, areas have to resort to artificial means such as concrete blocks in order to get the rapids Ti'lomikh Falls offers. "They're not nearly as pretty as this," Wolf said. Considering the license plates Wolf has seen from South Carolina, Illinois, West Virginia and Colorado, he believes the competition is bringing in new visitors. "It's a good blend," Wolf said. "It introduces people to Southern Oregon." For a photo gallery on the competition, see www.mailtribune.com/photo . Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or email [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat. By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Apr. 2, 2016 at 5:53 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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