IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR AT THE RENO RIVER FESTIVAL
Meet the reigning world freestyle kayaking champion and his family May 12-15
RENO, Nev. (May 3, 2005) — Kayaking is more than a sport in the Eric Jackson household, it's a lifestyle. Jackson, the reigning world freestyle kayaking champion, heads a family of whitewater experts, all of whom will be competing at the 2nd annual Reno River Festival, May 12-15.
Jackson, a three-time world freestyle champion, will be joining other strong competitors at the Reno River Festival, facing the 2005 second- and third-place world freestyle finishers Billy Harris and Jay Kincaid, a Reno local and current Reno River Festival Pro Freestyle champion. But Dad isnt the only champion in the family competing at the Reno River Festival. Dane routinely competes at the junior men's level and qualified this year for the USA Freestyle Kayak Team, which took place in Australia earlier this year for the World Freestyle Championships.
The father-and-son Jackson team is a force to be reckoned with, but sister Emily brings the needed girl power to the team. She came in No. 1 in the USA Freestyle Kayak Team junior women's class and won the 2004 USA National Championship in the junior women's division. Emily is also the mastermind behind "Kayakers With a Cause", a project to raise money to build a school in Uganda, a popular but underprivileged playground for paddlers.
The Jackson family, inarguably the most accomplished family in the sport of kayaking, will all be on hand during the Reno River Festival as both competitors and teachers. Eric, Emily and Dane will be teaching the youth clinics, scheduled for Sunday, May 15, at the festival. The clinics are free and registration will be available at the festival.
"The caliber of Reno's whitewater park and the Reno River Festival naturally attracts the world's top whitewater competitors to the festival and our area", said Deanna Ashby, executive director of marketing for the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority. "Having the Jackson family attend and support our event adds a celebrity twist to our competition. Their well-known status within the industry adds an exciting reputation to the sport of kayaking. It also sends a great messaging that kayaking is a family sport for any age of competitor. Our aim is to make our festival family-friendly and an event that people of all ages can enjoy."
For details about the 2nd annual Reno River Festival, the Jackson family or a complete schedule of clinics, please visit www.RenoRiverFestival.com. For more information about Reno-Tahoe, Americaâ's Adventure Place, logon to www.VisitRenoTahoe.com or call 800-FOR-RENO (800-367-7366).
The Reno River Festival is held at the $1.5 million Truckee River Whitewater Park, located in the heart of Reno's booming downtown business and arts district. The park, with rapids rated class 2 and 3, is both Nevada's and the region's first whitewater park and kayak slalom racing course, totaling 2,600 feet in length and featuring north and south channels that surround an outdoor amphitheater and park. There are 11 "drop pools" and specially-placed boulders for kayaking maneuvers, a slalom racing course, and 7,000 tons of smooth flat rocks along the shores for easy river access and spectator seating.