The national 2011 River Bassin’ Tournament Trail, with stops in 15 locations across the United States, will hold its finale on Sept. 10, including a celebratory wrap-up event in Roanoke.

This up-and-coming national tournament is drawing anglers for its unique approach. At each stop competitors fish rivers and lakes of their choice then take photos of their catch on a ruler device before releasing fish back into water. They then bring their camera’s memory card to determine the winner based on a three-fish combined length. Only paddle-powered boats are allowed.

“This new twist on fishing tournaments is growing in popularity, and the Roanoke Region’s pristine rivers and its reputation as a premier outdoor lifestyle region combine to make this an exciting last stop for the Bassin’ Tournament,” says Pete Eshelman, director of outdoor branding for the Roanoke Regional Partnership. “Our region boasts impressive waterways that will serve to both challenge and reward these competitors while raising the region’s profile as an outdoors destination.”

The tournament features a lake and river division. Lake bassers will fish Smith Mountain Lake,  while river anglers can choose any river within 60 miles, with the James and New rivers expected to be the most popular.
Prizes are awarded in three divisions – avid angler, casual angler and young river bassers. The avid anglers will compete in a separate tournament in Roanoke, with the top 10 anglers competing for the title “River Basser of the Year.”

Learn more about the tournament at: www.riverbassintrail.com/roanoke.

Learn how to kayak at a Let’s Go Paddling Welcome Center.

ABOUT ROANOKE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP
The Roanoke Regional Partnership markets the region to new and expanding industry.  Since 1983, the Partnership has assisted expansions and locations representing $1.3 billion in new investment and nearly 14,000 direct new jobs in the region. To learn more, visit www.roanoke.org, www.RoanokeOutside.com, www.Get2KnowNoke.com, and www.RoanokeEntrepreneur.com.

Jackson Kayak team members, Samantha Brunner Ruppelt and Heather Herbeck, are teaming up to give you some guidance and suggestions on how your health, your fitness and your love for kayaking can affect each other and how to use these three components simultaneously to create longevity in your paddling!

This post will help get you back into the ‘paddling groove’ . . . read on!

SPRING IS HERE . . . ARE YOU READY TO GET BACK INTO YOUR BOAT????

It’s impossible to paddle 365 days a year . . . heck, some of us can’t even get out 30 days a year. There are many reasons that limit our boating opportunities and cold, winter weather is a HUGE one.

Well, winter is long gone! The sun is making its’ recognition a little more often; the temperatures are above 50; the snow is starting to melt; and, the rivers are running . . . all of which make each and everyone of us a little more motivated to paddle!

So . . . are you ready to pick up where you left off last season? Or, are you feeling a little rusty from the months of hibernation. Well, either way, we are going to give you a few suggestions on how to prepare yourself for a long, happy paddling season.

Stretching
Have you ever pressed your feet into your bulkhead and felt a tingling sensation in your legs? Have you ever reached for a sweet boof and felt a sharp pull in your back? Do you have a difficult time getting the paddle blade to the surface of the water when you try to roll your kayak? Well, if you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you can start improving your paddling (and fitness) right away with some simple stretches.

Before paddling hard, make sure you are nice and stretched out! It doesn’t really pay to try to stretch your muscles when they are cold, so make sure you warm them up. To warm your muscles up, they must ‘actively’ move. Good warm-up drills:
• Paddle around for at least 5 minutes at various speeds – both forwards & backwards
• A short jog at the put-in
• Jumping Jacks

“I always suggest trying to work on the flexibility of your whole body, but to be kayaking- specific I definitely suggest at least targeting the shoulders, hips, and low back/ hamstrings. I have found that the DVD by Andria Davis, Brushy Mountain Publishing, to be very helpful! “ ~ Samantha Brunner

Here are a few specific pointers from Samantha & Heather:
1. Stretching needs to become a habit, it doesn’t work to just stretch right before the river. Deep stretching should only take place after your body has been warm for at least 30 mins. Light stretching can be done before a paddle (but after you warm up a bit), but focus your time and energy to stretch AFTER your paddle or workout. If you stretch after every workout that you do, you shouldn’t have trouble on the river.
2. Hold your stretches for 30 seconds- 1 minute, do not bounce with them.
3. Use breathing to release tension in your muscles. I like to que, “Breathe into the tightness and release it out! Feel the tension subside with each exhale!” ~ Heather Herbeck

Crosstraining
If your body feels strong, your mind feels strong, too! A strong mind & body makes us feel more confident about our paddling. I am only going to briefly touch on this topic (as I can get quite in depth, but we’ll save it for later posts). There are 5 exercises that I consider important in a paddler’s workout routine:
Pull-ups (to strengthen the muscles used when paddling)
Push-ups (to strengthen the opposite muscles used when paddling, creating balance & minimizing overuse injury)
Sit-ups (to create a strong core)
Squats (to strengthen the legs for active paddling)
Back Extensions (to complete the core training)

An easy routine to start with:
5 – 10 sets of:
5 pull-ups
10 push-ups
10 sit-ups
15 squats
10 back extensions

• Please see your doctor before starting an intense workout routine.
• Please see a personal trainer if you have any questions about executing the above moves.

Basics
If you have to dust off your boat & paddle, you might want to brush up on the basics of kayaking before jumping right back into it.

Take a week or two to visit your favorite local paddling destination and ‘work out any kinks’ in your technique. This way you can really focus on your strokes/ concepts and figure out what you need to work on. No matter your level of skill, a back to the basics run is always a great way to warm up for the exciting season ahead! Plus, it a sure confidence booster!

Okay, now go get started!

Happy Paddling,
Heather & Samantha

The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition is urging Americans to get out there and get active in May. If you need a reason to paddle or introduce someone new to paddling, these observations give you the perfect excuse:

• National Physical Fitness and Sports Month (May 1-31). Paddle one, paddle all.
• National Physical Education and Sport Week (May 1-7). Lobby for paddling to be a PE class option in the spring. Paddling offers a great reason to teach basic water safety.
• National Women’s Health Week (May 8-14) Pigtails and paddles rule!
• National Employee Health and Fitness Day (May 18) Grab your co-workers for a wellness day paddling your favorite waterway.
• National Senior Health Fitness Day (May 25). Paddling is a lifetime sport that can be enjoyed well into the golden years and a great way for kids to connect with their young at heart elders.

American Whitewater’s National Stewardship Director Kevin Colburn explained that perhaps the most important component of the framework is draft guidance confirming that the Clean Water Act applies to headwater streams and related wetlands.  The draft guidance will replace guidance published under the previous administration that had left virtually all of the nation’s headwaters at uncertain risk to pollution impacts.

“The recreational, ecological, and economic benefits of clarifying Clean Water Act protection for headwater streams are enormous,” said Colburn. “The initiatives outlined in this report will protect the quality of water in our taps, flowing through our communities, and under our boats.”

The nation’s headwater rivers and streams are particularly important in providing clean cold drinking water for millions of Americans.  These same streams offer world-class recreation opportunities that improve the quality of life and economic viability for countless communities.

Kayakers and rafters spend more time in direct contact with headwater streams than just about anyone, which makes water quality very important to paddlers, Colburn explained. “This initiative promises to protect the safety of our rivers for paddling, fishing, swimming, and even just dipping your toes in,” he said.

River-dependent businesses are also taking notice.  “Our kayak manufacturing business requires healthy rivers and lakes where people are excited to take their families out paddling.  The initiatives in this report help protect our business, our employees, and the recreational experiences that keep our customers healthy and happy,” said Eric “EJ” Jackson, founder and president of Jackson Kayak, the global leader in whitewater kayak manufacturing.

The public will have 60 days to offer comments on the Administration’s proposal to clarify and restore Clean Water Act protections.  American Whitewater will be working with our members and partners in the coming weeks to send letters of support to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

ABOUT AMERICAN WHITEWATER. Founded in 1954, American Whitewater is the primary advocate for the preservation and protection of whitewater rivers throughout the United States. In order to achieve its mission to conserve and restore America’s whitewater resources and enhance opportunities to enjoy them safely, American Whitewater serves as a hub of information and activism for its members who comprise a broad diversity of individual whitewater enthusiasts, river conservationists, and more than 100 local paddling club affiliates across the United States.

Olympic gold medalist Joe Jacobi, head of USA Canoe Kayak knows first-hand the rewards of a lifetime dedicated to paddling. “It’s so fun, you’re barely aware that you’re also getting a great workout,” Jacobi said. “Because it’s a low-impact activity and contributes to great cardiovascular strength, paddling is a sport you can enjoy your whole life from your own childhood to your children and their children’s childhoods.”

Ms. Fitness magazine touts the appeal of paddling to women: “Paddling is an easy sport for women to embrace. As females tend to have a greater sense of coordination, paddling is simple to grasp. You can burn about 150 calories in half an hour.”

Widely quoted kayak fitness expert, US Army Ranger and West Point grad Robert Finley of Kayak Lake Mead, touts the toning befits of paddling: “In one hour at 3 mph you are going to do about 1500 repetitions of low impact upper body movements while your are paddling, which no matter what your fitness goals are, you are going to tone up almost every muscle in your body.”

The best way to start paddling, or brush off the cobwebs if it’s been a while, is to take a lesson from certified professionals at recognized canoe and kayak teaching facilities. One program designed to make it easier for folks get started is Let’s Go Paddling. Launching in June, Let’s Go Paddling is a grass roots nationwide effort to get more people paddling more often. During June, National Let’s Go Paddling month, Welcome Centers will offer at least one free lesson and/or festival aimed at welcoming outdoor enthusiasts to give paddling a try.

“Freshwater, saltwater, flatwater, whitewater, Let’s Go Paddling welcomes canoeists, kayakers, dragon boaters and kayak polo players to join the initiative,” said World Kayak executive director James McBeath.

For a complete list of paddling Welcome Centers and schedule of free events, visit http://www.LetsGoPaddling.com. Check back often as more teaching facilities and paddle festivals join the movement.

OIA’s Outdoor Recreation Participation Topline Report 2011 takes a look at participation trends among 43 outdoor and adventure sports. Founded in 1989, OIA is the premier trade association for companies in the active outdoor recreation business.

According to the OIA study, paddlesports disciplines account for three of the nine outdoor activities showing growth for the past three consecutive years among the all-important youth demographic (ages 6 – 24).

Leading the way among the paddlesports disciplines is whitewater kayaking, up 42.4 percent; followed by sea kayaking/touring, up 21.4 percent; and recreational kayaking, up 15.6 percent.

Among the total population of outdoor sports participants, whitewater again leads the way in growth, up 34.6 percent in the past year, followed by sea kayaking/touring, up 21.2 percent and recreational kayaking, up 4.1 percent.

According to the OIA report, the number of Americans who paddle totals nearly 10.5 million. The biggest segment of paddlers are recreational paddlers who number some 6.5 million, sea kayaking/touring paddlers total 2.1 million, while whitewater paddlers account for another 1.8 million.

Overall, participation in outdoor sports remains steady. Notably, participation among ethnically diverse participants was a higher percentage of overall outdoor participants than in previous years. While participation was flat among 6 – 12-year-olds, increases were measured among 13 – 24-year-old outdoor participants.

Click the link to access the full OIA report.

- It’s great exercise

- Let’s you be close to nature

- Takes you on adventures you can’t find any other way

- It’s relaxing

- Paddling can be part of another activity

- Paddling creates lasting friendships

- It’s a fun way to compete and race

- It’s a great way to stay cool on a hot summer day

- It’s a lifetime sport that can be passed down and enjoyed by all ages

- It’s FUN!

The goal of the campaign is to hit media consistently with compelling pitches that drive earned media placements for the Let’s Go Paddling initiative and drives consumers to the LPG website to find participating Welcome Center.

Key Message Points and news hooks as applicable:

- Anti-obesity – Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Campaign

- Anti-drug – DARE to Kayak

- Connect with Nature – Pres. Obama’s Great Outdoors Initiative

- Lifetime family-friendly sport

- Fun

PRESS RELEASE CALENDAR

Let’s Go Paddling PR will produce and distribute a calendar of press releases aimed at getting the attention of editors and ink/online/air time aimed at getting people paddling with a special focus of getting earned media during the month of June, National Let’s Go Paddling Month. Major paddlefest and other LGP events not held in June will be publicized at LGP.com. Releases will be distributed to the LGP media list, posted to the LGP website, posted to other PR web distribution services and shared with partners for additional PR assistance as described below. Press releases will be posted to Pitch Engine to facilitate viral spreading, Welcome Centers will be notified when the releases are live and given a link to the Pitch Engine posting which LGP encourages WC’s to help spread. All releases will drive traffic to Let’sGoPaddling.com website.

The following is a list of press release themes in chronologic order and suggested pitch angles Welcome Centers can take easy advantage by uploading info to the LPG.com website by stated deadlines and/or may use with their media contacts to help amplify the National media outreach effort. This list may be updated and Welcome Centers notified of additional PR opportunities as additional partners and promotions are solidified.

EARLY APRIL

• Announcement of Launch of Let’s Go Paddling 2011

LGP – will announce the program goals, structure, national partners

Recommended WC action – Utilize “Membership Announcement” press release template announcing membership in LGP and dates of free consumer paddlefest or other intro to paddling event. Distribute to local media contacts.

• National Park Week – April 16 – 24

LGP will encourage paddlers to enjoy canoe trails, rivers, etc at National Parks, spotlight key NPS units

Recommended WC action – plan ahead! If you have a national park in your vicinity that offers paddling activities, talk with the park manager or concessionaire to explore joint promotional ideas for this week and beyond.

• Announcement of paddling as fitness activity for Get America Moving – National Fitness Month (May)

LGP – press release will provide evidence of paddling as a great fitness option and mention that it supports First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move call to action and partnership with President’s Challenge

Recommended WC action – identify someone you know who has lost weight, improved overall fitness, used paddling as part of rehab from heart or injury and pitch the story angle to your local media.

If you intend to offer President’s Challenge materials and awards, please indicate so in your LGP online profile.

MID-APRIL

• Paddling as a fun way to learn water safety in conjunction during May, National Water Safety Month

EARLY MAY

Announcement of National Let’s Go Paddling Month (June)

LGP – will announce jointly with USACK and ACA that we are designating June as National Let’s Go Paddling Month encouraging new and lapsed paddlers to try the sport through Welcome Centers; encourage existing paddlers to bring a friend paddling.

Recommended WC action – send email to database asking members/clients/customers to bring a friend paddling during June and announce appropriate June paddlefest or other free intro to paddling event.

Pitch local media on local paddler profile human-interest story: Paddler leading cleanup, conservation or fundraising efforts

MID-MAY

Announce LGP support of National Trails Day, June 4

LGP – will announce support of National Trails Day and that getting out on river/canoe trails via tours, cleanups etc

Recommended WC action – Be sure to upload your river/canoe trail event on the LGP website by May 13. LGP will provide a list of all such events in this press release. LGP will provide a list of all such events in this press release.

Utilize LGP press release National Trails Day press release template for distribution to WC media contacts.

Announce LGP support of National Get Outdoors Month (June)

LGP – press release will focus on paddling as a great way to spend time outdoors and spotlight several major Welcome Center events during June – e.g. Oklahoma City Mayor’s Conference, (Central) National Get Outdoors Day – Denver City Park event (Rockies), Ohio River Way Paddlefest (Midwest) et al

Recommended WC action – Be sure major June events are uploaded on LGP.com no later than May 14. Note: We are currently looking to identify spotlight major events on the East and West Coasts and South or Southeast regions to demonstrate the nationwide reach of the program.

Announce LGP support of National Get Outdoors Day, June 11

LGP – will announce support of NGOD and paddling as a way to celebrate such, especially since June is National Let’s Go Paddling Month

Recommended WC Action –By no later than May 15, be sure to upload any paddlefest or free intro to paddling event planned on June 12. LGP press release will provide a list of all such events.

June

LGP – Weekly media alerts will be issued on Monday morning to remind media about the upcoming weekend’s Welcome Center paddling activities with link to LGP.com website.

Recommended WC action: Be sure events are uploaded to LGP website no later than May 15.

Second week of June –LGP support National Parks and Recreation Month  (July – NRPA)

LGP – spotlight will be on outstanding public parks and rec based Welcome Centers participating in LGP.

Recommended WC Action – Park and Rec based Welcome Centers should pitch local media on success stories – how paddling changed a kid’s life; kids that learned paddling at their rec centers and went on to competitive or professional success (e.g. collegiate rowing team, became paddlesports instructors, are now working in paddlesports industry, etc). Please contact Lee Hart, Brand Amp, no later than June 4 if you want your compelling story considered for mention in this press release.

JULY

Announce LGP success stories to trade media

LGP – will produce a press release of success stories from the inaugural National Let’s Go Paddling Month. This release will also be shared with trade media in the lead up to the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market.

Recommended WC action – to be considered for mention in this press release be sure to file post-event reports to LGP no later than July 9 or pitch Lee Hart via email.

AUGUST

Sept 24 Family Health & Fitness Day

Sept. 28 national women’s health and fitness day

LGP – LGP will issue a press release about paddling as a lifetime, multi-generational sport for the whole family. A second release will focus on health benefits for women. Long-lead women’s magazines will have been pitched in Spring 2011.

Recommended WC action – send LGP pitches about multi-generational paddling families in your community; pitch heart-healthy/weight loss/toning stories about any women who have fallen in love with paddling or for who paddling has made a significant positive effect in their well-being. IMPORTANT NOTE: Please get these pitches to LGP by April 1.

Deadline for inclusion in short-lead media release is Aug. 31.

Third week of September – LGP season summary

LGP – will produce a summary of stats and highlights from Let’s Go Paddling 2011. Metrics will include participation numbers, success stories and online metrics and analytics to establish baseline measurement to demonstrate growth of the program in subsequent years.

Recommended WC Action – submit post end of promo reports to LGP no later than Sept. 11

MEDIA SUPPORT

Paddlesports Industry

LGP will share the above press releases with our paddlesports industry partners and count on these partners to also disseminate these press releases to their media databases. Specific partners include:

- USA Canoe Kayak

- American Canoe Association

- Rapid Media

Federal Partners

At this time, national partners have not confirmed PR assistance, however they have agreed to help publicize LGP through Home Page based LGP banners or buttons and online LGP content.

- US Fish and Wildlife Service/National Refuges

- America’s State Parks

- National Park Service

Vertical Media

• Rapid Media will be promoting Let’s Go Paddling in print and online to encourage existing paddlers to Grab a Friend and Let’s Go Paddling in all of their paddling titles:

- Kayak Angler

- Rapid

- Adventure Kayak

- Canoe Roots

- Rapid Media is offering free trial e-subscriptions to Let’s Go Paddling Paddlefest participants

- Through Dec. 31, 2011, Rapid will host and publicize a “Why I Love Paddling” film competition LGP will select certain videos from entries to feature on the main LGP website so that non-paddlers can see from real paddlers why paddling is such a great sport. Comp winner are eligible for $500 cash prize and their film being featured in 2011 Reel Paddling Film Fest.

• World Kayak will promote LGP to its 120K unique monthly viewers and 5500 active bloggers encouraging all visitors to Grab a Friend, Let’s Go Paddling, especially during June, National Let’s Go Paddling Month.

Non-vertical Media

Outside magazine will include mention of Let’s Go Paddling in its June issue.

SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

The goal of the social media campaign is to generate leads to reach new paddlers, build awareness for paddlesports, connect partners and help drive increased paddling participation.

Keywords (in combination with your town name, e.g. “canoe instruction louisville”): paddling, paddling fitness, paddlesports, paddlesports instruction, canoe instruction, kayak instruction, canoe lessons, kayak lessons

Twitter – @LetsGoPaddling

LetsGoPaddling has established a Twitter account and we will be inviting folks to join and sending LGP updates to subscribers daily. Examples of Tweets include: The registration of a new Welcome Center, upcoming Paddlefests, national tie-ins (National Fitness Month, National Great Outdoors Month, National Trails Day, National Get Outdoors Day), reports from Official Welcome Centers, broader consumer interest paddling news, etc

Recommended WC action:

- Fans can click on the Twitter icon on the LGP.com home page to become a Twitter follower

- If you don’t already have a Twitter account(s), establish one, either for your facility

- Fill in your Twitter handle during your LGP registration so LGP can begin following you

- Follow @LetsGoPaddling

- Encourage your Twitter followers to follow @LetsGoPaddling

- Use the hashtag #letspaddle for all tweets related to your LGP events, activities, news

- Timely tweet about news from your WC that relates to the above Press Release calendar

Facebook

Let’s Go Paddling has set up a Facebook Fan Page of the same name.

FB fan page link will be accessible from LGP.com home page

LGP’s Twitter and FB fan page will be linked

LGP will send updates to fans in support of the above PR calendar

LGP will monitor the fan page daily and reply to fan posts

Post some of your best photos and videos from your LGP events to the LGB FB fan page

Through May and June, LGP will regularly post fun polls, quizzes and contests to engage the community and stimulate participation

Recommended WC Action:

- If you don’t already have them, set up a Facebook fan page for your facility and set up a Facebook event page for your Paddlefest or LGP Month free intro to paddlesports event

- Invite your database and paddlefest (or free intro to paddling participants) to become a LGP FB fan and post about their experiences at your facility/event

- Contact Lee Hart via email or FB direct message if you have LGP-related lesson promos or sales events you would like to make available exclusively to FB LGP fans.

Summary Calendar of WC Recommended PR Deadlines

Welcome Centers are advised to have their events uploaded and or stories pitched to LGP PR contact by the following dates in order to be considered for inclusion in the press releases as described.

Miscellaneous PR opportunities

Feb. 2 National Girls and Women in Sports Day: Play, Believe, Achieve. WCs are encouraged to celebrate women paddlers in their community. Plan mom/daughter pool sessions, intro to paddling sessions at schools, mentors, etc.

March 22 World Water Day. Overall global theme this year is urban water but doesn’t mean you can’t make a splash highlighting the connection between appreciating natural water resources, conservation, etc.

National DARE day – April 7. WC’s using DARE to Kayak curriculum should notify Lee Hart by no later than March 1, after which a press release will be issued with a list of participating DARE to Kayak providers

National Physical Education and Sports Week May 1 – 7. WCs are urged to plan ahead and offer an intro to paddlesports session to local public and/or private school phys ed teachers during this week. If you schedule such a session, it’s a great time to also distribute brochures and flyers for your LGP intro to paddlesports clinics, festivals, lesson programs. Aim your messages at the parents!

Joining hands with the Boy Scouts is a natural for Jackson Kayak, said company founder, Olympian and champion freestyle kayaker Eric Jackson. In 2004, Jackson introduced the first performance whitewater kayaks for kids, literally cutting in half the age at which kids could paddle on their own. “We’ve seen first-hand the ability of kayaking to strengthen families and inspire kids to explore and deepen their appreciation for the natural world and their own abilities,” Jackson said. “Kayaking is a fun way for kids to learn and live such fundamental Boy Scout values as trustworthiness, self-reliance and competence in the outdoors.”

This first video shows Boy Scouts learning to whitewater kayak under the tutelage of JK team member Justin Owen, who taught taught the Scouts the basics of whitewater paddling — all about the gear, hydrology, basic paddle strokes, and safety with plenty of practice on wet exits! With their confidence built up, the Scouts take on Fayette Station rapid, a fun Class III on the New River and shows what fun can be had when you combine Boy Scouts in Jackson Kayak’s Dynamic Duo.

The BSA just bought 10,600 acres in West Virginia near the New River Gorge. Known as The Summit Bechtel Scout Reserve, the site will become the BSA’s fourth national high adventure base. The Summit will introduce Scouts to world-class whitewater, rock climbing, mountain biking, zip line canopy tours, and more. The Summit is also the new home to BSA’s National Jamboree, held every 4 years; the next jamboree (the first at the Summit) will be in July 2013.