Perilous Paddling: Students Compete in Extreme Kayaking
November 16, 2022
- Author
- Mary Elizabeth DeAngelis
Ben Atherton '26 was one of three Davidson students who took on the Class V rapids at the Green River Narrows Race.
The warnings about the Green River Narrows Race’s twisty, tumultuous turns and obstacles would scare off the faint-hearted—or more accurately, most humans.
Not so easily intimidated were three ˿Ƶ students, Evy Leibfarth ’25, Ben Atherton ’26, and Joshua Huber ’23, who battled the roaring rapids in fine form.
Evy Leibfarth '25
Josh Huber '23
Davidson, a half-hour’s drive to the U.S. National Whitewater Center, has attracted many competitive paddlers over the years. That tradition continues, and the college showed well during the Nov. 5 competition, which is as extreme as kayaking gets.
Atherton placed 1st in the Long K-1 Junior category, with a finish of 4:20.07. Leibfarth, a member of the U.S. Olympic Kayak and Canoe Slalom Team, placed 2nd in the women’s Long K-1 category, with a 4:41.61 finish. Huber placed 14th in the Men’s Long K-1 division, with a finish of 4:24.44.
The annual whitewater race through the Green River gorge near Asheville is the largest in extreme kayaking and draws top paddlers from around the world. The course spans about three-quarters of a mile and is known for the toughness of its Class V rapids, and some harrowing drops, including an 18-foot one known as the Gorilla (captured here by photographer Serge Skiba).
So perhaps it’s no surprise that participants sign a waiver saying: “I have been warned of the stupidity of this activity.”
Inside the Kayak: Josh Huber's Highlights
Beyond the Green Narrows, Josh Huber '22 has kayaked the Grand Canyon of the Stikine. A notorious mission on the American continent, it is widely considered to be the “Mount Everest” of whitewater kayaking for its committing class V+ rapids and remoteness. Check out Huber’s kayaking highlights from the Green River Race in this video.
