Corner Wave Classic By Maddie Kimmel

     Last Friday, I competed in the Corner Wave Classic at McCoy Shute. It was a low key competition organized by Nick Troutman, when locals and other professionals that were in the area came to compete. I got to compete against my life time role models, such as Emily Jackson and Claire O'Hara. When I was little I used to watch kayaking videos of them paddling all around the world and I wanted to be just like them when I grew up. I also had a ton of fun competing against my Keener Mom, Anna Bruno, and a friend of mine, Kathryn Walker. I was nervous at first because I can't do many tricks on corner wave. I can spin but most the time I flush. I decided to just have fun and do my best.
     Everyone had 6 rides on Corner Wave and the best ride counts. On my best ride, I had a spin and roundhouse, scoring 25 points. As a result, I finished 4th out of the 5 girls. Emily finished first, anna in third and Claire in third. I was super stoked with my performance, after all I was going against world champs. Corner wave is a very tricky wave because you have to land and time your tricks perfectly. Even when you do everything right the wave could surge on you and flush you. In the men's Dane was first, Nick in second and Clay in third. 

This competition was very different than other competitions I have done in the past. You had the best kayaker a in the world competing, yet they weren't "competing" it was more hanging out at Corner Wave and having fun.