Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Jordan Poffenberger


Age: 17

Home: Fairfax, VA

Years paddling: 12 (7 C1)

Where I learned to paddle: The Potomac

Favorite play run: New River Dries

Favorite playspot: Lyons at highwater in CO

Favorite creek: Rio Claro in Chile

Favorite types of paddling: C-1 playboating, C-1 slalom and creeking

Community Involvement: I participated in the Gorge-athon and raised over $1000 for river access and preservation, many of the competitions I compete in are for the benefit of AW.

I learned to paddle on the Potomac. I started when I was 6 years old in a Dagger Dynamo and started to learn how to roll in a pool with one of the local paddling schools. My dad and I took lessons and then would go out and practice rolling and paddling on the Potomac or the C & O canal.

What I like about paddling: At this point, paddling has become kind of the center of my life. There is just something about being on the river, no matter where the river is or what kind of whitewater it is. It takes me to places I would have never imagined being, whether its in some of the remotest parts of the world, or in the middle of a city surounded by thousands of spectators. A huge part of why paddling is so amazing is just the people you meet along the way.

What I like about the Potomac: The Potomac has a little bit of everything, it has big class V+ gnarr, class III-IV big water, and class III play and plenty of class II for the upcoming paddlers all within 15 miles of river.

Freestyle Competition Results:

2nd in C-1 at Freestyle Nationals in 07', 08', 09' and 10'.

13th in C-1 at 2009 Freestyle World Championships in Thun, Switzerland.

11th in C-1 at 2011 Freestyle World Championships in Plattling, Germany.

5th in K-1 Juniors at 10' Freestyle Team Trials

4th in OC-1 at 10' Freestyle Team Trials

2nd in C-1 at 10' Freestyle Team Trials

Slalom Competition Results:

2nd in C-1 cadet 07 Junior Olympics, 1st in C-1 cadet 08 Junior Olympics, 17th in C-1 08 Olympic trials

Hobbies: Snowboard during the winter, Mountain biking when I can't kayak, and ofcourse jumping off of tall rocks into a river. I'm Definitly a bit of a Pyro, but what boy isn't? I enjoy pretending to be an engineer, perhaps someday I shall actually be one. The Design of kayaks, and whitewater features and generally just fun to think about, discuss and sometimes actually put into practice.

Favorite Boat: I would definitly have to say my favorite boat right now is the Liquid Logic Kayaks Stomper. It's an amazing combination of my two previous favorite boats, the Remix and the Jefe. Its fast like a Remix, with stronger edges to use in carving in and out of eddies. But it still floats over just about every kind of obsticle a river could throw at you. It boofs better than one could dream, and its just imposible to have a bad day on the river when paddling the stout running machine that is the Stomper 80.

Favorite Piece of gear: The IR Union Suit is my favorite piece of gear by a long shot. Probably the most versitle piece of gear out there. Though it was designed to keep paddlers Uber warm on the river(which it does fantasticaly!) it can be used on or off the river. I have used it while skiing, camping, paddling, or just generally walking around. It's just the most comfortable, warmest fleece full body layer ever. I would definitly urge anybody who wants to be warm to go out and get one of these.

Sponsors: Potomac Paddlesports, LiquidLogic Kayaks, Immersian Research, BlackFly Canoes, and GoPro

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