How I got started

 Before I met my husband, Nate, I never even knew this sport of Whitewater kayaking existed.  Nate and his dad taught me the basics and took me down the river once in awhile, but I wasn't really hooked.  About 6 years ago, when we relocated to Oregon from Minnesota, and had the opportunity to kayak year round, I grew to love the sport.  Each year I would push myself more and more, paddling harder and harder whitewater.  I consider myself a competitive person, so my goal throughout each year was to be one of the top three women kayakers in the region. 

Goals for the Future

To go big and stay healthy and safe!

My goals for the future continue to build, as I progress in the sport.   This next year brings about many competitions - Teva Mountain Games, Oregon Cup, and many more.  "Toxic Waters", a whitewater kayaking video, which I helped film and appear in, is being released this February of 2008 (visit www.liquidkayak.com for details) and I continue to paddle more challenging whitewater day after day, hoping to one day break the record for the highest vertical feet dropped by a women (which is 84 feet).

My goals, aside from my personal paddling goals, is to introduce the sport of whitewater kayaking to more women and kids.  I have a program, which I started in 2006 called "Paddle and Pamper" - which is a women-specific clinic - teaching paddling skills and combining it with relaxation.  Another area of interest is the mental training involved in the extreme sports, and am currently working on a project focusing on this aspect.

2008 brings a lot of goals and personal expectations.  With hard training and my support, it will be exciting to see what happens.

River Accomplishments

2004 - 3rd place in the Gorge Games head-to-head, BZ Corners, WA
2005 - 1st place Oregon Cup Canyon Creek Extreme Race - Exper Div.
2005 - IR Big Gun Show "Worst Carnage of 2005" winner
2006 - 1st descent of Wildboy Creek Falls, OR (OregonKayaking.net)
2006 - Paddler on 2nd descent of the Santa Domingo River, Mexico (With Tao Berman,Nate Herbeck, Josh Bechtel, Ben Stookesbury, and others)
2007 - 1st place Oregon Cup Extreme Race - Pro Div.

Off-River Accomplishments
2005 - Organized the first of the Kid’s kayaking courses in the Gorge - Hood River, OR
2006 - Helped organize the Headwater’s Institute’s First “White Salmon River Festival” -Husum, WA
2006 - Organized a “Kid’s kayak program” for Wet Planet Whitewater Outfitters
2006 - Organized a women’s paddling course “Paddle and Pamper”

Videography
2006 thru 2008 - AT Paddles promo video
2006 - Featured paddler in Nate Herbeck’s whitewater video “Liquid Insanity”
2006 - Paddler in the Mexico segment of “No Big Names IV: Hotel Charley”
2006 - Accompanied Tao Berman to Chiapas, Mexico as an athlete in the “Chiapas Blue Tour” TV production
2006 - Appeared as an athlete in "Hotel Chaley - River of Doubt"
2008 - Athlete appearance in "Toxic Waters", a whitewater kayaking video

Photography
2005 - Featured paddler on www.liquidkayak.com
2005 - Dagger Catalog
2006 thru 2008 - AT product catalog

Print
2004 - Hood River News - Gorge Games
2006 - Hood River News - Featured paddler for the release of Nate Herbeck’s video “Liquid Insanity”
2007 - "Men's Journal" June edition - aricle about an expedition

Other Sponsors
Sweet Helmets          Level Six (levelsixinc.com)
AT Paddles
Jackson Kayak   (Jacksonkayak.com)          

Non-Whitewater Interest
Exercise Science Degree - Group Exercise Instructor and Personal Trainer
Working out on my spare time to keep up with the guys on the river!!!

Website:
www.liquidkayak.com
www.wetplanetwhitewater.com

Favorite Quote: “Life’s journey is not to arrive at our grave safely, in a well-preserved body, but rather to slide in sideways, totally worn out, shouting, “Man, what a ride!”