Lofer Rodeo 2018 Sept 14/15th (Austria)
The Lofer Rodeo will take place on the 14th and 15th of September on the Saalach river. On the menu a Boater X, a huge party at the Boatshed, a river SUP race, night paddling and an open air cinema, showing the Blue Heart documentary.
Lofer Rodeo: Kayak event with tradition
Hard fights in the Hubertswalze and good vibes on the shore with wild mud-wrestling at the party area. In the early 2000s, The Lofer-Rodeo was the most legendary event for whitewater paddlers in Europe. Several highwater years killed the „Hubi“. The hole was not suitable for the ever more professional sport of kayak freestyle, so the Lofer-Rodeo disappeard. In 2014, Schorschi Schauf restarted the event as a fun contest. In 2016, the Whitewater Slaves Lover e.V. took over the organization. Since then, the Lofer Rodeo has become a boatercross competition and is part of the European kayak calendar again. But organisers kept the name Lofer Rodeo, even though there is no freestyle (Rodeo) event.
Lofer Rodeo has always been a synonymous for humangous parties. ©kayaksession/ Carolina Aeur
The Lofer Rodeo supports the Free Rivers Fund
The Whitewater Slaves Lofer e.V. donated a thousand euros from last years event profit to the Free Rivers Fund. The Free Rivers Fund support projects to help save threatened rivers around the globe on a professional basis. 60 years ago, an investor was interested in the Saalach river for power plants. They planned several dams, which would have destroyed the popular whitewater sections between St. Martin, Lofer and Unken, one of Europe’s most popular runs. Today, the threat has returned. A new dam has been planned in Unken which will re-route the water through a tunnel for 8 kilometres for a hydropower plant.
©Balkan River Tour
Open-Air-Cinema and paddling by night
Like the Saalach in the early days, nowadays some of the last unspoilt rivers in Central Europe are in the balkans, and they are threatened by 3000 hydropower projects. That is the topic of the documentary Blue Heart, which will be shown as a first highlight of the Lofer-Rodeo on Friday night.
After dusk the slalom course will be illuminated and paddlers can enjoy a mystical night session on the river. This magical light provides an extraordinary backdrop to the slalom course on the Saalach between 19.00 and 23.00. The artist, Martin Leitinger from Lofer, lights up the rocks, trees and water in radiant colours
©kayaksession/ Patrice Kaiser
Boatercross with heaps of Action
Since 2014, the highlight of the Lofer Fest has been Boater X. In 2017 there were nearly 100 participants from 11 nations. The organizers continue this fantastic event with its original concept. » It is a race for everbody. The conditions of the slalom course are perfect for new comers and pros. The technical course has the space for exciting fights but also forgiving enough for little mistakes to be safe. » says Johann Schmiderer, president of the Whitewater Slaves e.V.
©kayaksession/ Carolina Aeur
AKC Food Station & paddlers party
This year, the Alpine Kayak Club join the event. Jobst Hahn (president of the AKC) and his team will take care of food at the race course and make sure there is enough for all the paddlers. All profits from the „AKC Food-Station“ will be donated to the Free Rivers Fund. At night, the paddlers party will take place at Schafferstadel until the sun comes up.
SUP German championship & Lofer Rodeo
On the same weekend, the german Stand-up-paddlers association are organizing their Whitewater SUP National Championships, a competition which is part of the Europcup. The SUP competition will take place on a section above the slalom course (Up to grade III). The SUP competition will be organized by BavarianWaters.com
Program Lofer-Rodeo 2018
Friday, 14th September 2018
07:00 PM, registration for Boatercross
08:30 PM, Open-Air-Cinema „Blue Heart“
09:00 PM till 11:00 PM, paddling at night with lights on the the river Saalach on the race course: Bar, BBQ, Videowall and chilling sounds at the Teufelssteg.
Saturday, 15th September 2018
8:00 AM till 10:00 AM, Boater X registration
9:00 AM, SUP Contest
10:30 AM, Riders Briefing at the race course
11:00 AM, Start Boatercross Qualification
02:00 PM, Start Boater X Head-to-Head-runs, followed by the finals
07:00 PM, Party & AKC sausage booth
07:30 PM, Wward ceremony SUP
08:00 PM, Award ceremony Boatercross
More info go to Lofer Rodeo on facebook
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