Tuck Fest 2019, Charlotte WW Park (Usa)
Tuck Fest. A four-day festival at the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, NC. Authentic Class II – IV rapids. Countless competitions. Live music. Clinics. Libations. And 55,000 people.
On April 25 – 28 under Carolina blue skies, Tuck Fest took over the National Whitewater Center. For paddlers and outdoor enthusiasts alike, this festival is a destination weekend. A massive annual celebration of the outdoor lifestyle. This year featured over 35 races and competitions across disciplines. Paddling enthusiasts could test their endurance in the Baker’s Dozen (13 laps around the channel), their trick skills in freestyle, their Olympic caliber in Citizen’s Slalom, or their sprint skills in Boatercross.
Each competition featured stacked fields of athletes including legends like Adriene Levkneckt and Chris Hipgrave, young guns like 15-year-old slalom sensation Evy Leibfarth (who this June in her first year at the World Cup just barely missed the K1 podium and placed top ten in C1), and up-and-comers like Holt McWhirt (who finished third in 2018’s Green Race). Whitewater competitions also featured SUP and raft categories, challenging rafts to head-to-head races and SUPers to endurance and distance races.
For those less inclined to compete, there were nearly 40 clinics offering the chance to learn from pros in a variety of disciplines and skill sets. Paddlers could work on their boof, revisit kayaking fundamentals, dial in freestyle technique, tandem paddle with a pro, improve slicing skills, or explore new sports like mountain biking, ultra-running, or climbing.
When you’ve paddled until you couldn’t anymore, join the spectators watching pro climbers at the Tuck Fest Deep Water Solo competition, check out 65+ industry vendors, and enjoy live music from burgeoning artists and bands on the rise. This year, Tuck Fest’s music lineup featured Tyler Childers, Grammy-winner Fantastic Negrito, The Milk Carton Kids, J Roddy Walston & The Business, and The Marcus King Band.
Join the party next year. April 23 – 26, 2020. Learn more at tuckfest.usnwc.org.
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