2008 Season:

This past season was a long one with lots of scouting of creeks, rivers and tributaries. It takes two to three years to finalize a plan to make first descents happen around the Canadian Rockies unless you find something that you can park and huck. Most creeks have logging roads near it so scouting can take only a few hours, but if there is no logging roads it can take days of navigating and bushwhacking through the forest. A lot has happened on the Kananaskis River in Alberta this past season with modifications to the whitewater Play Park and Slalom Course. Every paddler is happy with new waves for the beginner/intermediate play paddler and deep retentive holes for the seasoned veterans.

Also starting this winter is the construction of the new whitewater instructional centre with two different channels in the heart of the city Calgary, Alberta. The course in the city is being design by Scott Shipley and promises have been made to have class 2 surfing waves for learning in one channel at all flow levels and the second channel to be a calm class 1 for floating tourists. It is a very exciting time here in Alberta for whitewater kayaking and next years Kananaskis Festival will be held on August 14-16 moved back from the month of May due to rain and unseasonable weather. This should bring out more beginners and intermediates willing to demo kayaks and enjoy the festival in a warmer climate.
Well that is it for now from Alberta, Canada!
See you on the river,
Brad

Write Up News: Fall 2007
Here is what I would like to say:

I am living in Calgary Alberta where I had a job giving out stock numbers for all the big oil companies, but soon realized that I was a true mountain man and recently left that job. Now I am going for another job as a manger of a ski resort near the Canadian Rockies. I truly love the outdoors and will situate myself in some way, shape in this industry. My passion for Whitewater Kayaking has taken me on many adventures and will take me on many more, I am very excited for Jackson Kayaks future as I now it is a solid one with many Gold's still in sight for the core freestyle team. My goals are to stay within the whitewater kayaking world through competitions, instruction, expeditions and movies.

I think the highlights for this year would have to be paddling with the Jackson's and Clay Wright in Rock Island and being one of the first paddlers to creek boat in the "Rocker", my favorite creek boat to date! Shooting film with Ben Stookesberry and Clear H20 Films in Costa Rica and Mexico and meeting all his cool friends. Finally yet importantly, being able to be apart of the "Shop Posse" a group of dedicated hardcore paddlers that work and play at the Jackson Kayak Manufacture! I have been truly blessed this year and look forward to another upcoming fun filled year of excitement and adventure.

Thank You EJ,
Brad

I started on the Madawaska and did a few runs and after many swims I decided to try the mighty Ottawa river. Where my swims continued and my skills slowly followed in my Dancer, an 11' foot long boat. All I can remember about the early days of playboating was watching a New Wave video and Woody Calloway dethroned Jeff Snyder. Then in the summer of 1992 the Ottawa river rodeos started and I entered my first rodeo and saw EJ and Corran throwing cartwheels in a Dagger, Crossfire and Prijon Hurricane. I couldn't believe there was more to the sport than three sixty enders and became hooked on the sport of whitewater kayaking. I became more involved in the sport and paddled for Dagger kayaks for three seasons and it gave me the opportunity's to creek with Clay Wright who was with Perception at the time and with the Knapp brothers (Dustin, and Brandon). In 1999 Keith Liles let me train and stay at his place on the Ocoee river and with all the training I was able to win the Ocoee Rodeo at Smiley's. In the same year of 1999 there was a North American Cup Freestyle series and I can remember EJ, BJ Johnson and myself were in the finals and I had only needed to win the entire Cup series by placing second to EJ in the last event. I told EJ and BJ this before going into finals at Wausua, and EJ was so funny he told BJ he would do anything for him like get him a glass of water or sports drink to get him amped to beat me out in the finals. But I won the rodeo and the series that year with EJ on my heels at every single rodeo placing second to me everytime!!

Career highlights:

• First Descents in 3 states, 2 provinces and countless runs in Costa Rica.
• CDN Freestyle Team Athlete 1993, 1995, 1996, 97, 99, 2000, 2001
• Top Canadian MK-1 finisher at Spain Pre-worlds 2000-6th place
• 11th Place in Squirt - 1997 Worlds
• 1999 North American Whitewater Freestyle Champion.
• 4th Place overall 1999 NOWR point series.
• 2001 Costa Rica Team Trials Champion.
• 3rd Place Ocoee Rodeo 2001.

Freestyle Wins:

• 1999 Canadian Team Trials, Quebec.
• 1999 Ocoee, Tennessee,
• 1999 Wausua, WI, USA
• 1999 Gilmen Falls Rodeo, Maine.
• Only foreigner to win an Ocoee rodeo.
• Inventor of the "Tsunami Impossible" an Aerial 540 degree rotation with a Front Loop, (Front Flip)

PADDLING OBJECTIVE:

• To keep pushing the limits and create new moves, compete on the World Freestyle Cup 2006, win a world freestyle title to be held on the Ottawa River in 2007, and continue to teach and turn others onto the sport of whitewater paddling.

SPONSORSHIP OBJECTIVES:

• To positively promote my sponsor’s gear and image at national and international whitewater kayaking competitions as part of Canada’s National Whitewater Rodeo Team;;

• To provide strategic advice to sponsors on developments in the world of kayaking so that they can in turn consider these changes when making corporate decisions;

• To assist with research and development of new kayaking equipment.

COMPETITIVE HISTORY:

2004

6th L6 Capital Cup
Buseater Big wave/Big Trick Contest Ottawa River
13th Canadian Team Trials

2003

6th L6 Capital Cup Mens Pro
2nd Labelle Rodeo Pro in Quebec

2002

5th L6 Capital Cup Pro Divison Ottawa, Ontario
5th Labelle Rodeo Quebec Pro
5th Chambly rodeo Quebec Pro
12th Ir Triple Crown Pro
4th Crowe River Rodeo Pro

2001

Competed at USA Freestyle Team Trials
Competed at Oregon Cup
• 3rd Ocoee Whitewater Games
• 6thplace Trinity Rodeo California
• 21st at the World Whitewater Championships

2000

• 1st place Costa Rica Team Trials

1999

• Successfully completed the entire NOWR and Gorge Game Series and placed first over all to become the 1999 North American Cup Champion

• August: 1t place – K-1 Wausau Whitewater Rodeo, Wausau, WI, U.S.A.
• June: 1st place - K-1 East Coast Team Trials, Jonquiere, Quebec.
• May: 1st place - K-1 Ocoee Rodeo, Ducktown, TN, U.S.A.
3rd place- K-1 New River Rodeo, McKoy, VA, U.S.A.
5th place- K-1 Coosa River Rodeo, Wetumpka, AL, U.S.A.
• April: 1st place- K-1 Gilman Falls Rodeo, Old Town, Maine, U.S.A.

1998

May 1st place - K-1squirt, Potomac Rodeo, Great Falls, VA. U.S.
5thplace - K-1Potomac Rodeo, Great Falls, VA. U.S.
1stplace - K-1squirt, Spring Ottawa Rodeo, Ont. Canada
3rdplace - K-1Spring Ottawa Rodeo, Ont. Canada
2ndplace - K-1Wave wall Rodeo, Petawawa River, Ont. Can.
3rdplace - K-1Gilman Falls Rodeo, Old Town, ME. U.S.

1997

• Oct 8th place - K-1squirt, Ocoee River Rodeo, Tennessee. U.S.
• Sept 11thplace - K-1squirt World Finals, Ottawa River, Ont. Canada
• Aug 4thplace - K-1squirt, Ottawa River Rodeo, Ont. Canada
11thplace - K-1 Ottawa River Rodeo, Ont. Canada
• June 2ndplace - K-1squirt, Petawawa River Rodeo, Ont. Canada
5thplace - K-1 Petawawa River Rodeo, Ont. Canada
• May 1stplace - K-1 Ottawa Spring Rodeo, Ont. Canada

1996

• Sept 6thplace - K-1squirt Pre-World Finals, Ottawa River, Ont., Can.
• Aug 3rdplace - K-1squirt Ottawa River Rodeo, Ont. Canada0
8thplace - K-1finals Ottawa River Rodeo, Ont. Canada
• July 4thplace - K-1Quebec Rodeo, Canada
• June 4thplace - K-1 Petawawa River Rodeo, Ont. Canada
• -May 7thplace - K-1 Potomac River Rodeo, Great Falls, Wash. D.C.

1995

• Aug 1stplace - K-1squirt Ottawa River Rodeo, Ont Canada
4thplace - K-1 Ottawa River Rodeo, Ont. Canada
• July 16thplace - K-1 World Rodeo Augsburg, Germany
9thplace - K-1 Urtz River Rodeo, Switzerland, Europe Tour 7thplace - K-1 Freestyle Through a Rapid, Innsbruck Austria
• June 3rdplace - K-1 Canadian Team Trials, Ottawa River, Ont., Can.

1994

• Aug 1stplace - K-1squirt Ottawa River Rodeo, Ont. Canada
4thplace - K-1 Ottawa River Rodeo, Ont. Canada
1993

• Oct 26thplace -K-1 World Rodeo, Ocoee River, Ocoee, TN - youngest competitor ever (16 yrs. old)

CURRENT SPONSORS:

• Jackson Kayaks
• FNA Helmets
• AT Paddles
• Ripple Noseplugs

FILMS:

Featured appearances in:
2005 H2 HO – Good Gravey Productions
2001 Phat Philm- Clive’s Eye
• Gush - Good Gravey Productions 2000
• MainStream - Good Gravey 2001
• Team Dagger Video - 2001
• Players - Match Stick Productions (MSP) fall 2000
• How to learn freestyle moves- Ken Whitting
• Got The Life - Chris Emrick
• OVER the EDGE- Falling Down Productions
• Young Bloods - Sparky Creation(1998)
• TSN - World White Water Rodeo (October 17,1997 TSN)
• Cheap Thrills - Sparky Creation(Water Walker Tour - 1997)
• Messing about in boats - Lynn Clark production, Greenhouse Productions
• Bradster - Garry Chantrell production,DV8 Films (Water Walker Tour - 1995)

FIRST DECENTS:

First paddler to succesfuly complete the following descents:

• Rio Patria, Costa Rica (G-6) 15 hour run 1998
• Double drop (55ft)Coulonge River, Quebec, 3rd Decent - (G-6)1998
• Guere de terre (15ft), Quebec, (V)1998
• Nathan’s Nightmare (V), Constance Creek, Ont. Canada,97
• Calabogie’s Hydro Electric Dam (V+), Ont. Canada,97
• Calabogie’s Hydro Electric Control Dam (IV-V), Ont. Canada,97
• Bonnechere River Chute #1(iV+) May 1995
• Rideau Fall’s, Ont. Canada, Nov,30, 97,(40ft/V+)
2001Thule river, California creek lines
1999Canyon Creek (Crazy Women Creek), Colorado