Top photo, professional kayaker Mikki Kelly gives pointer at an April 8 freestyle clinic. (Photo by Arno Holschuh)
At right, a kayaker is performing a "stern squirt" maneuver. (Photo by Phil Deriemer, Kokotat Catalogue)

THE VIDEO SHOWS THE KAYAKER APPROACHING THE ROCK in slow motion and then paddling onto it, brow furrowed in concentration and exertion. He completes an obviously difficult spin on the rock while whitewater rushes by, and it is only as he falls off the back side that his face changes. He looks up at the camera, opens his mouth as if to scream --sticks his tongue out at the viewers.

The episode, part of an instructional video put out by the National Organization of Whitewater Rodeos (NOWR), illustrates what freestyle kayaking is about. It's a mixture of dance, gymnastics and boating that has gained many followers on the North Coast. Kayakers surf, spin and dance in the waves and currents surrounding a large obstruction in a river. It's physically and mentally demanding, but ask a kayaker what the essence of freestyle kayaking is, and the answer you'll most often hear is "play."

And April 22 they'll be playing in a river near you.

A freestyle kayak competition --a "rodeo" -- near Willow Creek will attract some of the world's best and brightest. Robin Stocum, one of the event's organizers and a devoted freestyle kayaker, said that last year "two of the top three people in the world were at our event." And this year, the rodeo has been selected by the NOWR as a points event, meaning that boaters who place in the pro class will earn points towards the national championship.

That will mean increased numbers of pro kayakers this year, according to Frank Gratz, another rodeo organizer. He said that there were 20 pros at the rodeo last year, and being part of the NOWR circuit will help insure that there will "lots of pros" this year.

Not only pros are invited, though. Stocum said that there will be about 45 competitors of all skill levels. That's likely to include many Humboldt County residents, said Larry Buwalda, who owns Adventure's Edge, an outfitter in Arcata. Buwalda said that Humboldt County has "a tremendous number of boaters," many of whom are trying out the relatively new sport. The Arcata outfitter is sponsoring the event, along with Eureka's Northern Mountain Supply.

Ben Chambers, who works at Adventure's Edge, is one such kayaker. He said that he'd been kayaking for about nine years and is still learning the skills needed to pull off some of the more difficult moves. He intends to participate in the rodeo this weekend but doesn't "do a whole lot of park and play" -- kayaker lingo for hanging out in one spot and freestyling rather than moving down the river.

"For me, freestyle kayaking and running rivers go together," he said.

Chamber's attitude runs counter to recent developments in kayak design, however. In the last three or four years, manufacturers have begun to design boats that are specifically meant for freestyle kayaking. There is now a distinct split between "big boats" or "creek boats," which are meant for running rapids, and "playboats," which are designed for hanging out at the bottom of a rapid and, well, playing.

Perception catalogue photo by Christopher Smith

Playboats are shorter, more maneuverable, and have sharper edges to better catch waves. They are also "lower volume," meaning that they conform to the human shape, leaving less room for air. This allows a boater to sink parts of the boat underwater and use the currents moving there.

Sean Malee, an avid kayaker who took part in last year's rodeo, said that kayak design improvements "accelerate at a rapid rate." He said he bought the boat he used in last year's rodeo eight months before the event. "It was a playboat at that time," he said, but by the time he got to the competition, "it was kind of a big boat" compared to the new designs.

These design improvements have brought about a genuine revolution in the world of freestyle kayaking. Stocum said his playboat is an extension of his body, that "it's not me and the boat. We are one thing." He said that recent changes "have actually enabled new things to happen that weren't possible five years ago."

And those moves are truly a wonder to watch. There are pirouettes, cartwheels and spins, which may sound familiar but are incredible when the person performing them is in a form-fitting, seven-foot plastic boat.

Then there are splitwheels, where the boat goes through half a cartwheel and then reverses and does another half in the other direction. In a loop, the kayaker actually dives into the backwash created by a large rock and performs a sort of somersault. Mystery or spy moves involve using currents to push the boat and boater down so forcefully that they submerge entirely, reappearing in another part of the river.

But these moves are far beyond the reach of a beginning freestyle kayaker. Watching a novice try to maneuver around in the backwash (called a "hole") makes it clear why these competitions are called rodeos. It takes skill to even stay in the hole and not get flipped over or washed downstream, because playboats are by nature less stable than big boats.

"When you're in control of those playboats," Stocum said, "you're really in control. But when you cross that line, you get hammered."

That's why boaters who are serious about both running rivers and doing cartwheels have two boats. The same features that allow boaters to maneuver playboats so precisely also make them unstable and unsafe when running rapids. Stocum said that if he used his playboat to run the north fork of the Trinity, a challenging river, "I'd probably die because it won't make it in the rapids."

Using a playboat to perform in one spot, on the other hand, is relatively safe and a big gymnastic advantage. Even Chamber said that he will be using one at the rodeo. "I actually don't own a playboat right now," he said, "but I'll borrow one from the store."

Borrowing may not be such a bad idea, when you look at the cost of new boats. One of the difficult things about freestyle kayaking is that it costs a great deal of money to get started. You need more than just a kayak, which will cost about $900 alone. There's also the helmet, the life vest, the paddle and the spray skirt, which seals the space between boater and kayak to prevent water from coming in when the boat is tipped or submerged. Buwalda said that altogether a kayaking outfit could easily cost as much as $1,800.

There are some ways to reduce the price tag of a kayak. Buying used helps, for instance, although kayaks can be damaged, and one should check before purchase. Northern Mountain Supply has a bulletin board where you can shop for used kayaking gear, but there are no guarantees about what shape they're in. Adventure's Edge sells used kayaks that have been inspected for structural damage.

The ultimate way to cut costs is to go pro. Professional freestyle kayakers get their gear for free from the company they endorse, although their lifestyle is a far cry from those of other pro athletes. No limos or private planes transport them. On the contrary, they are often unable to make ends meet with the money they earn kayaking. They are also much more accessible to their fans than your average NBA star, often giving clinics or lessons to earn spending money.

Nikki Kelly, the New Zealand native who was ranked fifth in the world last year, said that she not only gives clinics and teaches kayaking but also "waitresses, guides rafts" or "whatever." She gave a clinic at the Pigeon Point Campground, the competition site, April 8.

Standing beside the rushing river, giving pointers to her students, it's easy to see that this is her element. She grew up next to the river Kaituna, famed for its great whitewater. She said she swam in the river as a child, later became a raft guide, "and that was about it" -- her fate was in water. After rafting for two or three years, she jumped in a kayak and was hooked.

For her freestyle kayaking isn't about driving to a river, "getting thrashed around and practicing." Kelly likes "paddling to beautiful spots," getting a good workout and "having a good appetite for food. And it's playful, fun, and really rewarding."

Kelly may soon be able to get a reward she can take to the bank, too. The sport is, in Stocum's words, "heading in the direction" of cash purses for top placers. The Trinity Rivers Rodeo does not offer a cash purse, although Stocum pointed out that "if they win the points series," there is a cash purse for that.

But more and more events are offering money.

"It is going to change the competitive nature" of the sport, Stocum said. Better cash prizes would attract more people to compete and practice full time.

As far as Kelly is concerned, however, kayakers have a good attitude about these sorts of things. She said that while her peers are "competitive," they aren't cutthroat.

"Everybody's competitive to be out there getting cold and wet, but it's really fun and we have a good time."