Budo Fest 2010 event report

The second annual "Budo Fest 2010" was an awesome event. I will go out on a limb and say that the Embudo race is the hardest class 5 race in the country. Northern New Mexico is the shit! The race starts at the normal put in and ends at my house just after the second canyon. 7 miles of full on class 4-5 kayaking. The format is a timed event. Teams of 3 race top to bottom without stopping. It is brutal. Not for the faint of heart. 3 teams competed this year and the winning time was around 43 minutes. I threw a kink into the event this year and 2nd and 3rd place were decided by this new twist. The teams had to take out at my house and run up to the porch (a couple 100 yards away) and then each team member had to slam an ice cold beer after racing the event. Lets just say that there was some serious up chucking and writhing on the ground while trying to finish the ice cold beers :)

1st place honors go to Matt Wilson, Nate Klema and Ben Luck
2nd place honors got to Javier, Chasen and Eddy Honea
3rd place honors got to Cutch, Rolf and Oliver

Huge shout out to Ed Lucero for making the awesome LED wave trophies. Thanks buddy!

We also had a raffle to benefit American Whitewater in our friend Mitchell Smiths name. You will never be forgotten bro!

Thanks so much to everyone that donated to the AW raffle. AW is a wonderful organization and needs all of our help. Massive shout out to everyone that donated gear for the AW raffle. You guys rule! Thanks to Colorado kayak Supply, Keen, Shred Ready, WRSI, River Gypsies, and Whitewater of the Southern Rockies for all the awesome gear donations for the raffle.

This race would not happen without folks willing to race. Thanks to you racers, the event was very worthy and kudos for sacking up for the FUNNEL....
Big props to the safety crew of Chris, Mike, Jules and Adam. Your presence was awesome....
Photos courtesy of Justin Merritt and atomcrawfordphotography, thanks Justin...
See ya all next year. Beers, Atom....

I'll post my video soon. Enjoy the photos and a video by Mike Hagadorn..



    The crowd ready for the show!


Tecate and grandstand views


Nate Klema and Matt Wilson coming in hot...


Nate getting a breath...


Matt boofing the lead in hole. Ben Luck, sorry we missed a photo of you. Everyone was to busy watching Matt get worked. Video coming soon :)


Must be a good sandwich....


Adam coming in to set safety. Matt, Nate and Ben passed the safety crew during the race..


Jules coming in to set safety at the Slot...


Chris and Mike, safety crew...


Chris and Mike and Jules, safety crew...


Chris Roberts from Pyranna


Mike Hagadoen, "AKA" Outhouse Duty man...


Ralf, pro video Dude...


Safety crew catching the eddy above the slot...


Team 2, Javier, Chasen getting some...


Same


Same


Same


Javier catching his breath. He gets the award for most Embudo weekends. Drove from Fort Collins a bunch of times in a row. Way to represent...


Javier dropping


Same...


Chasen dropping. Raced after only running the Embudo twice. Sacking up....


Chasen Slots...


Eddy, the 17yr old kid firing it up. Way to step up and race. Still in High school..


Chris running down to set safety in the eddy below slots...


Team 3 coming in Hot....


Cutch, Rolf and Oliver racing for the title....


This photo says it all...


Cutch boofamatic...


Rolf focused...


Rolf slotting...


Oliver about to biff it. I'll post a great sequence of a clutch must make segment later :)


Oliver collected...


Jules headed out....


Mike dropping the slot...


Safety team headed to the party....


Spectator cars...


The party begins...


See ya all next year. Be safe out there.....