With a win in the GoPro games’ notorious Homestake Creek Race already under his spray skirt, Jackson Kayak’s Dane Jackson again proved his mettle in the freestyle realm with a first-place showing in that high-flying event also, held on a swollen Gore Creek on day three of this year’s GoPro Mountain Games.
But he’s already put that win behind him as he readies for this weekend’s marquee North Fork Championships in Idaho.
Still, the freestyle win is another well-earned feather in his cap, which is already adorned with two World Freestyle Championship titles (and more than 80 other freestyle winds in his career). And the river suited his style.
With Gore Creek at near-record levels for the event due to rapid runoff, competitors’ airborne acrobatics were higher than ever at the event, with two bridges giving spectators a 360-degree viewing platform of the event. “It’s one of the best freestyle venues for spectators you can get,” says onlooker and local paddler Steve Conlin, taking a break from surfing the new Eagle Whitewater Park to catch the action.
No one took it to greater heights than Jackson, who scored a whopping 1,340-point run on his second ride to secure the win. “It was pretty big and easy to stay in this year,” says Jackson, who’s now on his way to Idaho to race in the prestigious North Fork Championships. “Definitely one of the best levels for the feature we’ve seen.”
For the women, France’s Marlene Devillez bested Dane’s sister and perennial GoPro freestyle favorite Emily Jackson for the win, with Katie Fankhouser taking third.
Hopefully, Devillez and Jackson won’t be as tossed around on the North Fork…
Freestyle Results
Men
1 Dane Jackson
2 Devred Sébastian
3 Tom Dolle
4 Jordan Poffenberger
5 Nick Troutman
Women
1 Marlene Devillez
2 Emily Jackson
3 Katie Fankhouser
4 Courtney Kerin
5 Zofia Tula
Results: Downriver
Men Open
1 Valentin Gutierrez 17:47
2 Gerd Serrasolses 17:50
3 Pedro Astorga 17:52
Long Boat
1 Henry Hyde 17:59
2Alan Braunholtz 18:07
3 Chris Mongo Reeder 18:11
Women
1 Adriene Levknecht 18:22
2 Emily Jackson 18:24
3 Darby McAdams 18:35
Complete results: www.mountaingames.com