FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK: Since my first day ever paddling back in 2003 I’ve boated with awesome ladies. On that first trip, I went rafting with Whitewater Adventurers on the Lower Yough in Ohiopyle, PA. Two of the guides were badass females, September and Zorb, and from the start I got to know that it wasn’t a person’s sex but a person’s soul that made them great at paddling. It’s been that way ever since in my personal career, both professional as a raft guide and river manager and privately as a Dirt Bag Paddler.
It wasn’t always this way in boating, but the tide turned and women in whitewater became a normal thing long ago. I don’t have empirical proof to site, but it seems our community integrated before many other sports, and not just by creating a separate class of performer (with the exception of racing of course). Men and women on the river paddle and work together without a second thought. It’s totally natural to the point that no one even gives it much thought anymore, which is remarkable in it’s normalcy. We all get it, and we set a shining example for the rest of humanity that everyone can achieve great things, and anyone can make it if they try.
But it’s nice to give our friends props! So for the February cover of DBP MAGAZINE ONLINE .COM we selected four awesome ladies from four disciplines to honor as Women of Whitewater, or #WOW! We hope to inspire you our readers to adopt this hashtag to honor the terrific female Paddlers in your crew as well this month, and ON into the future. Let’s inspire youngsters and grownups alike to join our community and get out and Paddle Like A Girl!
The four Women of Whitewater are Sandra Hyslop, a kayaker from the UK; Nadia Almuti, a stand up paddle boarder from Colorado; Hanieh Goharipour, a rafter from Iran; and Caitlin Richard, a riverboarder from Maine. All of the ladies are awesome at their sport in their own way. Each of them will be featured in an interview as we proceed through February!
Sandra Hyslop (Credit-Dennis Newton)
Sandra Hyslop has been paddling for 15 years, and is the current Sickline Womens World Champion! She has a history of racing, having won the Junior Wild Water Racing Championships 10 years ago. As well as racing, she is also a teacher, and taught and coached at World Class Academy.
Caitlin Richard
Caitlin Richard is a lifelong resident of Maine, where she enjoys the perfect setting of having a Class V river, the West Branch of the Penobscot, running through her backyard. She is a passionate riverboarder along with her boyfriend Mike McVey, and they score laps almost every single day that the river is running. From downriver to play, Caitlin enjoys it all. She is also a DBP Admin.
Hanieh Goharipour
Hanieh Goharipour is an expert rafter and has competed on the Iranian National Women’s Team in International Rafting Federation events. She’s traveled throughout Iran and Asia scoring descents on big rivers, and is also a river activist, giving a presentation at the 19th International River Symposium in New Delhi, India. She is also a DBP Admin.
Nadia Almuti
Nadia Almuti is a sponsored stand up paddle boarder who has competed at many events, most notable the GoPro games in her home state of Colorado last year, where she medaled in two events. She traveled to Africa last year to join forces with Standup4Rhinos to record the first ever SUP descent of the Batoka Gorge of the Zambezi River (which was covered in our December 2016 issue). Nadia joins Robert Delgado as the only people to be on multiple covers of our Magazine!
We’ve got some more great articles coming too! Look for Aaron Erdrich’s Top 11 Whitewater Events to attend this year in the USA, and our Staff coverage of the National Paddling Film Festival in Frankfort, KY. SUPper Julie Lang serves up a DIRT BAG BOOKCLUB review of Tom Robey’s classic “A Gringo’s Guide to Mexican Whitewater”. Staff Writers Chris Macdonald and Michael Potter submit articles, and on the eve of the Whale Foundation’s Wing Ding fundraiser in Flagstaff, AZ Associate Editor Taz Riggs writes about meeting Curtis “Whale” Hansen many years ago on the Bío Bío in Chile. Just before the Take Out, our end of month photo spread, we’ll run our regular Paddling Banter feature… And much more!
Aaron Erdrich on the Raven Fork. Photos- Daniel Young
So stay tuned! And inspire and be inspired when you hit the river! We’ve got to be the change we seek… Dirt Bag Paddlers will be there.
“Chicago” Mike Toughill
Editor-in-Chief
DBP MAGAZINE ONLINE .COM
Cover design: RJ Dowell, Graphic Art Editor
Photo Credits:
Sandra Hyslop- A. McMurray
Nadia Almuti- Alexander Garhart
Caitlin Richard- Mike McVey
Hanieh Goharipour-
Our Vision:
We exist to share stories of paddlers of all disciplines from all over the world; to interview icons and play makers in the paddling community and whitewater industry; to preserve the stories of our collective history; to raise awareness of and to protect our rivers and resources; to promote whitewater festivals and events; to report on competitions and competitors in the race community; to give a home to the artistic side of paddling in poetry, artwork, music, comics, and humor; to be inclusive not exclusive, to preach unity and support, safety and camaraderie; to break down the barriers that separate society; to have a global outlook with a local feel; and to celebrate the Dirtbag Lifestyle and #OneLoveOneRiver Philosophy!
OUR MISSION STATEMENT:
All Forward Thinking.
That’s what it’s all about! Flow Together, Grow Together… Expanding our sport’s horizons is something we are actively doing… Reminding each other that our community is the same no matter where the River is, the color of skin or language spoken. On The River it’s all one language, the language of Flow.
