Participation in whitewater kayaking will double in the next
five years if the newly established World Kayak organization is successful in meeting its ambitious goals. Officially launched June 15, World Kayak's initiative to grow the sport is based primarily on the belief­ widely held by many sports organizations – that providing new and intermediate boaters
more opportunities to paddle will convert them from occasional participants to frequent enthusiasts.

“The goal of the program is to give more opportunities to paddlers to get
out in a good communal setting,” said World Kayak coordinator Colin Kemp.

Jackson Kayak has thrown its support behind the initiative offering, among
other things, American Whitewater membership to the first 300 people who
register at World Kayak's internet home base, WorldKayak.com.

WorldKayak.com is being designed to be a hub of kayaking community
information, sortable by towns and rivers. On the site, boaters can find the
contact information for the ambassador in their area as well as a list of
local kayak clubs, instructional opportunities, social paddling outings and
more, all supplied and updated by World Kayak ambassadors.

At the heart of World Kayak is the cadre of ambassadors Kemp enlisted to
help evangelize new and lapsed boaters in their respective regions. With 20
already established and trained, Kemp is well on his way toward realizing
his goal of 25 ambassadors in the first year of the initiative.

Kemp carefully selected each ambassador for the program, looking not just
for the hottest boaters but boaters who are friendly, positive and an
approachable contact for the average boater. They include well-recognized
pros to rising stars like Heather Herbeck and regionally well-known boaters
like Eric Sneeringer.

One such ambassador is former Olympian and Nantahala Outdoor Center Paddling
School Director Wayne Dickert. Dickert said he's “really fired up” about
World Kayak. “It's the best, most concerted effort to grow the sport that
I¹ve seen.”

The ambassadors have duties designed to help strengthen connections among
boaters in their respective communities including making sure such things as
event info and gauge readings are accurate and updated as needed.
Ambassadors will also contribute two route descriptions about their home
waters; one for new and beginning boaters, the other for intermediate
boaters.

Ambassador James Sneeringer, a part-time instructor at Valley Mill Kayak
School outside Washington DC, said he signed on as an ambassador for World
Kayak because he believes the initiative offers the best opportunity to
enhance the sense of community that keeps people kayaking. Kayaking is about
lifestyle, Sneeringer said, and he is optimistic World Kayak can be the
platform to help the paddlesports community become even more closely
connected.

While much of the beta online right now is from North American paddling
destinations, the goal is for the site to be the global hub of paddlesports
info and resources.

For their efforts, ambassadors will receive special discounts on boats and
other merchandise from Jackson Kayak boats and other participating
paddlesports companies, Each ambassador also will be given six AW
memberships, one for themselves and five others to distribute to valued
assistants and contributors to the World Kayak effort.

While the initiative is the brainchild of Kemp and Jackson Kayak founder and
president Eric 'EJ' Jackson, Jackson was quick to stress that it is “immaterial that Jackson Kayak is leading this effort. What is
important,” Jackson said, “is that World Kayak is successful growing the
paddling community.”

Both Sneeringer and Dickert agree the brand-neutral approach of World Kayak
is key to helping grow the sport.

To learn more about the program and how to get involved, visit
WorldKayak.com