Wildwater on the Potomac: Reflections on the Event

Risa Shimoda spoke with CCA Chair David (Cotton) Cottingham and Sandrine Deglin about this year's partnership between CCA and the USA Wildwater Committee to host the 2025 USA Wildwater National Championships on the Potomac. Sandrine has taken the 1st Place honor in our annual Potomac Downriver Race, serves as the senior athlete representative on the committee, and became the 2024 Wildwater Worlds Masters Champion.

What does hosting the Nationals here on the Potomac mean to you?

Cotton: I'm excited that CCA has been offered this opportunity to participate in a national racing event, particularly given our long history with racing on the Potomac and other rivers in the Mid-Atlantic region. For example, the CCA has organized the Potomac Downriver Race every year since 1956. For many years, CCA held races in Petersburg, WV, as well. The Potomac Whitewater Racing Center, formerly the Bethesda Center for Excellence, produced several World and National champions in men's and women's canoe and kayak events in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Closest to our hearts, our very own Sandrine Deglin took home Gold last year as the 2024 Wildwater Worlds Masters Champion.

Sandrine: The DC community is the home of a large and amazing community of paddlers. However, wildwater remains an obscure sport for many of them. I love the idea of bringing a wildwater event to their playground so they can not only see what the sport is about, but also participate in it. Ultimately, I would love to see the sport grow in the U.S., and DC could be the perfect incubator. 

What do you hope local paddlers learn about WW racing or competitors as a result of hosting the Nationals here on the Potomac?

Sandrine: I hope that local paddlers "get the bug"—that the event helps them better understand what the sport is about or at least sparks their curiosity, and that some decide to get into it. I understand the lack of boats is a major barrier, but with some critical mass in the number of paddlers, this is something we could overcome. 

Cotton: Committee members have offered several clinics with Calleva to introduce paddlers to Wildwater paddling. I hope a few local paddlers will enjoy their taste of Wildwater paddling enough to practice, and experiment as competitors in this and other races—and someday earn spots on the USA Wildwater Team!

Sandrine: As we are trying to organize the 2028 World Championship in the U.S., I am also hoping that the Nationals become a stepping stone towards this important goal, by generating some excitement among paddlers and non-paddlers alike. 

What might be a surprise about WW boats, racing, or the paddlers who will be racing in the Nationals?

Cotton: Bob Bofinger has loaned three Wildwater boats to the Washington Canoe Club in hopes of enticing their sprint kayakers to try Wildwater. Some of them are both fast on flatwater and familiar with running rapids: we should not be surprised if some WCC paddlers, including juniors, take to it and do well in the Nationals. Another aspect of the upcoming Nationals that I'm anticipating is that local paddlers may bring out their long kayaks and log competitive finish times in their classes.

Sandrine: These boats are fast but also rather unstable. Most people forget about the latter and think all you have to do it take a couple hard strokes to make the boat fly. But Wildwater is almost like a different sport than kayaking. Not quite but almost!