Whitewater Historical Documentary of USA paddling
Colorado, USA, May 12th 2009 --- Featuring vintage footage, in-depth interviews with eclectic pioneers and captivating narrative, this compelling documentary takes a behind-the-scenes look at what inspires paddlers to answer the call of the river.
May 1, 2009 MEDIA CONTACT
Kent Ford, Performance Video
(970) 259-1361; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.thecalloftheriver.com
Performance Video Releases Call of the River
93-minute documentary features 100 sources of footage spanning 80 years of whitewater history
DURANGO, CO (May 1, 2009) - Whitewater's history has as many twists and turns as the canyons its pioneers explored. Its story is a collage of unexpected influences, from building boats in friends' basements and bribing damkeepers to release water to exploring virgin runs and experimenting with designs and materials to make the sport easier. Produced by award-winning videographer and former world champion Kent Ford, The Call of the River brings these tales and more together on film for the first time ever.
"It's the first time anyone's really ever presented the sport's history this way," says Ford, who was inducted into the International Whitewater Hall of Fame in 2008 and whose instructional videos have won numerous awards. "The story tells itself because there are so many interesting characters and milestones involved."
Featuring vintage footage, in-depth interviews with eclectic pioneers and captivating narrative, this compelling documentary takes a behind-the-scenes look at what inspires paddlers to answer the call of the river. The film chronicles the world of whitewater from its early beginnings in Europe through its position as a major outdoor sport in the world today. From the inaugural FIBArk race on Colorado's Arkansas River in 1949, to Grumman Aviation entering the aluminum canoe business, the sport's history is riddled with watershed moments, all of which have been painstakingly documented through more than 100 sources of footage spanning 100 years of history.
Learn how paddling exploded in the 1970s, spurred by the movie Deliverance, slalom's inclusion in the 1972 Augsburg Olympics, and the advent of plastic kayaks. Follow along as this cult-classic takes you from world champion defections from communist-occupied countries to the summer camps and clubs that fueled the sport's growth and continue to do so today. From early explorations in fragile wood and canvas boats to today's multi-manufacturer line-up of creek, play and river-running kayaks, nowhere has the sport's journey from obscurity to mainstream been so thoroughly unveiled.
About Performance Video: Durango, Colo.'s Performance Video provides high-quality video instruction on outdoor sports. Its materials are developed in cooperation with top instructors in each discipline, providing the perfect preparation for hands-on instruction. To date, the company has 18 video and workbook titles in worldwide distribution, covering whitewater kayaking, sea kayaking, canoeing and mountain biking. Info: www.performancevideo.com.