Sarah Meunier was this year's winner of the Ben Earle award at the Clearwater Kayak Festival, organizers report.
The award for the “most adventurous paddler” at the festival was donated by the Earle family. Meunier won a painting by Jenelle Harrison, a flat of beer, $100 cash and $200 that is donated to First Descents in Ben Earle's name.
Earle, one of the festival's first organizers, drowned while kayaking down a creek in 2008.
Other kayak festival results included:
• Sabretooth down river race: 1, Adrian Kiernan
• Middle Canyon down river race: women, 1, Jacque Kelsall; men, 1, Ryan Brown-Tasse.
• Freestyle: men, 1, Chris Ryman; 2, Adam Cooper; women, 1, Darlene Fair, 2, Jacque Kelsall.
The down river races are mass start events where all of the boaters (men and women) begin the race at the same time for each section. Any size boat is allowed.
The freestyle competition was held at Slide wave in the Middle Canyon section.
Clearwater Kayak Festival was held July 22-24 on the Clearwater River.