Birth of Freestyle

 The Birth of Freestyle Kayaking DVD (order HERE) combines three classic titles: Retendo, Take the Wild Ride, and Give us a River.  For the best vintage kayaking footage, in-depth interviews with eclectic pioneers and captivating narrative, check out the exclusive documentary The Call of the River.

Retendo! demonstrates and explains precision playpaddling, unlocking the secrets to cartwheels, squirt turns, and an array of exciting moves in a hole or off a pourover. Animation and other visual tools explain and simplify the most complex moves. Get the most out of your local playspot.  Learn from kayak stars Scott Shipley, Chris Spelius, Marc Lyle, and others. Hosted by Kent Ford.

Take the Wild Ride is a highly entertaining, yet instructional, look at the world’s best freestyle kayakers in the hot sport of whitewater rodeo. The perfect gift!

Give us a River is adapted from Bob Belton’s original film (1963). This video reminds paddlers of the proud heritage of canoesport. Those who went before us should be our heroes. Look, learn, and go.  

Filming Location: Then: Potomac River, Washington, DC Now: Animas River, Durango, CO Running Time: 7 minutes 
 

Awards and prizes for Give us a River
2001 National Paddlesports Festival, Best Professional, Lexington, KY
2001 Waterwalker Film Festival,Best Humour, Canada  

Testimonials for Take the Wild Ride

“If you are a whitewater buff, “Wild Ride” belongs in your library”
– Paddler Magazine 

“Rad stuff for the whitewater junkie, but you can actually learn something”
– Canoe Magazine 

“My husband borrowed this tape from a friend, and after 5 days of watching it, he had to return it. But he got depressed, and went into withdrawal. So I needed to buy him one.”
– Eileen Butchkowski, Petersburg

Testimonials for Retendo!

“Full of techniques and tips for advanced rodeo kayaking… the technique is so logical. I am translating the tape to Japanese so more paddlers from my country can benefit from the instruction.”
– Kei Takashima Tokyo, Japan

I bet I have watched that tape 20 times!
– Kerry Wanstrath, and many others