So as I closed in on the end of my second Mexican Adventure I felt like I had accomplished alot.  I had done alot of laps done some of the best sections of whitewater in the whole world, such as the upper Jalacingo, Big Banana, Roadside, upper Alseseca, Piemnta and the Rio Oro. Fallen down waterfalls of varying heights multiple times from San Pedro (40ft), truchas (50ft) and Tomata (65ft). Not to mention our exploratory trip to Michoacan, Western Mexcio (but more about that another time).  The last thing left to do was compete in the 6th Annual Alseseca race.  

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This race takes place every year on the Roadside section of the Rio Alsesca and is it ever fun.  The race covers around 1.5kms of fun, steep whitewater.  A regular year the biggest challenge in this race is its length.  A quick time here is int he ten minute range and it is tough to concentrate on going fast and recalling all of the fast lines on the various rapids after such a long time.  But this year has been no ordinary year in Mexico, super high water made many of the rapids more challenging and it also introduced a mandatory portage into the race at the infamous ‘S-Turn’ rapid.  

Above: Scouting at S-turn

Below: The opening ceremony 

When race day rolled around I was feeling pretty good about my race plans, I knew the faster lines and where I wanted to go, now it was just a case of stitching it all together.  By the end of the exhausting race I was happy with my lap.

The results came out as Dane Jackson being in First place (no big surprise there), Nick Troutman taking second which was awesome to see as Nick is only just back on the water after a three month shoulder injury during the Adidas Sickline extreme world championship.  and Eric EJ Jackson taking third.  It is always fun to race against a field of races like this, with a competitive top end and an inclusive lower end.  In all around 60 racers in total, around 45 in the ‘long race’ and 15 in the more accessible ‘short race’ for less experienced paddlers.  

I was super stoked to come out in 8th place and hungry to do this race again, it really is alot of fun.  

Thanks to Aventurec and Liquid Adventures for putting this together six years in a row, im looking forward to the 7th already.  

See you on a river soon.

Photos by Todd Keesey

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ABOVE: Dane Jackson on his winning lap

BELOW: Nick Troutman driving hard