Anchorage Daily News

The Schauer paddling dynasty remains intact.

But it almost didn't happen.

Twenty-four boaters exploded from the Jonesville Bridge starting line of the Nenana River race at the 33rd Annual Denali Wildwater Festival on Saturday, but the race quickly came down to just two paddlers -- Karl Schauer, the UAA nordic skier, and Jeff Shelton of Denali.

Just before the finish line, after four miles of racing, Shelton moved to the right and hit slower current. Schauer burst into the lead and held on to win in 20 minutes, 30 seconds.

It was the fourth consecutive year a Schauer family member had won the race. Brother Paul, the former UAA skier, took the three previous downriver races.

"It helps to have a little bit of lung power," Paul Schauer said by phone on Monday. "When you spend hours and hours training for skiing, it can help. But skiing definitely takes the priority."

Kayakers negotiated four miles of churning river rapids to finish at Twin Rock rapid.

Neck in neck, Karl Schauer and Shelton led the entire way. But just before the finish, Shelton moved to the right and hit slower current. Schauer burst into the lead and held on to win in 20:30.

Schauer's older brother, Paul, a former UAA skier, had won the three previous downriver races. This year, Paul was fourth -- but some brotherly strategy was involved.

Karl Schauer paddled the Easy Rider whitewater kayak his brother used in his victories. The boat actually belongs to their mother, and comes from the early days of kayaking when boats were much longer. Longer means faster.

"From now on, it's gonna be rock, paper, scissors to see who gets to use it," said Karl Schauer after the four-mile race.

Said brother Paul: "I was thinking if he doesn't win, I'll have to take that boat back.

"I could just barely see him and I couldn't really tell who won," Paul added. "It looked to me like Jeff would win, but Karl's a strong double-poler (in skiing) and I think that helped. I wondered if he was holding back, but talking to him afterwards, he was working his tail off."

Their dad, John Schauer, came in sixth. He got his sons started paddling at age 6, rigging the boats with training pontoons and taking them on paddling trips all over the state.

Tim Johnson of Anchorage came in third at 21:07, five seconds ahead of Paul Schauer. Healy High student Jesse Arbuckle was a surprising fifth in 21:51. A member of the Denali Water Safety Team, Arbuckle just returned from a week of kayak coaching by former Olympians in the Lower 48.

Anchorage paddler Jared Leon of Anchorage won the wildwater rodeo handily.

In wildwater rodeo, kayakers perform complicated maneuvers on waves, including cartwheels and full aerial leaps.

The competition started at Jonesville Bridge, but the final round took place at a powerful hydraulic called Rockslide Wave in Rooster Tail rapid.

Jeff Shelton of Denali, Brandon Gonski of Palmer and Dan McKay of Anchorage tied for second.

33rd Annual Denali Wildwater Festival Downriver Race

Men Kayak Expert -- 1) Karl Schauer, Anchorage, 20:30; 2) Jeff Shelton, Denali, 20:32; 3) Tim Johnson, Anchorage, 21:07; 4) Paul Schauer, Anchorage, 21:12; 5) Jesse Arbuckle, Healy, 21:51; 6) John Schauer, Fairbanks, 21:57; 7) Dan McKay, Anchorage, 22:01; 8) Chad Hults, Anchorage, 22:08; 9) David DeLong, Fairbanks, 22:37; 10) John Neff, Denali, 22:52; 11) Jared Leon, Anchorage, 23:04; 12) Tommy Kovatsch, Anchorage, 23:54; 13) Noah Schieber, Healy, 23:57; 14) Steve Rossberg, Anchorage, 25:25; 15) Ben Bragonur, Ester, 36:43.

Women Kayak Expert -- 1) Jule Harle, Anchorage, 25:53.

Men Kayak Intermediate -- 1) James Castro, Willow, 23:01; 2) Adrian Beebee, Anchorage, 23:12.

Two-Person Canoe -- 1. Patrick and Heather Fleming, Anchorage, 24:39.

Topo-Duo -- 1. Jim and Brandon Gonski, Palmer, 38:28; 2. Nathan Bataille, Anchorage and Spencer Allen, Denali, 38:34.

Wildwater Rodeo -- 1) Jared Leon, Anchorage, 25 points; 2) (tie) Jeff Shelton, Denali, Brandon Gonski, Palmer, and Dan McKay, Anchorage, 17; 5) Karl Schauer, Anchorage, 14; 6) Nathan Bataille, Anchorage, 12; 7) Paul Schauer, Anchorage, 11; 8) (tie) Jesse Arbuckle, Healy and Chad Hults, Anchorage, 9; 10) (tie) Tim Johnson, Anchorage, and John Schauer, Fairbanks, 8; 12) Noah Schieber, Healy, 5; 13) Spencer Allen, Denali, 3; 14) (tie) David DeLong, Fairbanks and Steve Rossberg, Anchorage, 2.

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