Confluence Outdoor Pro Team Athletes Kick Off 2015 Season with Wins at GoPro Mountain Games and North Fork Championship

GREENVILLE, S.C. (June 25, 2015) – Dagger, Wave Sport, Bomber Gear, Adventure Technology, Boardworks and Badfish Pro Team athletes are off to an impressive start this season. Whitewater paddlers representing Confluence Outdoor brands had top results at the 2015 GoPro Mountain Games, which took place June 4-7 in Vail, Colorado. The North Fork Championships were held in Banks, Idaho the following week on June 11-13.

The GoPro Games were stacked with whitewater events, and drew from a pool of the best paddlers in the country. Team Dagger and Bomber Gear athlete Adriene Levknecht is recognized as one of the top female whitewater kayakers in the world, and she placed 1^st for women in the Downriver Kayak Sprint, and 3^rd in the Homestake Creek Race. Wave Sport prodigy Hunter Katich was awarded 2^nd overall in the Men’s Kayak Freestyle event. Dagger Ambassador Cole Moore came away from the Steep Creek Championship with an impressive result of 3^rd overall. Dagger and Adventure Technology athlete Brendan Wells is known for his extreme kayaking exploits in the far reaches of the world, but he is also a top caliber competitor, coming in 2^nd place in the 8 Ball Kayak Sprint. Bomber Gear’s William Griffith came in just behind Wells, with a 3^rd place finish in the 8 Ball Kayak Sprint.

In SUP events at the GoPro Games Boardworks and Badfish athletes swept the podium in the Men’s Down River SUP Sprint: 1^st place went to Mike Tavares, 2^nd to Bradley Hilton and 3^rd to Dan Gavere. Bradley Hilton took home another 2^nd in the SUP Cross, while Mike Tavares came in 3^rd. On the women’s side Natalia Zolinger won the Down River SUP Sprint, and placed 2^nd in the SUP Cross.

The North Fork Championships are known for extremely challenging sections of whitewater on the North Fork of the Payette. Three out of the top five qualifiers in Expert Division were in Dagger kayaks. The Expert Division course was a 1-mile long downriver sprint through continuous Class IV/V rapids.  Dagger, Bomber Gear and AT athlete Brad McMillan took home a 2^nd place in the Expert Division, while Dagger teammate Ryan Mooney placed 4^th and Dagger and AT athlete Brendan Wells came in 5^th. The Elite Division competition is a giant slalom race through Jacob’s Ladder, a continuous Class V+ rapid. Dagger and AT athlete Todd Wells placed 7^th and Dagger paddler Andrew Holcombe took home 11^th place.

“The GoPro Games and North Fork Championships always bring out the top talent in the sport, and our Pro Team athletes really show the depth and breadth of their skill with consistent podium finishes across all paddling disciplines,” said Evan Lyendecker, marketing manager for Confluence Outdoor.

To see the full results from the GoPro Games, click here.

To see the full results from the North Fork Championships, click here.

About Confluence Outdoor

Confluence Outdoor is the result of the blending of nine unique watersports brands: Wilderness Systems®, Perception®, Dagger®, and Wave Sport® kayaks, Mad River Canoe®, Adventure Technology® paddles, Bomber Gear® and Harmony® accessories, and Boardworks®.  With a full representation of canoes, kayaks, surf and stand up paddle boards, and paddling apparel and accessories, all ranging from touring and recreational to high-performance whitewater products, the Confluence brands are well suited to fully outfit paddling enthusiasts throughout all phases of their paddling life. For more information about the company, please visit www.confluenceoutdoor.com.

Media Contact:Lisa MullenVerde Brand CommunicationsLisa@verdepr.com970.259.3555