Whitewater Forum: 2012 PP Ball Info
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2012 PP Ball Info

Printed From: ProfessorPaddle.com
Category: General
Forum Name: Whitewater Forum
Forum Discription: Open Discussion Forum. Whitewater related subjects only
URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11767
Printed Date: 20 Jun 2025 at 4:06am


Topic: 2012 PP Ball Info
Posted By: Fish
Subject: 2012 PP Ball Info
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2012 at 9:57am
Hey Paddlers,
 
The 2012 Professor Paddle Ball will be held the weekend of June 9,10 this year.  
 
After a long debate considering other festivals, water levels, weather and event participation, we felt that this was the best weekend to get the entire community involved.
 
Events for the 2012 PP BALL:
 
1. Lower Icicle Creek Race
2. Wenatchee Downriver Race
3. Wenatchee River Rodeo (spot TBD)  
4. Big Air Ramp Comp.
5. Operation Aplets & Cotlets ( A PP Tradition)
6. Gear Raffle and Awards Party
 
We'll post more info soon, save the date and spread the word!    


Replies:
Posted By: Mark47n
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2012 at 9:03am
  This is the same weekend as the Wenatchee River Festival as well...

Posted By: Jed Hawkes
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2012 at 11:57am
our reports cited that there was going to be no river fest this year. Do you have different information?

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The line will become apparent
978-273-7723

Posted By: tiziak
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2012 at 1:21pm
It happened in 2010. They said there was gonna be no River Fest and then it happened on the normal date I believe. Who organizes it? Could just give them a call. Or ask Marco; he seemed pretty in touch with that organization 2 years ago.

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If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.

Daniel Patrinellis
360.434.4616

Posted By: NateW
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2012 at 2:20pm
http://www.washingtonkayakclub.org/new-calendar/icalrepeat.detail/2012/06/09/3004/-/iii-wenatchee-river-festival

Looks like it's the same weekend

Posted By: Jed Hawkes
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2012 at 4:21pm
thank for the link

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The line will become apparent
978-273-7723

Posted By: Mark47n
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2012 at 10:23am
  I got the info from index Mountain Sports, that posting on the WKC site must be VERY new.  It'll be a crowded weekend on the river.  I'll be there with my Big Dogs!

Posted By: WA-Boater
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2012 at 7:42pm
I know planning is already underway and people have gone to great lengths to schedule this thing. But maybe PP ball should consider 3rd weekend in June. If it works for the folks coordinating it and the spectators/participants like the idea it would probably be better to split the two weekends.
Maybe a poll JP?

Not trying to step on anyone's toes, just thought it might be worth considering before plans/details get to established.


Darren


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Posted By: huckin harms
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2012 at 9:25am

yeah, this doesn't make much sense to have two festivals on the same river at the same time.  What happened to the May dates?   Every year for the past however many the ppball has been in May.  Whats the conflict with May?  Just wondering....



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Posted By: 1150lbsofaire
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2012 at 2:00pm
I think you guys should have just left it memorial day every year then you wouldn't have to deal with picking a date every year. id also be stoked if you moved it back a weekend a so i can go party at the north fork races to.

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lookin for a bow cap for a storm

Posted By: Kendi
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2012 at 6:52pm
Is the "River Festival" the same as the "Raft Games"?  Same weekend....
 
http://www.riverbooty.us.com/ - http://www.riverbooty.us.com/

Posted By: Shape-changer
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2012 at 11:13am
This is an interesting Program you guys have this year. I was planning to hold a Freestyle event this weekend with the help of World Kayak and Leavenworth Mountain Sports like we have done so for the last several years. What happen to having the PP Ball at the end of May? How did you guys figure this to be the best date for the Ball? Can someone fill me in.
http://regions.worldkayak.com/leavenworth/2012/03/19/wenatchee-river-fest-freestyle-contest-june-9th-2012/

Posted By: Mark47n
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2012 at 11:17am
  AS a future planning note, the Wenatchee River Festival, while sloppy about getting the info out, is generally scheduled for the second weekend of June.  I know this has caused some heartache (I'm not part of that process at all, just a wayward member of the WKC).  Perhaps the WKC will get their info out to the masses sooner in the future?

Posted By: Shape-changer
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2012 at 11:26am
Thanks for the heads up. I just gave Nicole Leblanc call to get a little more info about the WRF. I still curious for the switch of dates for the PP Ball. I thought that was a great date for the event just in terms of the best water. Except for last year the river has been at a great flow.

Posted By: Mark47n
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2012 at 11:29am
  I don't care which festival it is, I'll be there!  The great thing about the WRF is the lack of having to worry about shuttling...they're provided.  I was there last year representing Big Dog and never got on the river...I will this year, though.

Posted By: Fish
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2012 at 12:17pm
Hey paddlers,
 
A follow up to some of your questions and concerns about this years Professor Paddle Ball dates.
 
The Wenatchee River Fest is put on by the WKC is being held on Saturday June 9th per their recent post on their website (this wasnt there last week)  
 
River Booty Games?   Sounds like a cool rafting event.. We should look into joining up with these guys to add a rafting component,  combine events and make it bigger!
 
When i posted VOTE FOR THE PP BALL DATE to ask the community when we should have the event,  only 30 people responded,  only a few people voted for Memorial Day weekend.  Last year we held this event on Memorial Day weekend to the displeasure of many.  Paddlers travel to other places on the long weekend and last years attendance was our lowest EVER, BY FAR.  So Memorial Day was out.  Easy Decision
 
The Volunteers that showed up the the planners meeting had a long discussion about the picking of dates.  We wanted better weather,  more participation in the races and didnt want to conflict with other already established events like the LW Race and others.  We made the decision based on all the info we had at the time. 
 
I honestly think its awesome that the entire Waashington Paddling Community wants to get together on the Wenatchee on the same weekend and paddle!   Cmon, think about it, do you really think the WKC and Professor Paddle can't co-exist in the same weekend?   Do paddlers fear having to choose on club for the other?  Really?
 
The WKC has only one event on Saturday (Kayak Race)  so i dont want to conflict with that.  We should work together and see if we can either combine events, or work around their schedule.
 
 We have a Rodeo, a Big Air Ramp, a creek race, a Wenatchee Downriver Race,  Film/video contest,  Operation Applets and Cottlets, a private riverside camp with kegs of local brew, and more prizes and schwag than you can shake a stick at.  the PP Ball is a weekend Festival, not a one day gathering for one event....
 
I'm completely open to whatever the comunity wants to do, we simply want to move forward and lock this in.  We are in the process of getting prizes for all the events and securing sponsors.   We have the riverside property secured and are waist deep in planning and organizing.  
 
 If anyone wants to be a part of the process or would like to volunteer we would love your help.  This is a big project with lots of folks involved,  And we just want to make it the best ever, whatever that may look like.
 
Fish
 

Posted By: huckin harms
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2012 at 1:11pm
Right on Scott... sounds good, and thanks for all the effort on behalf of the paddling community!

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Posted By: rockarolla
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2012 at 1:38pm
Yes , thanks for charging things along Scott
Im just one itty bitty tinny weeny person but dont see whats wrong with EVERBODY celebrating one of Washingtons premier play runs all at the same time.
 
 


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Dave Moroles.   253 241 8550.

Posted By: James
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2012 at 4:29pm
I third that, Thanks Scott, Looking forward to this years BALL !!!!

Nice signature mikey mike!

Posted By: 1150lbsofaire
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2012 at 7:36pm
the events r perfect just like they r! thank you fish and all the other volunteers for making this happin, gonna be the sh*t what ever day it is

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lookin for a bow cap for a storm

Posted By: 1150lbsofaire
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2012 at 7:41pm
with out a doubt the pp ball is the biggest event in WA, north west creek comp is pretty close but the Ballrs kill way more kegs!

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lookin for a bow cap for a storm

Posted By: WA-Boater
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2012 at 7:49pm
Sounds great Scott. Appreciate your update and it's too bad WKC didn't get there act together sooner. All things considered though, it will be nice to combine the two events and coordinate efforts.
Thanks again for taking the lead on this and making it happen.

Darren


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Posted By: ChristianKnight
Date Posted: 26 Mar 2012 at 9:57pm
Scott's solution seems the obvious one to me. And it's nice knowing he and several others are trudging through the tedium of event-management to bring this event.
Thanks, fellas.

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Catch your eddies,
Christian

Posted By: James
Date Posted: 27 Mar 2012 at 9:29am
Just fyi so no one feels like we are trying to sensor. Several posts were moved from this thread to keep it on track. http://professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11809 - You may read them here.

The bottom line is that we should try our best to minimize the "this event vs that event" mentality, and rather plan both as well as possible, then if able, make them both be as well planned together!

The bottom line is that the planning team is rocking it and this is going to be a weekend for the history books in Washington State! I just hope the Apple Valley can recover and move on with life as normal after it is over.

Posted By: FLUID
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2012 at 9:56am

working with WRF in the past was a lot of work and organizing and pulling teath for sponsors and it was always hit or miss. Now as PP Ball has grown there are all these new events popping up with Wenatchee river fest still struggling it seems to be a big event. I'm with Scott as well. This is one #1 kayaking community that is so separated by masses and purpose. PP ball being a big kegger party that has grown into an awesome and respected event and WRF being more "corporate kayaking" somthething that generates money for AW which could mean local access and river conservation efforts for local paddlers which are all of us...  I like the PP Ball mentality but like the fund raising of WRF for AW and local plublicity. if PP ball puts money back into the community and AW than nevermind....  

 Why can't we combine events, have it on the same day every year with out fail, and make it a real community event where everyone represents apart of washington kayaking which is PP,WKC,AW,and all the small struggling shops,schools and outfitters that make the scene here on our rivers. kayaking is small and the industry is even smaller, It would be cool to see a collaboration some day and have a big festival like the ones on the east coast or cali where everyone is on board !!!
 
 Nice job everyone on creating events in the first place and keeping the kayaking scene strong. Would love to help out anyway I can in facilitating,safety or clinics .......

Posted By: Mark47n
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2012 at 10:03am
Well put.  As members of a community we may all have disparate goals but we are still a community that has like concerns such as access, water quality etc.  As a group, we should pool our efforts to make one larger event and cooperate rather than host competing events. 
 
As a veteran of planning similar events I am also willing to help out any way I can.

Posted By: dave
Date Posted: 30 May 2012 at 2:29pm
I have two simple questions that I can not find anywhere....
Where is the ball being held this year and is there camping there?

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Nomad

Posted By: Jed Hawkes
Date Posted: 30 May 2012 at 3:46pm
Dave, it's in its familiar location nestled in the orchards outside of Dryden.  Watch your speed everyone driving around town, lots of blind corners.



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The line will become apparent
978-273-7723

Posted By: dave
Date Posted: 30 May 2012 at 7:18pm
Wouldnt want to wreck there...

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Nomad

Posted By: 1150lbsofaire
Date Posted: 31 May 2012 at 8:40am
hhahaha good one Jed!

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lookin for a bow cap for a storm

Posted By: rokmnky
Date Posted: 31 May 2012 at 11:53am
I don't know if it's been mentioned anywhere yet but I haven't seen a posting. I wanted to let everyone know that to much dismay we will NOT have a ramp this year. We had a late start with planning and we didn't believe we could recoup the costs involved or organize the manpower required to handle the ramp this year. We will be getting a much better start organizing next year's event to be sure that we will be able to party harder and bigger.


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