The Green Race Is Tomorrow: Anthony Brown
Every Semi-Stout Kayaker in the Southeastern United States dreams of competing in Green Race; I am no exception to this rule. Since I started kayaking 4+ years ago, I have dreamed of running Gorilla during the race alongside my friends. The problem with racing was that I was always intimidated and anxious about making mistakes in front of the crowd or being too slow compared to other competitors, so I kept pushing off competing in extreme races. In 2024, I committed myself to the idea that it would be the year I competed in the Green race.
Tragically, in 2024, Hurricane Helene hit the region, and it was devastated by severe flooding, causing unimaginable damage. When Hurricane Helene hit, I, like many others, grieved and were shocked by the destruction it caused in the region. During this time, community members stepped up as leaders and contributed significantly to the recovery efforts. Over time, things slowly returned to a semblance of normalcy, but they could never be the same.
While the community recovered, many of us had doubts about the return of Green Race; we had countless conversations about the Green and the idea of Green Race, many of us thinking the race would never return. It was during these conversations that I started to feel a level of regret for the things I would never do on the river I loved with the people who made it so magical. As time passed, we did return to the Green, and the number of stories of tears was numerous. That feeling was especially true as you'd look at what Gorilla had become. I remember feeling the pain and regret of never running this iconic rapid and just taking prolonged moments of silence with my friends. It was in this silence, though, that many of us decided we would run the new Gorilla. There was a feeling of enjoying these impermanent things, one of which was the river we knew and loved.
In the realm of "Elite" kayaking, talks of Green Race returned this fall, and we once again had debates on whether it should happen, and, if it did, what it should look like. Amongst the community, there were a million different opinions on the subject, but one thing was true for a lot of people: if Green Race did happen, we would be there. While I was certainly reflecting on placing 3rd from last in the men's long boat during Russel Fork race the weekend prior, I knew I wouldn't be missing the chance to compete.
The day of the race, there was excitement in the air, and all of us were eager to be part of "The Greatest Show in all of Sports." As I prepared to put down one of the slowest times in the race (Finishing 5th from last), one thing stood out to me, and that was the sound of the Green River filling with cheers and laughter from competitors and spectators alike. In that moment, it was clear that the Green was healing, and so was the community. The race was no longer about
putting down the fastest time, but coming together as a community to once again share in this special moment, and for that, I will be forever grateful to all the community members and event organizers who made this dream possible.
