photos by David Halterman

he term slalom originates from the Norwegian words for downhill (sla) and slope (lom). And if you thought doing it on skis was tough, try doing it in a boat on a small river raging at more than 3,000 cfs. Santa Rita Park was the place to be on Saturday as paddlers gathered for the whitewater slalom competition. Racers navigated through 20 demanding gates while avoiding a dozen or so rafts, duckies and logs, which made for an entertaining event for sure. Competitors of all ages participated, putting on quite a show for the supportive crowd gathered along the shore. So go ahead Norway, eat you hjart out.