As paddlers crisscross the globe searching for exciting new rivers and experiences, leaving a positive impression on the communities we visit is both important and rewarding. NRS teamed with World Class Academy this year to stage the NRS South American River Festival Tour, a program aimed at bringing paddlers and locals together in some of the world’s top whitewater destinations.

We all know those iconic international kayaker shots of modern equipment, color, and materials clashing against a backdrop of mountains, bridges, and jungles. Pictures of kayakers surrounded by amazed and incredulous locals who, in different languages around the globe, ask the same question: “What are these people doing here?”

How many river-runners out there have handed a paddle or a helmet to a local at some obscure put-in for a picture and smile before disappearing downriver?

What impressions do we leave on local populations about the sport and lifestyle of river running?

In the winter of 2013-2014 NRS teamed up with World Class Academy in order to break some of these barriers and expose the local populations in some of South America’s most iconic whitewater towns to the world of river running.

Inspired by previous Service Learning Projects put on by WCA and NRS in Costa Rica  and China, this year a plan was launched to put on river festivals across South America.

The goals were to celebrate some of the world’s most iconic waterways while giving the local inhabitants an opportunity to experience the river. Each event featured slightly different activities, but activities included on-water demos, raft and kayak races, art, music, food, and information on river conservation.

Festivals were held in:

Baeza, Ecuador on the Quijos River
Lunahuana, Peru on the Canete River
Currarrehue (Pucon), Chile

Celebrate, protect, and preserve your local river and waterways!