Regulatory’s Henry Wicker has been paddling for more than 50 years. He started out doing canoe trips with his Dad with such memorable trips as paddling the Lumber River twice from the beginning to the end during a six-day trip, and the Cape Fear River from Fayetteville to Southport on a five-day trip.
“I like paddling because it’s just nice to be outside and on a river,” he said. “You never know what you will see.”
Wicker loves his vessels, and he also loves using them competitively. He’s competed in six states, and this summer he added a seventh state when he and his teammate participated in the Whitewater Nationals in Salida, Colorado. They placed second in the sprint race and won the 10-mile canoe race for the 55-plus age group. They had the second fastest time overall for the 10-mile race for their boat class (all ages).
“I have been racing for 40 years. There are basically two types of river canoe racing; whitewater and marathon. It’s fun and practically ageless. You can race into your 60's and 70’s. The best paddlers are the older guys because they have learned technical paddling skills and are the most experienced. They are the ones who normally win,” Wicker explained.
Being on the water in different states and appreciating their individual beauty is something Wicker always takes advantage of. The western U.S. took him by surprise.
“The scenery was awesome,” Wicker said. “William, my partner, went up a few days before the race and ran the river to learn the rapids. There were several class 3-plus rapids that we paddled through. For the most part we stayed dry and therefore had fast times.”
Wicker shows no signs of slowing down. He keeps himself in shape throughout the year so he can get an extra edge during competition.
“Right now I am the steers person in the Wrightsville Beach Outrigger Canoe Club,” he said. “I have done several races with them. These boats are 46-feet long and have six people paddling. It can get really nuts when we go out into the ocean. I plan on going to the Whitewater Nationals next year, and maybe the Marathon Nationals. I really enjoy the camaraderie and competition. The person you compete against today may be your partner for the next race.”
| Date Taken: | 09.07.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 09.07.2018 13:47 |
| Story ID: | 291813 |
| Location: | NC, US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Long trip out west pays off for enthusiastic USACE paddler, by Hank Heusinkveld, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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