21st Green Race Carnage at Go Left and Die

[@paulherring8959]

That square block of rock in the entrance drop up top is what's making Go Left a freakin nightmare. Glad I've never seen it that exposed when I ran that rapid.

[@whaleshrimp111]

We used to walk around stuff like that. Maybe that"s how I got to be 68.

[@mustang684]

I'm with ya, bud

[@connaghananthony]

😂😂😂😂

[@dg20120]

Back when I ran it, we ran the sneak, called the squeeze, on the far right and running the Narrows was an all day undertaking.

[@TheMattc999]

Whaleshrimp right?!?

[@FastFredRuddock]

You would do a lot of walking on this run!

[@lizardofozz88]

That last rescue was hard to watch!

[@cbr125rcanada]

5:13 - raft FTW!!

[@FastFredRuddock]

The raft action is rather rad here!

[@phoenixamaranth]

What I learned from this video: LL Stingers are too long of a boat for this rapid! LOL

[@FastFredRuddock]

They are getting much cleaner lines now. There was virtual no carnage at go Left last year. We will see what today's race delivers soon.

[@johnrflinn]

Glad they make the poly kayaks stronger now. When they first came out kayakers could be trapped in the boat if it folded when bridged between two rocks in the current.

[@FastFredRuddock]

It still happens rarely. The most recent death at Go Left in an RPM was a combination of a flat pin and entrapment as you described.

[@peterwhatley542]

Vids are a joy keep em coming

[@arthurdury8459]

The man on the right 😂

[@bongoslide]

Brings back memories i look back now and think how did i ever have the bottle to do this lol

[@kristophwulf411]

Awesome video 😊

[@FastFredRuddock]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@ashleyashley5049]

Love watching your videos

[@FastFredRuddock]

Thank you, Ashley. I appreciate your feedback!

[@alexvesey3445]

4:58 Yeah! I made the video!

[@michaelfox4160]

Alex Vesey that was epic dude!

[@slabbyrider8665]

That did make me laugh seeing the big inflatable dingy lol. Like yea watch this guys I'll show you how it's done. I really was hoping it was going to get stuck at the top coz of being too wide 😆. I was also hoping to see someone take an Intex explorer K2 through there. That's what we have.

[@real_Papa_Roach]

I've paddled the lower Green but will leave the upper section to younger thrill seekers, that's how I got to be 66 years old

[@FastFredRuddock]

The lower is easy class II and the upper is fun class three. Between the upper and lower is the narrows with class V and plenty of un-named class IV. There are people older than you running the narrows section. As long as you are having fun it does not matter. Paddle what gives you pleasure.

[@zackmeuth]

I remember you... You're that *OHHHH YEAAAAAH* guy from the ocoee

[@FastFredRuddock]

I work the Ocoee yes ... Been too busy guiding to make many videos there lately.

[@siempreafavor730]

excellent video

[@FastFredRuddock]

Thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to comment. Much love to you!

[@elanbusinesssolutions9980]

Sema machi vanthudenu sollu............

[@sabrinagamber8660]

I just dont understand the drawings. What are they for?

[@FastFredRuddock]

It is an inside joke. If you don't get it don't feel bad. Most kayakers and river guides can figure it out. Do you know what bootie beers and swim beer refer to?

[@bryanb4141]

Are these just all the fails or did anyone get it right? Looks brutal.

[@FastFredRuddock]

Hey man, this rapid is rated class V+. That said most racers had clean lines. Watch the long cut of all the racers' lines here kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnamhWdniN6rmLc

[@ellikafallen6142]

WOW!! 😵

[@scrutton66]

Two thumbs up!

[@FastFredRuddock]

Thanks Paul, I hope you have a great winter.

[@md-ln4fp]

Water don't care. It takes what ever it want's.

[@FastFredRuddock]

The river just does her thing. You can't over power her when you dance with her. If you fall out of step she may beat you down.

[@md-yc4sx]

man these guys are getting plastered

[@FastFredRuddock]

Class V+ is no walk in the park.

[@kayasper6081]

Hum, I´ll think I stick to my sea kayak if you don´t mind

[@FastFredRuddock]

At least one crazy has raced the green in a sea kayak!

[@ZorbaTheDutch]

Now there's nothing stopping you anymore, Kayasper

[@nurkiya_yellow_purple1281]

Hi good morning nice job ❤

[@carym9696]

Oh yeah!!

[@FastFredRuddock]

Ryan made a rad self rescue in the beginning clip. Thankful I prevented that dude from entangling him with a rope.

[@davidgoins1785]

Hey there Fred! Where is this? I'm not familiar with the location.

[@FastFredRuddock]

Green River Narrows near Saluda, North Carolina

[@MrFg1980]

So if you avoid the pin, you broach. Got it.

[@FastFredRuddock]

Frode Grunsvold, more likely it is the hard sprinting on some flat/slack water above that makes this move more difficult. Most racers run it clean. The rapid is considered class 5+.

[@artfisher1235]

You held a speed event with a log in a critical double opening slot? Where is Johnny Knoxville when you need him? For examples of how to do it prudently, go to my posts in AW regarding hazardous trees in West Prong and Big Creek, and my follow up posts when I cut them out!

[@FastFredRuddock]

This reminds me of an old boater talk post ha ha. You won't make any friends cutting the log out of Go Left.

[@bp968]

That last rescue looked really badly done. Why did the clip the biner directly to the boat and tied to the throw line? Id have thought looping it through the biner would be better so once you unpin the boat you just let one end of the rope go and the boat is free and he can continue on down to pin on the next rapid?

[@FastFredRuddock]

One of the reasons this video exists is to educate. If you watch the next year's video of the race it is much cleaner. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpiZmmidfpt0f80

[@bp968]

@@FastFredRuddock awesome! I was a little sarcastic but mostly serious. I really want to take a swiftwater rescue class but it will be a while. Thanks to steroid induced bone loss from ulcerative colitis treatment ive been out of a boat for a few years now and hopefully will be able to get back into it in 4-5 years. But for now I live vicariously through kayaking videos! So thanks for the videos and please keep it up!

[@FastFredRuddock]

@@bp968 I spent much of this year recovering from a car accident and then spinal surgery. It has been difficult at time but I am well on my way to a 100% recovery.

[@FastFredRuddock]

@Indigocat This is a kayak race on class V and V+ rapids. The best kayakers in the world come to compete for no cash purse but for bragging rights as the best creek boater in the world. However being class V+ at this rapid some of the lines are less than stellar. If you want to win you have to go long. It is a long boat race.

[@elonmust7470]

how are you gonna score the people who actually made it "9" & the people who didn't, "10"???

[@FastFredRuddock]

Ha ha it was scored by level of entertainment not how clean the line is. This most kayakers would have preferred a low number.

[@FastFredRuddock]

Green boaters get it!

[@Jangle2007]

Do I understand correctly that the lowest section of "Go Left" is the Polk County Welcome Center? You guys sure now how to put-out a southern-style welcome mat.

[@carym9696]

Just watched that vid!! Oh yeahhhh

[@walterpalmer2749]

LETHAL !!

[@FastFredRuddock]

It has been a few times.

[@walterpalmer2749]

Anyone know the word PORTAGE ??

[@FastFredRuddock]

Ha ha this run has many class V rapids. It gets even steeper below this rapid. There an easy class IV sneak if you want to avoid the meat.

[@blacktailed4life628]

Looks like fun but no thanks

[@FastFredRuddock]

It takes a lot of work to get good at class V+

[@JuanGarcia-wz6jr]

Is looks fine but I'm sucks swimming

[@FastFredRuddock]

LOL... no one wants to swim class five whitewater.

[@nolanduncan3344]

Uh..no...no way!!!!!

[@FastFredRuddock]

Creek boating is not for the faint of heart nor the weak or unfit.

[@joseantoniodias7699]

Ou my god

[@FastFredRuddock]

Best creek in the southeast or maybe the world.

[@OneclickOutside]

Rodeo!!!

[@FastFredRuddock]

Yes and rowdy at that!

[@yellow-stand-u8wdn2]

Some of the rescuers in these videos are in as much danger as the people they're trying to save. How about spending $20 on some basic climbing gear - a harness, carabiners etc. - and anchor yourself in. Better than a one handed rescue attempt with a three man chain holding each other up. Useless and dangerous.

[@FastFredRuddock]

Some of the rescuers are tethered with rescue vests.

[@kylersayer2121]

In river rescue, due to the dynamic environment, anchoring into a closed system, such as with a climbing harness, is not only inadvisable, but also highly hazardous. The safeties in this video appear to be operating under training protocols common to swift water rescue using appropriate ppes and rope handeling.

[@zacziegler9235]

Obviously not a boater, that shit was clutch

[@SteveBurk]

just stupid going through that, raft was best boat for this

[@FastFredRuddock]

Ha ha rafts are entertaining but kayaks are much better for creeping. This is class V+ and Go Left is getting harder and more consequential as the riverbed changes and the log shifts.

[@liberalchuhain1833]

Tf is is that what doing in that vedio

[@FastFredRuddock]

Most extreme kayak race in the world. It draws people from all over the world.

[@atvarseglitis738]

Safety sucks

[@FastFredRuddock]

The safety at Go Left during the Green Race has greatly improved over the past four years.

[@judeboys6409]

When I see those Rocks I wanna blow em up .with dynamite

[@FastFredRuddock]

That would be a huge mistake for so many reasons.

[@austinsmith7257]

Seems like they should just blast that notorious pin rock..

[@FastFredRuddock]

There is another route for those wishing to avoid the left route and the rock. The alternate route is called the squeeze and it runs behind the folks setting safety.

[@hakapik683]

Did we really need to see the 50 or so cuts to the chic with the paper signs? No. We did not. Smarten up.

[@FastFredRuddock]

Well you know the old saying: you can't please everyone!