FIBArk
fibark stand first boating arkansas—its threeday festival held salida colorado started history actually began two friend bet whod win race salida cañon city arkansas river since race almost killed contestant race shortened subsequent year mile whitewater became communitywide festival today festival draw people yearly around rd week june includes variety event river town event grown single boating race include biking running race portion river majority race held run downtown salida keeping event close activity festivity offered downtown festival modest beginning competitor festival grown showcase hundred competitor year includes live music foot bike race parade unknown whether origin first kayak race created group young salida businessmen coffee dare bragging right boater early interest race carried word mouth later promoted salida chamber commerce promote tourism event gained fame one first white water event u helped popularize whitewater sport compared welldeveloped whitewater competition europe original race held june mile course salida canon city headwater arkansas river race cross bighorn sheep canon royal gorge canon first race twenty three entrant six boat two experienced swiss boater finished race following year race shortened forty five mile cutting royal gorge canon portion instead ending parkdale colorado ten boater entered race one finished downriver race shortened length today mile third year race since creation course spanned salida nearby town cotopaxi eleven boat entered race ten finished rafting added event list included raft rodeo raft sprint downriver raft race freestyle kayaking added change time kayak made lighter maneuverable allowed acrobatics point earned kayaker standing kayak end flip spin event gained national ranking allowed competitor qualify national championship event regulation boat early year fibark boat made variety material craft made catamaran airplane bellytanks pontoon boat covered kayak among variety material covered kayak easy maneuverability swift rapid anything go attitude toward craft paved way modern hooligan race held saturday night festival race’s criterion nothing traditionally boat related paddle allowed craft must made anything typical boat material craft appear race made variety material inner tube wood life saver many today world class athlete attend hailing france germany belgium scotland israel italy england switzerland austria mexico canada united state compete variety boating event foot race bike race slalom first whitewater slalom race north america offered salida event includes gate kayaker paddle spanning half mile course point deducted missing gate hitting gate entering gate wrong direction difficult whitewater rapid it’s timed show kayaker’s skill maneuverability event two heat competitors’ best score picked two final scoring tenderfoot hill climb competitor start intersection f street st street race face mountain touch door frame house top run back place started first event kick entire festival start friday afternoon fibark weekend fibark feature many event boating music attraction child small amount shopping band salidas area perform local amphitheater many boat race including hooligan race race people make boat anything find race arkansas sink float everyone agrees fun childrens attraction feature inflatable slide obstacle course well one two motorized ride vendor area set small stall sell ware park border arkansas official site