LISTEN: GPB's Orlando Montoya speaks with champion kayaker Mason Hargrove about the announcement that world-class championship events are headed to Columbus, Ga.

Columbus, Ga., resident Mason Hargove is a Team USA kayaker, Junior World Champion, Vice World Cup Champion.

Columbus, Ga., resident Mason Hargove is a Team USA kayaker, Junior World Champion and Vice World Cup Champion.

Credit: Courtesy of Mason Hargrove

TRANSCRIPT

Orlando Montoya: The world governing body for canoe and kayak sports has selected Columbus as the host for the 2028 Canoe Freestyle World Cup and 2029 Canoe Freestyle World Championship. The Switzerland-based International Canoe Federation today also designated the city as its first-ever "center of excellence," promising new opportunities for amateur and elite competitors. Columbus has emerged as a leader in whitewater sports over the last 12 years, beginning with the multi-million dollar restoration and transformation of the Chattahoochee River. I asked a top athlete in the sport to talk about today's announcement. He is Team USA kayaker, junior world champion, vice world cup champion, and Columbus area resident Mason Hargrove.

Mason Hargrove: I am from Phoenix City, Ala., and Columbus, Ga, so I've grown up in this hometown my entire life. And to see this whitewater course grow from nothing to being the center of whitewater kayaking and whitewater freestyle for North America is absolutely amazing.

Orlando Montoya: How would you describe kayaking in Columbus?

Mason Hargrove: The kayaking in Columbus is actually really inclusive. It is where I learned, it's where I've taught a lot of people how to kayak and how to whitewater. So it has a really good progression from absolutely beginner to holding international competitions and having the best athletes from all over the world come here just to train and compete internationally.

Orlando Montoya: You know, we've kayaked all over the world. How does the Columbus site compare?

Mason Hargrove: The thing that's different between Columbus and everywhere else in the world is that it runs year-round. So 365 days a year you're going to have freestyle and kayaking to do no matter the weather, no matter what's going on, so that's really special. But also, having a wave here is not like a lot of other places in the world. It's a different style of freestyle, so imagine an ocean wave inside of a river instead of like a small hydraulic pool. That's what's really special is to have a wave that is dam released and we can count on the schedule to be correct and it to come on at a certain time so we can have training.

City officials celebrate the July 30 canoeing cup and championship announcement. Columbus has emerged as a leader in whitewater sports over the last 12-years, beginning with a multi-million-dollar restoration and transformation the Chattahoochee River.

City officials celebrate the July 30 canoeing cup and championship announcement. Columbus has emerged as a leader in whitewater sports over the past 12 years, beginning with a multi-million-dollar restoration and transformation the Chattahoochee River.

Credit: City of Columbus, Ga.

Orlando Montoya: Tell me what is freestyle kayaking? How would I describe that to people?

Mason Hargrove: Yeah. So freestyle kayaking is basically gymnastics in a kayak. You're surfing an ocean wave inside of the river and you have 45 seconds to do a bunch of different tricks. Each of these tricks have a predetermined point value and a definition you have to meet to score those tricks. There's three judges sitting up on the panel and they're watching for different angles, watching for height. So it's a really exciting fast-paced sport that is all risk and reward, depending on how big you want to go.

Orlando Montoya: Now today I understand there was two announcements that the International Group declaring Columbus to be a kayaking capital and the other announcement was the Kayaking World Cup in '28 and '29 coming to the city. What will this attention bring to Columbus?

Mason Hargrove: I think it's going to bring a lot of positive attention. Being able to have the Center of Excellence open up and be able to go into the high schools and have these kids come out here and learn what kayaking is and fall in love with the sport that I fell in love at a young age is going to be really amazing. And then to be able have the World Cup, the World Championships back in my hometown honestly means a lot. I get to bring all of my international friends back to my hometown, show them the waves, show them where I've grown up, but also compete in my — in front of my hometown crowd, which is a dream come true, again.

Orlando Montoya: What has kayaking done for you?

Mason Hargrove: For me, kayaking has shaped my entire life. I played travel soccer before I actually started kayaking. And then once I started kayacking, I said, I just want to go on the river and just travel all over the world. So I've been to 11 countries already this year for whitewater kayaking. Just being able to go to different places that no one else can go besides paddlers is amazing. It's definitely shaped who I am as a person. It's given me lifelong strength and it's taught me so many lessons on and off the water.

Orlando Montoya: Appreciate it sir, have a great day and thanks for talking, good luck.

Mason Hargrove: Thank you so much.

Orlando Montoya: That was Olympic kayaker Mason Hargrove.

Tags: Columbus  Georgia  kayaking