CASHMERE — As the Wenatchee River roared through Cashmere over the weekend, kayakers rode the waves like a roller coaster.

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Spectators watch the action near Cashmere on Saturday. (World photo/Don Seabrook)

They made the sport look easy at the third annual Wenatchee River Festival in Cashmere. About 40 athletes participated in the competition, including a downriver speed race and a freestyle or "rodeo" event.

The festival attracted 250 to 300 kayak and rafting fans and raised about $10,000 for American Whitewater, a river conservation organization.

Darren Albright, 26, of Gig Harbor, tied for first place in the freestyle competition. He said doing tricks on the waves doesn't take much strength — it's all about finesse. "You really can't muscle moves," Albright said. "A really strong guy doesn't necessarily have an advantage over a guy that's less strong."

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Participants watch fellow competitors while waiting their turn at the river rodeo Saturday on the Wenatchee River near Cashmere. (World photo/Don Seabrook)

Events coordinator Paul Gamache, 23, of Seattle, said he looked for big air moves when judging the rodeo contest. He also gave contestants in the freestyle competition extra points if they used their hands instead of paddles. He tried naming some maneuvers, calling one trick a "popping 90-degreer" with a "seismic factor of 8."

Gamache said the sport is different than others because the conditions always change. "In basketball, the basketball court is not trying to kill you," he said. "It's like being on a basketball court that's moving and trying to drown you."

Along with freestyle kayaking, which involves doing tricks on waves, there was also downriver kayaking and creeking, which includes jumping off waterfalls.

Most people wore dry suits to protect them from the cold water. The water in the Wenatchee River was cold enough to numb a person's feet in seconds, but the kayakers seemed not to notice.

"If you're underwater for awhile you get like an ice cream headache," said Jean-Luc Robichaux, 30, of Cashmere, who said he kayaks about five days a week. "It's one of those things your body gets conditioned to over time."

Robichaux said this is a great year for kayakers because of the extended season that is expected. Many expect a longer season because of the cooler weather this spring, which kept the mountain snow from melting. Now that temperatures are rising, the river current should pick up.

Jennie Goldberg, the festival director, said the current was about normal for the river at this time of year. While most people at the festival went simply to enjoy the river, others want to turn kayaking into a career.

Rob Virostek, 17, of Portland, Ore., has trained with a four-time world champion and is trying to kayak for a living.

Albright said although kayaking doesn't take much strength, it does take patience.

"The only way to get good is to paddle a bunch," he said. "Nobody is really naturally gifted at paddling. The more you do it, the better you get."

Alejandro Gonzalez: 670-5138

gonzalez@wenatcheeworld.com