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| SCC and Jackson County Early College student Rowan Stuart (center) won the junior women’s division at the ICF Canoe World Championships earlier this month at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Stuart is flanked between silver-medalist Noria Fontane of Spain (left) and bronze-winner Kimberlee Aldred of Great Britain. |
No junior women’s freestyle kayaker in the world was better than Stecoah resident Rowan Stuart earlier this month at the ICF Canoe World Championships.
The 17-year-old, who attends Jackson County Early College through Southwestern Community College, won her division at the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC).
But she wasn’t the only SCC representative to shine at the international competition.
Thirty outdoor leadership students served 80 volunteer shifts, each of which was four to six hours long, during the seven-day competition.
“I’m extremely proud of all the hard work our students put in for this event,” said Paul Wolf, coordinator of SCC’s outdoor leadership, wilderness emergency medicine and wilderness therapy programs.
One of Wolf’s students, Swain High School graduate Jacob Smith, so impressed event organizers and judges that he was asked to work extra shifts as a timer in the judging booth.
“The Australian judge invited him to go to Spain for another event,” Wolf said. “For him in particular, but also for all of our students, this was a chance to seize on the special moments in life.”
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| John Burton (facing camera), executive vice president of the NOC, talks to volunteers from Southwestern Community College during the ICF Canoe World Championships earlier this month in Nantahala. SCC volunteers are, from left, Chris Hartgrove of Cullowhee; Christina Rudd of Cullowhee and Chris Ornato of Swain County. |
John Burton, executive vice president of the NOC, was pleased with Southwestern’s volunteers.
“They were awesome,” Burton said. “They all showed up on time and were willing to do whatever was needed. We asked them to be the face of the event because they were some of the first people visitors would meet when they arrived … It was wonderful that so many SCC students did that, and they did it well and reliably.”
For Stuart especially, the international competition provided the thrill of a lifetime.
“The week of World Championships was the most challenging, exciting, and rewarding week of my life to this point,” said Stuart, who is on track to graduate with her two-year associate’s degree and high school diploma – tuition-free – before she turns 18.
“During our preliminary round, I ended up in second place, after having a less-than-amazing second ride," she added. "I feel like that second place inspired me to do better during finals, and I was happy to meet that goal. Now that it's over with, I'm just proud to represent myself, my sponsors (Pyranha Kayak, Astral Buoyancy, Immersion Research and Watershed Drybags), the USA - as well as SCC - in a positive light, and I'm ready to continue improving!”
