33-YEAR SAM WARD HAS BECOME A FIXTURE IN THE INTERNATIONAL FREESTYLE SCENE. ORIGINALLY FROM WALES, THE TALENTED PADDLER RECEIVED A ROCKY START TO WHITEWATER AT AGE 19. THROWN INTO A WILD WATER RACE BY FRIENDS AT THE LEEDS UNIVERSITY CANOE CLUB WITH NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE, IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT RACE CHANGED SAM’S LIFE. HE HAS SINCE BATTLED INJURY TO REACH THE UPPER ECHELONS OF THE SPORT, COMPETING IN THE WHITEWATER GRAND PRIX, PLACING 6TH AT 2015 FREESTYLE WORLDS, AND COACHING THE BRITISH AND UGANDAN FREESTYLE TEAMS. DRAWN BY THE PROMISE OF WARM, BIG VOLUME WHITEWATER AT THE SOURCE OF THE WORLD’S LONGEST RIVER, A RELAXED LIFESTYLE AND THE PERFECT ‘ETERNAL SUMMER’ CLIMATE, SAM ARRIVED IN UGANDA OVER A DECADE AGO, AND “FORGOT TO LEAVE.” NOW THE OWNER OF KAYAK THE NILE, SAM HAS BECOME HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AFRICAN FREESTYLE SCENE. LENDING HIS EXPERTISE TO THE ORGANIZATION OF EVENTS LIKE THE NILE AND ZAMBEZI RIVER FESTIVALS, SAM STRIVES TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCALS AND TRAVELING PADDLERS ALIKE, DESPITE INCREASING PRESSURES OF THE IMMINENT ISIMBA DAM.
BY ANNA BRUNO - PHOTOGRAPHY: EMILY WARD, HALEY MCKEE, JASPER GIBSON, ANTON IMMLER, SIM DAVIS
“...MY ROOTS ARE HERE IN UGANDA NOW, AND THERE’LL STILL BE PLENTY TO KEEP ME ENTERTAINED EVEN AFTER THE DAM. THERE IS SOMETHING THAT CAPTURES PEOPLE ON THE NILE. THERE IS A MAGIC TO THIS PLACE THAT IS HARD TO PIN DOWN IN WORDS.” KS: You recently wrapped up the 2017 Nile River Festival (NRF). How did it go?
SW: It was the biggest NRF yet, with over 70 competitors and around 500 people getting involved over the course of the event. I would say it went really, really well. We had more of a media team this year, as well as our largest-ever women’s class. To see the festival’s evolution over the years has been amazing.
KS: What makes the Nile River Festival so special?
SW: The event is…
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Kayak Session (Digital) - 1 Issue, spring 2017
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