The Nantahala Racing Club (NRC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of whitewater canoe and kayak sport. The NRC assists athletes of every age, level and ability in their preparation for national and international competition including US Team Trials, National Championships, World Championships, World Cup, and the Olympic Games.

Located in the mountains of Western North Carolina on the Nantahala River, NRC has long been one of whitewater slalom's premier training sites. The whitewater of the Nantahala River, the proximity to the Ocoee River and nearby Western Caronlina University all have made NRC one of the top competitive paddle-sport clubs in the nation. As a whitewater site, the Nantahala is home to several annual competitions including the Glacier Breaker Slalom and Downriver Race; the Bank of America Whitewater US Open; and the Jiffy Slalom. NRC hosted the 2004 and 2005 Junior National Team Trials and several Junior Olympic Regional Qualifiers. NRC was also designated as a USA Canoe/Kayak (USACK) Center of Excellence which signifies it preminence and importance to the development of competitive whitewater paddlers.

The main focus areas of the NRC are the training and development of competitive whitewater athletes in both Slalom and Wildwater (downriver) genres. However to Join NRC, one need not be either. The club is open to any and and all people interested in paddling, the outdoors, or supporting the club. As a member, one can receive coaching, instruction, help out as a volunteer or judge at competitions. As a supporter, one aids the club in its goal to train and develop both youth and adult paddling champions.

The Training Sites

• Nantahala River: There are two main training sites on the Nantahala River. Both are centrally located around the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Wesser, NC. The Nantahala Falls is a class 2-3 stretch of river which generally has gates from November until May. This is both the full length training location and the race site for the Glacier Breaker, US Open and any other nationally significant race the NRChosts
  
• NRC also maintains several sites on the Tuckaseegee River, including one in Bryson City, one located directly behind Western Carolina University and another on its east fork East Fork

Notable NRC Achievements
• The sole US C-1 in the 2004 Olympic Games is an NRC member
• The 2004 National Champion and US Olympic Alternate for mens kayak is an NRC Member.
• At the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, over 60% of the U.S. Olympic Whitewater Team and the 2000 Olympic Whitewater Coach were from NRC.
• The NRC was host to the 2001 Junior Olympics Whitewater Slalom Race in Bryson City, NC and has hosted Junior Olympic Qualifiers every years since.
• Junior-level athletes from the NRC medaled in Gold, Silver and Bronze at the 1999 and 2000 Junior Olympics.
• Cadet-level athletes of the NRC have been on the U.S. National Team each year for the past five years.
• The Rhinos won the National Club Trophy at the National Championships for three years in a row (1997-1999) for best team achievement in slalom racing.
• More 1996 U.S. Olympic Whitewater Team Members trained at the NRC than any other training center in the country.
• Competitively, NRC members participated in every National and World Slalom Championship and Olympic Games since 1967.
• Every U.S. medal in the 1994 Junior World Championships and the 1995 Junior Pre-World Championships was won by NRC members.
• In the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, Rhinos Joe Jacobi and Scott Strausbaugh won the only Olympic Gold medal ever achieved by the U.S. in whitewater slalom.
• Rhino team mate Scott Shipley won the 1995 World Cup gold medal and garnered a silver medals in the 1998 and 1999 World Cup while training at the Nantahala.

Our Famous Rhinos!

John Burton
1972 Olympic Team member. Paddled C-2 with Tom Southworth. 1973 US Team coach. 1979 National Team. Paddled C-2 with Rhino legend Gordon Grant. Currently owns and operates Nantahala Village Resort.

Bunny Johns
1981 World Champion, C-2 Wildwater with Mike Hipsher. Helped develop American Canoe Association (ACA) instructor program.

Mike Hipsher
1981 World Champion, C-2 Wildwater with Bunny Johns. International river runner extraoardinaire. Mike has been a key wildwater coach and promoter over the years.

Angus Morrison
1972, 1976, 1980 Olympic Team member. NOC Guided Trip Czar for Nantahala Outdoor Center river operations.

Fritz and Lecky Haller
1983 World Champions, C-2 Slalom 1992 Olympic Team, Fritz served as team coach, guiding Joe Jacobi and Scott Strausbaugh to their Gold Medal performance and Lecky participated with Jamie McEwan to earn fourth place in the C-2. 1996 World Cup overall 3^rd place 1996 World Ranking. Lecky once served as NRC's full time coach. He was a member of the Sydney 200 team with teammate Matt Taylor.

Chris Spelius
1984, 1988 Olympic team member. Rodeo Champion. Owner of Expeditiones Chile.

Joe Jacobi and Scott Strausbaugh
1987-1992 National Team members. 1992 Olympic Gold Medal winners, C-2 Slalom. Joe recently retired after his second Olympic experience.

Scott Shipley
3 Time World Cup Champion. 3 Time Olympic Team member. 9 Time National Champion, 3 Time World Champion Silver Medallist.

Adam Clawson
1991 Silver Medal, World Championships 1992, 1996 Olympic Team member, 1996 World Cup Winner.

Eileen Ash
1992 Olympic Team alternate.