This past winter a group of Colorado river surfers banded together to create the Colorado River Surfing Association. The CRSA is a nonprofit founded to foster river surfing in Colorado and the mountain west through the creation and maintenance of surfable river waves, as well as through river stewardship.

I am currently serving as an at-large director, and we will be firing up our website and a membership drive soon.

I am excited for the possibilities here. At worst, the CRSA will be an advocacy group that adds another voice to the likes of American Whitewater in support of river conservation and stewardship. At best, it could serve as a catalyst for funding and development of a stronger river surfing community, more waves across the state, and greater recognition of what river surfing can bring to rivers and communities.

We have already held our first event – a partnership with the Denver chapter of the Sea Shepard organization to clean up the South Platte near the 16th Street Wave. More is on the way, both in terms of stewardship and river-surfing specific events.

Stay tuned.