I took 3rd in the inflatable kayak mass start at Clackfest 2025 in my SOTAR SL, passing a lot of paddlers on the way down.
Video: Clackamas whitewater festival 2025. IK mass start Jacob Linkhart on the SOLWYRX Paddlesports YouTube channel.
Disclosure: SOLWYRX Paddle Gear sells SOTAR gear, and I earn money when you buy it here. SOTAR also sponsors me as an athlete.
How a mass start works
Everybody launches at once and races downriver. It's chaotic: boats bumping, paddles clashing, everyone fighting for the fastest line. Clackfest runs races for just about every craft, including IKs, hardshells and mass-start packraft races (American Canoe Association).
What made the difference
Passing in a mass start comes down to line choice and staying on the power. Take the fast water, avoid the eddies everyone else drifts into, and keep your strokes going through the rapids. The SOTAR SL tracks well, so every stroke turns into speed.
Same festival, different story: Carnage at the Clackamas whitewater festival 2025. Then see Clackfest 2026 and my 2027 festival plans.
Source: American Canoe Association, Clack Fest
Personal trip report: flows, wood and hazards change, and what worked for me that day isn't a rule for your boat or group. Check current conditions, scout, and boat within your training.
Watch on YouTubeSubscribe to SOLWYRX Paddlesports
Updated October 28, 2026 · By Jacob Linkhart, owner of SOLWYRX Paddle Gear · Spot a mistake? Email me and I'll fix it.
