PaddleSports International


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	Paddlesports International, Inc. was formed as a Kentucky non-profit organization in 2002. It was chartered through the cooperation of the American Canoe Association, America Outdoors, American Whitewater, Professional Paddlesports Association, Trade Association of Paddlesports and Waterkeepers Alliance.


	The mission of Paddlesports International, Inc. is to seek out waterways that are suitable for human powered recreation that includes canoeing, kayaking, and rafting. Once these waterways are identified, Paddlesports International, Inc. works with local and federal management agencies to encourage paddlesports on these waterways.

		Paddlesports International (PI) selected the Omono River that flows through the Akita Prefecture in Japan as their first project. Due mostly to the efforts of PI's director, Nobutoyu "Shugo" Nakanishi and his associate, Jim Thaxton the Japanese government diverted more than $20,000,000(U.S. dollars) from other public works initiatives on the Omono and developed 21 canoe access sites on the Omono. Visit http://www.paddlermagazine.com/issues/2001_3/article_110.shtml



		Jim Thaxton and Shugo Nakanishi


	PI's has identified over 100 rivers and waterways in Japan that our suitable for recreational paddling. They are working closely with the Niigate Canoe Cruising Association and other paddling interests to introduce paddlesports recreation on these rivers while at the same time educating the local residents and governmental entities on the benefits of preserving their waterways.


	Representatives form the American Canoe Association, Peddler Magazine, Professional Paddlesports Association and Waterkeepers Alliance and many other paddlesports outfitters and manufacturers have made frequent trips Japan to assist Thaxton and Nakanishi on the Omono project.

By re-introducing the local population to their rivers and waterways through paddlesports recreation, PI hopes to build support for protecting these waterways and the wildlife that depends upon them.

For more information on how you can help PI's work in Japan and other countries around the world, e-mail jim@gopaddle.com.


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