Ian has been kayaking for nearly three decades and spent his early years training whitewater slalom in his hometown of Durango, Colorado. He was lucky enough to travel the world while in pursuit of his sport, paddling rivers across the continental US, Europe, South and Central America, New Zealand and Australia. He received a gold medal in the US Junior Olympics and competed in various Junior World Cup events in Europe before retiring from racing. He now enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience with students and his two young children (who are just big enough to sit in his lap while he runs gates on the Feeder Canal).
Ian has developed a winter slalom curriculum for Calleva that focuses on improving paddling technique while building stamina and confidence. Classes include drills, practice techniques, and even mock races.