Susan Hollingsworth

Susan's passion for whitewater began with a youth group trip down the Nantahala Gorge. Seven years later she found herself back on the same stretch of river competing in the US National Downriver Team Trials where she placed 2nd in the Women's Division and qualifying for the National Team.

Outside of enjoying kayaking recreationally, Susan has worked as a Lead Kayak Instructor and raft guide on the Youghiogheny River in southwestern PA. Teaching kayaking enabled her to reach more people and share her love for the sport.

In the off season Susan traveled to fulfill her desires to kayak and explore foreign countries. She has instructed for Anna Levesque's Girls At Play programs in Mexico, worked as a support boater for Last Descents River Expeditions in China and gone as far as Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru and Canada just for fun.

Continuing to find ways to reach people through kayaking, Susan became a teacher and assistant coach for the World Class Kayak Academy, a traveling high school for rising kayak superstars. Visiting steep creeks through the west coast, big play waves on the east coast and touring through the legendary whitewater of Peru and China, Susan's exposure to different types of whitewater increased exponentially. Susan enjoys the experience of watching her students grow and learn, both academically and athletically more than the destinations they were able to visit; "For my students, whitewater kayaking provided the foundation for learning life skills that set them apart from others their age. Lessons learned on the river translated into stronger characters and smarter decision making on and off the water."

As a firm believer in developing skills, refining technique and challenging herself, Susan most recently dove into the world of Wildwater Downriver racing. These 15 ft. fiberglass kayaks make her feel like a beginner again, allowing her to further study basics such as the forward stroke and edge control. As a member of the TeamSOG Race team, she trained over the winter and became a member of the US Canoe & Kayak National Downriver Race Team and is looking forward to competing in a World Championship in the next 2 years.

Susan joined the Wet Planet team in 2010 when she couldn't help but feel like she might have finally found a place to call home. "The caliber of guides and instructors within this company is outstanding. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this whitewater family. Not to mention the quantity and quality of the rivers in this region top just about everywhere else I've seen."

Read more on the Kayak Instruction Staff bio page.

When not raft guiding or teaching kayaking, Susan works her magic on Wet Planet's written content, from the website to trip descriptions to blog posts. Visit The Eddy Line to read some of her work and see what is happening around the White Salmon River and get up-to-date info on Condit Dam.

For commentary, photos, and insights into her experiences, visit Susan's Blog: www.SusansEvolution.blogspot.com and SMHollingsworth.com

Interested in becoming part of the Wet Planet Team? Check out our Employment Opportunities.