Qajaq TC Training Camp » Our Mentors

Our Mentors

	Adam Hansen has been a board member of Qajaq Aasiaat, a past participant in the Greenland National Kayaking Championships, and kayaking guide for the Aasiaat Tourist Service. Adam is also very accomplished at rope gymnastics.
	We welcomed Cheri Perry in her fourth appearance at our Training Camp. Cheri competed in the Greenland National Kayaking Championships in both 2004 and 2005, in events ranging from rolling to individual and relay races, winning a dozen gold medals. She has been teaching Greenland-style kayaking for over six years, and has been on staff at several events in the United States and beyond. In addition to her paddling skills, Cheri is a talented yoga instructor offering targeted yoga for paddlers sessions. Cheri and Turner (Wilson) are sole partners of Kayak Ways, LLC.
	A skinny sticker for 12 years, and one of those rare paddlers outside of Greenland who began paddling with a traditional blade, Turner Wilson has taught Greenland-style kayaking for 7 years, at several national and international kayaking symposia. Turner competed in the Greenland National Kayaking Championships in July of 2005, in events ranging from rolling to individual and relay races, winning 6 gold medals. With previous careers in art, woodworking, and design/build residential architecture as background, Turner now builds custom to you Greenland-style skin on frame qajaq, paatit (greenland paddles), and norsaq (rolling sticks), to order, and provides workshops for the same purpose to individuals and groups. Turner first joined our staff in 2004 as a mentor, and were pleased to welcome him back for his fifth appearance!
	2008 marked the first year on staff for our Vermont paddling family – Jane Taylor, Emmett Dooley and John McConnell — and we were thrilled to have them join us once again in 2009 and 2010. It seems they’ve become as fond of our event as we are of their participation!
Photo courtesy of Kam Truhn Photo courtesy of Kam Truhn	David Sides joined us this year as mentor for ropes gymnastics (“Allunaariaqattaarneq”). As a former gymnastics coach, David has a unique way of engaging our participants and helps everyone find success. We’ve enjoyed David’s company since 2005, first as a participant and, more recently, as mentor. Heather Lamon has made her way into the ropes gymnastics scene and is often found giving demonstrations at various east-coast based events. In the past few years she has advanced to the top ranks in this increasingly popular discipline. We were pleased to have Heather join us for her first Training Camp experience.
	Don Beale sold his first paddle in 2002 and, since then, has created over 450 paddles including many that are part of the Qajaq USA demo inventory. He joined us this year to lead a paddlemaking workshop on the Friday of Training Camp weekend and, once the workshop is complete, was among the on-water mentors.
Rounding out the roster were Training Camp regulars who have always been so generous with their time — Sharon Bustamante, Diane Carr, Henry Davies, Chris Gmeinder, Mike McDonald and Alex Pak. Nancy Thornton, former sous chef, continues in her role of chief of logistics and administration.
Dennis Asmussen	Sharon Bustamante	Diane Carr	Henry Davies
Chris Gmeinder	Mike McDonald	Alex Pak	Nancy Thornton