American Whitewater’s press conference on the banks of the Upper Ocoee helped obtain a strong kickoff for the “Free The Ocoee” effort and gained interest from 4 regional tv networks, several newspapers and radio talkshows. “We feel the press conference was a success, and we hope the TVA was listening”, said Risa Shimoda Executive Director of American Whitewater.
While there were no TVA representatives present, in attendence were most of the other principle players in the Free the Ocooe effort to restore flow to the river including, Carlo Smith, President of the Ocoee Outfitters Association, Leland Rymer, Copper Basin Economic Development Association, Joe Jacobi, Olympic Gold Medalist and local area businessman, as well as several of the Teva National Whitewater Championship freestyle athletes including Tao Berman, Shane Benedict, and Clay Wright. Stay tuned to to Chattanooga tv news stations and this website for more developments about the “Free the Ocoee” initiative and more news from the competition.