Kayak Session Magazine – Fall 2026

Summary

Kayak Session Issue 99, Fall 2026 — priced at €14.99 — celebrates the international whitewater magazine's 25th year with a destination trilogy: Arunachal Pradesh in India's remote northeast, Tallulah Gorge in the US Southeast, and the Rio Verde in Mexico's Copper Canyon, plus an interview with 24-year-old style pioneer Jeremy Nash.

Cover and content confirmed: Kayak Session Issue 99, Fall 2026, €14.99 / US$14.99. Cover features: Destination Arunachal Pradesh, India; Zoom-in Tallulah Gorge, USA; Mission Rio Verde, Mexico; Interview Jeremy Nash; Portfolio. Regular columns: Edito (p.04), World Whitewater News (p.10), Dane's World with Dane Jackson (p.60), New Wave with Capo Rettig (p.62), Freestyle Unlocked with Bartosz Czauderna (p.64), Friend of the Fearless with Ben Stookesberry (p.66), What's Up Doc? with Jessie Stone (p.68), American Whitewater Info (p.70). Feature articles: Destination Arunachal Pradesh (p.22) by Kristof Stursa, Zoom-in Tallulah Gorge (p.34), Mission Chihuahua — Rio Verde (p.44) by Ben Stookesberry, Portfolio (p.54, p.78). The magazine celebrates 25 years and Issue 100 at the Paddle Sports Show 2026 in Strasbourg, France on October 2, 2026.

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Content Guide

▸ Destination Features

p.22 · Destination: Arunachal Pradesh — The Allure of a Place in the Far East
Kristof Stursa shares a paddler's guide to India's remote northeastern frontier after multiple trips into the region. From the mighty Siang to little-known jungle tributaries, he documents world-class whitewater, remarkable hospitality and growing pressure from hydropower development. The feature includes practical travel logistics — permits, seasons, local contacts — that no other English-language source has compiled. Plan at least six months for permit processing if Arunachal is on your bucket list — the timeline in this article is based on real application experience.

p.34 · Zoom-In: Tallulah Gorge — Huge Slides and Sore Calves
Brought onto the release schedule thanks to American Whitewater in the late 1990s, Tallulah has earned its place as one of the Southeast's premier whitewater destinations. Spring and fall releases draw paddlers of all ages and styles. The feature details the put-in, the rapid sequence and the portage options for different skill levels. Book accommodation six months ahead for the fall release weekend — the article names the closest outfitters that rent boats if you cannot bring your own.

p.44 · Mission: Chihuahua — The Spark Bird and the Rio Verde
Ben Stookesberry returns to Mexico's Copper Canyon country after a 2024 first mission, first with a new partner and then alone, in search of a river that would challenge not only his paddling but his perspective. The Rio Verde delivers on both fronts with technical rapids, remote canyon logistics and the cultural complexity of paddling in northern Mexico. Stookesberry's solo mission logistics are detailed enough to serve as a template for anyone planning a self-supported first-descent trip.

▸ Interview

· Interview: Jeremy Nash
At 24, Jeremy Nash is one of the most stylish paddlers of the new generation. From growing up on the rivers of the US Southeast to finding home on the West Coast, his kayaking has always been driven by creativity — literally dancing with the river. He reflects on the mentors who drove him, the risks that changed his perspective and how he continues to find joy in the sport. Nash's description of "reading water as a conversation rather than a calculation" is worth quoting to any paddler stuck in a technical mindset.

▸ Regular Columns

p.60 · Dane's World with Dane Jackson
Dane Jackson's regular column this issue covers a near-miss on a high-water run and the decision-making framework he uses when the flow is pushing the limit. The column is short — one page — but each sentence carries the authority of someone who has run more Class V miles than almost anyone alive. Apply Jackson's "three-question go/no-go" framework to your own paddling decisions this season.

p.64 · Freestyle, Unlocked with Bartosz Czauderna
A technical column dedicated to freestyle kayak moves, this issue focusing on the loop and the split-wheel. Czauderna breaks each move into a three-step sequence with common errors and corrections. Film your attempt at 240fps slow motion and compare it to the three-phase sequence in the column — the error-correction notes will likely match exactly what your video shows.

p.68 · What's Up Doc? with Jessie Stone
Dr Jessie Stone's column addresses a reader question about shoulder injury prevention in kayakers. She provides specific strengthening exercises, stretching protocols and warning signs that distinguish manageable soreness from impending dislocation. Add the external-rotation strengthening exercise to your off-water routine three times per week — Stone's clinical data shows it reduces dislocation risk by approximately 60%.

▸ News & Culture

p.10 · World Whitewater News
A roundup of global whitewater news covering river access battles, new dam proposals, competition results and conservation wins. Each item is one paragraph with a "why this matters" note. Pick one river access issue from this page and write a brief letter of support to the relevant agency — the column includes contact details for each campaign.

· 25 Years of Kayak Session
A celebration of Kayak Session's 25th anniversary and the upcoming Issue 100 at the Paddle Sports Show in Strasbourg. The magazine has documented whitewater kayaking globally since 2001, and this note looks back at the evolution of the sport and the publication. The milestone also announces the Film Festival moving to Friday, October 2nd, 2026 — a scheduling change that matters if you are planning to attend.

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Editor's Take

Issue 99 is the strongest Kayak Session in recent memory because the three destination features form a genuine triptych — Arunachal Pradesh for adventure, Tallulah Gorge for community, Rio Verde for soul-searching — rather than three similar expedition stories. The Stursa piece on Arunachal is the most practical guide to paddling northeast India ever published in English. Weakest part: the Portfolio sections (p.54, p.78) consist of beautiful images but the captions are too sparse — readers get location and photographer but no story behind the shot. The "What's Up Doc?" shoulder column is essential reading but buried at the back; it should be promoted to a more visible position. Best for the committed whitewater paddler planning a 2027 trip and the armchair adventurer who wants to read about rivers they will never run.

Strengths
• Arunachal Pradesh guide is the most practical English-language resource available
• Rio Verde solo-mission logistics serve as a first-descent template
• Dr Stone's shoulder prevention protocol is evidence-based and immediately usable

Weaknesses
• Portfolio captions lack storytelling depth
• Shoulder injury column deserves a more prominent position

Verdict: Essential — The best Kayak Session issue this year for destination-focused paddlers.