We’re excited to share that Nantahala Outdoor Center has been selected for induction into the Southern Appalachian Whitewater Hall of Fame Class of 2026, recognizing more than five decades of contributions to whitewater paddling, instruction and river culture in the Southeast.
NOC is one of two institutions joining the Class of 2026 and will be inducted alongside a group of paddlers, educators, innovators and community leaders who have helped shape Southern Appalachian whitewater.
Celebrating Southern Appalachian Whitewater History
The Southern Appalachian Whitewater Hall of Fame was conceived in 2021 as part of the Southern Appalachian Paddlesports Museum and has since become an independent organization. Its mission is to preserve the stories and recognize the individuals and organizations whose leadership, innovation and accomplishments have shaped whitewater throughout the Southern Appalachian region.
Inductees represent generations of paddlers, guides, instructors, river advocates, competitors and organizations from North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. Together, their stories document the growth of a paddling community that has played an outsized role in the development of whitewater recreation and competition in the United States.
More Than 50 Years on the River
Founded in 1972 by Payson and Aurelia Kennedy and Horace Holden, Nantahala Outdoor Center emerged during the formative years of commercial whitewater recreation in the Southeast.
Over the decades that followed, NOC helped introduce paddlers and rafters to rivers throughout the region, including the Chattooga, Ocoee and French Broad. The NOC Paddling School developed instructional techniques that influenced paddlers and instructors beyond the Nantahala, while the Nantahala Racing Club helped develop 23 Olympians, including 1992 Olympic gold medalists Joe Jacobi and Scott Strausbaugh. In 2013, the Nantahala Gorge welcomed paddlers from around the world when NOC hosted the ICF Freestyle World Championships.
NOC’s Connections to the Hall of Fame
NOC’s induction adds another chapter to a long relationship between our community and the Southern Appalachian Whitewater Hall of Fame. A number of people who helped build, lead and shape NOC have previously been recognized by the organization.
Payson Kennedy
Payson Kennedy co-founded Nantahala Outdoor Center in 1972 and helped establish a model for commercial whitewater recreation and paddling instruction that would influence the outdoor industry for decades. His passion for paddling, teaching and bringing new people onto the river helped shape both NOC and the broader Southern Appalachian whitewater community. Payson was among the NOC leaders recognized by the Hall of Fame for his contributions to the sport.
John Burton
Olympian John Burton played an important role in NOC’s growth and leadership. A member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic whitewater team, Burton later brought his experience as both a competitor and leader to NOC, helping guide the organization during an important period in its development. His contributions to whitewater racing, outdoor recreation and NOC earned him a place in the Southern Appalachian Whitewater Hall of Fame.
Gordon Grant
Gordon Grant was an influential competitor and instructor whose work helped advance the way whitewater paddling was taught. His connection to NOC was part of an era when the Nantahala became an important training ground for paddlers and instructors, helping spread new techniques throughout the paddling community. Grant’s contributions to competition and instructional innovation were recognized with his induction into the Hall of Fame.
Jim Holcombe
Jim Holcombe was another important figure in NOC’s early paddling and instructional community. As an NOC instructor, Holcombe helped introduce and develop paddlers during a period when formal whitewater instruction was still taking shape. His contributions to paddling and instruction earned him recognition alongside other influential figures from the formative years of Southern Appalachian whitewater.
And in 2026, that connection continues. Catherine “Cathy” Kennedy will join NOC in this year’s Hall of Fame class. Cathy became NOC’s first female raft guide at just 16 years old in 1972 and went on to become the longest-serving guide in NOC history. Across decades on the river, she has served as a guide, leader and mentor to generations of NOC staff and paddlers.
Celebrating the Class of 2026
The Southern Appalachian Whitewater Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Induction Celebration will take place September 26, 2026, in Woodfin, North Carolina, bringing together inductees, their families and members of the paddling community to celebrate the people and organizations that have shaped Southern Appalachian whitewater.
For NOC, the honor belongs to far more than an organization. It reflects more than 50 years of guides, instructors, athletes, staff, river advocates and paddlers who have helped make NOC what it is today.
We are proud to join the Southern Appalachian Whitewater Hall of Fame and even prouder to share the recognition with the community that has carried NOC downriver since 1972.
