[ Nomination by Rush Sturges ]

Jakub Nemec is an incredibly strong and smooth class 5 kayaker possessing all around skills and a passion for whitewater.  His interests in both freestyle, and extreme kayaking place him as one of the most versatile paddlers on the scene. The past two seasons have found Jakub running some of the most massive waterfalls on offer in both North America and Europe. He has also had solid placings on the racing scene at some of the most prestigious events. I nominate Jakub as Rider Of The Year for consistently putting it on the line on the river, and also maintaining his freestyle/competition game.