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One thing the Paddling Life Pro Invitational hasn't delivered in its first three years of existence is unexpected results.

Thrills and spills on Fish Creek and tricks innovative enough to make the crowd roar at the C-hole in downtown Steamboat Springs have been the norm.

But so have the final results.

Tanya Faux has won the women's side of the competition each year. Stephen Wright, meanwhile, has captured two of the three men's titles.

A strong field is expected again to push the favorites at this year's competition, which returns, starting at 10 a.m. Monday, to cap off the Yampa River Festival.

"We have a good lineup of competitors," event organizer Eugene Buchanan said. "It should be an aerial display of all the latest and greatest freestyle moves at the C-hole Monday afternoon."

Competitors first will race on Fish Creek, starting at 10 a.m.

The action at Charlie's Hole will start at 1 p.m. Each paddler will get a crack at laying out tricks in Steamboat's signature boating feature.

This year's competition will feature a new scoring system. Last year, a panel of judges awarded one point for a trick and allocated other points based on quality and variety.

This year, the judges will follow a more widely accepted standard, wherein different amounts of points are awarded for different tricks.

"It's a better way and more accurately gives points based on what they do out there," freestyle supervisor Dan Piano said.

Organizers hope Monday's event fits in with what is a wild few weeks in Colorado for the kayaking world. It comes just after a big event at Buena Vista and before major competitions in Glenwood Springs and Vail.

Some regulars, however, say it's more than just the event's conveniences that make it a must-attend every spring.

"With the creek racing in the morning and the freestyle in the afternoon, it's just an action-packed day," said Ruth Gordon, who has been a staple on the women's podium. "It's an awesome test of athletic ability. It really covers the gauntlet as far as kayaking is concerned."

Offering to help out

Gordon's stay in Steamboat won't end with Monday's competition. She will hit the river again Tuesday, this time trying to pass out tips rather than one-up her opponents.

Gordon started the Paddle Pink program this spring to help raise money for breast cancer research.

Gordon's grandmother survived a bout with breast cancer and inspired her to try to raise awareness.

"Basically, it's a great way for me to get to meet paddling communities and a great way for me to collect donations for breast cancer funding," the 32-year-old Canadian pro said.

The event will start at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Backdoor Sports in downtown Steamboat Springs. With a donation, boaters with at least some experience can get into the water with Gordon and soak up two hours worth of her advice.

"My specialty is freestyle kayaking, so if I can impart my knowledge or answer questions, that's great," she said. "It's kind of a grass-roots idea at this point, but it's something I can already see getting much bigger quickly."