Founded by Peggy Lalor in the year 1996, Gorge game is full of adventure and life. Every year many adventure lovers and worlds’ finest sportsmen, specializing in different adventure sport like kite boarders, kayakers, mountain bikers and other adventure games flood Hood River during the middle of July. Over thousands come to watch the spectacular kayak over 25-foot and odd waterfalls, mountain bike riding for 24 hours and other sports played against the gravity aerials on windsurfing boards and kite boards. Brilliant sportsperson come here to take part in this sports festival most of which are very risky and at times could take away their lives. For the spectators this offers a thrilling experience most of whom do carry pictures back home to relive the moments. For others who are on a vacation this comes to them as a priceless experience.
This event unlike other sports is not predictable and mostly the participants play because they enjoy adventure, the thrill accompanied by risk and uncertainty.
Hood River which was hosting the gorge games has suddenly become more prominent in the world map especially with regard to tourism. Within a short span of time it had become the cover story for many sports and tourism magazines. This town showed a considerable increase in its economic growth doing a business over half a million only during this sports festival. Hotels, Restaurants, Bars, Sports and other stores did a fantastic business during this week and half long sports event. One gets full nine days of splendid sports event each of them very spectacular accompanied by fantastic food and drink, and great music. For every one attending this fare, it will be an experience of a lifetime so enthralling, captivating and very enchanting. At one point of time this was also referred as the ‘wind surfing capital of the US’. But this new founded recognition was not to stay for long.
Hosted in the Adventure village in the Hood River Marina locale, this festival has seen a steady progress in terms of number of events and participants, with special regard to women and children. More and more events have been gradually introduced in Gorge games and as such the numbers of participants have also taken this event very seriously. The prize money has also gone up considerably.
In the November of 2004, the founder of Gorge Games was all dreams for the spring of 2005. He wanted to come out with similar events in Portland, Seattle and Hood River. Events of such sorts are still in the process of becoming popular and the sponsorships for the same are not. Although there is a requirement for about 20 and odd sponsors for Gorge, there has to be a leading sponsor who takes care of the major chunk of sponsorship. The title Sponsors went back on their commitment due to their company policies and there were no major takers to shoulder the event. The following year witnessed a shortage of support in the form of sponsor for such a game. Hence, it was decided that Hood River may not host the event of Gorge games again.