Previewing the 2014 USA Canoe/Kayak Slalom Team Trials

(Smolen paddling C-1 at the Oceania Championships. Credit: SportScene.tv)

 

Who: The best U.S. slalom athletes

What: 2014 USA Canoe/Kayak Slalom Team Trials
When: March 28-30
Where: U.S. National Whitewater Center in Bryson City, N.C.
Why is it important: This is the qualifier for the 2014 Slalom World Championships, which will be held on U.S. soil for the first time in 25 years.

For more info: Start lists. Results. Deep Creek 2014 World Championships.
Team USA hopes to crack the podium at the 2014 Slalom World Championships after recording two Top 5 finishes in 2013. The Adventure Sports Center International in McHenry, Md. will host the World Championships on Sept. 16-21.

But before that can happen, the best U.S. athletes will vie for the chance to represent their country on home turf in September. Western Maryland also hosted the World Championships in 1989, the last time the event was in America.

Two newcomers in 2013, France-born Fabien Lefevre (Bethesda, Md.) and Slovakia-born Dana Mann (Washington, D.C.) will look to build upon their strong finish last season, finishing 4th and 5th at the 2013 World Championships, respectively.

“Representing the USA at this coming World Championships is a great opportunity that normally happens only once in a lifetime,” Mann said. “And I might have a second chance to race at my new ‘home championships’ in Maryland after the World Championships in Bratislava and I am very excited for that.”

Lefevre will be challenged by, among others, Michal Smolen (Gastonia, N.C.) in both canoe and kayak, and two-time Olympian Casey Eichfeld (Drums, Pa.) in canoe. Eichfeld and Devin McEwan (Salisbury, Conn.) hope to continue their reign atop the U.S. men’s C-2 standings, although they will have to fend off London 2012 Olympians Jeff Larimer (Marietta, Ga.) and Eric Hurd (Woodstock, Ga.), who are jumping in a boat together after taking much of the 2013 season off.

“I am very excited for Trials to be underway,” Eichfeld said. “I'm looking forward to a good weekend of racing. Worlds coming to the United States is an honor, and has been a magnet for new and old boats to appear. The outcome of Team Trials this year will be very interesting. I wish everyone luck and happy racing through these next few days.”

Among Mann’s challengers will be Ashley Nee (Darnestown, Md.), who turned in a career best 12th place finish at the 2013 World Cup Final. Women’s canoeists Micki Reeves (Grand Junction, Colo.) and Colleen Hickey (Okawville, Ill.) continue their friendly rivalry after Reeves finished first at last weekend’s U.S. Open.

Headquartered in Oklahoma City, USA Canoe/Kayak is a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Canoe Federation. It governs the Olympic disciplines of Flatwater Sprint, Whitewater Slalom, the Paralympic discipline of Paracanoe and sanctions Freestyle, Marathon, Outrigger, Wildwater, Stand Up Paddle Board, Kayak Polo, Dragon Boat and Canoe Sailing in the United States. For more information about USA Canoe/Kayak, please visit us on the web at www.usack.org, on Twitter at @usacanoekayak and Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/USACanoeKayak.