Lefevre, Eichfeld headline the list of 2014 Slalom World Championship qualifiers

 

USA Canoe/Kayak is proud to nominate the following athletes to the 2014 U.S. Slalom World Championship Team:

Men's K-1: Fabien Lefevre (Bethesda, Md.), Michal Smolen (Gastonia, N.C.), Rick Powell(Parkesburg, Pa.)

Women's K-1: Dana Mann (Washington, D.C.), Ashley Nee (Darnestown, Md.), Anna Maria Ifarraguerri (McLean, Va.)

Men's C-1: Fabien Lefevre (Bethesda, Md.), Casey Eichfeld (Drums, Pa.), Zach Lokken (Durango, Colo.)

Women's C-1: Colleen Hickey (Okawville, Ill.), Micki Reeves (Grand Junction, Colo.), Tracy Hines (Mount Holly, N.C.)

Men's C-2: Eichfeld/Devin McEwan (Salisbury, Conn.), Jeff Larimer (Marietta, Ga.)/Eric Hurd (Woodstock, Ga.), Benn Fraker (Peachtree City, Ga.)/Scott McCleskey (Sylva, N.C.)

The above athletes will compete at the ICF Slalom World Championships in McHenry, Md., Sept. 16-21, 2014.

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 Charlotte, 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.

Links: Results. Deep Creek 2014 World Championships.

The U.S. will field a veteran squad at the World Championships, including a combined 8 Olympic appearances. Fabien Lefevre, a two-time Olympic medalist for France, will be joined on Team USA by Olympians Casey Eichfeld (2012, 2008), Rick Powell (2008), Benn Fraker (2008), Jeff Larimer (2012) and Eric Hurd (2012).

Lefevre finished first in both men's K-1 and C-1 and will look to improve upon his 4th place finish at the 2013 World Championships. Michal Smolen and Zach Lokken will compete in both the Senior and Under-23 World Championships in Penrith, Australia.

"It was quite windy and that made runs complicated to paddle for the third race," Lefevre said. "My two first places yesterday in K-1 and C-1 for the last race allowed me to be the winner of the US National Trials. I'm very happy and proud to represent the US for another season! ... The US Team looks pretty similar compared with last season and that certainly creates a good atmosphere in the group. Technically speaking, I am satisfied with my races and get new leads to work on for the next few months."

In women's K-1, Dana Mann and Ashley Nee battled all weekend with Mann recording the fastest time on two of three days. Colleen Hickey ran away with top honors among women's canoes. Coming off their Gold Medal performance at the Oceania Championships, the C-2 pairing of Eichfeld and McEwan continued their momentum at Trials separating themselves from the rest of the field. Rarely competing since the 2012 season, Fraker, Hurd, and Larimer returned to the water to qualify for the World Championships in men's C-2.

"Slalom Trials accomplished it's first goal - to select the best team possible to represent the United States and ultimately achieve great results at the 2014 Slalom World Championships in Western MD," said USA Canoe/Kayak CEO Joe Jacobi. "Our top athletes performed extremely well and are making incredible strides on their racing. We are grateful to the U.S. National Whitewater Center for hosting an excellent event."

IOC Confirms Lisa Carrington (NZL) as Athlete Role Model / Women Other Water Sports

Sporting legends to mentor athletes at Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games.The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently announced Lisa Carrington (NZL), the Canoe Sprint K1 200m Olympic Champion and multiple World Champion, as one of the of 37 Athlete Role Models (ARMs) who will attend the 2nd Summer Youth Olympic Games from 16 to 28 August in Nanjing, China.

Carrington, who was nominated by the International Canoe Federation, will join a group of other elite competitors from the world of sport. In Nanjing, every Athlete Role Model will play a key role in supporting, mentoring and offering advice to the 3,800 young athletes who will be participating in the Games.

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.

ISAF | World Sailing: Rio 2016 Paralympic Sailing Competition Qualification System Released

The Qualification System for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Sailing Competition has been released.

The first Qualification Regatta, the 2014 High Liner IFDS World Championships, takes place from 16-24 August 2014 at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron, Halifax, Canada.

Ireland played host to 2013 IFDS Worlds

The Squadron will welcome 150 world class disabled athletes across three Paralympic events as they aim to qualify their nation for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Sailing Competition

Rio 2016 Olympic Test Event Notice Of Race Published / ISAF | World Sailing

The Notice of Race for the Aquece Rio - International Sailing Regatta 2014 has been published.

Aquece Rio is the first of two 'Test Events' for the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition and will welcome sailors across the ten Olympic sailing events from 2 to 9 August 2014. The regatta venue is the Marina da Glória with racing taking place inside and outside the Guanabara Bay.

Each ISAF Member National Authority (MNA) is entitled to enter two boats in each event and must register with Rio 2016 not later than 1 May 2014.

Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition
The Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition will take place at the Marina da Glória, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and will feature 380 athletes competing across ten events.

Racing is scheduled to take place from 8-18 August 2016 and the competition format for all events is fleet racing.

Regatta Information

Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition Qualification System / ISAF / World Sailing

The qualification system for the 2016 Olympic Sailing Qualification has been published.  Click here to download the Qualification System.

The Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition regatta venue is the Marina da Glória with racing taking place inside and outside the Guanabara Bay and will feature 380 athletes competing across the following 10 events:

Men's Windsurfer - RS: X
Men's One Person Dinghy - Laser
Men's One Person Dinghy (Heavyweight) - Finn
Men's Two Person Dinghy - 470
Men's Skiff - 49er

Women's Windsurfer - RS: X
Women's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Women's Two Person Dinghy - 470
Women's Skiff - 49er FX

Mixed Multihull - Nacra 17

Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) may enter a maximum of one boat per event, a total of 15 athletes (eight men and seven women).

Tight Tactical Racing The Name Of The Game In Miami | MOCR

Tight tactical racing was the name of the game on the second day of ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami as light breeze tested the patience and nerves of the 580 sailors from 50 nations.

Sailors and their coaches made the most of morning down time for the second consecutive day, as the breeze refused to cooperate early on Biscayne Bay.

The AP flags began to drop around the five sailing venues in Miami between 14:00 and 15:00 local time. Race Committees prepared to fit in one race each during the afternoon session. The local breeze on the bay hit 4 knots by late afternoon, giving the committee hope that racing was possible.

Whilst the sun was out, the breeze came in slowly allowing one race per fleet apart from the RS:X and Nacra 17 fleets that managed to squeeze in two.

MOCR | ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami – Jan. 26 to Feb. 1, 2014

We are just over a week away from the start of US Sailing’s premier racing event. Racing at the 2014 ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami will take place on January 27 through February 1 on Biscayne Bay. This world class regatta is the only North American regatta to be included in the International Sailing Federation’s (ISAF) 2013-14 Sailing World Cup series.

Is he coming back? Michael Phelps vague about Olympic future

Barcelona, Spain - (AP) -- When Michael Phelps walked away from swimming after the London Olympics, he was adamant about one thing: His career was over.
Now, it sounds like he's not so sure.

Former Olympic and world swimming champion Michael Phelps of the US attends the unveiling of a mosaic installed in his honour at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, July 28, 2013 .

(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

While saying he's never been happier with his life -- and certainly doesn't miss the grind of what it took to become the winningest athlete in Olympic history -- Phelps left the door open to change his mind before the 2016 Rio Games.

"I don't know what's going to happen in the future," Phelps said Monday. "I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow."

In Barcelona for the world swimming championships, Phelps spoke to The Associated Press and other international media organizations in a series of one-on-one interviews set up by his sponsor, Speedo. When asked by the AP, yes or no, whether he'll compete at the next Olympics, Phelps coyly said he hasn't planned that far ahead in his life.