USA Canoe/Kayak
For the second straight week, Team USA competed in 3 different events across the globe.
2012 Dragon Boat World Championships
Where: Milan, Italy
When: Aug. 30-Sept. 2
Links:Results. USA Recap. ICF Recap.
Who: The 78-member U.S. Dragon Boat Team finished fifth in the overall medal count with one silver medal and eight bronze medals. The U.S. Master Women’s 20-person 2000m crew took the silver medal while the U.S. won bronze in both the Senior and Master Mixed 10-person 200m distances.
Mike Blundetto, U.S. National Team Coach: "Although the U.S. National Team was a bit inexperienced at this level with only one-third ever having competed at the World Level, all athletes rose to the occasion and represented very well. Next go around, I anticipate Team USA to be the team to beat because this year was a building year with athlete recruitment and with the success we had in Italy, I believe more qualified athletes from across the nation and within the USACK family will want to be a part of Dragon Boat USA's National Team. Great job Team USA!"
Where: Hartford, Tenn. - Pigeon River
When: Aug. 28-Sept. 1
Link:Results. ICF Recap.
Who: Dane Jackson (Rock Island, Tenn.) defended his World Cup title in Men’s Canoe and added another one in Men’s Squirt. Americans Seth Chappelle and Jordan Poffenberger placed 1st and 2nd in Men’s OC while Emily Jackson (Rock Island, Tenn.) took 2nd in Women’s Kayak after winning the event at World Cup No. 1. Peter Csonka of Slovakia and Claire O’Hara of Great Britain won the Men’s and Women’s Kayak events, respectively. The third and final Freestyle World Cup will be held in Bryson City, N.C. This time next year, the U.S. and the Nantahala River will host the 2013 Freestyle World Championships.
2012 Slalom World Cup No. 5
Where: Bratislava, Slovakia
When: Aug. 30-Sept. 2
Link:Results. ICF Recap.
Who: Michal Smolen (Gastonia, N.C.) finished 14th among Men’s Kayaks Saturday with a semifinal run time of 110.87, including 2 penalty seconds. His time was +7.90 seconds behind the semifinal’s first place finisher and 1.37 seconds from finishing in the Top 10 and qualifying for the final round. Smolen reached the finals at World Cup No. 4, placing 9th. Aaron Mann (Bethesda, Md.) placed 41st with a time of 126.65, including 4 penalty seconds.
USA Canoe/Kayak is a non-profit membership organization based in
Oklahoma City, OK, promoting canoe and kayak racing in the United States. A
member of the United States Olympic Committee, USA Canoe/Kayak is the national
governing body for the Olympic sports of Flatwater Sprint and Whitewater Slalom
and the official U.S. federation of the International Canoe Federation. Other
paddling sports sanctioned by USACanoe/Kayak include Marathon, Freestyle,
Wildwater, Stand Up Paddleboard, Canoe Polo, Canoe Sailing, Outrigger, and
Dragon Boat. 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.