2007 USACK Sprint Nationals: Day 2 Summary
Day 2 Summary
August 15, 2007
The USACK Sprint National Championships wrapped the second and final day of the 1000 meter races Wednesday at Seattle's Green Lake venue. The racers wowed fans and spectators with outstanding performances in their final races as paddlers competed for a coveted National Champion title. Competition was more diverse and much fiercer than yesterday, as canoes and kayaks contended against one another in multiple categories. Team boats received more attention today as well, with paddlers finally receiving the opportunity to test not only their speed and endurance but also their synchronization and teamwork against other top teams in the country. While the wind did not prove as troublesome during the finals as it had during the heats and the semi-finals, it was still present, albeit not until later in the afternoon, where gusts reportedly reached almost 17 miles per hour.
Exciting fans was the return of three-time Olympian Peter Newton, who raced in the K-2 with his partner from the 1996 Atlanta Games, John Mooney. The veteran pair was challenged, however, by current national team members Pat Dolan and Brandon Woods, resulting in a race-off down the final few hundred meters of the course, with Dolan and Woods just managing to edge out the former Olympians and claim the National Champion title. Newton, Dolan and Woods later teamed up with fellow Hawaiian teammate Eric Abbott to claim the K-4 National Champion title as well. Other noteworthy racers were Seattle's Daphne Austin and Chelsea Smith from the Lanier Club, finishing in the first and second spots respectively in their Bantam (under 14) 1000m final. Smith paired with teammate Skyler Bragg to claim the championship spot in the K-2 women's Bantam final. Two-time Olympian Jordan Malloch powered his way to victory in his C1 final, while Junior World team member Peter Metzger claimed first place in his K1, K2 and K4 events. The Hawaii team gave a good show, as aside from the excitement about Newton and Mooney's return, they fielded a strong team, including Bantams Trenton Tam and Chris Fong. Fong and Tam battled down the kilometer long course for the title of Bantam Men's K1 1000 m champion. Ultimately, Tam managed to edge Fong out, though the two paired together to dominate the field in the Bantam K2. Thursday brings the National championships to the 500 meter racecourse.
www.scn.org/rec/sckc/usack2007
Contacts: USACK-tamara@usack.org | SCKC-david@firstharvest.org
