U.S. Junior Olympics Festival 2010

by Chuck Brabec USAWildwater.com Webmaster

January 25, 2010 -- Canvas, WV The U.S. Junior Olympics Festival 2010 is scheduled for July 10-18 at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in western North Carolina. The Junior Olympics are events for aspiring cadet and promising junior paddlers. This year the Junior Olympics will include both sprint and classic wildwater events. In order to qualify for any (and all) of the Junior Olympic events one can qualify in either wildwater/downriver, slalom or freestyle. Those who qualify can participate in all of these events at the Junior Olympics. The following USA Wildwater events are qualifying races: 2009 Junior Wildwater Team 2010 Glacier Breaker (NC) - February 27-28 2010 Cedar River Race (WA) - March 13 2010 Red Moshannon Downriver Race (PA) - March 27 2010 US Open & Eastern Wildwater Junior Team Trials (NC) - March 28-29 2010 Salmon River Wildwater Race (NY) - April 10-11 2010 Webster Weekend Downriver Race - April 10 2010 Western Junior Team Trials (CO) - April 24-25 2010 Golden Race (CO) - April 30 & May 1 2010 FIBArk Wildwater Series (CO) - June 17-20 Those youths who qualify and wish to go to the Junior Olympic Festival must at that point be individual members of USACK. Youths qualify in one of 4 age group categories using the ICF/USACK age group definitions: Cub Cadet: (BD 2000-1998) (three years in this grouping, the others are 2-year groupings) Cadet: (BD 1997-1996) Junior 15-16: (BD 1995-1994) Junior:(BD 1993-1992) They also qualify in any one or more of the classes which are singles kayak for men (K1-M) or women (K1-W), singles canoe for men (C1-M) or women (C1-W), and doubles canoe for men (C2-M), women (C2-W), or mixed gender (C2-Mixed). Qualification is for a specific boat class, kayak or canoe, and will apply for any or all of the events in slalom, wildwater, or freestyle. The present system used for qualifying is as follows: In the kayak classes, the top four not previously qualified will qualify. In singles canoe the top three will qualify and in doubles canoe the top two. Stayed tuned to USAWildwater.com for updates. You can also contact David Kurtz, National Chairman USA Canoe/Kayak Junior Olympics Program, at d1k@psu.edu or 814-237-7727 or 814-222-0052.