2012 USA Wildwater Team Selection
(includes all results)
October 21, 2011 -- Elkhorn City, KY
This past weekend the USA Wildwater Team to compete in the World Championships in June 2012 near Bourg St. Maurice, France, and at the World Cups in Serbia and Bosnia, was selected at Team Trials on the Russell Fork in Kentucky. Unfortunately a number of our past team members were unable to attend Trials due to family emergencies or injury. However, the results produced a large number of athletes experienced in World Class competition, and potentially one of the biggest teams to leave the US since the turn of the century.
The selection procedure for the US team has been changed within the past few years to reflect the growing inclusion of sprint races at World Championships level, and the different physiology of sprint and classic racers. To ensure the strongest team available is selected to represent the USA, the first two racers in the Team Trials Classic and the first two racers in Team Trials Sprint race are selected. In addition, the two boats with the strongest percentage performance are considered for selection to the team in either Classic or Sprint IF they have beaten one of the racers already selected to the team in that discipline. Finally, to be considered for selection racers must meet the minimum percentage requirements from the race winner (K1M 18%, K1W 28%, C2 28%, C1 33%) in order to be selected. The results obtained produced athletes selected specifically for sprint or classic racing, the first time this has happened.
The following athletes made the team in C1 and C2:
C2 (Both Classic and Sprint)
C1 (Both Classic and Sprint)
- Tom Wier (Lake Stevens, WA)
- Jack Ditty (Morgantown, WV)
- John Pinyerd (Marietta, GA)
- Tom Popp (Hixson, TN)
To explain the selection of K1 Men and K1 Women teams fully it is necessary to go through the race weekend chromologically.
Day 1: K1 Men
- Emmanuel Beauchard – SELECTED
- Chris Hipgrave – declined selection
- Kurt Smithgall – SELECTED
- Terry Smith
- Jeremy Rodgers
- Jeremy DiCasolo
- Chris Norbury
Day 1: K1 Women
- Tierney O’Sullivan - SELECTED
- Haley Popp – SELECTED
- Marin Millar
- Jennie Goldberg
- Joetta LaBadie
- Bailey O'Sullivan
Day 2: K1 Men
- Chris Hipgrave – declined selection
- Emmanuel Beauchard – already selected
- Kurt Smithgall – already selected
- Jeremy DiCasolo - SELECTED
- Chris Norbury - SELECTED
- Terry Smith
- Jeremy Rodgers
Day 2: K1 Women
- Tierney O’Sullivan – already selected
- Marin Millar - SELECTED
- Haley Popp – already selected
- Joetta LaBadie - SELECTED
- Jennie Goldberg
- Bailey O’Sullivan
Boats 5 and 6
In K1 Men, both Terry Smith and Jeremy Rodgers beat both Jeremy Dicasolo and Chris Norbury in the Classic race, so they are selected to race in the Classic race.
In K1 Women, Jennie Goldberg beat Joetta LaBadie in the Classic race and so is selected to race in the Classic race. Bailey O'Sullivan did not beat any of the racers ranked ahead of her, but did make the minimum percentage, so she is listed as an alternate in case injury or circumstance prevent all of the slots on the team being filled.
These results produced the following team in K1 Men and Women:
K1 Women Classic
K1 Women Sprint
- Tierney O'Sullivan (Roswell, GA)
- Marin Millar (Bellevue, WA)
- Haley Popp (Hixson, TN)
- Joetta LaBadie (Roswell, GA)
- Alternate: Bailey O'Sullivan
K1 Men Classic
- Emmanuel Beauchard (D'Arc, France)
- Kurt Smithgall (State College, PA)
- Terry Smith (Signal Mnt., TN)
- Jeremy Rogers (Boulder, CO)
K1 Men Sprint
- Emmanuel Beauchard (D'Arc, France)
- Kurt Smithgall (State College, PA)
- Jeremy DiCasolo (Pittsburgh, PA)
- Chris Norbury (Palmyra, PA)
Please join me in wishing those competing in next years World Championships the best of health over the winter as they prepare for the upcoming season.
Chris Norbury,
Events and Programs Coordinator, USA Wildwater Committee.
Links to the complete results: