The 2011 US Junior Wildwater Team Has Been Selected by Thomas Popp |
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May 19, 2011 -- Chattanooga, TN The US Junior Wildwater Team Trials were held in two parts. The Eastern Team Trials were held in Bryson City, North Carolina on the Nantahala River on March 26-27th and the Western Team Trials took place in Glenwood Springs, Colorado on the Colorado River on April 16-17th. The Eastern Team Trials yielded two K1 men: Michael Autenrieth of Seattle, WA and Elliot Bertrand of New York City, NY. Also selected was returning team member Haley Popp of Chattanooga, TN for K1 women and the C2 men team of Bryson Popp (also returning US team member) and partner Alex Sumida, both of Chattanooga, TN. The Western Team Trials yielded another two K1 men: Cully Brown of Durango, CO and Spencer Huff of Lyons, CO. Another K1 woman was also selected, Naomi Everhart of Boulder, CO. Representing the notably large C2 men’s class are Devon Dapuzzo of Longmont, CO and partner David McConnell of Boulder, CO; Nick Rinard of Longmont, CO and partner Zach Gallup of Boulder, CO; Will Coggan of Louisville, CO and partner Gabriel Machado also of Louisville, CO. Doug Richie of Seattle, WA and Tom Popp of Chattanooga, TN will lead the Junior Team when they arrive in Opava and are the Junior Team’s coaches and Team Managers. The combined team will travel to the 2011 ICF Wildwater Junior World Championships in Czech Republic this summer. There they will compete on the class I-II Moravice River near the town of Opava, which is located east of Prague in the northeastern region of Czech Republic. The events will take place from July 25th to 31st and consist of individual sprint and classic races, as well as team sprint and classic races. Close to 150 competitors from roughly 20 countries are expected to participate in this years Junior World Championship event. For more information regarding the Junior World Championships go to: www.canoe2011.com/ You can learn more about some of the athletes at: www.usawildwater.com/athletes.html.
Thomas Popp
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