this an article that I wrote about team trials. I hope you enjoy it! Also I have a C-1 X for sale you can check that on the gear sale page of this website. or you can contact me at 301-432-4062 seth_c1@yahoo.com
Seth Chapelle
This year I competed in the US Freestyle Kayak Team Trials for my fourth year. These where held on the Black River in Watertown New York. I was nervous coming into this competition because I did not have very much practice time on the wave where the competition would be held. Unseasonably high water had caused the wave to be washed out until the day before the competition. However I had enough time to figure what tricks I could do on the wave and it was to my advantage that the shape of the wave allowed me to perform most of my tricks on the side that I am better performing them.
The first day of competition came and there where eleven C-1 (decked canoe) competitors that is the division that I compete in (of course
. First we had the preliminary’s from which the top five place finishers would go on to compete in finals. I placed 2nd in the prelims which would qualify me to compete in the finals. Congradulations to Craig Smerda who placed 5th, qualifying for finals aswell. Of the five competitors remaining I had to place 2nd or better in order to qualify for the US Freestyle Kayak Team. The format for the finals was each competitor would get to take two 45 second rides/surfs on the wave where they have to try to perform the most variety of different tricks possible. With the more difficult tricks being worth a higher point value and the higher scoring ride counts. I knew I had to do at least as well in finals as I had done in prelims. And I did I placed 2nd qualifying me for the US Freestyle Kayak Team. This is a HUGE deal for me! I have competed at Team Trials the past four years but never placed well enough to make the team in a C-1 until this year! I made the 2003 US Team in OC-1 (open canoe) and paddled in Graz Austria placing 4th in the World. It was awesome and I am so thankful for that opportunity and for everyone who made it possible for me. You can check out a video clip from team trials that has me in it at justfluid.com I also have a team bio on that website. As a member of the US Freestyle Team, I am eligible to compete in the biggest, most important event of freestyle kayaking the World Freestyle Kayak Championships. These will be held in Penrith, Australia in January 2005. This is an amazing opportunity for me. I am so excited to represent my country on the international level once again. I have always wanted to travel to Australia and New Zealand but I never thought I would actually have a chance to do that. I do have to raise the necessary funds to travel to Australia and compete in the world championships.
I am sponsored by a kayak company named Fluid kayaks (http://justfluid.com/ or www.fluidkayaks.com) based out of South Africa. I have been invited to travel with the Fluid Kayak Team to South Africa and Zambia in November and December 2004. We will tour the Fluid factory then paddle the spectacular and mighty Zambezi River while a promotional video is being filmed. The white water section of the Zambezi starts directly downstream of Victoria Falls! I cannot even imagine how beautiful this area must be. We might also surf our kayaks on the waves in the Indian Ocean. This trip would a great training opportunity for me to prepare for the world championships. Fluid has agreed to cover all my expenses once I arrive in South Africa; however, I have to pay for my round-trip airline ticket, which will cost between $1200 and $1500.
Both of these trips are amazing opportunities for me, Would you be willing to help make this possible by contributing? All donations can be sent to: P.O. Box 44, 127 W Main St. Sharpsburg, MD 21782. Checks should be made payable to: Seth Chapelle. All the money received will be put in a savings account specifically for my trip donations!
Thank you for your support.
Seth Chapelle
US freestyle kayak team memeber
