Inside or Out, Winter Sports Thrive in Maryland

The ice and snow our region received this past weekend was a welcome sight for some athletes, but it didn’t leave other athletes out in the cold, either. On Saturday, the University of Maryland track and field team hosted its annual Terrapin Invitational indoor track and field meet at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex. Twenty-three collegiate teams competed in the all-day event.

The Few, The Proud, The Savage

Today we have a guest blog from Suzanne Nicolas, Event and Special Groups Coordinator at Adventure Sports Center International in Deep Creek.  She helped organize the Savage Man Triathlon and gives her perspective on the race!

This past weekend more than 1200 athletes from 32 states and 7 countries (including more than 150 from Maryland) came to Garrett County to participate in the “World’s Hardest Triathlon” – The 5^th Annual SavageMan.  The brainchild of local athlete, Kyle Yost; the event is managed by Greg Safko of the Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation based in Westminster, Maryland.  Their event monies all go directly to research and education.   Team Z – coached by Ed Zerkle – led the fundraising with over $31,000 as of Sunday.

Impressions from the World Championships

Terry was part of the Deep Creek 2014 Delegation that attended the 2011 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia. He went with the folks from Maryland and USA Canoe Kayak. Today we have another guest blog from Suzanne Nicolas, Event and Special Groups Coordinator at Adventure Sports Center International in Deep Creek and member of the leadership team for Deep Creek 2014!

The 2011 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships are over, and it was such an incredible experience on so many levels. The “Wow” factor of watching athletes compete at the Super Bowl of Whitewater was compounded by the pressure of claiming a spot for their country in the 2012 London Olympics next year.  This was summed up by a huge banner that was placed at water level, just before the athletes paddled to the start line, reading, “Your Ticket to London”.  The US Team’s Carolyn Queen and Scott Parson’s both secured boats for the US in Women and Men’s kayak.

More from Bratislava

Terry is part of the Deep Creek 2014 Delegation attending the 2011 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia. He is there with the folks from Maryland and USA Canoe Kayak.  Today we have a guest blog from former US Olympic Coach, Bob Campbell!

Saturday, September 10

An exciting day of racing at the Cunovo Sports Center where the 2011 Canoe Slalom World Championships are continuing outside Bratislava, Slovakia. After a couple of days of inclement weather with intense winds, the sun has returned and shed strong light on the intensity of competion among these top athletes. Fierce racing yesterday whittled down the field to 20 and 30 boats, respectively, in the Men’s double canoe (C2) and the women’s kayak (K1W) events. Times were amazingly close, as more than just making it through to the semi-finals, paddlers were also vying for Olympic berths for their home countries.

Thoughts on Day One From Bratislava

Terry is part of the Deep Creek 2014 Delegation attending the 2011 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia. He is there with the folks from Maryland  and USA Canoe Kayak.  Today we have a guest blog from the executive director of USA Canoe Kayak, Joe Jacobi!

For the first time ever, the Canoe Slalom World Championships are being held in Slovakia. Coming off three Olympic Gold Medals in Beijing (out of a possible four,) the home team is anxious to set the tone for the next year’s Olympic Games in London.

Over 400 athletes from 49 countries will take to the man-made rapids of the whitewater channel in Cunovo, a small village on the outskirts of Slovakia’s capital city, Bratislava. Many of the competitors have spent many weeks here learning every square inch of the river in hope of a podium finish.

First Day of Competition

Terry is part of the Deep Creek 2014 Delegation attending the 2011 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia. Here is his third blog entry chronicling Day 3 of his trip!

Wednesday, September 7

Today the course went hot with the c2 men’s and k1 women’s qualifications.  The first round was in the books, but Mother Nature spoke and threw us a nasty curve of wind postponing competition for the remainder of the day around four o’clock in Bratislava.  To my surprise, the competition for the day was wiped clean…no results counted, thus we must make up the day one competition once the weather cooperates, and that might not be until late tomorrow.

As many who are following may not know, this year’s worlds are a qualifying event for the 2012 London Olympics, so a lot is at stake for these world class athletes and the course here will definitely test their skills and fight.