David Hearn’s Olympic Journal

Training on the Ocoee River Olympic Course

Training has finally begun again on the Ocoee River Olympic course. It has been seven weeks since we had the Olympic Team Trials. I have been looking forward to getting back on the for a couple weeks now. Each country has a seventy minute long training time slot per day, for thirteen water days, leading up to the whitewater practice runs on July 26. Each of the training slots allows for 17 boats on the water at one time, so it seems fairly empty on the race course, compared to all of our previous training sessions. At the date of this journal entry, only 7 countries have arrived to practice: Australia, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, Slovenia, and USA.

Eric Giddens is the most recent addition to the U.S. Whitewater Olympic Team. Eric just found out less than two weeks ago that he will be competing in the Olympic Games! Congratulations Giddo! Thanks to his great performance at the Olympic Team Trials and the 1995 World Championship results, Giddo placed the U.S. Team in line for a third boat. It was a done deal when Mexico decided not to send their kayak to the Games.

Team USA is now composed of 9 athletes which make up these 8 boats competing in the 1996 Olympic Games: Men’s Kayak K1 x 3: Rich Weiss, Scott Shipley, Eric Giddens; Women’s Kayak K1W x 2: Dana Chladek, Cathy Hearn; Men’s Double Canoe C2 Team x 1: Wayne Dickert & Horace Holden; and Men’s Single Canoe C1 x 2: David Hearn, Adam Clawson.

The upper Ocoee River practice water is turned on every day from about 9 am until 5 pm. The water level so far is slightly higher than the water we have seen this year during both the April World Cup and the May Olympic Team Trials. The higher water level is especially noticeable in the waves leading into the huge “Humongous” hydraulic and the standing waves leading to the finish line. The water feels big, fun and cool. All of the slalom athletes and river rescue personnel finally get a chance to enjoy the Ocoee’s refreshing whitewater during these sunny and eighty degree days.

The temporary metal and wood seat bleachers for 14,000 general admission spectators are all in place along the river right bank of the course. If you will be attending the whitewater slalom events on July 26-28, it would be a good idea to bring a cushion to sit on, a hat, plenty of sunscreen, water, and binoculars if you have them. The spectator view along the entire course should be outstanding. Take the time to carefully read the back of your Olympic ticket so that you are not surprised at the gate on race day.

The Olympic banners and colors are going up along the venue today. The visitor’s welcome center and legacy building is getting all of the finishing touches. Olympians are arriving at the Cleveland Lee College athlete’s village, while colorful banners and new Ocoee signs line the routes to spectator parking areas.

Olympic realization will come for many when the Olympic Torch Relay arrives in Copperhill, TN and McCaysville, GA the morning of July 16. The Olympic torch procession will continue down route 64 toward the Ocoee Olympic course making its way to the July 19 opening ceremony celebration in Atlanta.

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Last updated: January 18, 2006