Pablo McCandless Hopes to Race for Chile in the 2004 Olympic Games
Pablo McCandless competes on the Dickerson
Whitewater Course March 2004 by Dave Murray
I had the pleasure to sit down and talk with Pablo McCandless, age 22, during the Junior Team Trials at the Nantahala River, in North Carolina. Pablo had just returned from competing in his first World Cup competition on the new Olympic Whitewater Course in Athens, Greece. In fact, Pablo did so well in the Athens World Cup event, which served as the final Olympic Qualifying race, that he placed Chile at the top of the list for the next available Canoe/Kayak Olympic berth in the 2004 Olympic Games!
Jennifer: When did you get started kayaking?
Pablo: I started paddling with Tom McEwan when I was 15 and began slalom racing the very next year. At the time, my Mom mentioned competing for Chile, but I did not really think about it again until the winter of 2001 when I was training in Australia. Many of the international coaches were talking about finding athletes who were eligible to compete for developing countries so that there would be more countries competing in the 2008 Olympics. Chile already had people racing slalom, so that was good.
Jennifer: Was it tough for you to decide if you should compete for Chile?
Pablo: It became official in my mind when I decided not to compete in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. I was given the option to compete as an international competitor in South Bend. That was a scary decision. After the Athens World Cup, I’m really happy with my choice. Before, I thought I might have the chance to make it for 2008. I thought it would be great to make top 40 in the World Cup, but then it was easier to make than I thought. Now I get a chance to compete in the 2004 Olympics.
Jennifer: What races will you use to prepare for the 2004 Athens Olympics?
Pablo: I plan to attend every World Cup. I have no experience with World Cup racing and I got pretty nervous. For my 2nd and 3rd runs I was hanging on for dear life. I didn’t know how it all worked. My first run was easy and it was fast. If I didn’t have the two touches I would have been in first place. Then I was scared and lost, and didn’t know what to do. I felt like there was a lot of pressure on me. I didn’t know how to race, how hard to go or how easy to go. So I am going to practice in the World Cup races in La Seu d’Urgell, Spain and Merano, Italy next. I am hoping the Chilean Federation will help me with my World Cup expenses. They said they would if Chile is added to the Olympic Games.
Jennifer: What’s the Athens Olympic Whitewater Course like?
Pablo: It’s so much fun. My first run down the course I was giggling the whole way down. The water is typical artificial whitewater course water, and I didn’t notice the salt water. It didn’t bug me. It’s hard to see the currents because the foam is hiding the whitewater current underneath. During the first week, it was hard to learn which holes were where on the course. Visualization helped me learn it. I drew the course out in my mind. Once it starts turning it doesn’t stop dropping.
Jennifer: What was the course like after the Athens World Cup when they started changing the course by moving the obstacles around?
Pablo: The first day they tried a new course configuration we couldn’t make any of the gates, but they kept improving the course day after day, which was good because they need to play with the course. I didn’t know they could improve it so much. I was shocked actually. All they did was move some obstacles around!
Jennifer: When you hear from the Chilean Federation (hopefully around June 19th or so) that you have been named to the 2004 Olympic Team, whom would you like to invite to watch you compete?
Pablo: I hope that my parents and my grandfather can attend. I want my parents to be there, I couldn’t do this without them. They actually seem more excited about this than I am!
Jennifer: Thank you Pablo and good luck in the World Cup races! We have our fingers crossed that you will be competing for Chile in your first Olympic Games this summer!
As I write, Pablo is already in Spain getting ready for his second World Cup race. He has paid his own way and plans to continue to prepare for the 2004 Olympics by racing in every World Cup this summer. Stay tuned as the details unfold.
post script 6/26/04 - It would seem that Pablo's dreams are dashed for representing Chile in the 2004 Whitewater Slalom Olympic Games. As of June 18th, all 20 countries have accepted their Olympic positions and 2 wild-card countries have been added to the slalom program. At this point there are no other slalom positions to award.
