Rookies make U.S. kayak team
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
When it comes to fast kayak paddlers, Hawai'i has some fast learners.
Photo courtesy of Hawai'i Canoe & Kayak Team
Patrick Dolan and Eric Abbott proved it last week at the Flatwater Sprint United States Trials at Lake Placid, N.Y.
Eric Abbott, left, and Patrick Dolan qualified for the United States Junior National Team in their first year as kayakers. "It shows how deep the talent pool is in Hawai'i," said Hawai'i coach Jim Farnum.
Dolan and Abbott qualified for the United States Junior National Team. Both are first-year kayakers.
They will represent the United States at the Junior World Championships in Hungary Aug. 5 to 8. The junior events are for paddlers ages 18 and younger.
"It's a very impressive accomplishment," Hawai'i coach Jim Farnum said. "It shows how deep the talent pool is in Hawai'i."
Dolan, 17, was especially impressive, placing second in several of the "finals" races.
"I can honestly say I was blown away with how I did," said Dolan, who will be a senior at Maryknoll in the fall. "I've only been kayaking for a few months so I never really expected this."
According to Farnum, most of the other paddlers at the trials had at least five years of kayak experience.
Dolan is better known in Hawai'i as an elite canoe paddler.
"There's actually a lot of differences between (canoes) and kayaking," Dolan said. "The balance is different. I remember flipping over almost every day when I first got on the kayak."
Abbott, 18, also started kayaking last year. He and Dolan have been training daily with the Hawai'i Canoe & Kayak Team since November.
"Eric is a great athlete and he works as hard as anybody out there," Farnum said.
Abbott and Dolan placed second in the final of the K-2 (two-person) 1,000-meter race.
"We practice together at 5:45 every morning on the Ala Wai (Canal) and it all paid off," said Abbott, a senior-to-be at Punahou. "This is the coolest thing I could experience."
Abbott and Dolan will train with the junior national team in New York until the world championships. They are two of seven paddlers on the junior national team.
Two other Hawai'i junior paddlers — Cole Scott and Kai Chong — were selected to participate in the Pan American Championships at Quebec, Canada, July 7 to 10.
Also last week, Hawai'i paddlers Andy Bussey and Brandon Woods made the U.S Senior National Team, which is the equivalent of the USA Olympic team during Olympic years.
They will represent the United States at the World Sprint Championships in Croatia, Aug. 25 to 28. Only five paddlers were selected to the senior national team.
At the trials, Bussey was a part of three winning teams. He and Woods teamed with Jeff Smoke of Michigan and Daniel Krawczyk of New York to win the K-4 (four-person) 1,000-meter race. Bussey and Smoke also won the K-2 500-meter and 1,000-meter races.
"It was nice to be up there at the top of the pack," Bussey said. "Last year, I was kind of considered a surprise to make the team, but this year I was expected to make it, so there was some pressure."
Bussey, 26, represented the United States at last year's Olympics.
"I think I was concentrating more on just making the team last year," said Bussey, a Punahou graduate. "This year I feel like I can focus my training more on the actual races."
Woods, 21, is a Mid-Pacific graduate. He has been training with Bussey in Miami this year.
"He's the youngest guy on the team and he's really progressed," Bussey said of Woods.
Notes
According to the Hawai'i coaches, the paddlers who made the national teams are required to pay their way to the world championships. Donations and sponsorships are being accepted by the Hawai'i Canoe & Kayak Team. For information, call Chris Ball at 227-5806 or Jim Farnum at 781-3795.
Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8101.
