The event will be held on the historic Troja whitewater course in Prague, one of the first of its kind.  The Czech Republic has a long history of success in the sport of slalom, thanks in part to their access to the Troja canal.  They have not failed to bring home at least one medal from the World Championships since 1949.  Though the whitewater on the Troja canal is not as challenging as at some of the newer venues, athletes will have to maneuver their way down a technically difficult course that will also test their fitness.

Thursday will see the qualification runs of both the men’s kayaks (K-1) and men’s double canoes (C-2).  Athletes will paddle two runs down the course, with the total time deciding their rank at the end of qualification.  The top 40 boats in the K-1 class and the top 20 boats in the C-2 class will advance to the semi-finals on Saturday.  From there, only the top 10 boats will advance to the final Saturday afternoon.

The US has three strong entries in the men’s kayak class.  2004 Olympians Brett Heyl (Bethesda, Md.) and Scott Parsons (Bethesda, Md.) are both ranked in the top 15 in the world, and have more experience between them than anyone else on the US team.  Both athletes have placed in the top five at World Cups leading up to this event.  Parsons and Heyl train together on a regular basis and have both benefited greatly from the friendly rivalry that exists between them.

“Training and competing with and against Scotty has made me better than I could have ever become alone,” claims Heyl.  “I’m really excited to begin competition tomorrow.”

Also representing the US in the men’s kayak is Jim Wade (Boise, Id.), who is making his first appearance on the US national team.  Wade spent a few years on the Junior National Team and at the age of twenty is as athletically fit and mentally strong as anyone.  He also hopes to find success on the whitewater in Prague.

For Zuzana Vanha (Boulder, Colo.), top female boat on the US team this year, the race in Prague has a special appeal. Vanha was born in the Czech Republic and immigrated to the United States as a child. This year marks her first appearance on the US national team.

The US does not have an entry in the C-2 class at these World Championships.

Complete US Team in Prague:

Men’s Kayak:

Brett Heyl (Bethesda, Md.)

Scott Parsons (Bethesda, Md.)

Jim Wade (Bethesda, Md.)

Women’s Kayak:

Zuzana Vanha (Dillsboro, N.C.)

Jamie Tidmore (Bryson City, N.C.)

Molly Stock (Potomac, Md.)

Men’s Canoe:

Benn Fraker (Peachtree City, Ga.)

Jeff Larimer (Marietta, Ga.)

Austin Crane (Marietta, Ga.)