How is the United States Flatwater Sprint Olympic Team Chosen?
1) How many sprint events will be held in the 1996 Olympic Games?
There are 12 sprint events: 1000 meter men’s events for K-1, K-2, K-4, C-1 and C-2; 500 meter men’s events for K-1, K-2, C-1 and C-2; and women’s K-1, K-2 and K-4.
2) Can any athlete participate in the Olympic Team Trials?
No. They must qualify to attend. All athletes must be U.S. citizens, USCKT members and eligible to represent the United States in the 1996 Olympic Games.
3) How many athletes Can qualify to compete in the 1996 Olympic Trials?
There will be 27 athletes in each of the three Olympic classes (men’s kayak, women’s kayak, and canoe) for a total of 81 athletes.
4) How do athletes qualify to compete in the Olympic trials?
There are four ways in which athletes may qualify to participate in the Olympic Trials. They may qualify via (1) membership on the 1995 National A Team, (2) results at the 1995 Fresca Sprint Nationals, (3) selection by the Sprint Racing Committee (SRC) Selector Committee, (4) or through the Last Chance Qualifier Race on Feb. 29, 1996.
5) Does the National A Team automatically qualify to participate in the Olympic Trials?
Yes. The 1995 National A Team, selected in 1994, automatically qualifies. The 11 athletes compete in the Sprint World Championships, as well as other international events, representing the United States.
6) How can an athlete qualify for the Trials at the Sprint Nationals?
The 1995 Fresca Sprint National Championships will be held Aug. 22-26 in Seattle, Wash. Athletes will be added based on points scored at the event to bring the number of athletes in each sprint canoe/kayak category to 20.
7) How are the next athletes chosen?
Immediately following the Sprint Nationals (Aug. 26 or 27), the SRC Selector Committee will select five more athletes in each category to participate in the Olympic Trials based on evaluation of athlete improvement potential and performances in the following events: 1995 Fresca Sprint National Championships, U.S. Olympic Festival-’95, 1995 High Performance Team Trials and 1995 Junior World Team Trials.
8) Who is on the SRC Selector Committee?
The Selector Committee is comprised of two athletes who have represented the U.S. in international sprint canoe/ kayak competition within the past 10 years and who are not candidates for the 1996 Olympic Games; the Sprint High Performance Director/ Olympic Coach; the Assistant Olympic Coach and one person designated by the SRC Team Support Subcommittee.
9) What if an athlete declines the offer to participate in the Olympic Trials?
If one of the 25 athletes chosen at this point decides not to race, his/her position immediately will be filled with another athlete chosen by the Selector Committee. If an athlete decides not to participate in the Olympic Trials after this point, the position will not be filled.
10) How are the final two athletes chosen?
There will be a"Last Chance Race"held Feb. 29 at the same location of the Olympic Trials, where the final two n positions in each category will be filled. The following events will be raced: K-1 500 meters, K-1 W 500 meters and C1 500 meters. Those finishing first and second in the finals of each event will be the final two participants of those qualifying for the Olympic Trials. The deadline for entry with a $40 entry fee for this race is Feb. 15, 1996
11) When are the Olympic Trials. and how are they set up?
The Olympic Trials will be held March 1-4, 1 996, on Lower Stay Reservoir at the ARCO Olympic
Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. It will include four days of competition, followed by a one - two-week Selection Camp.
12) Do all who attended the Olympic Trials participate in the Selection Camp?
Based on performances in the Olympic Trials, 23 athletes of (10 kayak men, 7 kayak women, six canoeists) will qualify to participate in the Olympic Selection Camp. Winners of singles events in the Trials automatically qualify for the Selection Camp. For men, the remaining athletes will be chosen based on the combined points of their best two races. For women, the winner of the K-2 500 meter race automatically qualifies for the Camp, while the remainder of the athletes will be chosen based upon their K-1 results. The SRC Selector Committee me select additional athletes to a maximum of 35 athletes (15 kayak men, 10 kayak women, 10 canoeists).
13) How is the Olympic Selection Camp set up?
Lasting one to two weeks, the Selection Camp will allow coaches to try numerous boat combinations and athletes will supply feedback through questionnaires to the coaches. Near the conclusion of the Camp, the Selector Committee will determine the Olympic Training Squad based upon performances in the Team Trials, performance in the team boats during the Camp, and confirmation with ergometer testing. The last day of the Camp will consist of challenge races against the Olympic Training Squad boats from within the remaining athletes participating in the Camp.
14) How many athletes are chosen by the Selector Committee for the Olympics Games?
The number of athletes on the 1996 Olympic Team will depend upon the number of starting positions earned by the United States at the 1995 World Championships and the 1996 Hemispheric Qualifier. Of the athletes invited to the Olympic Selection Camp, a maximum number of 23 (10 kayak men, 7 kayak women, 6 canoeists} will be chosen by the Selector Committee to the U.S. Olympic Training Squad. The U.S., along with all other countries, must qualify for each starting position at the 1996 Olympic Games.
15) So the athletes in the Olympic Selection Camp will be participating in the Games?
Not necessarily. Some athletes chosen for the U.S. Olympic Training Squad will compete in the second qualifying event, the Olympic Hemispheric Qualifier, in which countries in North, Central and South America can qualify for starting positions in the 1996 Olympics. All U.S. athletes competing in a Hemispheric Olympic Qualifier will be members of the Olympic Training Squad; however, all athletes on the Training Squad will not necessarily compete in the Qualifier. After the Qualifier, the members of the U.S. Olympic Sprint Canoe and Kayak Team will be named by the Selector Committee for the U.S. boats which have qualified for the Olympic Games.
16) What method will be used to select the final US. Olympic Team?
Once the U.S. has qualified for start positions in the Olympic Games and knows the size of the 1996 Olympic Team, the Selector Committee will designate the Olympic Team. The Selector Committee will consider athlete performance at the 1996 Olympic Team Trials, training and competitions following the identification of the Olympic Training Squad, technical efficiency and compatibility, demonstrated team boat ability, combination sequencing, motivation, physiological testing and participation in training sessions and meetings during the Selection Camp in the identification of the athletes to be nominated for the 1996 Olympic Team. The final Olympic Team for sprint will be named within one week of the conclusion of the Hemispheric Qualification Race.
17) Then that will be the Olympic Team?
For all intents and purposes, yes. There is one more step in the process. The list of athletes will be submitted to the United States Olympic Committee’s International Games Preparation Committee for review and acceptance. This is pretty much a rubber-stamp endorsement of the athletes submitted by USCKT. However, the team does not receive the official title of Olympic Team until it is endorsed by the International Games Preparation Committee.
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