Olympic trials in Charlotte, North CarolinaThe absolute pinnacle of competition: The Olympics. While there is definitely something to be said for competing against yourself, a spot at those fabled games is what so many paddlers at the Nantahala Outdoor Center are striving to land. And 22 – including two gold medalists – have.
Building on the proud whitewater tradition of the Ocoee and Nantahala rivers, the level of training and assistance the NOC provides athletes is nearly unparalleled. Olympic gold medalist Joe Jacobi trained at the NOC for years prior to his big win at Barcelona in 1992, and is still heavily involved with the organization today.
“The NOC doesn’t see a difference between amateurs and pros,” Jacobi says. “We’re just trying to support all racers trying to improve. That’s been a value of the organization since Day 1.”
As the largest outdoor recreation company in the nation, the center offers a wide array of outdoor activities to enthusiasts and outdoorsmen alike.
The NOC was established in 1972, the first year slalom canoeing was added to the Summer Games, and Jacobi says many of the U.S.’ representatives in the sport that year were members of the organization. That hasn’t changed.
Athletes like Michal Smolen have utilized the NOC’s world-class whitewater to train – Smolen for the Canoe Slalom World Cup in Barcelona last June and the 2016 Summer Games coming up in Rio in August – often getting jobs at the center as a way to earn some money while they train.
In Smolen’s case, though, the NOC went a bit further than just offering him a job.
Back in 2013, when Smolen had his stipend cut by the U.S. Olympic Committee during a wave of budget cuts, Jacobi says the NOC stepped up and directly sponsored him to the tune of roughly $1,000 a month.
“He had his breakout year in 2013,” says Jacobi. “He became the U23 world champion and won his first senior-level podium in the Czech Republic.”
The U.S. Olympic Committee resumed Smolen’s funding soon after, but the NOC continued to support the local champion, who was born in Poland but now lives in Gastonia, North Carolina. Jacobi says that sort of dedication to the sport is what kept him, Smolen and other athletes coming back.
“That’s just part of who we are and the organization’s values,” Jacobi says. “Supporting the Nantahala Racing Club and our youth programs goes along with it. We’re just looking to support local paddlers however possible.”
The NOC supports much more than just whitewater canoeing and paddling. For more information, check out the center’s website at noc.com, and visit nantahalaracingclub.com for more about the competitive side of the rivers.
Q&A: Michal (Mee-how) Smolen
Rio will be Smolen’s first Olympics, but in 2012 he had the opportunity to return to his native Poland and qualify for its Olympic team. Ultimately, he decided to wait for his full American citizenship, explaining that competing for Team USA has been his goal and he’d never want to represent another nation. We were lucky enough to speak with him following the Canoe Slalom World Cup in Barcelona, where he made it to the semifinals despite battling food poisoning.Get Out: Do you have a particular river or spot that’s your favorite to paddle?Michal Smolen: Yes, the takeout on the Nantahala River. It’s not a place you’d expect to be my favorite but it has a tremendous sentimental component. The very first time I ever had an encounter with whitewater was at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Every time I go back there it feels like traveling back in time 14 years.GO: You were recently named a Nike Athlete. Did you ever expect to have this much success?MS: Honestly, not really. My expectations have always been purely on performance and nothing else. Whatever sponsorships or bonuses that have arisen from my successes is just icing on top of the cake.GO: What’s Rio been like in your training thus far?MS: As far as training goes, it’s been really good for the most part. It takes a lot of practice to get accustomed to the water, and even though we’ve spent many weeks there training already, it’s hard to say that I’ll have everything figured out before the Games. That uncertainty, however, is what makes our sport so exciting.GO: Is there someone or something that’s inspired you as you’ve grown and trained?MS: I always looked up to many of the top athletes in my sport when I was young. Now, I get to compete against them, and it’s really quite a cool experience. I think it’s always important to look at the best athletes and see what makes them fast. You have to be able to constantly adapt in our sport, and receiving a hint from someone with a lot of experience goes a long way.GO: Do you think competing at the Olympics will be different than at the World Championships?MS: For sure. The Olympic scene is quite different and it brings much more attention to our sport than any other event. The nerves will be higher and the stakes will be at an ultimate high. Every single athlete wants to be on that podium as much as you do. The key is to set all that aside and be able to perform your best without letting yourself get caught up in all the excitement.GO: Any piece of gear that’s your favorite? Something you keep coming back to?MS: I recently saw one of my first kayaks stored away at my club [Nantahala Racing Club]. Our equipment is quite expensive, and to see that gear I used as a kid is still available for kids to try today is really cool.GO: Think you’ll be able to bring home the gold?MS: It’s always exciting to think about the possibility of coming home with a medal. Come this summer, I’ll set out to have the best performance possible, and hopefully by achieving that it will mean a spot on the podium.
Whitewater Junior Olympics
The Nantahala Racing Club at the NOC is hosting the 2016 Whitewater Junior Olympics on the Nantahala River July 29-31. The national competition features slalom, downriver and freestyle competition as well as just-for-fun activities both on and off the water, including a duckie-cross, a standup free paddle and yard games.