Published: July 17, 2008 10:11 am         

Olympic Training

Olympic athletes train on Garrett course

MCHENRY - Before going to Beijing in August, members of the U.S. Olympic Kayak/Canoe Team are training in Garrett County at Adventure Sports Center International. The team includes two of ASCI's own trainers.

"This course is more realistic," Casey Eichfeld said, referring to the center's state-of-the-art recirculating whitewater course. "There is more concrete with other manmade courses. Right now we're working on some techniques, training and media work. We've done a lot of interviews. It's a chance to get the Olympic team together."

Eichfeld is a Drums, Pa., resident who competes in the C-2, a two-man canoe, with Parksburg, Pa., resident Richard Powell. Both are also part-time employees at ASCI. The two have known each other since they were boys after meeting at a race in 1995 and were ranked at the top of the C- class in 2007.

Powell said he is excited about the Olympic competition, which begins Aug. 8, and another opportunity to visit areas around Beijing. He said that last October, he and other team members were given the chance to try out the course there, and at the time got the opportunity to see Tiananmen Square.

While they prepare for the Olympics, Eichfeld said they are trying to ensure they don't overwork themselves before they get to China.

For fellow team member Scott Parsons of Bethesda, coming to ASCI has been a relaxing experience as well as helpful in maintaining his whitewater training.

"It's nice to get away from the city and come up here to have some quiet time," Parsons said. "The course in Beijing is very challenging, and I'm trying to make sure my whitewater skill is where it needs to be. The course here, it's a little different and it's made to mimic a natural river. Beijing's course is more artificial, but that's a good thing. It keeps us on our toes."

Parsons competed in 2004 at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, but said while he has an idea of what to expect, he is certain that Beijing will be a completely different experience.

This could be particularly true for his fellow teammates who have not competed in the Olympics before. He did say they are experienced enough in competitions to have an idea of what to expect and have only asked him a few minor questions about what they should anticipate.

Just the initial preparation has kept Benn Fraker busy. Fraker races C-1, a single-man canoe and said it has been that way since he found out he qualified for the Olympics, but he is looking forward to it.

Even while in Garrett County, the Atlanta, Ga., resident said that small groups of people have been gathering at the training sessions to watch the team on the course.

Parsons said the attention is always a sudden change for the competitors.

"Every four years we get this kind of attention," Parsons said. "It's very strange for us for people to be interested enough to watch us train."

After each session on the course, Fraker said, they also watch their own training session on video to find their weak points and spot possible mistakes.

For the employees at Adventure Sports, having the team training there has been an interesting experience. Jesse Shimrock, marketing coordinator, said they have watched the course go from its highest setting to its lowest in a matter of 25 minutes.

"The adjustability of the course lets us tame it down for a family to enjoy," Shimrock said. "The class 4 makes it challenging for the Olympians to train. We're watching them in the morning, then families later in the day at a different setting."

He said this has allowed them to change the settings to accommodate more technical aspects and the other needs of the Olympians.

Contact Sarah Moses at smoses@times-news.com.