Woodstock Canoeist Paddles Toward Olympic Qualification

Eric Hurd of Woodstock and Jeff Larimer of Marietta will compete this weekend to earn a spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Canoe Team at the Slalom National Team Trials in Charlotte, NC.

Both these men are following in the wake of their paddling fathers, Mike Hurd and Mike Larimer. The elder Hurd and Larimer trained with each other on the Chattahoochee River just north of Atlanta.

Mike Hurd was also a high school All-American basketball player. Mike Larimer narrowly missed out on competing at the 1992 Olympic Games, but he was able to coach Team USA at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.

Surprisingly, their sons have only recently joined forces in doubles canoe. But the duo quickly established themselves as the best C-2 boat in North and South America with a .

The Olympic Team Trials for Whitewater Slalom at the U.S. National Whitewater Center will start Thursday. Viewers can watch the final day, Saturday, live at UniversalSports.com.

Athletes will complete two runs in varying events all three days from 3 to 7 p.m. The scores from the best four runs will determine who will advance to the final round of selection for the Olympic team.

Slalom events included in the Olympic program are men's C-1 and C-2 and women and men's K-1. The top three finishers from these events and the non-Olympic women's C-1 will represent the National Team and continue on to compete at World Cup No. 1 in Cardiff, UK, June 8 through 12.

April 18 marks the official 100 Days Out date from the Opening Ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic Games, July 27 through Aug. 12.