[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 15798-15799]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  RECOGNIZING THE USA CANOE/KAYAK TEAM

 Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the members of 
the U.S. canoe/kayak team on their outstanding performance at Deep 
Creek 2014--the International Canoe Federation, ICF, Canoe Slalom World 
Championships--held at the Adventure Sports Center International, ASCI, 
in Garrett County, MD this past September.
  U.S. paddlers advanced to the semifinals in every event, despite 
competing alongside more than 400 Olympic-level athletes from 46 
countries. I congratulate U.S. team member and Marylander Fabien 
Lefevre on winning the Gold Medal in C1M--canoe single men--and 
advancing to the finals in K1M--kayak single men--and to his team 
members Michal Smolen, K1M; Casey Eichfeld, C1M; Dana Mann, K1W; and 
the team of Casey Eichfeld and Devin McEwan, C2M, who paddled their way 
into semifinals. I offer my congratulations to these outstanding 
athletes and my encouragement to all the members of the U.S. canoe/
kayak team as they train and compete for a chance to represent the 
United States at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.
  U.S.A. canoe/kayak is a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the 
national governing body for the Olympic sports of flatwater sprint and 
whitewater slalom as well as the paralympic sport of paracanoe. Since 
2009, the team has been led by Olympic Gold Medalist, 10-time U.S. 
National Champion, and 6-time World Cup Medalist Joe Jacobi. Joe has 
been a major force in energizing the team and developing the vitality 
of paddlesports in the United States. I wish him all the best as he 
steps down from this role later this year to pursue new projects and 
initiatives.
  I also offer my congratulations to Garrett County commissioner Gregan 
Crawford and Maryland Office of Sports marketing executive director 
Terry Hasseltine who served as cochairs for Deep Creek 2014; Deep Creek 
2014 executive director Todd Copley; ASCI executive director Mike 
Logsdon; and the many sponsors and volunteers who worked together to 
bring this world-class event to the United States and to provide a warm 
welcome to athletes and visitors from around the world. This was only 
the second time this prestigious international competition has been 
held in the United States since its inception in 1949; I am proud that 
Mountain Maryland also hosted the World Championships on the Savage 
River in 1989.
  I recently had the opportunity to visit with members of the U.S. team

[[Page 15799]]

and students in Garrett College's Adventure Sports Institute who are 
preparing to lead the next generation of athletes and outdoor sports 
enthusiasts. I commend the region's leaders for recognizing Mountain 
Maryland's unique opportunity to support the training and development 
of leaders in this exciting industry, and I look forward to the 
continued growth of competitive paddle sports in my State and around 
the country.

                          ____________________