Whitewater
1972, the first time whitewater slalom was included in the Olympics; 2) Returning to the Olympic team twenty years later, in Barcelona, the second time whitewater slalom was included in the Olympics; 3) Participating in the 1998 expedition on the Tsangpo river in Tibet—the subject of two books, The Last Riverand Courting the Diamond Sow.
Other interesting facts:
I first raced in Europe in 1970, at the age of 17, tagging along with big brother Tom. I last raced in Europe in 2001, having made the US team in doubles canoe (C-2) with my 16-year-old son Devin. I would call that a full circle.
In the 1992 Olympics I raced doubles with Lecky Haller, placing fourth. I raced far better to place fourth in 1992 than to place third in 1972. And Lecky, a former World Champion, had a stellar race. The sport had not stood still.
Lecky and I were World Cup Champions in 1988.
My favorite newspaper article: "Papy McEwan Résiste!," which apeared in the August 4, 1992 issue of the French newspaper L'Équipe.
My brother Tom McEwan runs a kayaking school called Liquid Adventures. (Click to access.) They have a very nice site, much fancier than this one, with plenty of cool photos. Tom is a hero in the first descents/expeditions/adventure side of the sport.
Most recent participation in a major race: Racing again with my son Devin McEwan, I competed in the 2008 US Olympic Trials, placing fourth.
Most recent "expedition": I paddled the Hudson River, source to sea, 315 miles, in July 2005, with friend Bevan Stanley. (Planned 2006 trip to Quebec fell through because I broke my wrist in August).
And no doubt there's more to come. I'm addicted, I suppose.
P.S. I paddle a little craft that looks like a kayak, but is subtly different: I kneel instead of sit, and I use a paddle with a single plade, a canoe paddle, rather than a double-bladed canoe paddle. We call this a C-1, and the doubles version, a C-2. For a comparison, check out an excerpt from a book by Ron Watters—scroll down to "Kayaks and Decked Canoes" on this page: http://www.isu.edu/outdoor/kayequip.htm .
Another cool canoe link is http://cboats.net/. The US team site is http://www.usacanoekayak.org/. A surprisingly extensiive whitewater site is Davey Hearn's. Or for "francophones," check out http://www.eauxvives.org/.
[Photo by Bruce Lessels]
I end with a listing of "dull" facts, by year. This list makes more sense if you realize that the World Championships were only held every other year during this period.
1971 US World Championship Team, C-1, placed 17th at Worlds in Merano, Italy.
1972 National Champion, won Olympic Trials, Bronze Medal at Munich Olympics.
1973 First descent, approx. 8 miles of Linville Gorge, with Tom McEwan.
1973 US World Championship Team, placed 11th in Muothatal, Switzerland.
1975 National Champion, won World Championship trials, elected not to compete in World Championships.
1977 US World Championship team, placed 14th (?-not sure of placing).
1981 Expedition to Bhutan with Wick Walker, Les Bechdel, Eric Evans, Tom McEwan, with Ed Hixon in support, on the Wong Chu, Para Chu, Pho Chu, and Mo Chu.
1981 Founded local paddling club, the HACKS (Housatonic Area Canoe and Kayak Squad).
1980 & 1982 & 1984: Raced in Pre-World Championships. (Keeping my hand in.)
1985 US World Championship Team, placed 7th in Augsburg, Germany.
1985 Expedition to Mexico with Andy Bridge, Wick Walker, and Tom McEwan, on the Santa Maria.
1987 US World Championship Team with partner Lecky Haller, Silver Medal in Bourg St. Maurice, France.
1988 US World Cup Team, won World Cup with Lecky Haller
1989 US World Championship and World Cup Teams with Lecky Haller, placed 4th in Savage River, Maryland World Championships, 2nd in the World Cup.
1990 US World Cup Team with Lecky Haller.
1991 US World Championship Team with Lecky Haller, placed [11th? Have suppresed memory] in Tacen, Yugoslavia.
1992 US Olympic Team, with Lecky Haller, placed 4th in Barcelona Olympics. (Subject of an edition of "Dick Enberg's Moments.")
1995 Expedition to British Columbia with Doug Gordon and E.J. McCarthy on the Homothko.
1996 Expedition to British Columbia with Doug Gordon and Mark Clarke on the Dean.
1998 Expedition to Tibet with Doug Gordon, Tom McEwan, and Roger Zbel, with Wick Walker, Harry and Doris Wetherbee, Paulo Castillo, and Dave Phillips in support, on the Yarlung Tsangpo.
2001 US World Championship Team with partner Devin McEwan; the World Championships, scheduled for late September on the Ocoee River in Tennessee, were cancelled because of events of 9/11/2001.