Wayne Gretzsky of Kayaking Wins Record Fourth World Title

In the world of extreme kayaking, Eric “EJ” Jackson joins the ranks of
such legendary athletes as Wayne Gretzsky in hockey, Jimmy Connors in
tennis and Roger Clemens in baseball. Jackson, 44, beat a field of 70
predominantly 20-somethings to win an unprecedented fourth World
Championship title, in the extreme sport of freestyle whitewater
kayaking this week in Canada.



Jackson’s win also marks the first time anyone has ever won two World
Championships back to back. Taking silver and bronze respectively
behind Jackson were Peter Csonka, 20 of Slovakia and hometown favorite
Nick Troutman, 18 of Canada.



Sweeter still for Jackson was the fact that Jackson’s two children also
earned their first World Championship medals. Emily, 17, won the junior
women’s title and Dane, 13, took home bronze in junior men.



Jackson says this World Championship field of competitors was as tough
or tougher than any previous such competition. “Plus, even more than
winning, to win on the biggest wave any kayak competition has ever been
held on is really huge for me.”



Flowing at a near-record flows of 75,000 cfs (cubic feet per second)
the world-famous “Buseater” wave on the Ottawa towered some 15-feet
from crest to trough. Even reality shows like “Fear Factor” can’t
imagine subjecting contestants to the type of stress trying to tame
such a behemoth wave can inspire in the average weekend warrior
kayaker. To those who may never kayak, riding “Buseater” would be like
surfing down a mountain of churning, frothing water that wants to crush
and destroy anything in its path.



Unarguably the best freestyle competitor since the sport debuted a
little less than two decades ago, Jackson won his first title at the
second-ever World Championships in 1993 and repeated as World Champ in
2001 and 2005. World Championships are held ever two years. Also the
most versatile kayaker ever, Jackson also competed for Team USA in
slalom in the 1992 Olympics, has won the most extreme downriver races
of any kayaker and has recorded first descents on some of the world’s
most challenging and remote rivers, including the Rio Alseseca in
Mexico this past winter