Editor’s Note: Bellingham native Jonas Ecker, 21, is writing a diary for CDN as he heads to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, set for July 26-Aug. 11. Ecker, a 2021 Sehome High graduate and five-time Ski to Sea competitor, and Seattle’s Aaron Small are roommates and full-time University of Washington students. The pair qualified for the Games’ sprint kayak Men’s K2 500-meter race and individually in the Men’s K1 1,000-meter race. Olympic heats begin Aug. 6. The medal race for the Men’s K2 is Aug. 9. The Men’s K1 final is Aug. 10. This is his sixth entry. See week five’s entry here. Follow Ecker’s Instagram at @jonasecker__.
Week 6 – July 15, 2024
After a full 24 hours of travel, Aaron and I made it from Seattle to Plovdiv, Bulgaria, for the ICF Junior and Under-23 Canoe Sprint World Championships (Aaron and I are eligible to compete in the Under-23 age category). Since we are just about three weeks away from racing in Paris this is a great opportunity to practice and perfect our race warm-ups and race plans in a competition environment.
After arriving to Plovdiv late on July 11, we completed our first session at the course early on July 12. Between the ICF Master’s Canoe Sprint World Championships occurring at the same venue July 12 and 13, and temperatures pushing above 95 degrees, we have been taking advantage of the 6 a.m. sunrise to beat the heat and use the course before racing starts. Although we are also training some of the afternoons, it has been nice to reduce the heat exposure whenever possible. When not on the water, we are finding shade and air conditioning whenever possible.
In addition to fantastic race preparation, these Under-23 World Championships will provide a great opportunity for Aaron and I to test out the boats we will race at the Olympics in Paris. Nelo Kayaks, the leading sprint kayak manufacturer, traditionally offers custom boat designs to all Olympic athletes prior to the games. Aaron and I were excited to receive our Olympic boats on Tuesday. With final preparations for the Under-23 World Championships finishing up, I am super excited to hit the water against an international field and get fully primed for Paris.
At these Under-23 World Championships, I will be competing in the Men’s Single Kayak (MK1) 1000m and Men’s Double Kayak (MK2) 500m with Aaron.
I first compete in heats for the MK2 500m on July 17, and in the heats for the MK1 1000m on July 18, at 12:59 a.m. Pacific time.
Given all goes well, I will progress to semifinals and finals in both my events. For MK2 500m I expect to race the semifinal starting at 7:03 a.m. PT on July 19, and the final at 1:33 a.m. PT on July 20.
As for MK1 1000m, I expect to race the semifinal starting at 6:21 a.m. PT on July 20, and the final at 1:28 a.m. PT on July 21.
Link for race action livestream (paid subscription needed): youtube.com/@PlanetCanoe/featured
Link for live results: https://results.imas-sport.com/imas/regatta.php?competition=wettkampf_289
To watch the Olympic competition, the sport is listed as Olympic Canoeing, which encompasses both canoeing and kayaking.
Ecker joins a handful of Bellingham-raised Olympians that include: Jake Riley, marathon, 2020 Summer Olympics (held in 2021), Tokyo; Angeli VanLaanen, freestyle skiing halfpipe, 2014 Winter Olympics, Sochi, Russia; Fred Luke, men’s javelin, 1972 Summer Olympics, Munich; Roy Rubin, men’s coxed four rowing, 1960 Summer Olympics, Rome; Paul Jessup, men’s discus, 1932 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles.
