It's been a pretty crazy 5 weeks leading up to this event... I've been touring all over Quebec/Ontario with the boys searching for the biggest river waves we could find... We've been getting awesome footage/photos from the trip, and the only days i've had off have been driving... The waves were so epic out in Quebec that I debated not even coming to USA TEAM TRIALS here in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. To be honest, I haven't really been that fired up to compete on small features and i've only been training on big waves for the past few years... The small spots are not that progressive and not that fun to paddle (for me). However, I have been on the USA Team for the past 3 World Championships and I always enjoy going to the World Championships. I came into this competition determined to make the team, but also ok with the idea that I might not. In the past i've been so stressed out about making the team but this time around I was just relaxed and confident... In the end, I manged to place 5th in the U.S.A. securing a spot on the Mens Freestyle Team. I'm fired up to represent the U.S.A. in Thun, Switzerland this August. Before I get to that, i've still got Mountain Games coming up, Iceland, California Creekin and eastern Canada again. It was a tough event and I am super happy to have made it... 

-Rush