Urban 'airscrews' to kayaking glory

While most Princeton students will be in dreary New Jersey facing exams in January, sophomore Dustin Urban will be in sunny Sydney, Australia battling the world's best freestyle kayakers. Urban will take his game to the 2005 World Kayak Freestyle Championships, the biggest international event for this exciting sport.

At this point you're probably wondering what exactly is freestyle kayaking? It is a newly evolved sport in which athletes use river features such as standing and breaking waves to do various tricks. Success in freestyle kayaking is largely based on superior technique in completing these tricks rather than physical endurance. An airscrew, an aerial barrel roll coming off a wave, and a helix, a simultaneous 180-degree rotation on the short axis with a 360-degree rotation on the long axis, are just a couple examples.

Though competitions vary slightly in format, most are structured on 45-second "rides" in which kayakers perform as many tricks as they can and are scored by a panel of judges.

Urban's experience on the river started with casual canoeing with his father in Maine. By the time Dustin was 12, his father and he decided they wanted some whitewater action. Kayaking presented the perfect opportunity, and the two began to paddle with other kayakers in the area. The rest is history.

Dustin played soccer and baseball until sophomore year of high school, but it was kayaking at which he really excelled. The individual aspect of the sport was a major attraction.

"I liked how kayaking allowed me to always have playing time," he said. "It's nice not having a coach telling you when you can and can't play."

A coach is unnecessary for Urban as he mostly learns tricks from the people he competes against. Since freestyle kayaking isn't a widely popularized sport, it fosters a tight-knit group of paddlers that push each other to new levels.

Due to the tricky logistics and the faraway destinations of the competitions, Urban does most of his training and competing in the spring and summer. He spent last June in Colorado and was in France and various parts of Canada for July and August training and competing. From April until September, Urban paddles nearly every day.

While at Princeton, he tries to make it out to a mediocre practice site on the Delaware River near Trenton once a week. He also cross-trains at the gym and dances in Sympoh to keep his upper body in shape.

At least his results don't reflect his lack of practice during the academic year. Since 2001, Urban has been on the U.S. National Team, which is selected at a team trial event every year. This has allowed him to compete in international events such as the World Championships — held during odd-numbered years — and Pre-World Championships — held during even years.

In 2001, Dustin claimed a silver medal in the junior/under-18 division at the World Championships in Spain. Two years later — competing in the men's pro division — he placed an impressive sixth at the World Championships in Austria. Dustin is also the 2002 and 2004 Pre-World champion in squirt boating, a variation on freestyle kayaking that involves more flat water work. Furthermore, he has won the Teva Mountain Games competition, held in Vail, for the past two years.

Urban also dabbles in extreme racing, enjoys river running on occasion, and has been known to kayak over a waterfall or two.

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Dustin cites the friendly and close kayaking community as one of his favorite things about the sport, as well as the views it gives him.

"The best thing is the places it takes you," Urban said. "Also, there is such a unique perspective on the river. It's a good way to see nature."

To promote the general sport of kayaking and stay involved, Dustin teaches basic kayaking classes to students through the Outdoor Action program. In the future, he would also like to start a club for kayakers to get together to go out and paddle.

As of now, however, Dustin's sights are set on Sydney.