Hello dear supporters, Petri Alva here. The 2025 Sprint Kayaking Season is upon us! Zachary and I have started it off with a bang, having competed in the US National Team Trials in Chula Vista April 14th to 19th. Leading up to the trials we put in the most hours we have ever done on the water, in the gym, and on the running track to prepare us physically to match the ever improving level of United States sprint kayak athletes. The hard work paid off, and trials were very successful for me compared to last year, and even more successful for Zachary (more on that below!). I came away with a 9th place in the single 500 meter (13th last year), a 6th place in the single 1000 meter (didn't race last year), and a 2nd in the double 500 meter with Zachary (5th last year). The results have earned me a provisional selection to the Under 23 World Championships in Portugal in July this year. We will have a second Team Trials in June to secure our potential spots for the World Championship teams, but for now Zachary has been selected for the World Cup 1 and 2 National Team in Hungary and Poland. He is currently fine tuning his preparations for those competitions, and has an update from the field below:

Hi all, Zachary here! During this training cycle, I had the unique opportunity to make kayaking my primary focus as an athlete and a River Town Racers coach. I have increased the intensity of my training program from past years, while also improving my recovery habits. I am happy to report that my results at the national team trials reflect these changes. I came away from the team trials in Chula Vista with a 3rd place finish in the K1 1000m and a second-place finish with Petri in the K2 500m. As a result of my 5th place finish in the K1 500m (and the results of the following seat racing), I am training with the national team in Oklahoma City until May 11th, when we will travel to Szeged, Hungary and Poznan, Poland to race at the first and second World Cups. I will race the K2 500m and the K1 1000m in Szeged, and will race the K2 500m and the K4 500m in Poznan. When I return from Europe, Petri and I will travel to Chula Vista for a second Trials in June to see if we can secure a spot in the Senior World Championships boat headed to Milan in August. Thank you all so much for following along as we pursue these crazy goals 🙂-Zachary

If you are interested in supporting our extensive season of training and racing for team USA as we look to be a part of the field trying for Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, please consider donating to our fundraising page and spreading our story.

Thank you for your support,

Petri and Zachary