Road to Worlds With Team Jackson

Name: Emily Jackson

What country are you competing for?
US OF A

Favorite place to train?
Wherever there’s good water… Changes with the weather, groups of people and mood.
Love Uganda, Argentina, and Colorado.

How many World Championships have you competed in before?
SEVEN!! EEEK

What are your previous placements at Worlds?
4th in Australia
1st Buseater
1st Thun
2nd Plattling
1st Garberaror
Top 10 Argentina (I honestly would have to look that up as I am unsure)

How does the level of competition at World Championships compare to any other freestyle competition?
Hmm, well you bring in so many different styles and type of people. People tend to be slightly more serious most of the time as they are nervous. The level of competition is exceptionally hard as no one really knows what the judges are looking for so trying to perform your moves the way you see fit, isn’t always correct, they are looking for something else, this adds a whole new level of complexity to competing.

What’s your favorite part about World Championships? Or if you have never been to a Worlds before what are you most excited for? (Location, people, party, competing, training, etc.)

Seeing a lot if my friends and the training. I love the commitment of time to paddling, wake up and paddle, eat, paddle some more, eat again, paddle again… So paddling paddling paddling.

What are you doing to prepare for the 2019 Freestyle World Championships?
Honestly I am not sure! I am training where I can and focused on my strength. I will be competing on the Colorado Circuit to get me ready for being under the clock.

What are some things you think you can do to improve your placement in Sort?
Sweet talk the judges. Just kidding, I would improve if I focused on moving a little faster and not being stubborn and continuing to do tricks “my way” versus what the judges want to see.

Do you have any pre-competition traditions?
Not really, I eat a good meal and usually attach myself to one song to remember my routine to.

Favorite pump up song?
Changes every worlds. Not sure which one will be stuck in my head in sort.
Thun was “Run this Town Tonight” by Rihanna and Jay-Z

Do you normally make a routine that you practice and use in competition or do you just send it with no plan?
Not time to think about what I should do next, routine saves me that time.

What is your goal at the 2019 World Championships?
The Goal is always to Win. If you train to win you become a better paddler along the way, which is always the goal.

What tricks or combos do you think you will put into your rides?
Hmm we don’t know the feature yet so that’s hard to say! I would love a good tricky woo hole but I have the feeling this hole will be tricky and powerful, therefore I will be happy with the phonics monkey and better mcnasties.

What are your early predictions for who is going to do well in Sort?
Some people are just really good competitors, Marlene is really good, Claire O’Hare always does well, Hitomi, Zofia.
For the men its anyones game, I always bet on Dane and Nick as I would love to see them do well.

If you have been to a previous World Championships, what are some tips or secrets you want to share with first time Worlds Competitors?
Do your own thing, and don’t get caught up in what other people are doing. You may see your competition have great rides, that doesn’t always mean they will get those tricks or perform that well when the competition starts, pick a routine you feel confident in and go into the event with confidence!