Road to Worlds With Team Jackson

Name:
Dane Jackson

What country are you competing for?
Kayakistan

Favorite place to train?
Anywhere Mcnastys go big..

How many World Championships have you competed in before?
This is my 8th World Championships.

What are your previous placements at Worlds?
18th, 2nd, 2nd, 1st Junior Men
1st, 1st, 2nd Pro Men
5th, 1st, 3rd, 1st, 1st C1
3rd, 2nd, 2nd OC1
1st, 2nd Squirt

How does the level of competition at World Championships compare to any other freestyle competition?
It’s one of the few freestyle events of the year where you know you truly need to be at 100% and be doing tricks for almost the entire 45 seconds, with almost no time for mistakes. Making the challenge super fun and nerve racking, and is the hardest event to create a routine for.

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.)
Everything, just everything. Mostly the bread in Spain…but the kayaking will be fun too.

What are you doing to prepare for the 2019 Freestyle World Championships?
Kegels.

What are some things you think you can do to improve your placement in Sort?
Keeping an open mind for the feature, and ready to adjust my tricks to suit the feature.

Do you have any pre-competition traditions?
Red Bull, and getting the stoke up with music.

Favorite pump up song?
Fuel to the Fire, Rationale

Do you normally make a routine that you practice and use in competition or do you just send it with no plan?
Routine, routine, routine. Even in racing too, you can only get so far without a plan. Especially in freestyle creating a routine that you are confident in and know what you are doing to fill those 45 seconds is key. These days you will never make it very far if you just wing it.

What is your goal at the 2019 World Championships?
Just have some fun, and maybe hit my felix.

What tricks or combos do you think you will put into your rides?
Heh, let’s just see how the feature is first.

What are your early predictions for who is going to do well in Sort?
Whoever is most open about the feature, and just is enjoying themselves for the sake of being at the Worlds.

If you have been to a previous World Championships, what are some tips or secrets you want to share with first time Worlds Competitors?
Don’t treat it like winning the worlds will be what changes your life forever and its the end all be all of existence. It’s an amazing thing to win, but winning a worlds should be looked at as a personal goal and achievement, and a stepping stone towards building a career. But you don’t just end up on the cover of the magazines with sponsors flooding your inbox with offers. Make sure winning the worlds is something you are looking to accomplish for yourself, and enjoy yourself! Cause why be there if you aren’t having fun.