Eric
Hurd

Olympian 2012

Athlete Bio#

Height

5’5”

Age

Hometown

Woodstock

Education

Gaston College

Position: Bow, front of boat
Hometown: Woodstock, Georgia
Birthplace: Marietta, Georgia
Current Residence: Gastonia, North Carolina
Birthdate: 5/19/1986
Height: 5’5”
College: Gaston College
Club: Nantahala Racing Club

2012 Olympian

2014 U.S. Senior Team Member

Olympic Experience

1-time Olympian

Olympic Games London 2012, 12th (C2 - Men)

Career Highlights

2010 U.S. Open: 1st in K1
2010 ICF International: BRONZE in K1
2008 Pan American Championships: SILVER in K1

Like Fathers, Like Sons: Hurd, 26, and Larimer, 31, are both following in the wake of their paddling fathers, Mike Hurd and Mike Larimer. The elder Hurd and Larimer trained with each other on the Chattahoochee River just north of Atlanta. Mike Hurd was also a high school All-American basketball player. Mike Larimer narrowly missed out on paddling for Team USA at the 1992 Olympic Games, but he was able to coach the U.S. Canoe/Kayak Team at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics. Surprisingly, their sons have only recently joined forces in doubles canoe. But the duo quickly established themselves as the best C-2 boat in North and South America with a Gold medal at the 2012 Pan American Championships.

Fiance: Becca Kirlin, wedding set for September 29, 2012
Hobbies: alternative fuels, recycling
Quote: "Some run a race to see who's fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts."

Job: server at Covenant Village, GE Capital Consultant/HR as part of the Adecco Team USA Career Program. Both jobs allow me to bring in just enough money to cover the basic life needs and to keep my Olympic dream alive. Without the support of such businesses, I would not be where I am today! Thank You For Your Support.

Nickname: “Butter”
How’d you get that name? I believe it was spring 1999. I was at a training camp in Washington D.C. on the Potomac River, with a team of all ages. I was the youngest, so naturally, I was the one to get the dares and pranks. One evening, while at a steak restaurant, my teammates bet that I couldn’t eat all the butter that came with the bread appetizer. Of course, looking up to the older athletes, I ate it all - without thinking twice. It was just one of those nicknames that stuck. It fully solidified on a world level later that summer. At the Junior World Championships in Poland, I had just [secured] 15th place in the world for the “18-and-under” category. I was 13. My coach came over to me and said, “I guess you’ve got to be Butter, because you are on a roll.”

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/HurdLarimer-C-2-for-Gold/263782190301988
Twitter: https://twitter.com/erichurdkayak

Eric’s training began at the “waterworks” in Atlanta- a single class II rapid with numerous gates set up for training during the week. On weekends he and his father would travel to the Nantahala Outdoor Center, in western North Carolina, for more extensive workouts on the Nantahala River. In August 2006, the US National Whitewater Center opened in Charlotte, North Carolina. Naturally, Eric moved to train on the hardest racecourse ever built in the country.

Overall, the sport has enabled Eric’s incredible work ethic and dedication to shine, as he is a strong-willed and big-hearted athlete. He has taken on other roles in the local community such as volunteering for organizations like the Gastonia Junior Chamber, the Schiele Museum of Natural History and Keep Gastonia Beautiful. Eric has continued to challenge himself as he continues his education, going to school in the fall semester when training is less intense. He intends to continue until he receives a Bachelor’s degree.