Industry leading boat manufacturer HUDSON is pleased to announce a partnership with the USRowing National High-Performance Training Center at OKC and the RIVERSPORT Foundation, to support and enhance the state-of-the-art rowing training facility in Oklahoma City, OK.
"As an Olympian, I know it takes a community to be able to reach the next level in your athletic career," 2008 Olympic Rowing Medalist and HUDSON Central Region Representative Liam Parsons comments. "You need reliable resources, coaching, consistency and support among many other things. To not have to worry about the performance or reliability of your equipment is huge. I'm glad that we can bring this type of support to the athletes currently training in OKC."
As the current Head Coach and High-Performance Program Director for the USRowing National High-Performance Center, Reilly Dampeer has been supporting elite athletes since 2016. Athletes that have been part of the group that trains in OKC have seen success at the Senior, U23 and U19 World Championships, Pan American Games, and World Cups among notable events.
"OKC has selected HUDSON as the primary boat manufacturer for all RIVERSPORT programming," Dampeer stated. "The quality and performance of equipment, as well as the superior service from their staff, made this decision easy. We have a strategic plan through LA28 and HUDSON aligns with everything we are hoping to accomplish in the upcoming years."
In addition to supporting the athletes and coaches at USRowing National High-Performance Center at OKC, HUDSON will play a significant role in general programming that is offered through the RIVERSPORT Foundation Boathouse District. "Building a culture for rowing in OKC from the ground up was anchored with the belief that we needed to introduce the sport as a mainstream activity to re-acquaint our city to the river that our city was built upon literally overnight," said RIVERSPORT Foundation Executive Director Mike Knopp.
"The spirit of innovation is shared between HUDSON and RIVERSPORT and we greatly look forward to this timely partnership given our aggressive and exciting vision for growth of our programming and reach over the next few years."
HUDSON Atlantic Sales Manager Matt Muffelman is particularly pleased with the continued excitement surrounding rowing in the OKC community. "It's amazing to look at the growth of rowing in Oklahoma over the past decade and how instrumental Mike and the OKC community have been. The enthusiasm that drives all their programming is contagious. I'm thrilled that HUDSON has this opportunity to further aide in the growth of the sport in the region."
For more information about the USRowing National High Performance Training Center at OKC or the RIVERSPORT Foundation, please visit: https://www.riversportokc.org.