Old Town senior hopes to paddle to 1996 Olympics

Old Town residents, especially those residing on Indian Island, may have reason to avidly follow the canoe and kayaking competitions in the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.

They will if Old Town High School senior Troy Francis has his way.

Francis has been invited to the United States Whitewater Canoe and Kayak Racing Team training facilities at either Tariffville, Conn., or Bethesda, Md., to compete for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.

“I spoke to Bill Endicott, one of the coaches down there, and he told me to get down there as soon as I can, so I’m excited,” said Francis.

Since last June, Francis has been paddling and/or training every day to reach his goal: a spot on the U.S. National Team as a solo paddler.

The son of Joe and Rachel Francis first got the idea to try for a spot on the U.S. team after he and a friend turned in the fastest time of the day and won their division of competition at the 1990 Whitewater Open Canoe National Championships in western Pennsylvania.

“After the Nationals last year, I decided to compete for a spot on the team,” said Francis. “I decided that’s where my skills are and I enjoy it a lot.”

The 18-year-old Francis, who is graduating in June, will leave for Connecticut in August. His lodging will be provided free of charge, but Francis said he wasn’t sure how much of his other expenses will be taken care of.

“I’ll probably have to pay for meals and other expenses. I’m not sure right now,” Francis said. “That’s why I’m hoping to get some sponsors.”

Once he arrives, Francis will be paddling twice a day seven days a week. But the demanding schedule doesn’t have him too worried, since he has been putting himself through an ambitious training schedule of his own.

Each and every day right through the summer, Francis will paddle for an hour or two, work out with weights, and run to build up his endurance and increase his speed.

“I want to set up a personal course on the Penobscot River and start paddling twice a day,” Francis said.

He has also entered at least one major river race each week since the Maine canoe- and kayak-racing season started in late March.

“I’ve done the St. George, the Passagassawaukeag, Kenduskeag Slalom (Maine Slalom Championships), the Souadabscook, Kenduskeag and the National War Canoe Championships,” said Francis, who has finished in the top three in his race division in all but one of the races.

It’s a surprisingly hectic schedule for someone who hadn’t even set foot in a canoe until four years ago.

Francis went to watch the St. George River Race in 1988 to cheer on a good friend who was entered in the race.

“I really thought it looked like a lot of fun … I was hooked,” explained Francis. “I borrowed a canoe and did the Passy (Passagassawaukeag) the next week and I’ve been racing ever since.”

Francis will be competing for one of only six spots on the entire team. Three spots are reserved the two-man canoe team and an alternate, and the other three spots for individual (one-man) paddlers.

“I know it’s going to be tough when there’s only six openings, but I’m young and if I don’t make it in time for ’96, I’ll only be 23. I can always go for the Games in 2000,” said Francis.

“There’s no pressure on me, but I’d sure like to be there in 1996.”