John Pinyerd
Age: Master+
Birthplace: Hunstville, AL
Current Residence: Marietta (Atlanta) GA
Occupation: Director of Sales & Operations for the SE, Dart Transit
Alma Mater: Auburn University - War Eagle!!!!!
Family: Married since I was a young puppy to Lynn Pinyerd (personal trainer), three children (grown)
Website: jpinyerd.blogspot.com/
My articles all go to www.usawildwater.com
Wildwater Information:
How I got Started in Canoe/Kayak and Racing:
I first started paddling in canoe when I was about ten. In many respects I was the luckiest kid on the planet as my oldest brother, Carl, who was six years older than me, had his driver's license and an Old Town canoe, and would drag me out to paddle. As a result, I was very comfortable on flat water during my teen years and always loved showing off what I could do with a canoe to my friends and in Boy Scouts. I still love paddling and messing around in recreational canoes to this day.
I started paddling whitewater after graduating from Auburn. My first real race was the Southeastern US Whitewater Championships in 1984 where I paddled in the cruising/plastic classes and won the C-1 slalom event and took 4th in OC-2 Wildwater. As a result of my strong showing, I was asked by local racers Steve Thomas and Mike Larimer to come out and train slalom with them (in ATL). Under the tutelage of Steve and Mike and the Nantahala area racers I progressed quickly and became an "A Ranked" slalom racer by 1986. A goal of mine quickly became making the USA Team for the 88/89 Worlds in MD but I realized it would take a miracle for me to beat out the likes of Jon Lugbill, Davie Hearn, Bob Robinson, and Kent Ford to make the Slalom Team, so in 1987 I switched to Wildwater. While I still really enjoyed racing slalom and participated in local/national races (including a 6th place finish at the '92 Olympic Trials in C-2 slalom with Tom Popp in 1992), the new love of my life quickly became Wildwater.
The miracle of Wildwater was that I could get really good at it and keep my day job and fulfill my duties as the head of my family. Another real plus was that Atlanta had a core group of racers including veteran Wildwater Team Member David Jones who took me under his wing. After finishing 10th in C-1 at USA Wildwater Nationals in '87, I figured my best bet for making the USA Wildwater Team in 88/89 was in C-2. So in the fall of '87 I teamed up with Martin Bay in C-2 and we started training our hearts out. We ended up earning a berth on the '88 Pre-Worlds Team against some very stiff competition (16 boats) and I’ve been at it ever since!
Utilizing the core group concept (like the DC slalom World Champions of Lugbill, Hearn, Robinson and Hearn) is a real key to improvement. Like my mentors, I have been able to pass on what I leaned to the ATL core group and several also became National Champions (like Michael Beavers, Russell Bailey, Reid Bailey, and most recently Tierney O'Sullivan).
Over the years I have figured out that that what works best for me in life is to keep things simple and focus on the things that I love. I love my wife of 30+ years, my family, the Lord, my job at Dart, and my lifelong sport of paddling and Wildwater racing. As a result of sticking with it, good things have happened.
Favorite boat: Anything that floats… especially wildwater C-1 and C-2
National Racing Accomplishments:
- Seventeen-Time qualifier for the USA Canoe/Kayak Team in Wildwater C-1 and/or C-2 (1988 - 2011)
- Eight-Time USA National Champion in C-1/C-2 (93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 04, 07, 08)
- Five-Time USA Team Trials Winner (93, 94, 95, 96, 08)
- Won several dozen medals at the national level!!!!
- Nantahala (Southeastern US Whitewater Championships) course record holder in C-1
International Racing Accomplishments:
- World Champion in 2006 & 2008 – C-1 - Masters Class
- Silver Medal – 2005 World Cups (C-1 - Masters Class)
- Bronze Medal – 1988 Pre-World Championships (C-2 Team Run)
- Two Dozen top 20 finishes in International Competition. This includes results such as a 4th place finish in the
'91 World Cups.
Leadership and Other Accomplishments:
- Chairman of the Wildwater Committee of USA Canoe/Kayak from 2004-07 and 2009 -11
- Coach and mentor for Wildwater racing
- Volunteer of the Year for 2005 - USA Canoe/Kayak
- Amateur Athlete of the Year - Atlanta Sports and Fitness Magazine (2004)
- Lifetime Member of the Georgia Canoeing Association (honorarium for setting Southeastern's course record)
- Eagle Scout (Order of the Arrow)
Other Paddling/Sports/Hobbies:
Lifetime outdoorsman that also enjoys other sports like hiking, fishing, mountain biking,
outdoorsman triathlons, general fitness, weight training, and coaching others!!!
Equipment:
- Boats: C-1's: Bala or Mezzanna for easier rivers and the more stable Squatter IV or Tip Top for hard rivers. In C-2 the
Shiro by RK Designs is best in every category.
- Paddles: Mitchell (produces my slightly curved/spooned blade design in their Premier Wildwater paddle).
- Helmet: Shred Ready
- Spraydeck: Getting them for free is my favorite! (or Zastera if purchased)
- Life Jacket: Ditto
- Paddling Clothes and Paddling Jackets: Patagonia
- Shoes/Outdoor Footwear : KEEN (Wow, I really love Keen sandals and hiking boots. Heck I like every pair of KEEN
footware I have ever tried)
- Favorite Energy Bar/food: Possum fat back (oops, make that the usual stuff like Clif bars)
- Favorite Energy Drink: Power Aid (I can count on it to be the same around the globe)
- Other outdoor gear: Patagonia
- Bikes: Trek and Giant
- Tires; Maxxis!!!!! I have them on my mountain bike, my road bike and my Explorer too!!!!
Links:
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