Welcome to Maggie and Michele’s Rally Campaign;  Rio 2016 or Bust!!

Hello!  My name is Maggie Hogan and this is my coach, Michele Eray.  I've been on the US National Team for Sprint Kayak for 10 seasons (WHAT?!) and have one more to go!  I've had the incredible opportunity to represent my country in 9 Sprint Kayak World Championships while pursuing other paddle sports as well.  In all, I've been to 23 World Championships in 5 different paddle sports (SurfSki, Surf Lifesaving, Marathon Canoe and Dragon Boat). Last season was my best to date. Due to my incredible coach Michele, we won a bronze medal in the K1 1000m event at the Sprint World Champs in Milan; the first medal by a US citizen in 20 years! It’s been a lot of work and a ton of fun. ;) 

As my time in Sprint Canoe comes to an end, I am not slowing down. The peddle is to the medal as Michele and I give it all we have in hopes to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio this coming May.

Why We’re Raising Funds

Olympic level kayaking is not funded in the United States; and while we do have day jobs that cover most living expenses, it does not cover travel or racing expenses. Michele and I are getting ready for the US Team Trials in April, and then the Pan American Olympic Qualifier in May (both races are in Atlanta, GA). After the qualifier in May, we will test our skills against the best in the world at the 3^rd World Cup in Portugal this June. Hopefully after that, we will be fine tuning our preparation for Rio!

The funds raised here will cover air travel for Michele and I for the US Trials, Pan American Olympic Qualifier, and the 3^rd World Cup in Portugal. It will also cover car rentals while we are in Georgia and Europe.

How We Got Here

For me, the road to an Olympic Games has been a rocky one. I was fairly new to the sport in 2008, when I went to the Beijing Olympics as a Training Partner. After that, I put all my energy into making London in 2012, but missed it by inches; an error I plan not to repeat this time around! I am now focusing on the K1 500m event and can’t wait to race this Spring.

I've been training for a decade for this opportunity; thousands of hours and thousands of miles.

Our Team

Success in sport at an international level takes a team. While Michele and I are operating as an independent team, we have had great supporters along the way.  Motionize, (a new software tool that can help correct and teach kayak technique on a live app) has been hugely supportive of our efforts. Newport Aquatic Center has welcomed us home after a recent relocation. My family and friends around the world have opened their hearts and homes to help this dream become a reality. The surfski and surf lifesaving communities in the US have supported me along the way and I would not be here, with this incredible opportunity before me, without my family and coach.

We need your help to make this last push for Rio!  Come join the Team!

Join Our Team and Spread the Word!

Thank you for your support!! Please help us spread the word by posting this on your social media page or sharing the link to a friend.