USA Canoeing Preview: Two Georgia Natives Helping The U.S. Go For Gold

It's been more 20 years since the United States has won a gold medal in men's slalom canoe double-team, but Georgia natives Jeff Larimer and Eric Hurd will be looking to change that this summer at the 2012 Olympic games in London.

Hurd, a native of Woodstock, Ga. and Larimer, who hails from Marietta, Ga., both understand what they're up against in their event and understand that a flawlessly executed game plan is what will lead them to the gold, according to a recent interview in the Chicago Tribune:

Larimer and Hurd must overhaul the all-conquering Slovakian twins Pavol and Peter Hochschorner if they are to win the country's first gold medal in the event since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

"They're a very very strong team. Absolutely fabulous paddlers, flawless. They're masters at the sport," said Hurd.

"(But) once you crunch the numbers down to those final six athletes, in our sport there's so many variables. They could take a touch or kinda bobble on a move and take a couple of seconds and there's other people that can slide in."

Read more coverage on the Olympics at the SB Nation Olympic hub page here. Check out SB Nation Atlanta for local sports news updates. Be sure to subscribe to our Youtube Channel here for video commentary.