If you are a kayak enthusiast, then it is inevitable that you have come across Eric Jackson and have admired the charisma and confidence with which he paddles in the water and spills from the waterfalls. 

Eric Jackson is a well-known name in the world of Kayaks. The 59 years old athlete is looked upon by many. 

He is an athlete, author, entrepreneur, and family man. 

Want to know more about Eric Jackson and his career and family? Follow us through, and by the end of this article, you will have known about one of the best freestyle Kayakers alive. 

But without further ado, let us look at the quick facts about him.

Quick Facts

Who is Eric Jackson? Age and Body Measurements

The legendary freestyle kayaking champion, Eric Jackson, was born on March 3, 1964, in Warren, Ohio. He is popularly known as ‘EJ.’ 

Eric’s father introduced him to sports when he was a teenager. Ever since Eric’s love and passion for sports have only gone deeper. 

The world champion is currently 59. He was born in the Dragon year, according to the Chinese calendar.

The exact measurements of the height and weight of the American kayaker are still under review. We will update the facts about him as soon as possible.

Further, the zodiac sign of Eric Jackson is Pisces. 

The Pisces people are known to be very sympathetic and kind. They will go to great lengths to make their loved ones happy. They are also very creative and imaginative. Jackson is no different.

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Eric Jackson: Career Highlights 

Eric Jackson is a legendary kayaker who specializes in freestyle kayaking. He is a four-time World Freestyle Kayak Champion. He won the title in 1993, 2001, 2005, and 2007.

Further, he was also the Pre-World Champion in both 2000 and 2004. Jackson has won a World Cup in Kayaking.

Additionally, in October 2009, Eric Jackson finished second in the freestyle kayak world championships in Thun, Switzerland.

Eric has also set a potential world record by remaining in the USA Kayak Team for 25 consecutive years. (1999-2014)

Unfortunately, Eric could not qualify for the United States squad in 2015. However, he was re-qualified in 2017. 

Eric’s determination and courage are noteworthy. Despite competing against much younger competitors, the legendary athlete is recognized for winning championships. 

Jackson Kayak Founder

Jackson Kayak is a company that produces kayaks. As the name indicates, it was founded by Eric “EJ” Jackson.

In October 2003, Eric Jackson and his business partner, Tony Lunt, formed Jackson Kayak in Rock Island, Tennessee. They had previously worked with Wave Sport Kayaks as a team member and as a designer. 

Jackson Kayaks has the most diverse boat selection. The boat produced by the company comes in a variety of sizes and designs.

Further, the company also places a premium on comfort, durability, and ease of use. Jackson Kayaks has the largest market share in England and Japan. 

The kayaks have become very popular as high-performing playboats for Freestyle athletes. Many of the world’s greatest Freestyle paddlers use Jackson kayaks.

Athletes who use the Jackson kayak are the Jackson family, Nick Troutman, Claire O’Hara, Ruth Gordon, Joel Kowalski, Steve Fisher, etc. 

Jackson Kayak is the best-selling brand worldwide today (2018) and stood in number one position (2007) in whitewater kayaks.

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Eric Jackson: Family and Children

When we think about top kayakers, ‘The Jacksons’ always pop up in our minds—Dane Jackson, Emily Jackson, Eric Jackson, and so on. Kayaking is in the blood of the Jackson family. 

Well, did you know that all of them are from the same family? If not, we will make it simpler for you.

Eric Jackson, the four-time world champion kayaker, is happily married to Kristine Jackson. Kristine is the backbone of the Jackson family and a player behind the scene.

Though her name does not appear much, her contribution to the success of all the Jacksons is inevitable. When Kristine was married to Eric, she was only 18 years old. 

Eric and Kristine have three kids, Dane Jackson, Emily Jackson, and KC Jackson.

Dane Jackson

The first child of Eric and Emily, Dane Jackson, was born on July 17, 1993, in Washington, DC. 

He started kayaking when he was just two years old. Likewise, Dane ran his first waterfall when he was five years old. It was a 3m dam in Maryland, USA.

After that, he worked his way up little by little and learned techniques along the way. He commenced his professional career in 2010 and dominated nearly every junior world title.

Further, he soon started winning various pro-level contests. For instance, the Whitewater Grand Prix, IFC Freestyle World Championships, etc. 

Dane Jackson, just like his father, has an excellent career. He has been featured in Kayak Session and Rapid Magazine. Further, he has stood first in more than 80 freestyle kayaking competitions.

Dane loves to fall off a waterfall. He describes it as one of the greatest experiences ever. However, he also admits that it also comes with big risks.

To be confident enough to run a waterfall and be ready to accept the bitter consequences if it goes wrong is a brutal process.

Whatsoever, Dane says that the overall experience of running a waterfall allows him to be at peace. We can catch a glimpse of his adventures on Instagram and his Youtube channel.

Emily Jackson

The daughter of Eric Jackson, Emily Jackson is a two-time World Freestyle Kayak Champion (2015 & 2009).

Emily has been on the U.S. freestyle kayaking team since 2003, i.e., since the early age of 13!

Further, she is also a 2007Jr World Champion, 2012 World Cup Champion, and 2011 Silver Medalist. Likewise, in 2009, Emily also ranked #1 in Women’s US Slalom.

Moreover, Emily is also a social worker. She raised $30K for Soft Power Health which was Fighting Malaria in Uganda.

Just like her brother Dane, Emily also loves kayaking because of the sport’s freedom. It takes you to new people and new places.

Further, kayaking also takes away all other thoughts from the day. According to Emily, kayaking always gives her the peace that she craves. We can surely get to know her better from her Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Additionally, Emily is married to Nick Troutman, a professional kayaker. Emily and Nick have two children together. 

Is Eric Jackson also an Author?

Apart from kayaking, the American kayaker is also an author. Eric has written four instructional books to help young kayakers learn kayaking techniques. 

In 1999, Eric wrote the book ‘>Whitewater Paddling: Strokes & Concepts.’ The book contains expert instruction in beginning and advanced whitewater strokes.

Further, the book also includes the techniques illustrated in on-the-water photographs of a champion paddler.

Likewise, in 2000, Eric wrote another book called Playboating: Kayak With Eric Jackson. In the book, the freestyle kayaker explains all the playboating trick moves.

Further, he also provides in-detail instructions on how to train to achieve them.

In 2016, Eric Jackson wrote another book titled “Kayaking with Eric Jackson: Rolling and Bracing. In the book, the four-time world champion freestyle kayaker guides one of whitewater kayaking’s most fundamental techniques: the kayak roll. 

Further, the book also includes the best practices for kayaking in all water conditions and stepwise instructions for learning and acing the kayak roll and bracing.

Jackson’s most recent book is Kayaking with Eric Jackson: Strokes and Concepts, which he wrote in 2017.

The world champion freestyle kayaker teaches basic paddling strokes and concepts in the book. Each stroke instruction includes warm-up and practice drills.

Further, the book also includes advice on correcting common mistakes and lessons to improve essential maneuvers such as eddy turns and ferrying.

In sum, the book covers step-by-step color photos. As a result, it is a key to improving anyone’s kayaking technique.

The book ranked #92 in whitewater kayaking. In addition to the instructional books, the whitewater kayaker has also published eight instructional videos.

Eric Jackson: Net Worth 

Eric Jackson had a glorious career. His achievements run to the extent that it might seem like a dream to an average human being.

Eric has made enough riches for himself through his successful and gratifying career. Apart from his prize money from kayaking and fishing, he also makes money through business.

Eric is the founder of Jackson Kayak and presently the president of Apex Watercraft. Further, he also does various sponsorships and endorsements.

According to various sources, the legendary kayaker Eric Jackson’s net worth is somewhere between $1-$5 million. 

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Eric Jackson: Social Media

Eric has over 288k followers on the Facebook page. He is very active on Facebook and regularly shares various content there. Likewise, the kayaker is on Instagram, where he has around 34.2k followers.

However, there is no information about his Twitter account. He shares various instances about his life, friends, and family on social media.

Further, he also interacts with his fans and followers through social media.

Additionally, Eric Jackson also has a YouTube Channel. He has 13.7k subscribers on his channel.

Eric usually talks about his personal as well as professional life via youtube. He also uploads complete instructional materials on kayaking on his YouTube Channel.

His channel is full of lifestyles, fishing, family, and other fun videos to boot. 

Apart from his own YouTube Channel, various other channels, including sports channels, also upload videos of the legendary kayaker and his kayaking freestyle. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Eric Jackson also a coach?

Yes, apart from being an athlete, Eric is also an excellent coach. He provides training on whitewater kayaking. Further, Jackson has also coached several kayaking teams to win major events. 

Eric coached both of his children, Dane and Emily. His training style is very different from the typical coaching style. Additionally, Eric does not believe in lifting weights in the gym or any complex nutrition plans. 

Apart from Kayaking, what are other hobbies of Eric Jackson?

Eric Jackson’s hobbies are not limited to kayaking. As a multi-dimensional person, his interests are spread around various things. 

Apart from kayaking, Eric likes fishing, photography, and writing. As mentioned in the article, he is the author of five books. Further, the kayaker also used to be a whitewater photographer.

Likewise, Fishing is also a big part of Eric’s life. He is a competitor on the FLW Bass Tour. Moreover, Eric also competes in the big leagues of kayak fishing tournaments.

Did Eric Jackson leave Jackson’s kayak?

On December 4, 2019, Jackson announced his decision to step down from his role as president of Jackson Kayak, a Company he founded in 2003. 

According to sources, Eric was concerned with the Company’s direction. Moreover, the kayaker also wanted to take a break and have a quiet and simple life. 

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