Rami Zur

Hometown : Newport Beach, CA
Birthdate : 02/23/1977
Height : 5’9”
Weight : 165lbs
Workout Song : The Creeps, Camille Jones

Rami Zur learned to kayak on the Sea of Galilee. Born in the United States and adopted by a family in Israel, his father, a competitive sailor, introduced him to kayaking at the age of 10. By age 16, he was the Israeli National Champion for his age group. Two years later, he medaled in a World Cup event and placed fourth in the Junior World Championships in Japan. Zur completed a three-year mandatory draft in the Israeli Defense Forces and continued to compete internationally during his service.

Zur earned a spot on the Israeli Olympic Team for the 2000 Summer Games. He finished 13th in the K-2 500m event and 16th in the K-2 1000m race. Competing in Sydney was made even more special because his father attended the games. “My favorite moment was having my dad watch me race. My family has a huge part in my success and being able to share that with them was the best feeling I’ve ever had,” he said.

In January 2002, Zur made the decision to move to the United States and train at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. His dual-citizenship allowed him to make an immediate impact on the U.S. kayaking scene. He won the 2002 World Cup in Duisberg, Germany in the 500m event and finished 6th at the World Championships.

In 2003, Zur earned bronze medals in the K-1 500m race at World Cups in both Hungary and Poland. He also won a bronze medal at the Pan American Games in K-1 1000m. Zur finished 4th at World Championships, securing the United States a boat in the K-1 500m event at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. As the top American male kayaker, Zur is focused on a spot on the 2008 Olympic Team.

In his spare time, he enjoys surfing, surf skiing, off-roading, snowboarding, traveling and reading.