It’s not often you find Eric Jackson on dry land. The renowned whitewater kayaker and innovative kayak builder, as if he wasn’t busy enough, recently added the title of professional fisherman to his resume.
Today, Jackson took time from his schedule to join Nissan at the annual ICAST (International Convention of Allied Sport Fishing Trades) event in Orlando to announce a partnership to promote the Nissan TITAN full-size pickup lineup. The association provides Jackson with the use of a new TITAN XD for all his professional appearances and for hauling his various modes of on-water rides, be they his own line of custom kayaks or his Ranger bass fishing boat.
“It’s a rare occasion when Eric Jackson is not on a lake fishing or navigating the most treacherous whitewater rapids,” said Fred Diaz division vice president and general manager, North America Trucks and Light Commercial Vehicles, Nissan North America, Inc. “We’re proud that he has selected TITAN XD as his wheels of choice. With its powerful Cummins® 5.0-liter V8 Turbo Diesel engine, and the security of America’s best truck warranty1, he might even be convinced to spend a little more time on terra firma.”
Jackson has won more than 100 international freestyle kayaking events, the most of any competitor in history and was a member of the USA Kayak Team from 1989 to 2015 – and just qualified for the 2017 team this past month. Jackson also represented the USA in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. In 2003, he founded Jackson Kayak, which has become one of the leading manufacturers of competition and recreational kayaks in the world. In 2015, Jackson fulfilled a childhood dream and became a professional fisherman, joining the Fishing League Worldwide (FLW). He is bringing the same passion to competitive fishing as his extreme whitewater kayaking.
“The Nissan TITAN is an incredible machine that can handle my lifestyle, work and sports. From hardcore whitewater kayaking, negotiating 4×4 roads with all of my gear and family, to towing my Ranger to the FLW Tournaments, it is the best tool for the job,” said Jackson. “When off the job, my wife and family get to enjoy the comforts and safety of the most sophisticated full-size truck on the market.”
Nissan didn’t have to look very far to find the latest member of the TITAN team – the company and Jackson are both headquartered in Tennessee. The Nissan TITAN XD Diesel is assembled in Canton, Mississippi, with engines assembled in Indiana.
“At Jackson Kayak, we work hard to make sure we make everything we can in the USA and Nissan does the same with the TITAN,” added Jackson.
Jackson will be appearing in the Nissan display (Booth #4043) at ICAST, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, July 12 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. EST and July 13 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m EST.
About the 2017 Nissan TITAN XD
The 2017 Nissan TITAN XD Diesel shakes up the highly competitive full-size pickup segment with a bold design and capabilities that stake out a unique position in the segment between traditional heavy-duty and light-duty entries. It offers the effortless towing and hauling of the larger, more expensive heavy-duty trucks – including an available maximum towing capacity of 12,640 pounds and maximum payload capacity of 2,420 pounds (when properly equipped) – yet has the fuel-efficiency and affordability closer to a half-ton pickup.
The TITAN XD Diesel is anchored by a powerful Cummins® 5.0L V8 Turbo Diesel rated at 310 horsepower and 555 lb-ft of torque. Helping handle the power and torque of the engine is a heavy-duty 6-speed Aisin A466ND automatic transmission developed and tuned exclusively for the TITAN XD.
TITAN XD is available in three body configurations – Crew Cab, King Cab and Single Cab – and in five well equipped trim levels – S, SV, PRO-4X, SL and Platinum Reserve. All are offered with a choice of 4×2 or 4×4 drive configurations, except for the PRO-4X model, which is available exclusively as a 4×4.
Like all 2017 TITAN models, the 2017 TITAN XD is covered by “America’s Best Truck Warranty”1 – featuring bumper-to-bumper coverage of 5-years/100,000-miles, whichever comes first.
