New Season, new boat and new goals!
It’s been quite awhile since I’ve shared any news ! Let’s just say that the new year started off pretty wildly, and things have been busy ever since !
First came winter training with long endurance sessions - sometimes in the snow and often in a slalom or downriver boat !
Runs, strength training, etc, you’ve got to get through them to improve…
Then there were the floods… Several sessions at La Malate (Besançon, France) and Deluz enabled me to surf and perfect my blunts ! A pure adrenaline rush ! If you haven’t yet surfed La Malate, don’t wait any longer. It’s one of the largest and most powerful waves in Europe and draws paddlers from countries far and wide. But be careful – it’s temperamental and runs only between 300 m3 - 580 m3, so you have to be ballsy !
Now the nice weather is back. The water is down but my spirits are high cause I’ve finally received my new kayak ; an Easy Mix 2010, size small, brand new from Guigui-Prod !
I unwrapped it in a hurry, slapped on a Level six sticker, and hop ! Into the water ! The first test reassured me immediately. The cartwheels practically turned themselves, and the feel was smooth and fast all at once. In bow-stalls the boat sits nice and stable on its nose, and loops are too easy !
A first training session at Tournon Saint Martin with Jérôme Gaudin (the Spanish team coach), allowed me to test my new boat in a hole. After several hours, the air loops were there and the Mc Nasties were coming ! Ouf !
A new boat brings of course new goals for the 2012 season :
- Selection for the French freestyle team (April)
- French champion 2012 (October)
- European champion (June in Austria)
- A podium finish at the word cup (end of August-beginning of September in the US)
I’m crossing my fingers !
Marlou