Mantova Regatta - ITALY

A view of the city from the regatta course

We arrived in Mantova on the 17^th of July which is about a 4 hour drive from Sanremo. I had a little warm up paddle to test out the conditions, the course was really good with super flat water and to top it all off we had great weather. I was really nervous at the start because I couldn’t understand anything and was scared that I would miss my start. My first race up was the 500m senior heats I came 2^nd with a 2.11 it felt really good but I was late at the start so had to catch up. My 500m junior heats were up next I came 1^st with a 2.13 this time I managed to start with everyone else. The finals were in the afternoon so I was able to get something to eat and had a little rest. My first final was the 500m juniors I came 3^rd with a 2.07 about 30mins later I had my 500m senior final I came 6^th with a 2.08. I was really happy about my racing as I gained a bronze medal and was able to make PBS.

1st - Rosalba Simione, 2nd Linda Florio, 3rd - Rishan Po-Ching



Sanremo the city of flowers

I’ve been training in Italy, Sanremo with one of the kayak clubs before I go off to junior worlds. They train in the port some days the water is really good  but as soon as the boats start coming in and going out they make lots of waves that rebound off the walls making the water really choppy. When we first came here I would get really tense and get tired from just trying to stay in my boat but now I am getting use to the waves. It is really hot here around 30 degrees so its way better then when we were training in the cold in NZ.

The biggest surf ever for Sanremo!!



Auronzo International Regatta

We arrived in Auronzo on the 24^th of June its about a 6hr drive from San Remo where I am currently training at the moment. Auronzo is a really beautiful place up in the mountains, the water was super cold but the day was pretty warm. I had no racing the first day all my races were straight finals. Got up the next day at about 6ish to get ready and then went down to the lake ready to race. My 1000m was first, It felt really hard I came 4th with a 4.24.91 just missing out on a 3rd then I had my 500s back to back first 500m was seniors I came 3rd with a 2.14 so had to go to boat control nearly missing my start for the junior 500m by this time I was really dead doing a 2.17. Had a break and something to eat and then I had my 200m in the afternoon the water was really choppy so I felt really tippy so it didn't go very well. After all the races were over we got the car ready for the long drive back home.

1st - Francesca Zanirato, 2nd - Giovanna Zerial, 3rd - Rishan Po Ching