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

Training in Auckland.

Sunset at Highbrook

It's really dark now at 6.30am when I start my morning training sessions and it's not until 6.45am that it's easier to see.
The weather in Auckland has only dished out a few crappy days, one was this afternoon, so a change of training plans for a session on the water was canned and it was taken inside.  Otherwise in the last two weeks there was two days where the weather had me training on the ergo.
If I don't have any homework after my afternoon sessions I'm in bed by 8pm.  One evening even saw me in bed as early as 7pm.  It's not too hard to get out of bed when you get enough sleep.
Very slowly I'm getting over the 'flu.  I generously gave the 'flu to my dad who passed it on to my mum who gave it back to me.  I think this week the cycle has been broken 'cos we've all stopped coughing.

Recently I changed my paddle.  I was using Brasca IV and I'm now using a Braca X (min).  Mmmmmmm I prefer the X.
Training is going well.

There's another three weeks left before I'll be in Italy training in the sun.  I'm looking forward to that for sure.