Hello loyal paddling fans, interested readers, and accidental arrivals,

So things are gearing towards our last week on native soil before heading over to Beijing for this big event they're calling the Olympics. The surrealness of the experience ahead of me is beginning to wear off, and I am getting really exciting to go. To quote the ever famous Bad Boys II, "This %&^$ just got real..."

This past week Gab and I had a really solid string of training, and seemed to have turned the corner once again on the water. The boat speed in the C-2 is coming to where it needs to be, and our rhythm has continued to improve. Paddling is such a technically demanding sport, that you need to be always mentally on the ball. This is something I am beginning to understand a little bit better leading up to the Games. Sometimes over the past month I have had the tendancy to simply put my head down and go too hard, and this is potentially the worst thing you can do. If there is one thing I have learned racing at this level it's that you need to find a way to relax and feel the connection with each stroke, or you will probably find the rest of the race to be quite the struggle. So with this in mind, Gab and I put together a solid time control this weekend, pacing even splits, and maintaining the best possible relaxed feeling throughout. Regardless of how we're able to handle the beginning of a race, I am preparing to endure a lot of pain at the finish, and I think we've found a race plan that's going to work for us.


Off the water, it's been really great to be back home in Nova Scotia. I have definitely noticed the amazing support from people here in NS and their Olympic excitement. I've had so many people wish me the best of luck, and it is a really awesome feeling knowing that you have so many people rooting for you. I am really looking forward to the sendoff at Banook Canoe Club tomorrow evening, especially having spent so much time in the club over the years. Friday evening was also a big eye opener for me, when I saw the blues of Garrett Mason. This guy is like nothing I have ever seen before, he is simply incredible... it was a great show and he's made a fan out of me. If you are into the blues, or good music in general, I suggest checking him out. Other than a few great meals, and an amazing blues performance, I've played a little bocce ball, taken some swings at Tiger Woods golf on the xbox, and managed to stay relaxed and enjoy myself. I want to take this chance to congratulate Adam van Koeverden on his nomination as flag bearer... very deserving, he is a winner, a proud Canadian, a leader for amateur sports, and a great choice to lead the Canadian Olympic team. To further add to my ill-advised quoting of Bad Boys II.... actually instead just picture Adam arresting several armed drug dealers with his pinky finger. Yeah, that'll work. Anyway, that's all the overdone movie metaphors I am willing to part with. Keep it real, take care, and thanks for reading.

Andrew

It is with a very heavy heart that I write this journal entry. The world of canoe/kayak has lost one of its very best far too soon. György Kolonics of Hungary passed away yesterday morning during a workout on the Danube. The news came as such a shock to Gabriel and I when we found out Tuesday morning prior to our workout. "Kolo" as we had known him, was in top form, and was surely a medal favourite in both distances in the upcoming C-2 races at the Olympics. During the world cup competitions in Europe this year, we had stayed at the same hotel as the Hungarian team, and had shared in wishing him a happy 36th birthday, complete with song and cake.

I was first introduced to György Kolonics by Tamas Buday Jr. in Szeged, Hungary at the 2006 World Championships. This was my first Senior level world compeition, and I was dazzled and awed by his performance in the C-2 1000m, in which he paddled to Gold. However, I was even more impressed by him as a person and individual. For such a great champion, he was very humble and mild mannered, a true ambassador to the sport, and a true champion. The following year Gabriel and I managed to win a bronze medal at the 2007 World Cup in Szeged. After the race had finished and we were waiting to stand on the podium with the great German and Hungarian crews, "Kolo" came over to Gab and I and congratulated us many times on our result. He was very genuine and his words made me feel really great about what we had accomplished. Later on in the evening we attended a wine festival and dinner with him and other paddlers. I remember thinking to myself, "this guy is incredible".

One other thing that was György Kolonics and I will always remember, is that he had a very unique technique and he paddled like no one I had ever seen before. He was so low to the water and strong all the way through each and every stroke. I also noticed there were certainly others who were paying attention to how great "kolo" was paddling. At each competition there would be someone attempting to mimic the strengths of his stroke, having most likely watched hours of his video in attempts of capturing some of the tricks behind his greatness. I know that Gab and I were no different, both having analyzed lots of clips of his past victories. But in the end, the truth is that there will never be another György Kolonics, he was simply one of a kind. His passing is truly tragic. My thoughts and condolences are with all those who were close to him, his famiy and friends, and to his teammates on the Hungarian Olympic and National teams. He will be missed and never forgotten.

Hello hello,

What an awesome end to the second week of training here in Ottawa. On Friday after practice we took part in the annual Rideau fun day regatta. For thse who aren't familiar with this amazing day, younger athletes team up with the older paddlers and Olympians and go out and race 100m. It also gives you a chance to get out in a boat you wouldn't normally train in. I had an awesome time racing C-2 and tub C-4, as well as getting out on the water in the open K-2 race with Ryan "Scrizzle" Cochrane who was without a shread of doubt the MVP for the regatta. I am pretty sure he did not miss a single race, and was eager to take out as many kids as possible, big ups to his energy. After the regatta we got together and enjoyed some pancakes for breakfast before heading back to relax.

Another activity at Rideau that I hadn't played in years is 4 square... yeah you heard me 4 square. An incredible game of skill and accuracy is played daily by the kids at the club. The bigger kids (myself included) often join in and a decent line-up to join the game quickly forms. As I did with the ten trick, a quick ranking list of the top 4 square players at the club, and in the words of the great Chuck Swirsky, "onions baby, onions!:


1) Clark
2) Dougie
3) Scrizzle



Anyway, back to the great end of the week. So Saturday morning signified the end of the women's kayak camp, and we had a really solid practice in C-2 with the ladies K-2 and men's kayak Adam van Koeverden and Anders Gustafsson. Gab and I are really connecting well ont he water and finding our speed again. What was really funny about the early morning practice, was that the huge annual volleyball tourney was already starting at the beach and heavily bass induced jams accompanied our session. Later on in the evening after an uneventful day we gathered at Rideau for an Olympic reception. It was an awesome time highlighted by many kind words spoken, a great video made by the kids, an entrance on a float, bagpipes, and more. Good times and thanks for everyone who helped put it on.

As always keep it real and enjoy the rest of your weekend,
Andrew

ps. I realized in my last blog in my sttubborn attempt to name all coaches that have helped me along the way I somehow forgot to mention Rob Baert who led many a Banook War Canoe to victory at the national championship and always had great advice for me growing up, so now hopefully I've gotten it right...

Greetings again from our Nation's Capital...

It is hot... and I often notice when I lean over during practice to grab a drink I have the sensation that it is raining from my face. We have begun what should be the hardest week of this training camp, and despite a couple of sore shoulders, paddling is still coming along, and I feel as though Gab and I are on the verge of really making some progress towards where we want to be. Gab and I had a really good meeting yesterday with our sport psychologist concerning what we need to do in order to be our absolute best in Beijing. I found myself writing down a number of things that often were framed as what we can't do or shouldn't do, rather than what we need to do in order to accomplish our goals. I've noticed in the last couple of years now racing at the highest level, that your mental state before a race often determines your outcome, and usually spells the difference between a great result and something that leaves you unsatisfied. That is why it is time to get back to basics, continue training hard, but concentrating on the things we do well and seizing control of what we can do, rather than what everybody else is doing. I definitely feel as though this has re-invigorated Gab and I as a crew, and has me excited about putting this plan into action.

Looking around this morning at Rideau Canoe Club I got excited about our great sport. The club was buzzing with young paddlers, in every sort of boat, and the constant presence of coaching was alive and well. I think this often gets overshadowed, but is always deserving of recognition. After all, for much fo the Canadian Olympic Canoe/Kayak Team paddling has been a commitment for many years now, and along the way undoubtedly each athlete has been molded into what they are today by the commitment and guidance of great coaches. I am no different, I began paddling very young at Banook Canoe Club and have received help along the way by so many different people. This attempt may be a bit risky, but I would like to name as many of the coaches that have helped me to date; Alan Duhtie, Jeff Houser, Stu McDonald, Mike Robinson, Albert McDonald, Steve Gallant, Max Tracy, Troy Comeau, Trevor Marshall, Csom Latorovszki, Tamas Buday Sr., Peter Niedre, Scott Oldeshaw, and Robert Kuteyko. As well, I have also been fortunate to have been given a wealth of advice from a number of older paddlers, Bernie Irvin in particular.

Off the water, we are finding lots of things to keep us occupied. I have working on my mariokart wii game often with ten trick founder James Linden Martin, and we are eating out plenty, and there is time for a game of cards now and then. We also got a chance to go see the legendary Snoop Dogg in concert at the Ottawa Blues Fest... great show. Gab and I squeezed our way through the enormous crowd until we were right up close. The concert was great from the moment he came in and posed in his Sens jersey, until he left to the crowd singing "Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, snoop dogg.

Anyway enough from me, keep it real and enjoy the summer weather.

Yours truly,
Andrew