Dear Canoe4Canada:

Where do I put my front foot? I've noticed people's front knees at all different sorts of angles - are there advantages to different placements?

There is no correct placement for a front foot, it is more a matter of preference. Canoeing is an interesting sport in that there is no universal answer to the stroke of technique. You have some paddlers like Gab with a huge stretch to the front foot, others like Andrew whose knees are bent funny because they were born that way. It really comes down to what works for you personally. However, having said this there are two key things to think about with respect to your front foot; the distance of your stance, and where your foot is in the boat, in terms of side to side. The length that your front foot forward will help your overall stroke. Very seldom do you see extremely successful paddlers with their front foot very close to their block. Try and have a nice distance between your block and front foot. This will in turn will better set you up to incorporate the legs into the stroke. As for the placement side to side, the key thing to think about here is that your boat stays smooth through each stroke. For example, if your boat is dipping way to the right each stroke, and your front foot is on the edge of the boat on the right, you might want to think about changing it. Find a place that you feel comfortable with, and then put a piece of griptape down to help with traction. Hopefully this helps with your question, and thanks for the submission.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

My friend Ken is also wondering if the four of you would be interested in drawing up plans and assisting him in his quest to build his own tandem bike roof racks.

Hey Ken, This is one task we feel we would have to say no on because of our limited knowledge. We would feel far to horrible if some glitch in the design were to be responsible for the death of a beautifully crafted tandem bicycle. Best of luck though with your quest.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Dear C4C, it is my understanding that between the four of you, you carry a vast knowledge in most everything. I have a friend, lets call him Ken, and Ken wants to buy a tandem bicycle. He has two viewings in his home town, but a good viewing in another town he will be passing by a few hours away. He is torn on what to do, as if he buys the one out of town he could be missing two better deals. Can you give....Ken, some kind of advice?

Dear Ken, Thank you for addressing us with such an important and potentially life-altering question. A purchase as significant as your first tandem bixycle requires the utmost diligence and patience. We suggest checking in on the first bike, and using this bicycle as a good point of reference to the other two. Only go ahead and make the purchase if you are 100% satisfied and like what you see. Make sure the tandem seems durable and will be able to handle the double load it was intended for. Hope this helps, happy cycling.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Do you think that, in a melancholy canoe-less world, you would have been able to reach your current level of competition in the event entitled kayaking?

That is quite the depressing hypothetical, but a good question nonetheless. If you were to take all of the canoers and insert them into the kayak discipline, it would make for some very tough battles and an extremely deep field of athletes. Naturally, there would be fewer spots in total, so it would be very hard to succeed, but in a parallel world somewhere K4C does most likely exist.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Is any of your guys gay? If not, have you ever considering playing for the other team, even if it is just once? Any attraction between each other?

While Mark has been known to stare at the sexy chest rugs sported by Andrew, Gab and Morty, none of those questions would be answered with a yes.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Have you four ever had a coach that you didn't connect with well? And if so, what did you do to make the best of that situation ?

There will definitely be times in all sports where athletes and coaches disagree on points or don't connect well, this is true for C4C as well. However, the best thing to do is to communicate well with your teammates and coaches on what you want to accomplish and try to keep an open mind. Not every athlete works the best in every situation so try and find to figure out a plan that works and stick to it. Remember, positivity helps improve any situation...

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Have you four ever had a coach that you didn't connect with well? And if so, what did you do to make the best of that situation ?

There will definitely be times in all sports where athletes and coaches disagree on points or don't connect well, this is true for C4C as well. However, the best thing to do is to communicate well with your teammates and coaches on what you want to accomplish and try to keep an open mind. Not every athlete works the best in every situation so try and find to figure out a plan that works and stick to it. Remember, positivity hels improve any situation...

Dear Canoe4Canada:

I was reading Andrews entry: "The Game is Ten Trick". In this he listed the top 10 ten trick players in canada. I heard that Dennis Stever was the best ten trick player, cleaning up on European Tour in 2006. Is this true?

No.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Dear C4C. If you had to pick a comic book character that best represents your morals and ideals, who would you pick and why?.. Also, who will win senior men’s war canoe this year? –Anonymous 5th member of the 2001 Jr. Worlds canoe team.

S Dickey... no no that's too obvious, Scott D., thanks for that fantastic question. Always great to hear from a founder. As for the comic book character, that's a tough one... perhaps we could agree on the legendary Batman. Reasons for the choice as follows; gets the job done, inserts a sly comeback from time to time, overcomes adversity, likes to play with cool stuff, has the coolest soonest upcoming move release... enjoys leaping from tall surfaces. How does that work for you? Lastly, this year's senior men's war canoe field will be highlighted by strong crews from Burloak, Banook, Rideau and Trois Rivieres... that sounds about right.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

What's so devastatingly beautiful about nurses with red bras?

The better question to ask in this case is what isn't.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Dear C4C. I've noticed that many of your photos appear to be staged, for instance the laughing photo on this page. May I ask who is your photographer, and would you ever consider going with a more natural looking approach?

Hey thanks for the question. Yeah when we put together the site we had an impromptu photo shoot, where semi-professional photographer/ Olympic kayaker Emilie Fournel took a few shots for the website. I think we are always interested in trying new things, and the same stands true for photography, as long as we’re talking tasteful.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

What are the top three things I could do that would help me be as cool as you guys?

Wow, that is quite the loaded question… where to start, try these three little tricks: 1) adopt the slogan “keep it real” (applies to everything) 2) don’t try too hard in social situations, and don’t be afraid to really enjoy yourself 3) practice up on your ten trick game

Dear Canoe4Canada:

So... who of the crew is single? I'm far off in California but a girl can dream, right?

Good question, amongst the four only the C-2 duo of Gab and Andrew are sans significant others. In the words of Tamas Buday Jr. “dream it up”.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Is it true POW is closing, and if so, what are we to do with ourselves?

That is truly a sad proposition, and one we at C4C care not to entertain at this time. There have been rumours for a time of POW possibly closing, but as of now they still have the best post practice breakfast we know of. Enough said.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Hey Andrew/Gab Congrat's on going to the Olympics - I just wondered if there will be the same air pollution issue that the media is talking about in China specifically at the paddling sites ??? Will you be going over early to get used to the climate?? GOOD LUCK !

Hey thank you so much. We can’t say for sure what the air is going to be like, but we hope to be prepared for whatever the conditions should prove to be.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Treatza Pizza. Skor or Smartie?

Skor, but Smarties is damn good too. Can’t go wrong either way.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Dear C4C, Congratulations on some great races in Hungary. But what's with that german guy in the front with the plastic shovel from Canadian Tire? Weird but the dude's fast though!! Frosty

Frosty, you are definitely right, it does look like a shovel. In fact Gille put his foot on the blade and made like he was going to do some digging with it.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Great racing on the weekend guys! Was watching video of the races...what's with the paddle used by the stroke paddler in the winning German C2...looks quite different from most paddles.

This paddle is like nothing we’ve seen before. It is a short blade with a square surface slightly wider than the usual. Obviously Christian Gille knew what he was doing with it, as they were very successful, he said it was his own design that he sent in to the German development centre.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Way to go Canoe 4 Canada Continue on your euro tour (it sounds almost as fun as the Festival Express.)

Thanks for the supportive words. We’re doing out best always, and having fun along the way.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

When one is in a nasty tailwind that pushes one all over the place, what is one to do? Is there a trick to dealing with this madness besides having a wild zig-zag party?

In our experience do your best to keep the boat moving. Keep putting the strokes in and keep your weight on the paddle blade as much as possible. Try your best to ride out the conditions, and remember corrective strokes before the boat goes is better than reacting after you have already started to run hard to the right or left.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Dear canoe four canada why is morty so sentimental yo?

Morty is probably the most passionate person in the entirety of the CKC organization in Canada, and his sentimental words and attitudes often reflect that. A cruel shoulder injury and the subsequent recovery can make someone feel pretty thankful too. All in all the “Mortman” as he is affectionately known by many, just flat out keeps it real and does his best to promote the sport, what more can we ask. It was this attitude that led Morty to become the runner up for the national spirit award in sport.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

How often is too often to train war canoe? Bear c4?

Depends on whether or not a run at the black is being made in C-4.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Do you ever get homesick?

Occasionally, as we are away pretty often, but life on the road for the C4C is almost always good times.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Could you layout some basic 10 trick strategies?

Best question we’ve got in a long time. Ten Trick is a great game that involves tricks that correlate with the number of cards and a trump suit. The first thing to know is the relative value of cards. High trump are the most valuable cards, and then the numbers of trump you have, and the top cards in all other suits and down. Remember it is more often easier to lose tricks than it is to win them, so if you’re feeling cautious bet lower. However, in ten trick the points system rewards those who bet. Also it is important to note the bets of others and your position. When making the ever important betting decision, whatever you do don’t mimic the often questionable strategies of one Christopher “facial” Pellini.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Who has the best dance moves?

That’s a toss up between Morty and Gab.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Dear c4c, Do you eat a lot of paprika in Szeged? I hear it’s where it was invented. Does it make you go faster? One time I was making chili, and accidentally put 2 tablespoons of paprika instead of 2 tablespoons of chili powder. I didn't know what to call my paprika dominated concoction; any suggestions?

Well first things first, Paprika is in fact high in vitamin C, so big ups on the extra health benefits in that mild blunder. s for the name, why not pay a little homage to the Szeged great and call it Vajda Deluxe.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

What's with the favourite cheese?

Riddle me this, who doesn’t love cheese?

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Do you get emo when people say canoeing, in general, is declining globally and will be eventually be taken out of the Oylmpics etc?

That is a tough thing to hear yes, as it is such a huge part of our lives and obviously a sport we are very passionate about. As for being taken out of the Olympics, this is not something that will occur in the near future, so for the time being we are safe.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Hey so you since you guys wear headbands all the time, how do you avoid getting the rest of your faces burnt and getting.. like ... pokeball heads?

This question is a bit confusing as we have no idea what a pokeball is. Safe to assume it has a bright red head though? The most obvious answer is a little spf, but factor in a pair of shades and it’s all good.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Any tricks/advice for training on your own? I do my sessions, but it always seems harder alone then if you're training in a group.

That is a good question, and it is true training on your own is tough, but it is definitely doable. Some of Canada’s best have done it almost entirely alone, Steve Giles and Tom Hall to name a couple. Here are some things we recommend, a) mental focus is key: before each practice set your objectives for the practice and follow them to your best ability, b) like step a, after each practice go through the positives and negatives and keep these in mind for the next practice, c) challenge yourself with constant goals as the practice progresses, to keep your mind active, and lastly d) when the opportunity presents itself, try and occasionally join some other paddlers for training sessions to assess your progress.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Do you miss your fellow canoe 4 canada founding member Scott Dickey, and if so, what has this man taught you? Being a former Maskwa Aquatic Club paddler myself, I always enjoyed training with him, and occasionally even washing him out.

Vous ennuyez vous de votre équipier Scott Dickey, le 5e membre fondateur de la fameuse clique C4C? Je suis un membre en règle du club de Maska et j’ai toujours aime faire de la vague a Scott pas vous?
N.B.(sur ce clavier, il est impossible de mettre un accent sur les "a")

Thanks very much for your question, though the fictional anecdote at the end was quite the stretch. No Maskwa teammate (kayaker or canoer) has ever washed out the great Scott Dickey. We miss Scotty very much, and would need several volumes to tell all of Scott’s wisdom he’s passed on to us.

Merci pour ta question, même si ta dernière phrase n’est que pure fiction. Personne, canotier ou kayakiste n’a jamais été en mesure de faire de la vague a Scott, il était beaucoup trop rapide. On s’ennuie beaucoup de Scott, il faudrait qu’il écrive un grand livre pour nous passer tous ces mots de sagesse.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

What sound does a giraffe make?

Quel son emettent les giraffes?

Not as interesting a sound as this year’s pair of costumed giraffes at the 5th annual “yak for a stack” competition. Several hundred meters of stilt walking made for exhausted grunts and pants from the victorious duo of Mark and Gab.

Pas aussi bruyant que le duo de Gab et Mark habillés en girafes lors de la 5e édition de Yak for a Stack. Du haut de leurs échasses, ils ont surplombé la foule en grognant et en suant plusieurs litres d’eau.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Hey Guys,
Today I was at home watching TV and saw that Harper was talking about boycotting the Olympic games. With all of this talk about boycotting the games, what can we as athletes do to help?

Aujourd’hui, je regardais M. Harper a la television et il parlait de la possibilite de bycotter les Olympiques. Qu’est-il possible de faire en tant qu’athlete olympique pour apporter notre aide?
N.B.(sur ce clavier, il est impossible de mettre un accent sur les "a")

The best thing to do is become as informed as possible. We at C4C understand that there are definitely a lot of issues surrounding the Games taking place in Beijing. Up until this point every sign points to a full Canadian participation at the Games.

En savoir le plus possible sur le sujet est un bon début, nous comprenons les enjeux politiques autour des Jeux Olympiques et espérons que les milliers de journalistes présents a Pékin pourront mettre en évidence les points forts et moins forts de ce pays.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

If you answer all our questions now, what will we talk about at Turkey Bowl?

TURKEY!

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Si vous répondez à toutes les questions maintenant, de quoi allez-vous parler lors du Turkey Bowl?

De dindons !

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Doit-on être souple pour faire du canoë ?

Doit-on être fort, avoir une bonne technique et être en forme pour faire du canoë ? Toutes ces questions méritent la même réponse : oui ! La souplesse est une autre bonne carte à avoir dans ton jeu. Trop souvent, nous sous-estimons l’importance des séances d’étirement. Les meilleurs rameurs au monde s’étirent régulièrement, c’est une partie importante de l’entraînement, surtout en phase de régénération. Les champions olympiques et mondiaux tels que Martin Doktor, Andreas Dittmer, Attila Vajda sont tous capables de faire la split, et ce même sur la piste de danse le soir après les régates. La routine d’étirement pré-compétition de Maxim Opalev est sans doute du calibre des plus élégantes ballerines !

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Do you have to be flexible to canoe?

Do you have to be strong to canoe? Do you have to have good technique to canoe? Do you have to be in good shape to canoe? The same answer applies to all these questions, the more the better. Flexibility is just another factor that can help you to succeed, and it is one that is often overlooked by most people. However, if you look at the best canoers in the world, you will see that stretching is a very important part of their training. We have witnessed the splits by Olympic and World Champions such as Andreas Dittmer, Martin Doktor, and Attila Vajda, all wearing their finest party clothes. Maxim Opalev’s pre race warm up includes at least 20 minutes of intense stretching that would make the most limber of ballerinas jealous.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Do I really have to stretch?

Yes.
Stretching is very important. Not only does it allow for a greater range of motion during your stroke, it is also a great way to prevent injuries.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Doit-on vraiment faire de la souplesse?

Oui, c’est très important. Être souple te permettra d’avoir une plus grande amplitude dans ton coup de rame. Aussi, t’étirer permettra à tes muscles de libérer les toxines présentes et diminuera les risques de blessures.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Considering canoeing is a competitive sport, it’s a given each athlete has an intense desire to be the best. However, often this desire to be the fastest can cause athletes to ignore set workout percentages or purposes. When, if there is a time, do you feel it is appropriate to push the speed of the group? At your level, do athletes always respect the assigned percentages of pieces?

Great question.
It’s hard to tell athletes when and when not to be competitive. If you are expected to try to beat your competitors in a race, then why shouldn’t you try to do it in practice? The issue of workout percentages is one that comes up quite often and grumbling on and off the water will be heard if someone seems to be going harder than their training partners think they should be. We at C4C look at percentages more as a general guide than as something set in stone. If you feel like you can push the pace higher than the stated percentage then we say go for it, as long as you can do it for all (or at least most) of the workout. It’s important to look at every workout you are going to do and figure out how you can get the most out of it, and that often means pushing yourself as hard as you can for the entire session. If our program says 10 x 4 minutes at 85%, we interpret it as 10 x 4 minutes as hard as we can go while still lasting the whole workout. Knowing what that pace is going to be is something that you simply learn as you get older and get more training experience. Adam van Koeverden barely uses percentages, if at all. He simply knows the pace he needs to do for different workouts because he’s done it for so long. So percentages are important for younger athletes still learning how hard they need to go, but more of a guide for those of us who are more experienced. Remember that pushing the pace and trying to maintain it is how you improve, so don’t be afraid to step it up when you are feeling good. Your training partners can either try to keep up and benefit from it, or sit back in the wash and complain about it. That being said, sometimes a workout has a specific reason to stick to percentages or stroke rates, so you need to talk to your coach and training partners before each practice and make sure you understand what the goals are.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Le canotage est un sport de compétition et chaque athlète possède un ardent désire d’être le meilleur. Cela étant dit, certains de ces athlètes sont tellement motivés qu’ils oublient, ou ignorent l’intensité des entraînements. Quand pensez vous qu’il est approprié d’encourager ce comportement, de pousser le groupe à se surpasser ? À votre niveau, respectez-vous toujours l’intensité lors des pratiques ?

Brillante question,
Il est difficile de contrôler le niveau de compétitivité d’un groupe d’entraînement. Si nous sommes supposés être plus rapides que nos adversaires lors des compétitions, pourquoi ne devrait-on pas aussi tenter d’être le plus rapide en entraînement? La question de respecter l’intensité des pratiques est un sujet de conversation très populaire sur l’eau et hors de l’eau. Nous à C4C, pensons que l’intensité indiquée sur un programme d’entraînements est un guide et non pas un ordre à suivre à la lettre. Si tu penses que tu es capable d’augmenter d’un cran le niveau de l’entraînement, et de garder cette intensité tout au long (ou du moins plus la majorité) de la pratique, nous t’encourageons grandement.
Il est important de réfléchir et de décider de quelle façon tu approcheras ta pratique afin d’en retirer le plus grand bénéfice. Cela veut souvent dire qu’il faudra te pousser à fond tout au long de l’entraînement. Si tu fais 10 x 4 min à 85%, cela veut dire 10 x 4 min le plus vite possible tout au long de l’entraînement. Trouver le rythme que tu pourras maintenir sera de plus en plus facile avec l’expérience. Adam van Koeverden n’utilise pas, ou presque pas la notion de pourcentage. Il regarde chaque pratique et comprend à quelle vitesse il doit ramer, il se fie à ses feelings de glisse et écoute son corps réagir à l’effort. Les pourcentages sont importants pour les jeunes athlètes qui apprennent à pousser l’intensité d’un cran, mais devient davantage un guide pour les plus expérimentés. Souvient-toi que d’aller vite et de maintenir ta vitesse est la meilleure méthode pour t’améliorer. Si tu te sens bien, sois confiant et tente d’augmenter ton endurance. Tes partenaires d’entraînement te suivront et s’amélioreront autant, ou ils mangeront ta vague et se plaindront. D’un autre côté, certains entraînements ont des buts précis et il est important de respecter l’intensité et le stroke rate, surtout lors des semaines de régénération. Il est donc important que tu parles avec ton entraîneur et tes coéquipiers et que tu détermines les objectifs précis de la pratique.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

How do you canoe?

Comment ramez-vous?

Really fast.

Très vite.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Bonjour, voici ma question:
comment travaillez-vous le bas du corps tout au long de la saison? Ce n’est plus un secret, tout le monde sait que les chin ups sont le meilleur exercice pour le haut du corps, mais lorsque vient le temps de travailler le bas du corps, chaque personne a son secret. Pouvez-vous m’aider ?

Réponse courte:
Travaille tes mollets!

Réponse complète:
Il est vrai que le programme de musculation de la plupart des rameurs est axé sur le haut du corps. Ce programme peut s’avérer efficace pour les petites jambes des kayakistes, mais il est essentiel que les canoistes renforcent leur bas du corps dans le gymnase. Depuis quelques années, nous avons incorporé plusieurs exercices de jambes et nous avons remarqué les biensfaits sur l’eau. Les « lunges » sont efficaces puisqu’ils reproduisent le mouvement des jambes lors d’un coup de rame. Gab aime bien mettre son pied arrière sur un banc, ce qui permet une plus grande amplitude de mouvement. De son côté, Mark utilise un demi ballon « bosu » et pompe son pied avant, ce qui renforce ses muscles stabilisateurs. Les « squats » sont aussi efficaces pour travailler les muscles fessiers grandement utilisés en canoë. Cependant, il est important de suivre les conseils d’un instructeur afin d’éviter les blessures lombaires. Nous aimons aussi les sauts squats, aussi appelés sauts de grenouille. Nous avons également commencé à nous entraîner en vélo de route. Nous possédons tous une bicyclette et aimons bien rouler en groupe, seulement 2 chutes en quelques mois !

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Hi guys, I have the following question for you :
How do you guys train your lower body during the whole season? It's not a secret for anyone, chin-up is one of the key exercise for the upper body, but when it comes to lower body, I guess everyone have their own solution. Want to share it?

Short Answer:
Calf Raises

Long Answer: It is true that most weight training programs for paddling are very heavily weighed towards the upper body. While this may work out fine for pencil-legged kayakers, canoers need to pump the legs in the weight room just like they do in the boat. In the last couple years we have incorporated more leg weights into our routines and it has paid off on the race course. Lunges are a great exercise, as they get your muscles working in a similar way to canoeing. Gab likes to put his back foot on a bench to get a bigger range of motion, and Mark likes to use a Bosu ball to work on stability. Squats are also a great exercise, just make sure you have someone who knows what they are doing teach you so you don’t hurt your back. We especially like jump squats, as they help not only our paddling, but also our frequent games of leap frog. Another way we have gotten our legs in better shape is biking. We all have road bikes and really enjoy heading out for big group rides, only 2 crashes so far!

Dear Canoe4Canada:

I often get asked if xxx is going to the Olympics, could you explain how the qualification process works?


Je me fais poser souvent la question suivante : est-ce que cette personne sera aux Olympiques? Pouvez vous expliquer comment fonctionne le processus de qualifications.

Thank you for your question. This is how Canada will identify its men canoe Olympic team.

Canada has to qualify what we call “athlete quota positions” in order to be represented in Beijing. Our country had 2 chances to do so. The first was during the 2007 World’s Championships. Mark Oldershaw finished 6th in C-1 500m. It means that Canada has now 1 athlete quota position qualified.

The 2nd chance to qualify will be during the continental qualifiers held in Montreal on May 17th and 18th. Canada will be allowed one more athlete quota position if we achieve victory in the C-1 1000m. Canada will be allowed 2 athlete quota positions if we achieve victory in the C-2 1000m or C-2 500m.

Once again, Canada right now has 1 athlete quota position. If Canada wins C-1 1000m, and one of the 2 C-2 events at qualifiers, a total of 4 athlete quota positions will be qualified. It would mean that the biggest canoe team would be 4 paddlers.

Canada has to decide who will try to qualify the athlete quota positions in Montreal. To do so, Trails #1 will be held May 2nd and 3rd in Atlanta, Georgia. The winner of every event will race in Montreal. There is only one exception: Mark Oldershaw. If Mark would race in Montreal and win there, no athlete quota position would be added to our count, so if he wins trials, the second place finisher will race at qualifiers.

Once Canada knows how many athletes it’s allowed to send to the Olympics, our country has to decide who will be the ones that go to Beijing. To do so, the athletes that finished 1st and 2nd at Trials #1 in every canoe event, will compete in Europe at World Cup #1 and #2 held in Hungary and Germany. Whatever Canadian does best at 2 out of three of these regattas will be nominated to the Olympic team.

In summary, Canada has one more chance to qualify its athletes to go to the Olympics. Once it’s done, within the Canadian canoers, 3 races will be used to identify who are the best to race in Beijing. The Olympic team will be announced after World Cup #2 in mid June.



Merci pour votre question. Voici comment le Canada pourra choisir son équipe Olympique.

Pour participer aux Olympiques le Canada doit d’abord qualifier ce qu’on appelle des « quotas d’athlètes ». Pour ce faire, deux compétitions servent de qualification.

Les premières qualifications ont eu lieu lors des Championnats du Monde 2007. En terminant au 6e rang en C-1 500m, Mark Oldershaw a assuré le Canada un quota d’athlètes.

La deuxième chance pour les athlètes canadiens de qualifier des quotas sera lors des qualifications continentales qui auront lieu à Montréal les 17 et 18 mai prochains. L’objectif est d’obtenir le plus de quotas d’athlètes possible. Si le C-2 1000m et le C-2 500m. remportent la victoire, 2 quotas d’athlètes de plus seront alloués.

De plus, si le Canada gagne le C-1 1000m, le Canada assurera un autre quotas d’athlètes. Donc si tout va pour le mieux, l’équipe Olympiques des hommes canoë disposera de 4 quotas d’athlètes.

C’est au Canada de décider qui coursera aux qualifications continentales. Les athlètes seront sélectionnés lors des essais nationaux #1 à Atlanta en Georgie. Les gagnants des courses C-2 1000m et 500m. ainsi que C-1 1000m seront ceux qui courseront à Montréal deux semaines plus tard.

Une fois que le Canada aura obtenu ses entrées, le pays devra déterminer l’équipe Olympique. Pour ce faire, les athlètes qui auront terminé au 1er et 2ème rang dans chaque événement aux essais nationaux courseront aux deux Coupes du Monde qui auront lieu en Hongrie et en Allemagne au mois de juin. Les gagnants de 2 des 3 courses mériteront leurs places sur l’équipe Olympique.

En résumé, le Canada a une dernière chance de qualifier des athlètes pour les Olympiques. Une fois le nombre de quotas d’athlètes déterminé, trois courses seront utilisés afin de déterminer les meilleurs rameurs canadiens qui s’envoleront pour Beijing. L’équipe Olympiques(pas de s) sera dévoilée à la suite de la deuxième Coupe du Monde à la mi-juin.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Hello, Pisquali speaking. I am gently saddened by my decision of quitting paddling and I currently feel a bit like I miss Florida; especially when I read those great articles in your journal(s), it reminds me of the funny yet serious and competitive atmosphere of the canoe world. Do you still have a chairmen committee for the Florida poker tour? Is Attila still imitating Borat all the time? I wish you guys all the best for this springs qualifications, but mostly I wish you a great time training and at Yak for a Stack; because I have realized that for most young paddlers who don't make it to the national team or even the junior worlds, you get as much from the training than from the competition, if not more.
Ciao

Pisquali, you have managed to make all four C4C members get a little cloudy eyed. All of us could not agree more with your sentiments. As Mark so aptly put in his acceptance speech for 2001 Canadian Junior Athlete of the Year, “I’d just like to say, that once you accomplish your dream. You realize it’s not just about the dream, but about all the things you experienced along the way.” It is a really special realization to make that it is so much about the work you do every day to be your best, the friends you make and the pure fun of being out on the water with such a great group of people and only partially about the end results, medals, teams and time standards.

In response to your questions: Poker tournaments seem to be out, largely because co-chairman and former Borat impersonator Atilla is now a father with a little girl to chase around his apartment. Golf is in. Gab shot a 97 last week.

Finally, if you miss paddling, it isn’t going anywhere. It isn’t the end of the world to take some time away, do other stuff and come back to it if you want to. Take a lesson from one Andrew Russell who was largely a club/CCA paddler for his last three years of University. You know how things have gone since he has come back. We hope to see you @ Nationals.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Mark's reference to the "sonic boom" created when going out in C4 for the first time made me wonder how much of that feeling was due to his attitude going out onto the water. How much impact do you think your initial attitude can have on a practice? If starting on a negative note, how do you turn things around?

Your initial attitude can have a HUGE impact on a practice. So many times a work out can end before it starts. It is very common for athletes to go on the water and have the mentality of just getting though the session. It is important to not ignore the work you are about to do before practice, but instead think about what you want to get out of it. Setting goals for each week, day, practice and piece can have a huge impact on what you get out of a session. Setting a goal puts you more in control of what you get out of practice, and leaves it less up to chance that you will feel satisfied coming of the water.

If a practice is going poorly, it is important to go back to things you know you are doing well and build off of those. For example, if you know you have a strong exit, think about ripping it out each stroke for a couple pieces to try and get your groove back. Also, if a session is going badly don’t be afraid to ramp it up a bit. Going harder and making the boat move faster for a couple pieces can save a bad session. It is also important to remember you don’t need to win every piece to have a good work out. Make sure you don’t get too focused on the people you are training with and not on what is going on in your own boat.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

What happens when your boat tips over? I am trying to figure it out.
Thanks,

your friend John.

Being agile C4C men, we simply pull ourselves back in a keep on going. In fact, Gab set what could be a world record in training on the course in Regina 2006, when he completed a 500m in 2:24, with a tip!

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Tell me, when is an appropriate time to stop breast-feeding as a kid? Was 10 to late?

Your friend John

Johnny, a recent study by the US Olympic Association has show that the major factor in deciding which kayakers are more suited to flatwater and those destined for white water and up gates, is the time of there weaning from the teat. If you were rushing home from Grade 1 to get a little snack from mom, you should stick to the slalom course.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Dear manly men, Are those really your favorite cheeses?

Aruss does enjoy goat cheese immensely, but only as a part of a delicious combination; Such as a fine thin crust pizza, with undercooked prosciutto. It is however, in Aruss’s, opinion NOT an everyday cheese. Thus he could not declare it his overall favorite.

Gab loves swiss, especially on a Direnzo HOT roast beef.

Mark actually loves Camembert, and actually likes it runny, unlike his nose.

Morty only picked Norwegian Jarlsberger because it is his favorite cheese from the Monty Python Cheese Shop Sketch, but has since tried it and it is awesome.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Hi I just wonder what training program you guys think will be best for 200m, 500m and 1000m? p.s I am actually a k1 paddler myself so don't know if c1 200m exists...

Umm…C-1 200m definitely exists. The battle for the Bill Cleevley Memorial Trophy, for Senior C-1 200m is one of the most competitive races at Canadian Nationals.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Hey guys, love the sight, its both epic and inspiring. How is training? hope to be down there next week.
Anyways, my question is how do you build your back foot piece up to cover the whole foot for more pressure? I notice it in most of your boats. my second question is next year is my 2nd Jr worlds (hopefully!) and I am wondering how long should I go to florida for to become a 'World Champion'? I had planned 10 weeks, and a minimum of 8. what is your advice journeymen!

The size of your footrest is entirely personal preference. As long as you can put a good solid amount of pressure against your foot piece it is fine. The easiest way to build it up is to either take of the actual footboard from the frame that you have holding it upright and put a bigger one on, or if you have a mental foot piece screw a bigger wood piece on top. Simple.

Becoming a World Champion however is far from simple. 8-10 weeks will be just fine to get you ready for trials that will probably be in June or July. You have to realize that there will be 20 guys going to Florida for just as long with the same goal in mind, and there are 20 guys in 10 other countries doing the same. So think about what you are going to do starting now to get an edge. “Excellence is not an act, but a habit.”

Dear Canoe4Canada:

You guys look like you are in fairly good shape. Can you do squats standing on a physioball??

Heck Yes.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

hey guys, my question for you guys is in two parts. first off, what do you suggest for the most beneficial core workout! i have tried many different workouts but havent quite found one to tax the whole core system. secondly, how often do you suggest stretching?

We don’t have one specific work out we like to do. For the most part it is the best to mix it up, that way you will develop a more balanced core strength. Try tick-tocks on the chin-up bar. Leg over’s. Roller wheel thing. If those things don’t get you sore, you are Robocop or Larry Cain. In which case do ruts until you can’t do anymore

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Is there life in Mars?

Y a-t-il de la vie sur Mars?

One has to assume there is intelligent life elsewhere, Mars or beyond. One thing for sure they’d probably consider a Nelo and drinking Chivas.

Certains pensent qu’il y a une forme d’intelligence sur Mars ou ailleurs dans l’Univers. Une chose est certaine, ils veulent ramer dans un Nelo et boire du Chivas.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Why are Gab, Aruss and Morty so hairy but mark is so clean shaven?

-Anonymous

Pourquoi Gab, Aruss et Morty sont aussi poilus et Mark semble fraîchement rasé?

-Anonyme.

We just keep it all natural, Mark unfortunately is not gifted with extra insulation and often has to wear an extra layer.


Nous sommes 100% naturels, Mark n’a malheureusement pas la chance d’être recouvert d’une couche protectrice. Par conséquent, il doit souvent porter une deuxième épaisseur de vêtement.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Hello! I have a question about training. My height is 2 meters. I train kayak, but I do not know how many kilos should I have for this season. Could you tell me! Thanks!

Bonjour, je fais du kayak et je mesure 2 mètres, quel poids devrais-je atteindre pour la prochaine saison?

The most important thing in our sport is to move the boat forward, with yourself in it. To do so, you need a well proportioned body. There is no perfect height to weight ratio, the important thing is that you have to find what works best for you as a paddler. From experience, we’ve seen a lot of people restrained by their weight, but almost never because they were too light. A good way to know is to evaluate your capacity of doing body weights workouts such as chin-ups, push-ups, jump squats, sit ups and so on. Our sport needs a lot of core strength and great coordination. Don’t worry about your height or weight, focus on your balance and boat skills and work hard in the gym all year around. We’ve seen a lot of different body type winning at World’s. Adam van Koeverden and Tim Brabants won both a gold and silver medals at last year’s Worlds Championships in K1, and they have 13 cm height difference. What they have in common is their capacity to move their body weight while sitting in their boat. It doesn’t matter how tall or heavy you are, everyone has a chance!

L’important en canoë-kayak est de s’asseoir dans son bateau et d’avancer. En ce qui à trait au poids parfait, il n’y a pas de proportion idéal, chaque rameur a sa recette. Par expérience, il y a très peu d’athlètes qui sont limités parce qu’ils sont trop légers. Un bon truc afin de savoir si tu es capable de porter ton poids est de faire des entraînements de type « body weight ». Des push-ups, chin-ups, sit-ups ou même des sauts squats sont des bons exercices pour améliorer ta coordination. Ne t’en fait pas avec ton poids et concentre toi sur des exercices de stabilisation qui t’aideront une fois dans ton bateau. L’entraînement en salle est tout aussi important l’hivers comme l’été. On a vu beaucoup de gens gagner des médailles au niveau mondial, et peu ont les même mensurations. Adam van Koeverden et Tim Brabants ont gagné l’or et l’argent en K1 lors des Championnats du Monde l’été dernier. Tim est 13cm plus grand qu’Adam, et pourtant ils sont presque aussi rapide sur l’eau. Peu importe la grandeur et grosseur d’un rameur, le gagnant sera celui qui fera avancer son bateau le plus efficacement possible donc tout le monde a une chance!

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Dear canoe4canada, I'm a huge fan and enjoy reading your website.

I do some canoeing myself and wounder if you have any advise how I can be as great as you guyes. When I paddle my c-1 does nothing but circles - ther are no canoers in my cantry what should I do?!
Please canoe4canada - help me.
-AG

Cher canoe4canada, je suis un très grand fan de votre site.

Je pratique le canoë et j’aimerais avoir des conseils afin d’être aussi bons que vous. Lorsque je rame, mon bateau ne fait que tourner en rond, et dans mon pays personne ne pratique le canoë, que dois-je faire ?
S’il vous plaît canoe4canada, aidez moi !
-AG

Hello AG, brilliant question. Well, first things first, start practicing your j-stroke, as for national competition… we at c4c are sorry to hear that none of your fellow countrymen are taking part in the best on-water sport going. But like in all things, practice makes perfect, good luck “straightening out”.

Salut AG, merci pour ta pertinente question. Tout d’abord, tu dois pratiquer tes coups en J, tu pourras ensuite courser au niveau national, même si nous au c4c n’avons pu encore rencontrer d’autre Suédois amateur du meilleur sport aquatique au monde. Continue de pratiquer et poursuis ton rêve. Bonne chance!

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Il semble que les gens vont de plus en plus longtemps en Floride, est-il nécessaire pour moi d’y aller 2 mois afin d’avoir une bonne saison?

Il est vrai que l’équipe nationale va de plus en plus longtemps en Floride afin de préparer la saison estivale. Cependant, ce qui est bon pour l’un n’est pas nécessairement bon pour l’autre. Pour répondre simplement à ta question, non, tout le monde n’a pas besoin d’aller en Floride aussi longtemps pour avoir une bonne saison. La raison pour laquelle on étire de plus en plus la durée des camps d’entraînements dans le sud est qu’on doit être prêt à courser dès avril. Afin de déterminer la durée de ton camp d’entraînement, tu dois d’abord te fixer un objectif pour la saison. Puis, assis toi avec ton entraîneur et établis ton plan de match afin d’avoir toutes les cartes en main pour atteindre ton objectif. Si tu es midget et que tu veux gagner une médaille d’or en C-1 aux Championnats canadiens, aller 2 mois en Floride n’est pas du tout essentiel. Tous les athlètes de l’équipe nationale te diront que ramer de février à septembre et très éprouvant, et que souvent nous sommes épuisés en arrivant aux championnats canadiens. Donc, pour un athlète de niveau midget et même juvénile, un entraînement hors de l’eau diversifié et intense au mois de février et mars peu s’avéré être aussi profitable que d’aller dans le sud. Cela dit, nous à canoe4canada.com, pensons que d’aller à ces camps d’entraînements est une expérience de vie très enrichissante qui n’est pas exclusif à l’équipe nationale. Nous sommes tous venu en Floride lorsque nous avions 15 ou 16 ans et avons probablement vécus nos parmi nos meilleurs moments. Ces camps d’entraînement sont sûrement une des raisons pourquoi nous aimons autant notre sport; un entraînement spécifique et une grande dose de motivation.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

What is the perfect breakfast before a race day?

Questions about food habits have been asked repeatedly over the years. The perfect breakfast is constituted of food that will give you the energy to start your day without destabilizing your body. Keep eating what you eat during a really hard training day. That way your stomach won’t get upset and will be prepared to digest the food effectively. For example, oatmeal and omelet plus some fruit will give you sustained energy and isn’t too heavy. However, changing your food habit the day before your race isn’t the way to do it. Athletes must develop a healthy and enjoyable routine, eating must become a priority. In training camps, get to know what food is in your stomach when you’re feeling best on the water. Try out a lot of different foods and change how long you eat before practice and then you’ll know what and when to eat if you race in 30 minutes or in several hours. In ALL other cases get the special at POW.

Dear Canoe4Canada:

Why do people seem to be going to spring camps for longer and longer? Do I really need to go down to Florida for 2 months to have a successful season?

People seem to be going to spring camps for longer because they are in fact going to spring camps for longer and longer. This is not an illusion. The reason they are going stems from many factors. In recent years, the National Team has had to select their team earlier than in the past because the World Cup season has been moved earlier in the year. This means that the entire National Team, plus dozens of others who think they have a shot, have to go south early to prepare for these trials. Of course where the National Team goes, others will follow, because people believe that what is best for the National Team is best for everyone. But of course that is often not the case. Another reason is that the sport is getting more competitive, and with people trying to constantly one up each other, an easy way is to go to Florida for longer. But is it necessary for a successful season? The simple answer to the second question is no, you don’t need to go to Florida for two months to have a successful season, unless you need to be at your best in April, which applies only to a small group of people. To figure out how long you should go to a spring training camp, first you need to set your goals for the season, and then sit down with your coach and figure out how to achieve them. For example, if you are a midget who wants to win a medal in C1 at Nationals, going to Florida at all is not essential, never mind going for two months. If you ask any National Team athlete, they can tell you that being on the water from February to September is one heck of a long season, and by the time we get to Nationals we are often burnt out. Getting in good training off the water is important for young athletes, and getting a good fitness base at home during February and March can often do as much good as going south. This isn’t to say that only National Team athletes should go to Spring Camps. We at canoe4canada.com believe that going to these camps is a great life experience for young athletes. Most importantly, they are really fun. The friendships made and the experiences you have last a lifetime. We have all been coming to Florida since we were 15 or 16, and they are some of the best times of our lives and one of the reasons we love the sport so much. It is great for kids to train hard, but we strongly believe that they need to be having fun at the same time. Spring camps allow for both these things. They also provide some motivation for athletes after a long winter of training in the cold.