GB Canoe sprint’s silver sunday

The dust finally settled on the 2011 Canoe Sprint World Championships and what a whirlwind  it was that swirled over Szeged, Hungary for the last day of competition. The 200 metre events were the headliners and the 20,000 crowd responded as swathes of red, green and white swayed, sang and shouted  their support for the home team,  but it was a day for the other nations.

Ed MCKeever - dominant again

Great Britain supporters were hoarse with excitment as the bewtching hour of 1pm drew closer and Ed McKeever’s assault for the gold medal would begin.  McKeever was flanked by his main protagonists – Piotr Siemionowski (Pol) and Ronnie Rauhe (Ger) . The crowd hushed momentarily, the tension palpable. As the start buckets dropped the decibel level went nuclear. McKeever jousted hard holding back the German but the Polish contender edged forward, and held on and just held on again, just enough to take the line ahead of the Brit, ahead by only two tenths of a second. Rauhe came in third.

Jess Walker stepped up next. Again, although Hungary was present – there were no medals coming their way as Lisa Carrington (NZL) won her nation’s first ever womens world championship medal. Jess was 7th – finishing on the same second as 5 of the 6 ahead of her – there is more to come from this talented racer.

Then the climax -as if it was possible, the noise ampage upped again, like Motorhead doing Wembley.  The scene could have been Agincourt all over again – the gritty Brits  Heath and Schofield versus the silky French, Hybois and Jouve. Head to head all of the way, there was just an extra Va in the French Voom, that gave them the win with the Brits so achingly close….. Heath looked across as if to say ‘ Next year,…its ours.  A bientot’.

Heath & Schofield - silver medal winners at the World Championships

The success of this fast, arm pumping, lung busting short-distance racing confirms how right the decision was to include it in the Olympic Games – London you are in for a treat in 2012.

Britain’s pride of young lions  returns fully intact to home shores tonight with a job well done in the womens and 200m events.  While the 1000m squad gave everything, some calls to CSI may just go out to assist with the post mortem – but that will keep for just a short while.

Tonight is one for celebration –  a job well done with 4 women and 3 men qualified for the Olympic Games, almost a 100% improvement rate from the last Olympic cycle, and with another Qualification opporunity to come next year. What’s more, GB has some outstanding  and proven medal prospects, not to mention the outstanding fan club, that the sport is generating. From Auntie Tess in her armchair back home, to Peter, Tom, Jenny, Richard, Liz and the many many others who proudly fly the flag on foreign shores.

FOOTNOTE:
Lani Belcher  – what a competitor – what a silver medal in the K1 5000m. Putting all of last year’s unpleasantness behind her (everyone remember what happened on the penultimate turn of the last circuit in Poland last year), got her deserved reward and a place on the podium. Top racing Lani and loving the Tweet.

 

Canoe Sprint World Championships 200m action sizzles in Szeged

If Friday was GB’s ‘nearly day’, then Saturday was ‘sunshine all the way’ for GB.

This morning saw the  large crowd get their first taste of 200m heats and semi finals. A particular favourite dish of  GB  canoeing,  they had the travelling supporters salivating with sparkling performances which guaranteed 3 final appearances tomorrow.

Ed MCKeever - dominant again

German legend Ronnie Rauhe slowed from his warm up to watch  Ed McKeever race emphatically to a semi final win and a personal best, which had the time keepers scurrying off to confirm if it was in fact a new world’s fastest time – now confirmed.  McKeever had it really all wrapped  up by the 100m mark and if you can make short distance racing look nonchalant, McKeever has that knack. He will take the favoured Lane 5 in the final tomorrow afternoon.

In the womens event, Jess Walker  ground out  a gutsy semi-final, crossing the final in second place behind Marta Walczykiewicz (POL), confirming that she’ll race in the final tomorrow.

Liam Heath sets the tempo, Schofield follows the pace.GB Mens K2 200m

Liam Heath and Jon Schofield  showed perfect symmetry with a convincing win in their semi final.  The French pairing of Hybois and Jouve, do look threatening, sleek and classy too – lots more ooh la la to come from that boat in the final I’d say.

A great morning’s racing from the Brit crews, now on the threshold of more greatness. Yes please! Bring it on…..

Sizzling Saturday continued with more A finals in the afternoon programme. Predictions of a hometown whitewash in the womens classes,  were torn up and scattered like a  rice paper crushed by a road wreck, as Nicole Reinhardt (Ger) tore down the course to a gold medal in K1 500m. She pushed home town sweetheart Danuta Kozak into second. More drama came in the K2 500m. Hungarian legend Katalin Kovacs, hunting gold # 31  didnt even make it to the podium as the Austrian heroines, who won their nations first ever canoeing world medal last year, were the golden girls this time around.  It was clearly very emotional for Victoria Schwarz who was overcome by realisation she was writing her nation’s history.

The major events of the day finished with the Mens K4 1000m . Germany ruled. Max Hoff’s personal disappointment in K1 from yesterday, assuaged as they put away the opposition.

The fun filled crowd-pleasing relays close the programme tonight and everyone’s watch is set for the final time on Sunday. Is yours?

All photo credits – AE Photos

GB girls book Olympic slots

Only something approaching the ghost of Devon Loch can prevent GB womens kayak four from qualifying their Olympic slot, when they race in the World Championship final tomorrow. But today was all about doing the business and by winning their heat showing some uber style in  beating the fancied German crew, they delivered just what their coaches and GB team management ordered.  Abi Edmonds, Jess Walker, Rachel Cawthorn and Louisa Sawers tore down the Szeged course this morning and will be on the hunt for cake icing, in the form of medals tomorrow. The fastest times of the day went to the home town favourite crew containing the legendary Katalin Kovacs who will break Birgit Fischer’s record for the most World gold medals (28) should Hungary prevail tomorrow.  They were closely chased by Belarus and with GB recording the 3rd fastest time – hold onto your seat, this could be roof-lifting time.

There are no such things as cushy semi-final races and Paul Wycherley, despite recording the 4th fastest time in his, was out- muscled from the A final by the nature of the ‘first 2 over the line and 3rd fastest’ progression policy.

For Tim Brabants and Ben Farrell – a galant 3rd place in their semi-final all means that GB will have to try again in second round qualification to ensure representation in 2012.

More tasty 500m racing lies in store tomorrow and more opportunities for GB to build on todays stories.

The World is not enough for GB Canoe Sprint Team

The 2011 Canoe Sprint World Championships will commence in Szeged, Hungary 17-21 August and GB Canoe Sprint team has a pressing mission. No, not the procurement of shiny gongs and the joy of stepping upon a podium – that is a cake- icing activity which will take place after the main business of the day is attended to – which is Olympic qualification.

GB will race in 9 of 12 Olympic classes with an irrefutable expectation of qualification in at least 6 of these. That’s at least a 50% strike rate that could signal a full women’s squad (6) plus 3 or more men on their way to Dorney Lake next year to race in front of a hometown crowd. In Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, GB had only 1 female representative. This grew to 3 in Beijing in 2008. If we stop and think about it, a qualification clean sweep is an intoxicating statistic. One small step for GB’s women sprinters, a giant leap forward for women’s canoe sprint racing in Great Britain.

The Olympic qualification job to be crossed off for the Women’s K4 is to make the A final.. For all of  the singles classes, men and women,  a top 8 will suffice. The exception is the C1 200m event where a Top7 is needed. The challenge then stiffens considerably for the pairs classes – a Top 6 finish will do the trick, at the first bite of the Qualification cherry. (The second bite is through Continental qualification and is no less  stiff a task).

I spoke with John Anderson – the Performance Director of GB Canoeing regarding the coming week and its mouth watering/ spine tingling importance, the physical response dependent upon whether you’re a spectator or athlete .

John Anderson - objectively confident regarding GB chances this weekend

‘ Our priority for Szeged is to qualify for the Olympic Games’, he said candidly. ‘ We are in the strongest position ever to qualify up to 7 boats, at the first attempt (World Championships). The women’s level has increased year on year and the 200m squad is on track.’

On track seems an understatement . Ed (The Boss) McKeever is the man with the golden gun over this distance. He has the weaponry to take the main prize. Jess Walker’s consistency is improving and, with Liam Heath and Jon Schofield’s love-in continuing in the K2 , Sunday should be a very happy clappy place for Team GB. The Women’s squad too is on such a high after their 5 early season medals, they operate in a zone where air is an optional extra.

The Mens Kayak 1000m squad will find no quantum of solace in their racing  ’shark pool’ infested by nternational opponents whose glutinous medal-winning feats are widely documented.  Their task is hugely hard. The pressure is on.

 Said  Anderson ‘ We have a squad of great talent and we welcome pressure.  The expectancy is building, It’s the expectation that we set of ourselves that counts. This is the best bit of the season – its what we do, its what we’re in the job for’. Not only does GB’s Performance Director expect and relish the week ahead, the nation expects.
Watch the results decide GB’s destiny.

From Rugby to Regatta- Richard Jefferies is GB’s man for the World

Three years and ten months ago, Richard Jefferies  – 6’ 3” and former rugby outside  centre for Loughborough Town,  was debating what turn his life would take.  More used to turning the opposition, ghosting into ‘space’ and running intelligent lines – he now plans to go as fast as he can over the space of 200m in a straight line as  he races for British Olympic Qualification at the World Championships  in Szeged in 2 weeks time in the canoe (single) event . From centre to ‘centred’, his one focus is on that great Olympic prize.

Richard Jefferies will race C1 200m at the World Championships

‘ I’m just so excited. I feel so strong and am ready for the competition’ said the man from the Isle of Wight whose previous closest BC (before canoeing)  encounter with a boat was the ferry that ploughs relentlessly across the Solent.

Everest beckons
Mind you, the size of the challenge that he is soon to face is nothing less than preparing to summit  Everest – without oxygen, oh and with only one boot– in that only 13 athletes will qualify for the Games in this class,  the first 7 of which can claim their places through the World Championships this year.

This short distance event, which is currently being terrified into submission by powerhouse Eastern European canoeists such as the  talented Russian supernova, Ivan Shtyl  and Azerbaijani  paddler Valentin Demanyenko, is all done and dusted in 39 seconds and is just the ticket for Jefferies.

‘200ms is just great, I love it.  I was so pleased when it came into the programme. 1000metres is just far too long’  said the laconic paddler last summer, as he leant on his super-sized paddle, with which he shovels large amounts of water out of the way to create smooth swift passage for his canoe – which appears no wider than a pencil – imperiously towards the finish line.

Inch by inch
Irrespective of the size of the task, he’s someone who shows no inclination towards concern or fear of what lies ahead.  At the end of 2010, he was 2.1 seconds off qualifying for the final, by May 2011, he’d reduced the deficit to 1.9 seconds.  This July it was 1.6… Jefferies knows that performances aren’t built in a day, but inch by inch, milli-second by milli-second, and, on any given day …………. well you probably know how that movie ended.  This is a fast-improving athlete who does not believe in ceilings. Due to his young ‘canoeing age’ and the fact he is still on a stellar trajectory, no-one knows how fast he can go – and he’s climbing up the leaderboard with rapidity gaining a career -best place of 12^th at the European Championships last month.

Richard in action this season

Not bad progress for an athlete who only started the sport in 2007 having been recruited through a  UK Sport  campaign called ‘Sporting Giants’  and who was subjected to  an intensive ‘submersion course’ in more ways than one, when first learning how to control what is the most unstable craft in the sport.

‘On the first day I tried it, it was in one side and out the other!’ said Jefferies ‘ It was a challenge for sure. I had the gut feeling it was going to be tough but I was up for it. I love it, I love competing. I love just ‘hammering it’ to get the best time I can.

Nailing it
Lining up  in the Szeged  will be ‘dream time’ in some ways for Jefferies as he will look across the start line and see athletes who he used to watch on YouTube, thinking that was as close as it was going to get. This time, instead of watching history being made, he’ll  play a part in making it by nailing a great performance.

Photo credit: AEphotos

 

Chemistry brothers working on best blend for GB kayak women

 Miklos Simon and Trevor Hunter – the coaches of the GB womens kayak team, come as a pair, just like peaches and cream, gin and tonic, Punch and Judy, Statler and Waldorf…. (you choose which is which).  They have construed, conspired, mixed and manipulated the  GB women’s squad into finding exactly the right combinations to bring the best level of success. ‘ I am always looking for the best result’ says Chemist Simon.

Trevor Hunter & Miklos Simon - the Chemistry Brothers

A best-ever success output – 5 medals in 3 outings leading into the World Championships and you would think there would be cause to run the test laboratory into ‘ticking over’ mode. But no… the crew combinations are back in the test tubes being redistilled by the Simon ‘bunsen burner’.  Its no longer a case of ‘just add water and stand back’… its so much more than that – he’s looking to fine tune the eruption.

When I asked Trevor about how they keep a squad of 7 women so motivated and supportive, when only 6 women can qualify for the Games, he said ‘ Its great, but its hard work’.  

7 into 6 will go

Said Hunter ‘ its very hard in the squad. The group is very competitive. We do have to take individuals away from the squad from time to time, just to give them a rest, psychologically and make each one feel that little bit special’.  Hunter has made the management of ‘personality’ an art form. This is something that Simon instantly recognises and appreciates – while the Hungarian is the technical genius, the Englishman complements the team by adding the ‘human glue’ and keeping body and soul together.

GB womens K4 - won gold in Germany in May

‘ We do have 7 athletes competing for 6 slots, but all will go to the Senior World Championships. We haven’t decided just yet, what the final crew combinations will be – who will race in what,  but we agreed that with the girls and so they understand the rules.  After all, when it comes to individual ambition, next year is the big one.

There’s a prison in Szeged

I asked Simon about taking a team back into the ‘Lions den’ of his homeland, Hungary,  and racing at the World Championships in  Szeged – his sporting ‘crib’ . Will he feel pressure? ‘ There is a prison there’… he quipped , but with a wry smile continued ‘ The team will find it more difficult there (than Europeans) the noise will be nothing like they have ever experienced.  What I need is the best preparation possible going into the event. That’s all I ask – and a little luck too – that’s all I want. That the girls avoid illness and injury… yes we need  a little luck too and I will be happy’.

 Rachel, Lani, Abi, Jess, Louisa, Hayleigh and Ang all may have several rabbits feet, shamrocks  and lucky mascots in their bags, but there is little houseroom for luck where all of the statistics around the girls’ performances point to being right on track for success in Szeged. They will undoubtedly  stretch sinew and nerve to achieve the feat of Olympic Qualification – it is within their grasp, and medals would just be the icing to a great 2011 season so far for the GB squad.

Jess Walker - an outstanding season so far in K4 and K1 200m

We wish them well in their challenge at the World Championships, heart breaking is not on the agenda – purely record making, as they seek to be the best group of GB  female racers ever.

All photo credit- Antony Edmonds
AEphotos.co.uk

Wycherley to race K1 at World Championships

Yesterday, British Canoeing hit the pause button for around 3 minutes and 30 seconds or so, while Tim Brabants and Paul Wycherley completed their final race yesterday to determine who will race the K1 1000m event at the World Championships.

Paul Wycherley - in action at World Cup 3

Today Paul Wycherley woke up to the realisation that he will carry the hopes of a nation into the World Championships in the Mens K1 1000m class. Hearty congratulations to Paul, the Wey kayaker, who won the race by under  half a second to take the ‘best of 3′ series. The BBC captured the moment and quickly shared the story with the virtual world as did  the Twitterati. It was no time at all until the name ‘Wycherley’ flashed into the ‘Trending Now’ category of this social network.

 Paul raced well  in all of the 3 races, showing mettle and robustness under pressure – sentiments echoed by Tim Brabants’ coach, Eric Farrell.

Paul will now focus on preparing for the semi-final  of his life (all things going to plan) at the World Championships and aim to qualify Great Britain one athlete place and one boat place for the Olympic Games in 2012.

The battle for which GB athletes will fill the Olympic qualfication places, will commence in 2012, with results from 2011 Worlds being taken into account.

 Tim Brabants was back on the water today, this time in a K2, trying out to see if he can assist GB qualify in another class demonstrating his commitment to the Great British cause.

 Its just 4 weeks to the World Championships – we wish all of the GB squad well in their preparations going forwards.

 

 

 

Doc Brabants faces internal examination, but Olympic qualification must remain the focus

Tim Brabants - Olympic Champion 2008

This week, Dr Tim Brabants, (Olympic champion and Mr ‘seen it, done it, won it) will race Paul Wycherley  for the privilege of representing Great Britain in the MK1 1000m class at the World Championships in 4 weeks time with the focus on qualifying Great Britain a K1 1000m entry in the Olympic Games, by right.

Well, now we’ve acknowledged the elephant in the living room of British Canoeing, let’s look at how this situation has arisen.

The facts are that Brabants, injured in late 2010, and not fit enough to race in the main selection race in April, as per the selection policy was offered a slot in the World Cup series based on his outstanding results in the World Championships in 2010 An 11th place in Poland in World Cup 1, was followed by a virus-affected lacklustre performance in World Cup 2. Under medication, he was unfit to race at World Cup 3.

Paul Wycherley - in action at World Cup 3

Paul Wycherley has dominated the domestic racing series in April. He raced K4 in World Cups 1, 2 and was offered a K1 start in World Cup 3 in Duisburg, along with another K4 outing.  In the K1 he finished in an excellent 7th place. …. and here we are.

 So lets play this event out from a range of perspectives…

- It could be seen as a fitness test for Brabants who races with an air of stubbornness that makes him so mentally strong. Remember how he blew the opposition away in his Olympic final?  Remember the 2007 Worlds in Duisburg where in the K1 1000m race,  Adam Van Koeverden tried to confine him to second place 3 times and failed?

- It could be seen as recognition of the progress that Paul has made and is a landmark race for him.

-It could be seen as and the opportunity to select the best athlete in Britain to race for Olympic qualification .

The chatter rattling around this particular event, like a locust swarm in a crop field, has oozed distraction. Bank-side comments point towards a perception that the mens 1000m squad athletes are in danger of becoming training partners to the protagonists of this sideshow instead of focusing on their own events.  Point duly noted. They will be well served to remember that the job to be faced down in Szeged in August cannot be overstated. Irrespective of who was/ wasn’t present at the World Cup races in May, what is a certainty is that every racer will bring their ‘A’ game to the World Championships/ Olympic qualification event. Rene Poulsen (Den) has announced his arrival into the Worlds top ranking,  Max Hoff  (GER) showed he’s the man to beat and Aleh Yurenia (BLR)  is box office billing, Fernando Pimenta POR) is the European Champion. Neither the faint hearted nor weak in mind need bother show up.

Crowds will flock to Szeged

Fast forward to semi-final day on Thursday 18th August, where only the top 2 in each MK1 1000m semi finals will be guaranteed a place in the final.  This is where the Kipling-defined values  hold sway… of forcing  your heart, nerve and sinew to keep working long after they are gone, and hold on when there is nothing left except the will which says ‘Hold on’ … …. that’s the business to attend to this season, so lets get this all into perspective .

Sport never stands still…. all champions will expect to demonstrate they remain the headline act, home and away and defend their position. But whatever the outcome of the Brabants/ Wycherley racing on 20/21 July, there is no time for self serving celebration. For the individual who comes second in this event, they have just 4 weeks to find a K2 crew combination that can be competitive. The selected K1 racer has a major job to do, on the world’s best.  Lets get it done and get on.

Shine on Simon – an excellent bronze for Marton at Euro champs

Marton Simon  stood proudly on the podium today to accept his bronze medal  after a superb race in the Junior  European  Championships K1 500m today in Zagreb.

European U23 and Junior Championships

An excellent reward for a wonderful weekend’s performance from the Hungarian -cum – British paddler.  The first man since Kristian Reeves  (2007 in Belgrade), to win a junior mens medal

Last year, Simon was making finals, now he’s made podium and there is no doubt, he will have enjoyed the taste of success.   With the Junior World Championships just around the corner, this will be a timely confidence booster.

Emiily Lewis, racing in the junior womens K1 200m event slid into a competent 7th place. While at U23 level,  Reeves himself, who must have been pleased to see Simon equal his own junior achievement,  posted a 5th place, just 0.7seconds down on the winner – such are the margins between medals and other placings. His time spent training with Alex NIkonorov’s 200m squad  is  beginning to pay dividends.

For Hannah Brown, its more experience in the world of canoe sprint racing as she finished 9th in her final.

Overall, a good set of performances for the junior team – most, surely achieving or surpassing their own personal goals,  though they will be aware that a tougher test will await them in Brandenburg at the Junior World Championships.

GB young guns race at Euro U23s and Junior Champs

Today was the first day of finals at the Euro U23 and Junior Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. Sometimes these age group events can be assigned ‘bridesmaid’ status – a support act to the main seniors event, particularly in the Olympic qualification year. However the quality  of the athletes within the  European U23 start list this year is impressive in places..

Aleh Yurenia (centre) won gold in Euro U23 K1 1000m

Although GB  U23s made no A finals over this distance, the  K1 1000m final featured none less than the current European Senior silver and bronze medallists – Aleh Yurenia (BLR) and Fernando Pimenta (POR) – men who regularly tread the podium steps at senior level.  The same order was maintained as Yurenia took Gold and Pimento silver.

This quality extends through to the womens class as well. Belarus paraded their  K4  consisting of Paltaran, Pamialova, Papok and Kudenska – current European  Senior champions and winners of 2 World cup golds.

It is a significant event in Junior terms and a signficant part particularly in a double- header year of Euros and Worlds.  GB can be rightly pleased with Elmbridge paddler – Marton Simon the leading junior Mens kayaker. He once again flew the flag for his adoptive nation, with a superb 4th place. in the K1 1000m distance.  Working hard to keep himself in a hard-earned  medal place, with 200m to go, Simon was the Russian racer, Kalashnykov,  got him in his sights and gunned through the field to take silver and push Marton to just outside the medal zone.  He should be justly proud.  His sister Rebi and partner Catherine Trotter also took a 4th place  having made up good ground in the later stages of the race. With Guy Standeven (Royal  CC)  and Matt Bowley (Burton) finalling in the boys K2 race, the final to keep an eye on tomorrow is the Junior Womens K1 200m event which will see Emily Lewis of Worcester in action.

Hannah Brown (L) with White Water team mate, Jessica Oughton

The GB U23s  will be represented in the 200m finals by Kristian Reeves (MK1) and Bradford on Avon racer Hannah Brown (WK1) who will show the same sort of courage over this short distance as she regularly does when winning medals in the World Wild Water sprint championships.

The Mens K4 class is having a torrid time – the  corpse of the senior campaign for Olympic qualification  seemingly  going through its final twictchings. The U23s  are also finding  the art of making the A final, elusive.  The junior men  gave everything to finish 4th in the B final.  Head scratching and hard work lies ahead.