So with our Palm Amaris Pants, Helix Play Vests (great low profile for racing) and New Swirl Cags we set out on a weekend full of promise, and it did not disappoint. We were all feeling great from the high protein nutritional eating plan made for us from our previous training weekend spent with Ed Tooley, and psyched to be with each other again. This time we had top coach Dave Brown coming to observe us and see whether he might want to be our coach. We started off with our beastly warm up set by Nezza -’kiss my rubber’-Blue which included loads of running (with the buggy!), stretches coordinated by our unofficial warm up secretary Rosie, then finished off with some hill sprints! Then it was time to get on the water. Over the weekend we did both flat and white water training focusing mainly on slalom and sprint. Dave’s inputs had a brilliant effect and we finished each of the two days all having learned something and taken something on board to work on later. It was really helpful having ‘eyes on the bank’ to really see what was going on, as being a group of ladies, when it comes to going through what worked and what didn’t…well we do love to talk!

Despite the water quality being pretty grim over the weekend we were all on a high at the end because Dave said that he would love to come on board and be our coach – although he is pretty intimidated by our shoulders apparently – so in the build up to the Europeans in August/September we are getting very excited about what this collaboration could mean for our rankings and looking more long term towards the Worlds in NZ next year we can hardly wait!! Thanks Palm for making us look so professional and keeping us so dry, and thanks to Dave Brown for making sure we truely ached after Sunday.

Words by Fran and the girls.

Photos thanks to Georgie.