GB WOMENS PATH TO THE WORLDS: That’s it. We are ready.
Our final training weekend before we all fly out to New Zealand was epic. As always it started with (for some) a horrible drive early in the morning, this time to get to the National White Water Course in Nottingham. We were also lucky enough to have Coach Dave back with us again after his enforced absence by work. We rocked up, put our game faces on and got warmed up for out first session of the weekend – a sprint session in our sprint formation. Many of us had been ill in the past month so we were a little concerned that this would have a negative effect on our performance. We needn’t have worried.
One of our favorites: Happy Cat Angry Cat. Only works if you make the noises
Keanu Reeves looks really cool when he does this…we don’t quite pull it off.
Flat Water Warm ups are important too.
The training we have been doing really showed up as we managed to knock a big lump of seconds off our time compared to earlier in the year. The raft looked and felt strong and the ladies flew down the course.
Everyone is so in time.
Guns out!!
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!
After the main part of the session was over we had a go at practicing what we would do if we snap a paddle during a run. Last year in Lipno at the R6 Euro Champs we were amazed at one of the men’s team who snapped a paddle but recovered their spare and only missed one stroke!! So we had a go! This sort of thing is really important for a team to practice. If we know what is going to happen we wont panic and we will have a better chance of not letting it damage our race. After a go on the water we had a go on dry land!
See the paddle tied in the back, Just in case…
I think all this training has made the girls go a bit crazy…they don’t even realise they arn’t on the water…Awkward!! – Bry goes for the switch.
We then had a stop for feeding time and then onto Slalom. Dave, Nerys and Bry set us a problem solving session. Problem was it was a tough problem and we took a long time to solve it! Slalom is a discipline that has such an impact. It can be really positive, but it can, if you let it, lead to frustration and negativity. But we are a close knit team and despite some lows we always manage to find the positive and come away feeling good about a session. This session was tough on our brains but we conquered it, solved the problems and nailed the run.
Walking and talking the course. Thinking about the problem we need to solve.
Doing everything we can to make the boat go where we want.
Finishing on a high and a pep talk by Coach Dave.
We ended the day in the most brilliant way we could. We had decided to do a flat water endurance from Nottingham down river to HPP. Except just as we got the raft on the water, the heavens opened. And I mean they OPENED! Along with the rain came a HUGE thunder and lightning storm. This made it so exciting for us racing down the river, but I’m sure poor Coach Dave was having other thoughts as he ran alongside us on the river bank!! I’m sure he doesn’t realise what he signed up to sometimes! But the Raft felt incredible, strong and one big unit. We were all pretty broken at the end. A good sign that we gave it our all.
Proud to represent Great Britain.
We went back for a yummy dinner and chat with Etienne-Olympic-God-Stott about tapering and planning our training week in NZ. Then we all went to bed. Cream Crackered.
It was a bright and early get up the next morning for some more Slalom. This time it was a race course session with 12 gates – 4 upstream gates and 8 downstream gates. We had some good runs and it was a positive session.
Making big moves requires alot of effort – Nezza hanging out the raft!
All eyes on the next gate.
Boofing to keep the nose up so we don’t get full of water and slowed down.
Why can’t Nottingham HPP have an escalator?!!!
Slalom is a real lesson in team work. Each person has a different ‘eye’ on the course so everyone has to come to some agreement of how we want to make a certain move. But the main thing is having full commitment to moving yourself around the poles. This can result in some interesting acrobatics some times!!
Punting off the side/rocks is not illegal. It can give you just the push you need
Getting around a pole means moving around the raft. Also being on the upstream side in a hole means to need to move your bum as well, otherwise EVERYONE gets wet!
Team talks. Having 7 people with 7 different ideas can be tricky, but it is important to listen to everyone and then come up with a plan.
This is why we have to do so much core strength work!!
Driving out of a move with speed.
Bry asked us all to go and get a watch and Nezza came back wit ha matching one to Bry! I think their partnership has now reached a telepathic level!!
Our second and final session of the weekend was Head to Head. And lucky enough for us the lovely GBR Masters Men’s team were on hand! We did 4 H2H races with an upstream pole to go around (to give them a fighting chance 
) in the middle of the course. We beat them on 3 of the 4 runs (they did some ‘illegal maneouvering’ on the 4th) and they won the 4th. It was fantastic. Nothing like a bit of a battle to get everyone fired up!
Hill Sprints warm up…not sure how Nezza can smile :)
H2H Starts with a held start, then it is fastest wins.
It leads to some awesome battles…technically you are meant to be looking for ‘future water’ but often your future water happens to be the other teams boat/paddle/hand…
The one time the Masters got ahead of us…they look pretty angry. Well they were beaten by Women 3 times!! :)
The breakout round a pole in the middle of the course made it even more exciting!
The boys must have decided the pole wasn’t worth the effort :D
DONT LET THEM GET AWAY!
It’s alright, we didn’t :D
And that was it.
We are going to have the biggest contingent ever at this years World’s. The Senior Men and Women (that’s us), the Master’s Team, the Youth team and the Junior Team. It is going to be unbelievably exciting!
The next time we see each other all together will be for The 2013 World Rafting Chapionships in New Zealand. As a team we have never been fitter, stronger or hungrier than we are now to bring you all home some gold. Keep an eye on our Facebook Page GB Womens Raft Team or the Palm Facebook page for updates. WISH US LUCK!!
A MASSIVE thankyou must go to Palm for helping us get to this point. Without their support we wouldn’t look half as good as we do. They really are inspirational when it comes to promoting women in sport. Also thanks to our other sponsors 9Bar, Teva and Bamboo Clothing and Capita.
And another HUGE thankyou must go to our Partners, Husbands, Boyfriends, Children and families for all the support and encouragement. We won’t let you down.
Words by Fran Kohn-Hollins
Photos by the GB Womens Raft Team.
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