I am back home in
Going into the race I probably had a little more fatigue from the training than I would normally like during the race season but the training and acclimation to the course was the primary objective of the trip. The qualifier went without a hitch, I had a strong first run that was maybe a little too relaxed and was 7th going into second runs. On the second run I pushed the line a little bit more and was more confident with the upstreams and moved into 3rd.
I was very happy with the look of the finals course, the new rule changes allow the course designers to set a completely new course rather than being limited to the six changes that were previously allowed. I liked the moves and with the success I had in the qualifier I was very optimistic. Unfortunately in sport you cannot guarantee anything and I was caught off guard by a surge in the first upstream and caught the inside pole as I entered the gate. This cost me just over a second and the two second penalty so I was three seconds down on the field coming out of gate 2. Not the position I was planning on to be sure. I was able to re group however and had a good run the rest of the way down. I knew I was behind on time though and tried to cut the line where I could and that cost me another small touch on gate 14 that no one but the judges were able to see. Giving up one second to the field is bad enough but to also take four seconds in penalties is certainly not going to get the job done. In the end I finished 27th but my time was good enough to put me into the final in sixth place which would have been a great position to attack from. I will have to be satisfied with the fact that I am paddling well and will have to take the lessons from this race and apply them to the rest of the season.
I continue to be optimistic and I am looking forward to the next steps.
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