Final Olympic Selection

The Pan American championships and final Olympic Qualifier are in the bag and it was an intense three days of racing. I was successful in earning my fifth Olympic birth but in retrospect going to selection directly from a training camp in Beijing might not have been the best idea I have ever had. The amount of travel and the intensity of training in Beijing made being race ready very difficult.

Still I was able to have solid runs and had a very consistent weekend. I was very impressed with the level of paddling displayed by the other Canadians, I did not expect that level of competition and I think it bodes well for the future of slalom in Canada. The days where I could arrive as I did this year without having done any race specific lactic work or really any speed work to speak of are long gone. The level has risen to the point where the Canadian National team trials are a formidable event that must be taken as seriously as any other major competition. This is a big step for our program.

Now it is time to buckle down and focus on getting into that ever important race shape, converting all of the technical work into a fit and fast racing mode. May will be spent working hard on strength, speed and the lactic system before heading back to Beijing at the end of the month for a technical camp. I am looking forward to sharpening the tip of the sword and seeing just how fast I can push the new model.