The last weeks have been really busy with racing, training and some social activities.... Originally I had plans to go to France as well, but those got cancelled, so I am currently able to update my website and write something.

The Oxbow/FILCOW is a Belgium event that lasts 4 days, starting on Friday with the Oxbow double Oceanman, on Saturday and Sunday there is a normal carnival with all events, FILCOW, and on Monday there is the Oxbow 2 hour Oceanman. I attended all days and raced every race but the flags and the Beach Sprint. I won the double Oceanman on Friday, the Board race, Surf race and the Oceanman during the FILCOW and my club did great in the relays, then on Monday I won the Oxbow 2hour Oceanman. I was really pleased with these results since I got a bit sick during the week before and had to hold back during my training-sessions. After the Monday at Oxbow I took the Teusday off, before going back into my daily training program. I continued this program until the Tuesday before going to Germany to compete at the DLRG Cup, since I was tired from training I did not really know how I would meet up with the rest. But I hoped I would have been able to compete to be the best European in the event...
This hope vanished quickly, during the first day I was entered for the Board Rescue with Niels van Dalen and that went good. But I also raced the Surf Ski, last year I came second in a close race with David Loosen. But this year I could only try to keep up with the leading European pack. The second day I did the heats for the Rescue Tube rescue race, as fins swimmer, I did well enough to get us into the final, were we had decided that we would let the juniors have a go. And individually I entered the Board race and the Oceanman, last year I won both races, but this year it was the same story again. I could just keep up with the leading European pack. I didn't like it and was quite unamused, but looking back and analyzing my races and competitors it should have been expected. The Germans were peaking during this event, since it is one of their qualifying events for the Europeans.

During the period off the weekend before the DLRG Cup and during the DLRG Cup I had a famous friend over from Australia, Shannon Eckstein. I visited him and his wife on Monday in Amsterdam and we went sightseeing through town. And on Wednesday Belinda, his wife went home to Australia and he stayed behind to attend a photoshoot in France, but for 6 days he had no plans and asked what I was doing, so I asked him along to the DLRG Cup. He entered the Ski race, Board race and the Oceanman and won all events, so I lost my crown to him.... But I will try to take it back next year, because then it will be a main event in my season again!

Shannon had to go to France on Tuesday, so we were lucky enough to host a training/ clinic for Board training during the Monday afternoon. I had some good advice on my technique now seek to improve it for the Europeans.

This times training-session is an exact copy of what we did on Monday with Shannon:

800m warm up paddle,
3 starts with 20 strokes all out (easy back)
Tips to improve the starts
3 more starts with 20 strokes all out and easy back

A technique part; each paddler paddles about 50m.
Each paddler starts on his or her own and the rest of the crew analysis the stroke and hands improving points
Then the paddler does the same 50m back again.

Then 100 strokes out and back, sort of a second warm up.
Followed by 50 strokes hard out, 20 sec rest, 50 strokes hard back
same for 40, and 30 and 20

3 more starts with 20 strokes, with focus om improving points

800m cooling down.