Semis and Finals Solkan 30/06/13

Our last breakfast at Hotel Sabotin - the kids will really miss the luxury of this for the rest of the trip!

All packed and ready to go with bags loaded into the vans and uniforms on and down to the course by 8 am - fabulous stay at this hotel we were all sorry to be saying goodbye.

Super hot day today - Deahna and Jess were forerunners today - the course looked deceptively simple but it didn't take many forerunners and the first of the paddlers to go through and 50 and then 50 again to realise it needed a bit more of a strategy at the bottom end. Kids had mixed results in the semis but as it turned out the organisers put everyone though to the finals anyway. We aren't sure of the reasoning behind this late decision but think it may have had something to do with their team selections for the World Champs and the need for clear U18 and U16 results for the national teams.

this might be a 50 for Patrick?

Callum in full flight

Marcus and Finn

   

Matthew another clean run

Finn

Tommy

It was an incredibly hot day today and the course has very little shade - there was great support from local people and in fact there has been a contingent of older folk down at the course each day sunbathing much to the kids suprise and disgust .... they display less modesty than the kids are used to seeing and while they are spread eagle on the rocks right in the middle of the walk way between gates, they smoke constantly and drink vodka from little cups - this starts at around 9am each morning and continues all day and sometimes has a few of those little dogs thrown in for good measure. 

smoking and kayaking dont mix

nice view from the office

The pressure was certainly on everyone for the finals and the final result of a gold medal in the C2 U18 for Marcus and Finn , a bronze medal for Luke and Dan U16 C2, (they were certainly gold medal contenders after 3 great runs but the final run went astray and they 50'd down the bottom end) Haylee pulled out a great run for an U18 bronze in a very tough field. Tommy gained a well deserved bronze medal after great runs all weekend - he was called to the podium and didn't believe it ..... 

The others who raced finals all did well in the blistering heat - 

We packed up the vans and loaded the trailer and then waited for the prize giving ceremony - they were very efficient and it ran at exactly the time they said it would. A very slick operation. Great to see the New Zealand flag flying.

Haylee - bronze

the only bit of shade around - waiting for prize giving

Finn and Marcus gold

Dan and Luke bronze

Haylee

Tommy bronze

Into the vans and headed down the road to Ljubljana and the university hostel near the centre of the old town - everyone was tired and hungry so we headed out to find somewhere to eat recommended by the hostel - not great and in fact poor old Daniel didn't manage to hold it together and lost his days intake just off to the side of the tiny narrow cobbled street we were all sitting in - too much sun, not enough water and too much exercise caught up with him - shut the others up though so that was a bonus.Dale walked back to the hostel with Dan and Martin and Wendy and Pavel took the group for a wee quick look in the old town centre and Wendy introduced the girls to the padlock bridge - they have all decided to get a lock and leave it there with their initials on and to come back in the future with the love of their life and unlock it .... boys a little less enthusiastic about this idea.

Off to the course at Tacen in the morning for a scheduled training at 10am  - we may try and find a swimming pool somewhere tomorrow also.

Lunch in the only shade at solkan