RHYTHM AND FOOD IN KRAKOW

Arriving for first session at Kraków-Kolna Canoe Slalom Course

Midway through the first week for the Junior & U23 Team in Krakow – 11 days to go to competition. Athletes and coaches arrived from various directions on Sunday, and it was a real pleasure to glue together the stories of their past weeks: The older paddlers coming in from Ljubljana with Shaun and Pierre; a junior group from Augsburg chaperoned by Bertrand; and others already testing the water in Krakow saying goodbye to the expert eye of Dejan Krajl who’d been their coaching them the past weeks.

It had also been a real pleasure being able to report on Junior racing successes along with Senior Team news from the World Cups. I hope we can keep people as enthralled through this current campaign! Moreover, the life-learning these youngsters have taken on - and been entrusted by brilliant parents – amazes me: several weeks on the road in Europe, self-managing, and experiencing cultures is priceless!

So, we’ve settled into town, in an economy hotel, with some great negotiations for food and parking and stuff. We’ve even uncovered that co-manager Julie Harris is a qualified sports massage therapist, and with ingenious hire of a massage table is proving another priceless asset!

Krakow is included in the original UNESCO World Heritage list

In Krakow, the choice of hotels is basically between town and the 12-km out at the course. Living on the course can have its advantages, but is also stir crazy, and with the town now on our doorstep being one of UNESCO’s original World Heritage treasures, it’s a mental gain to be able to step out for a walk.

Among those walks it’s been my fascination to try to find a suitable gym, and one of those wee cultural highlights to stumble across Silownia Champion Krakow: With tag lines of “do you love hardcore trainings” and “you value a unique atmosphere over artificially pumped comforts”, it really would have made my day to see our guys hurling tin with the behemoths. But sense prevailed when Atlantic Squash Club offered us a great 2-week deal (#klub_atlantic_sports).

Hardcore training not optional at Champion Bodybuilding Gym

Team AUS have a new home from home

These first few days of any campaign are all about finding rhythm after change of environment, and time on the water. With Shaun, Pierre and Bertie, it is truly brilliant for Team NZ to have such coaching skill. We’re here this week with Aussie, USA and a few from Thailand – while the locals race their European Champs - and can easily say we’re holding our own for expertise. (Perhaps the one jealousy is the Aussies rocking up with their new trailer, complete with fridge, washer, massage space and coffee machine (!), so look out Kerry for a bit more fund-raising!)

Hobbiton in Poland

Anyway, all is going well without such trimmings - “this trip is so easy” said one coming back from the course this morning (touch wood). In true Kiwi style, the days resemble Hobbiton: eating before morning training and second breakfast after, picnic lunch, afternoon nap, afternoon snack, back to the course, and into dinner. This afternoon's training is all in – coaches combining for half runs and currently plotting the course!

Stay tuned as the days go by. Enjoy.