Bratislava

Reading our blog and looking at the photos it must seem that we are only tourists! Well the daily routine is generally far from that. Up early, breakfast, to the course training sessions, back for food, perhaps an hour or two off to rest or quickly check out one of the sights. Back to the course for another session and home for dinner. Washing, homework and gear repairs get slotted into down time as well.

The kids are now all recovered from the tummy bugs, and fingers crossed we dont get another lot when we head up to the Czech rep on Thursday.

This morning was the first session on the famous Slovakian course and everyone enjoyed the big water. The drop at the bottom caught a few and both Ella and Calum B have to do some boat repairs on their tails. After a quick lunch back at the apartment we did a team wander to the Nove Meste, the old square. Lovely old buildings again and quite clean and cute... better than I expected. Lou cooking dinner while I post the photos from the last few days, before the starving troups arrive back from an afternoon flat water session.

Tommorrow 2 whitewater sessions and it is Lou's birthday so will go out for dinner. we were thinking of catching a train to Vienna, it only takes 1 hour and there are 46 trains a day and it costs 10 euro return.

Hope all well in kiwiland

cheers

sue

Photos from the last few days

Bratislava

Left Oetz around 11am and headed to Salzburg. Was still raining but after driving around in circles we found parks, ad a lovely short wander and thought it was a pretty interesting city, with the old castle on the rocky outcrops plus historic buildings and evidence of Mozart and The Sound of Music. We were making good time and nearly at Bratislava, on some back rural road, when we came across a railway line with some temp barriers blocking our way. Mike says' no probs we will just move them" almost got away with it until the distinctive sirens of the Polizei. Had to hand over passports and as the police had no sense of humour it was all we could all do, not to laugh at them. After haggling unsucessfully we had to pay a fine and after ascertaining exactly was it was for it appears some was for unsafe boats. "'catastophe' said the male police officer !!!! the boats were tied on normally and with a front strap so in fact very secure!. We asked for their superiors contact details and Mike is planning to take it further to get our 40 Euros back. Thanks to the GPS we met the man who owns the 2 apartments and with fear and trepidation he opned the heavy looking industrial metal doors. It looked like a warehouse with an old lift with wire gates and the kids kept mentioning the movie "Hostel" Having organised the accommodation and never having been to Brats I was feeling pretty nervous. With great relief the apartments are a little oasis and everyone happy. After the fine, we balanced the budget again eating lunch for dinner - bread rolls and ham etc as the supermarkets had closed. Some of the group got kebabs as there seems to be small takeway places everywhere around us. We are just near the old city so will look foward to an explore tommorrow.
Night for now
Sue

OETZ

Well the cute town of Oetz hasnt been quite as cute as we would have liked as it has been drizzling most of the time since our arrival. It has still been nice but unfort after spending 2 hours putting up gates in the rain we decided the river was too high to paddle, so it has just been flat water sessions on a very gorgeous Lake Piburg, set in idylllic location surrounded by trees. We have bought foward our trip to Bratsslava by a day so packing up this morning and heading off. Will hopefully stop in Salzburg and catch up with all things Mozart. It is a 6 hour drive so will be a long day. Team at the lake before brunch then the pack up and off. Hope we will be able to post some photos soon. Cheers
sue

Austria

We had a wonderful drive south from Augsburg, very picture postcard thru small villages with planter boxes of geraniums, magic mountain back drops and all evry green. The sun was out which made it even better. We arrived in the small village before Neuschwanstein Castle, got picnic food , had lunch then headed up the steep hill to the castle. With the heat Lou and I were pretty red faced at the top but all worth it. Had a tour of the castle which was mind blowing and then made our way to Oetz. About 1 hours driving. Our accommodation is also picture postcard, an old family home, we have 4 bedrooms on three stories, with full kitchen, dining, lounge etc. the doors all open to balconies with a stunning view down the valley to the Oetz river and very cute touristy town. Heaps of pots of red geraniums grace the balconies and we have a grass area with picnic table etc. Quite a contrast to the city. Unfort the river is very high so the slalom training on hold, however the groups did a river run on the Inn River with the Aussies and will do a flat water session this arvo. Kidda and Callum G the latest victims so there is only one calum and Ella and I to go. EEK not a good feeling!!! There is heaps to do here and this was always planned as the R&R part of the trip, so hope by the time we leave everyone will be on 100% health.
Internet only at Info centre, hence no photos, will sort out some if we can find a wifi place. Just picture cute Austrian ski town and you will have an idea of where we are or google Oetz.
cheers for now
sue.

Leaving Augsburg

Thursday, our last full day in Augsburg. Now Callum G has the dreaded lurgy and Ben G is still not well. Everyone else fronted for the last session. The sun is out again, hence some photos at the course. We have all enjoyed Augsburg despite the Ds&Vs. After the session we packed some gear and boats into kiddas van and went to leave the course, alas no keys for my car. Callum G had them , in the other car he thought!! Sent a message to tell the other car to come back, which they did…. No keys there either. Sent them all back to the apartment for the spare. Headed off to Dachau ( German concentration camp) a bit later than planned. Hired an audio guide so we all were wandering around with these at our ears , but was a good idea as you got a guided tour at your own pace. Was a pretty sobering experience for everyone but was a worthwhile visit and a reminder of the terrible atrocities under Hitlers leadership.
It was a lovely sunny evening so groups wandered up to the square and had a final look around and icecreams. Much later after dinner we started to wonder what had happened to Mike D as we left him behind for a paddle. About 9.30 he rocked in with a story to tell. He had the car, that James and Louise had been driving (belongs to some Slovaks) he crashed into the back of a Merc ( heaps of them here!!)
He couldn’t see any damage but things got a bit testy so the police arrived. Anyway to cut a long story short in all of this he mentioned our lost keys and someone had handed them in. He arrived back to get the ownership papers for the car and his passport , to get off his charge and get my keys back. Quite a relief as the apartment keys were on them as well and would have been a costly exercise to replace both. Packing up this morning and heading to Austria ( Oetz) via the castles of mad King Ludwig in South Bavaria- Neuschwanstein Castle is the castle in the Disney movie trailers.
Not sure about internet in our spot in the alps so cheers for now
Sue

Illness strikes

Today most of the team raced against the Aussie juniors and some Candians here. The rest have come down with the bug. This afternoon Bridey, Nikki and lou were feeling awful, so now the only ones to escape are Ella, Sue, Malcolm and Calum B, although Sue and Calum B have had bad colds . So really not a healthy scene. Morale is still high and we now have some idea of what it must have been like in the plague, sitting around waiting for who is next!!. Feel a bit sorry for Mike D as he joined our group and on day 2 was really ill, seems to be Ok 24 hours later.
Had James D and Tank ( cant pronounce his real name ) the Czech K1 boat for the Olympics for dinner last night so think the boys were keen about that.
the 2 calums bought hair dye today and it was done before I evene knew anything about it. Will post photos tommorrow but will give you a clue..... Callum G is now redder than Calum B.
The planned treasure hunt didnt go ahead as with all the illness there werent many takers.
The weather has cooled off so hoping some summer back soon.

All still having fun, Augsburg is a lovely city, lots of ambiance, narrow cobbled walkways, old buildings, fab bakeries and market, everyone loving the apartment being so close to it all.
Cheers for now

Augsburg Tuesday

Our second training day in Augsburg and all bar Shaun Higgins area back paddling this morning. Team did full runs ( 4 of them) yesterday afternoon and this morning is halves, with a lactic session on the second chanel this arvo. the focus for this block in Augsburg is lots of fitness rather than learning the course as there is no race here.
Everyone enjoying the city and although not much time yet I have a treasure hunt/ rally planned in groups so they have a good look around. Girls bough shoes for 2 E yesterday so all happy with that
Hope too that we can get to Dachau ( Thursday arvo), which although wont be much fun for them is a worthwhile experience.
Cheers for now
Sue

Photos from night in Prague and World Cup & Dinner Ausgburg

Augsburg

After very early start well arrived in Augsburg to support the kiwi semi finalists and give all the juniors a taste of the World Cup racing. James started on a hot and sticky day with a great crowd and a festive atmosphere. he prodced a solid run, not quite on the pace but finished in 26th. Louise much the same and finished 36th. The comments from the kiwi seniors , is that they need more coaching and support to move up the ranks. Something the Aussies are managing to do with Will Forsythe 7th, Kate Lawrence and Robin Bell both winning. We were all excited for them and great to see some Antipodeans breaking into the European dominated scene.
The heavens opened up in the afternoon and we all got soaked, but a great experience for all. Checked into the apartment and hotel- 4 people - Mike D, Shaun , Calum B and Bradyn are there and it is only 200m from the rest of us. Met up with the seniors- james, luuka, Bryden , Andrew and their German friends and all went out for dinner. Speaking to the seniors, Bryden and Andrew ( C2) they were pleased with how their paddling improved during their Europe trip, and their first time into the World Cup league, they have learnt heaps. Louise and Luuka also. Louise is now off to Spain for the PreWorlds, James, Bryden and Andrew back to Uni, Luuka is off to Nottingham to begin preparations for Beijing and Mike D has joined us to help with coaching .
Unfortunatley Shaun H vommitting so the bugs we thought we had escaped have caught up. Bradyn sucumbed in the night ( fungers crossed that is all). We have a great system of communication going with two way radios between cars and the hotel and apartment so in constant communication.
At the course now, nice to have internet as been having trouble sending emails.
Hope all well in NZ
.

Veltusy race

The Veltrusy race today attracted 99 entries from Czech and German clubs. They made us feel very welcome .
The team didnt get a chance to paddle the course before the race and we had a couple of dramas with Shaun missing his start time cos he and Lou and Bridey went back for warm clothes for the whole team. It had suddenly got cold, but unfortunately they were diverted because of an accident. Ella arrived to warm up and they told her to go- missing her 20 minute warm up.
Never the less they all paddled well. the day was broken into 2 competitions, with 2 runs in each and an award ceremony after each. So 4 runs, 2 prizegivings.
First comp, Shaun Higgins 3rd U18 C1 224.6 incls 14 secs pens, Ella Nicholas 3rd U18 K1 237.20 incls 18 secs pens, Nikki Whitehead 5th 242.80 incls 10 secs pens, Callum Gibb 1st U16 205.95 incls 14 secs pens, Malcolm Gibson 4th,222.72 incls 14 secs pens Calum Brash U18 3rd 212.10 incls 16 secs pens, Ben & Bradyn 5th overall, 1 class 263.30 incls 16 secs pens.

I am not sure what happened at lunchtime but second comp, runs were better although the course changed and was a bit easier and faster. Heaps less penalties and Callum and Ella both had 2 clean runs to win their divisons.

Shaun 3rd 203.18 incls 8 secs pens, Ella 1st 200.85 clean, Nikki 219.90 ( 2 secs pens) 3rd, Calum Brash clean 1st run then 4 secs pens 2nd run total 195.21 3rd U18, Callum Gibb clean 1st U16 on 186.16, Malcolm 231.73 5th, C2 5th great 1st run only 2secs pens on 109.67 but 2nd run had a couple of 50's.
Bridey resting her arm so didnt paddle. Off to Augsburg 6am so a very early start.
Just back ( midnight) from dinner in Prague and a lovely mooch around the city with lights and great ambiance.
Away to bed, not sure about next internet.
Cheers
sue