I guess most have heard that the Manukau City council has turned down the funding request for the new course. All is not lost and they will not be giving up, it may just take longer.

Check out this link to the new course in Wales http://www.cardiffcanoeslalom.com/page-1.html

Fingers crossed that it will happen in NZ as we have seen some amazing courses and well used with flatwater canoeing options as well as the rafting.

Monday

Today while all the team went and had rhythm session on the old course at Pau I walked into the town of Jurancon. Bought the six baguettes and back home up the steep hill to our wee house. from there we all went into the centre of Pau and did a 45 min tour of the castle complete with old tapestries, draped canopied beds, massive dining table that seated 100 and more. From there to the course for the first of the nations trainings and to find that our session had been changed and we missed it. We argued the point and jumped on anyway and the juniors loved it. To quote Callum "i reckon it's mean". Paddling with us GBR and TOGO and after us Slovakia, were heaps of amazing paddlers. All the Olympic medallists are here and it is great for our guys to be in amongst them all. The workers at the course are still laying ready lawn and adding artworks to the old concrete wall as you arrive at the course. After a scorching session where everyone got sunburnt we headed home via the supermarket. we had been invited to a bbq around our shared pool with the other guests. A couple from Salsbury and the wifes sister in law from Oregon. We shared salads and all took delicious tasty french sausages , and it worked out perfectly. The guy had been in the army and kept the kids enthralled with army tales and adventures around the world, complete with stories of fellow compatriots who had lost limbs in Iraq etc Hope all well in NZ

Sunday

A lovely sunny day in the pyrenees . We could see the mountains from the course and some still had a smattering of snow. The race was a reasonably low key affair for us kiwis as invitees in this French race. We arrived and it was more like an NZ race with them still putting out the course. When in Europe you think that all races are big affairs and it was reassuring to the team to see that the French have races like ours, but with a large number of paddlers of all ages. ( 100 plus entries), hand held timing and fairly manual results. They have a system to get their rankings up and this was one of the lower ranked events. (n3 OR 4) N1 being like the French championships. There were still French team paddlers like Mathilde Pichery there and she was doing safety as well as racing. Our guys and kidda, in some borrowed kit did demos, Callum also did foreruns and then were first up to race, one after another. They did really well in demos but the C boaters got some 50's between them in their first runs . The race was a festive affair with French music, a woman making crepes and we needed to bring out our best French as we really didnt find anyone who spoke English. The French, in their relaxed style, took 90 minutes for lunch and second runs started at 2pm. Everyone had a good second race and performed well. We didnt get the full final times before we left but Callum was within a couple of seconds of a top French guy, the C2 after taking the first run a bit lightly were within 5 seconds of a good French crew, Jane and Shaun also putting good runs together and performing well. Everyone enjoyed the day and on the way home found the seniors accommodation and had a cup of tea with them. Luuka and Lou have composed a NZ slalom song which we hope makes it to U tube so we can post for all. Cooked dinner, watched a movie from Bradyns hard drive ( Defiance) and now bed is calling. Have a speed session on the natural course at Pau, early in the morning, then the first of the nation trainings at 3pm on the World Cup course.

Saturday

Today we had a bit of a sleep in and left the house at 10ish. Drove through St Pe and Lourdes to Argeles Gazost for a practice for the race tommorrow.At Lourdes there were massive snaking queues of people in wheelchairs waiting to be blessed we guessed. Argeles is about 10km from Lourdes. We arrived there and checked things out- small course like Reids Farm and our team is doing the demos as well as racing. they were having DR, Freestyle and polo today as well. We had a training and while troups were on the river I walked to supermarket to get goodies for a picnic. Once fed we headed back to Pau and arrived at the new (read, very flash) artificial course to see the seniors training. All were very impressed and it sure looks like heaps of money spent and they all loved the water. We left there to have a session on the 'old" natural river course which was good fun for the team. I headed to the supermarket again and got diverted in a traffic jam , cos of the women's 'tour de france' going thru Pau. Thank goodness for Tomtom as I had plotted the location and managed to get back there to find all team patiently waiting. Home for dinner, internet catch ups and think the kids going to watch a movie before early start tommorrow.

Arrived in Pau

We had a late pizza after last nights training, had hoped to catch up with the Aussie juniors but they arrived after 10pm so only a quick hello. It was a mission to pack and clean up but finally left the house about 11.15 then to course to collect boats. A 2 hour stop in Andorra with a cruise of the shops, then a 4 hour drive to Pau. We arrived about 7.30pm and were totally rapped with our small house. It is the gate house on a large property. The owners Andre and Ann are great hosts. in the fridge was a bottle of local Jurancon wine and we were delivered fresh cows milk full cream, non pastuerised. Our house is at the entrance to the property and is surrounded by large chestnuts, fig trees, large hydrangea bushes in full flower, all crockery is Portmerion and very English/ French decoration and enough to have a dinner party for 12. We have full washing facilities and outdoor furniture and a BBQ, so should be pretty comfy for the next 6 nights. Shaun, jane and I went for a quick walk and checked out the property. There is a large home of the owners, a winery building that has some Aussies staying and we are in the small (cheaper) gate house. There is a pool we can use and the view looks spectacular and we hope it stops raining tommorrow so we can enjoy it all.We cooked a late dinner of spag bol and all kids are chilling on internet at the mo. Tommorrow we head to Argeles Gazost near Lourdes to train for the small club race on Sunday. There are at least 6 courses in this area and Kidda has spent lots of time in this area over the years so the team will get some great training. We may even head to the coast- Biarritz which is only about 1 hours drive. Photos tmoro- hope the AB's win so we can stop the French crowing.

Thursday

This course is buzzing as always heaps of people around. Large fleet kayaks to learn on flat water, lots rafting and big restaurant area with free internet. Lots bus tours and people around all the time.

Went for a walk earlier with Jane and Aaron's girlfriend, Steph , into the town area. Some cute little shops and we bought arborio rice for dinner and some grated parmesan. It is great having the chance to cook as you have to shop in local supermarkets and speak with the locals. We have catered for the 4 day camp on 20 Euros pp and we have eaten delicious meals. The electric frypan and large pot that kidda had at his house in nottingham has been well used. Pancakes, french toast, herbie roast potatoes, rissotto with chorizo and veges, stir fry,toasties in the frypan and more. Large bags oranges at supermarket for 2 euro, melons, peaches, nectarines all in plentiful supply and good price.

Last training in Seu just about to start. Team doing full runs with Ozzie seniors and Italians, Molmenti and co. Still lovely and warm but our house is quite cool so hanging out inside quite alot. We have a paddling pool which Luuka has been soaking in. Will add photo. I had to supervise an exam for her today so she was happy to chill out afterwards.
Cooked early dinner (4pm) , rissotto as hard to juggle food around very early and very late training. We ate at 10pm last night.
Yesterday we went to Andorra to have a look at shops and arrived at siesta time so limited amount open. We were just finding some when it was meeting time. It is a tax free haven and large European clothing brand, Zara is made in Spain and some nice things and discounted. Will go back on the way to Pau tommorrow. We bought tapes and fire wire cable for laptop as someone had lost our other one.
Even boys were into looking as cheap skiis, cameras etc. It is only about 25mins from Seu so an easy drive.
We head off to Pau tommorrow ( 4 hours) for a small French club race in the weekend at Lourdes and then training at Pau the venue for first World Cup.
Hope all well in NZ.

more photos

Photos at Seu

seu D'Urgell

Arrived in Seu at the course 8.30am this morning after a very early (5.30am) start. Great weather 36 degrees. Challenging course, have Aussies and Italians (Molmenti) in our session.
Found our house, 15km from town, and it is classic Spanish country, with old farm house furniture, we have beds for all 11, including seniors Luuka, Louise, Mike and Aaron. Drove up a tiny country road and then a dirt track to find a toothless old women in a pinny, gesticulating in Spanish. Think she is the neighbour, the key was in the door and so we let ourselves in.
It has tiles above the front door 'casa pallares' , a long wooden farmhouse table that seats 10, 3 bathrooms, old day beds outside, wrought iron balustrades, olives, grape vines, outdoor tables, old fire in the kitchen complete with chimney, plus a modern, electric oven ( thank goodness). Almost everyone found a spot for a siesta then we had early dinner outside and at course now with internet, for 8.45pm training session, hence internet, church bells ringing in background and still warm. photos later.

Finals

C2 make finals and finish in 8th.
The finals course was testing and many top competitors got 50 second penalties including the kiwis, however they did enough to move up their placing to 8th in the final.
The event doubled as a pre junior world championship event for juniors and their qualifications result ranked them as 5th although they were the second fastest juniors in the final

Semis

2009 Foix Semis - [ Sunday, June 14, 2009 ]
The C2 crew of Ben Gibb and Bradyn Church squeaked into the semis in 10th place.
Posting a solid run without any major errors they had an anxious wait while they saw how the rest of the crews fared on the tricky course. Lots of drama as the British crew had a popped deck and sunk. They looked like they had missed out until the top qualifiers from yesterday , Troquenet and Voyemant (FRA) rolled and the French crew's chances were over.
Luuka Jones didnt quite get the start she wanted and was off the pace, with an added 4 touches to finish in 14th. The women's tp qualifier from yesterday- Stephanie Horn also had a couple of 50's and she was always out.
Finals racing is live on the internet from 1pm-4pm French time ( 11pm NZ?) Ben and Bradyn runs will be about 2.50am http://team.sports.orange.fr/videos/orange-sports-tv/lives/index.php