Fast Drak results

As promised, here you have the results for the podiums at the Fast Drak celebrated yesterday at the Umkimzulu River (SA):

Men
1^st Lance Kime - 3:48:40
2^nd Brandon van der Walt - 3:52:06
3^rd Shaun Griffin - 4:02:06

Women
1^st Robyn Kime - 4:10:17
2^nd Alex Adie - 4:22:24
3^rd Hillary Pitchford - 4:24:59

Junior Men
1^st Murray Haw
2^nd Gavin Shuter
3^rd James Speed

Junior Ladies
1^st Brittany Petersen
2^nd Jordan Peek
3^rd Bianca Haw

Fast Drak ongoing today

Today is takin place at the Umkimzulu River (South Africa), organized by the Umzinyathi Canoe Club, the Fast Drak descent, a one stage race on the full course of the Drak Challenge.

Photography: George Forder
65 kilometres, two portages and about 150 paddlers will say goodbye this way to 2011. Last year, three of the great south african competitors took the podium. Victory was for Len Jenkins in 3h. 58 min, just followed by Hank McGregor and junior Brandon van der Walt.

As soon as we get the results from today's race, we will let you know through a new post.

P.S.: I write this once the race has finished. We already know that the victory has been for Lance Kime with Brandon van der Walt second. In Ladies, Hilary Pitchford has been third. Still unofficial results. Once the full list is in my hands, I'll upload it in a new post.

César Ernesto de Cesare (Ecuador), ICF athlete of the month

The argentinian competing for Ecuador César Ernesto de Cesare has become athlete of the month for the ICF, after a great season achieving the Olympic qualification and winning a gold medal in the Panamerican Games, both in K1 200. This represents a new step forward in his personal career, not easy at all, that he explains in this interview at the ICF Planet Canoe webpage.

ICF list of best racing times ever

The ICF has published the international ranking of best times ever (since 1975) at Sprint official events. Got problems with attaching the document, so here it is in plain text (if anybody wants the complete pdf file, just email asking for it at info@elitekayak.com and I'll pleased to attach it back). Here is the full list:


[Including the 10 World Best Times of winners during the official races in finals of the ICF events since 1975 (Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cups, European Championships, Continental Championships and events with acceptable high technical level).
Up to 2008 originally compiled by Prof. Dr. Habil Jochen Lenz Flatwater Racing Committee for 15 years.
Since 2009 has been compiled by Dr. Siarhei Shablyka (BLR), Sprint Committee]

200 m

W K1 38,970 1994 GER Schmidt, Birgit Milan

W K2 36,320 2007 GER Fischer/Reinhardt Gerardmer

W K4 33,778 1997 ROU Limbau/Ionita/Toma/Radu Plovdiv

W C1 48,188 2010 CAN Vincent-Lapointe, Laurence Poznań

M K1 33,980 1992 FRA Lasak, Olivier Szeged

M K2 31,532 2010 FRA Hybois/Jouve Poznań

M K4 29,023 1997 HUN Kajner/Fehervary/Pager/Bee Plovdiv

M C1 38,363 2001 CUB Balceiro, Ledy F. Seville

M C2 35,760 2007 LTU Labuckas/Gadeikis Gerardmer

M C4 32,753 1997 ROU Venturis/Averan/Ciucu/Mardale Duisburg

Sean Collins passed away yesterday (1952 - 2011)

Maybe you would think that this is not strictly canoeing, but all of us who love water (in any place, colour, shape or having-fun-with-it mode), have lost yesterday one of the top referrals: Sean Collins, surfer, meteorologist, founder of Surfline and eternal searcher of the perfect wave, passed away yesterday due to a heart attack while playing tennis in Orange County (California). He was 59 years old.

New kayaks look for the market 2012

After the last Sprint World Championships in Szeged, where some new boats were tested, many manufacturers look like being in a rush now to offer their best for next season. It looks like Nelo is going to be on the lead again with their new Nelo Quattro (some of them with amazing designs, just check around olympic paddlers Twitter pics to see a portfolio...), but many other brands are also showing their new "babies". You can check Vajda Colt (already one year old), Plastex Fighter or a really beautiful Zedtech Predator (on the image). Also there are gossip news about a new upcoming Román K1 for next February. Any preferences?

On the other hand, river boat development looks to be frenzy at the south african manufacturer Kayak Centre. Current Marathon World Champion, Hank McGregor is now testing a new K2 named "Eliminator", which he has categorized "fast but yet stable with lots of volume, looks like a great Dusi K2". Interesting to know that his test mate has been Len Jenkins, maybe his new Dusi partner after Ant Stott's refusal? If so, there's already a couple to beat.

Road to London 2012 (II): The Eton Dorney Rowing Centre

25 miles Est of London is Dorney Lake, closed to Windsor Castle and home of the Eton Rowing Club. At its lake is the Eton Dorney Rowing Centre, which has been reestructured for the Olympic Games to welcome the Rowing and Canoeing Sprint venues. With a principal channel 2.200 metres long and a secondary return channel, the surroundings have been upgraded to let both spectators and paddlers move comfortably around the area and water course. The main change with past Olympic Games will be the eight lanes course, instead of the traditional nine ones. This already was a complaining topic last season because it breaks a long term tradition and lets less places for those who expected being qualified for the Games. The organizers calls to a standarization with other sports like swimming and athletics, were only 8 people go through the finals and that deserves the Olympic Diploma.

Road to London 2012 (I): The Lee Valley White Water Centre

Slowly 2011 is coming to an end and we face an exciting 2012, year that will reach its peak in August at the Summer Olympics London 2012. From Elite Kayak we will approach this great venue through a report series where we will touch all the facts surrounding the event everybody waits for every four years, both in White Water Slalom and Flatwater Sprint.

Today, we start introducing you the Lee Valley White Water Centre, 30km. North of the Olympic City, which started its building at July 2009 and was...

Fenn Cape Point Challenge video report

Here you have a video report of the Fenn Cape Point Challenge. Thanks Hayden Smith for the link.

The Fenn Cape Point Challenge also for McGregor

New win for Hank McGregor in his dream season 2011, now on his surfski at the Fenn Cape Point Challenge, on 49 km. Mocke brothers shared the podium, with last year's winner, Sean Rice, finishing fourth, just one minute behind.

McGregor made his coup de grace at the tricky kelp beds towards Cape Point, with strong downwind conditions, where he showed...

Mario & Sonic go paddling!

One of Nintendo and Sega's choices for this Christmas season is the new game for Wii and Nintendo DS "Mario & Sonic at The Olympic Games London 2012". But for us, the main piece of news is that they go on a canoe for paddling the 1.000 meters. Is it realistic? Probably not, but sure it will be fun. Have you been recently beaten by Cal, Vajda or Damyanenko? Or not qualified for the Olympics?  Not even good at the time trials of your club? Nevermind, now you can take full revenge at your living room...!

Szeged 2011 Sprint World Championships highlights

2011 arrives to its end and the organization of the last Sprint World Championships, at Szeged (Hungary), wants us to remember how great the venue was with a great video. Here's the link: Szeged 2011 highlights

Dusi Unlimited 2012 countdown

The entries for the Dusi Unlimited, to celebrate mid February 2012 between Pietermaritzburg and Durban (South Africa), are open from today. If you want to join one of the top races around the world, here is the link for it: Dusi Unlimited entries.

From Elite Kayak, our best wishes to all those facing this amazing competition. One day, there will be a Spanish Elite Kayak Team going down there (let's hope).

International Olympic Committee invites you to London 2012

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has launched a new campaign where encourages everybody around the world, whatever their skills are, to show their best on video and participate to be part of a commercial together with some of the best olympic stars. Videos must show your best: effort, determination, accuracy... all your skills to achieve the slogan "Citius, altius fortius" ("Faster, Higher, Stronger").

There will be monthly prizes for the most nominated, special offers por contestants and a final prize of two trips to the Summer Olympics London 2012.

From Élite Kayak we also encourage you to participate. This is the link: Show your best to the world

Australian Marathon Nationals 2012

The Australian Canoe Marathon Technical Committee as decided that the Marathon Nationals 2012 will be held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre (SIRC), over the 6 to 9 April 2012. If interested in compiting, becoming an official or just supporting your favourite paddlers, you've got all the information at their first bulletin.

Season 2012 starts to move and at www.EliteKayak.com you'll have all the information about international venues around the world. Subscribe or stay tuned at our Twitter: @EliteKayak.

Ant Stott to miss Dusi 2012

The four times winner of the Dusi Unlimited, Ant Stott, will not participate at the Dusi 2012, where he planned to go for the K2 title with Hank McGregor. The slow recovery of his painful Aquilles injury, which already made him participate in bad conditions at the Marathon World Championships in Singapour, has forced him to take this tough decision.

He has declared to Dusi's official website: “I've had to kiss the Dusi goodbye for 2012 as there is honestly no prospect of recovering in time to be competitive at all,” said Stott.

Richard Kohler suffers a shark attack

This morning, adventurer and sailman Richard Kohler has suffered a shark attack off the coast north of Durban, South Africa, while paddling in a surfski. Fortunately, he is safe, but the boat has got serious damage in the rudder system.

Richard is paddling all the South African Coast, from Mozambique border round to Namibia, in order to raise funds for Cipla Miles for Smiles Challenge, organization which tries to provide facial surgery to children with cleft lip or palate. In Richard's adventure webpage you can have all the information about this challenge and a link to make donations. Let's hope that today's incident is finally worth.


Thanks to Michelle Eray for the retwitt.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Hope to launch properly the English version by New Year. Thanks for your understanding.