Thoughts about the ICF proposal for the modification of the canoeing program in Tokio 2020 (and Part 3)

(This article is the third and last of this series. You can read here Part 1 and Part 2).

[NOTE OF THE AUTHOR: Please, have in mind that this article was made for an Spanish audience and trying to explain the information arriving to our country. It may happen that this information is incomplete (no German or Hungarian news, for instance, languages too difficult for this writer) or vision may be completely different depending on the country you live in. All feedback will be appreciated, do not hesitate to comment]

Well, at this point, we agreed that we would today revisit the interests mostly at a street level, which seems out of range for the control of the marketing department of Coca-Cola (kidding... and by saying Coca-Cola, I mean Red Bull or any other brand that comes to your mind).

Here I have made a mental map that divides the world into two. Two main areas of influence, one in favor of leaving things as they are (or making changes according to this status) and another in favor of change and give especially much more weight in the decision to gender parity. The first is made up of Great Britain and Russia. Second, Canada and Australia. This division is not fictitious nor capricious. Anyone who regularly follow in the world of canoeing publications from diaries or magazines to social networks, youtube, etc., will be able to guess where the shots come from, definitely I will not discover gunpowder today. Much of what I will present here is already known for some time, but at least I try to summarize so you can understand as clearly as possible.

Why Great Britain and Russia are not intended to give greater weight to women? Because that would force to cut down men disciplines. In the case of K2 200 and Slalom C2 the thing seems already clear, in Rio the last medals will be given in these races. In fact, the K2 200 was a rookie career in London, replacing the K2 500. Well, then let's go back for a while to London 2012. Who showed the greatest display of power of all the Olympics, according to me? Two gentlemen called Yuri Postrigay and Alexander Dyachenko. Where are they from? Russia. In the same race, the bronze went to two other regulars on the podiums in 200m, Liam Heath and Jonathan Schofield. British, to be more explicit.

Let's see the Slalom C2. Gold for Timothy Baillie and Etienne Stott, silver for David Florence and Richard Hounslow. Where are these four paddlers from?...

Thoughts about the ICF proposal for the modification of the canoeing program in Tokio 2020 (Part 2)

(Continuing from Part 1, which you can read here)

As commented, this whole thing encloses a series of interest, more or less dark, but some of which are very easy to see. The first and foremost in my view, it is the perpetuation of the ruling classes. It is well known that the president of the ICF, José Perurena, is also president of the Organization of the World Games and a permanent member of the IOC, more after his membership was extended after reaching the age of retirement, making his weight within the Committee go through next level. Knowing as Jacques Rogge, after the election of Tokyo in the assembly of Buenos Aires 2013, declared his willingness to step down after the Games in Rio ... then there's no need to be very smart to connect some dots and see that Perurena is very interested to get on well with his colleagues in the IOC.

So far, everything fine. Anyone who says that this effort in reducing costs and reaching gender parity has been asked to all federations, can also be right, but a different thing is the effort put in each federation to make it happen. Some of them are not very willing to oppose too, since its weight in the Olympic program is much lower. That is the case of canoeing ... or not, wait, didn't we said that the president of the ICF is a heavyweight in the IOC? ... Well, then maybe Perurena's weight is just personal, it doesn't belong to canoeing as a sport.

This is already explaining things a bit more. Not to mention the precedent, bleeding, ...

Thoughts about the ICF proposal for the modification of the canoeing program in Tokio 2020 (Part 1)

I've never been to the Olympics. I'm not even halfway to be able to get the flip flops of the paddlers in Rio this summer. And, unfortunately, it seems that over the years my chances of competing in future editions of the Games will have to be expressed in scientific notation.

None of my family is also linked to the ICF, or the IOC, or trademarks or institutions that finance or profit from canoeing or any of its derivatives. And judging by the laughter when this topic appears, they have even less faith than I in that one family member ends on top of an Olympic podium. If that member is me, the laughter becomes almost insulting.

Well, at this point you will be thinking what the hell is this guy telling me. It is to make it clear that everything I will say next is interest free. Although I actually think it is full of interest, the interest a purely personal opinion can have, but that is the fruit of love for our sport and the passion with which any spectator enjoying on TV (or, hopefully, live) how the best paddlers in the world make fly on an Olympic venue the same boat that we, mortals, have been woefully dragging on our village waters that morning.

As you know you who follow us on our Facebook page, last week ICF moved to IOC its proposal for the redistribution of categories and disciplines facing the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,...

Río Negro, final stage: Pinta and Mozzicafredo reign over Río Negro for the 13th time. Alonso claims his first victory

Río Negro saw yesterday afternoon  the final of the XL edition of its Regatta with the traditional stage between San Javier and Viedma, with the arrival to a crowded river promenade full of people who could enjoy a great sunny day by the river.

Néstor Pinta and Martín Mozzicafredo celebrate their record 13th absolute victory in Río Negro. Photo: DeViedma.info

In the race itself, no surprises. The last stage followed the expected script. On the entrance to Viedma there was a leading group of five boats, where Balboa and Guerrero marked the pace downstream, looking for the buoy where they would have to return back to Viedma to face the finish line upstream.

It was clear that they were tightening the pace and the group started losing units. Finally, three K2s faced the sprint in front of the crowd at the Viedma shore.

Río Negro, day 5: The Regatta, almost decided after longest stage

The 67 km of the fifth and longest stage of Río Negro Regatta, left the race almost ready for the final podium, unless unexpected accidents, and followed the script written by the leaders through all this week. Néstor Pinta and Martín Mozzicafredo kept stuck to their conservative tactics and left again the weight of the race on Balboa and Guerrero, who finally took again the partial victory, but scratching just 5 seconds to those from Patagones, virtual winners of the Regatta, as it would be very difficult for them to lose their 4'30" advantage. On this occasion, the third K2 on the podium, Jonathan Muñoz and Andrés Roth, managed to complete the entire part in the group head, finishing 12 seconds after the winners.

Alonso will achieve today his first title at Río Negro. Photo: Diario Río Negro

Interesting was the race in K1. Iván Alonso (ESP) with its title secured, opted this time for a conservative pace that would allow to...

Indoor Ergo Danish Camps, on livestream next Sunday

Good news for kayak fans, most of all those who are not in Copenhagen this weekend. The already traditional Indoor Danish Championships, competed on a line of ergometers facing directly the public as in a theatre, will be broadcasted live on youtube next Sunday morning, CET.

From the Rødovre Centrum, we will be able to follow the "steady" races from the U12 to the senior and masters categories. Olympic stars like Renæe Poulsen will not appear, as they are focused on their winter training camps, but some other tope level paddlers, like Orion Pilo and Pernille Knudsen will be there competing for this alternative winter title.

We will al be able to follow the livestream at this link. And the results will be updated live here.

Río Negro, day 4: Pinta and Mozzicafredo, one step closer to final victory

The 4th stage of Río Negro saw how its route, by problems with the access to the river, and modality were changed on the intended plan by the organizers, finally been raced over 57 km (14 more than the stipulated) and with a elapsed start every 15 seconds for senior K1 and K2, which was something initially programmed for the 3rd stage.

Balboa - Guerrero (left) and Pinta - Mozzicafredo (right) during yesterday's stage. Photo: Diario Río Negro

So, after the draw, the fact was that Balboa and Guerrero were meant to start just 15 seconds ahead of Pinta and Mozzicafredo. They had no other chance, then, to push hard and try to put some pressure on their rivals.

Río Negro, day 3: Pyrrhic victory of Balboa and Guerrero after a time penalty

The third stage of Río Negro Regatta, after the first day off, made the 38 kilometers between Luis Beltrán and Choele Choel, again under a blazing sun.

On the water, little news. Again a tight marking between the two favorite  K2s. Balboa and Guerrero became winners again of the stage, but followed only 5 seconds away by Pinta and Mozzicafredo who look to have the young champions under control. In addition, the rest day was used by the organization to set up a report with the penalties imposed on the second stage, where Balboa and Guerrero were penalized with one minute for skipping a buoy getting advantage. This eventually causes the difference in overall after this third stage is increased in 55 seconds for Pinta and Mozzicafredo.

Salvo and Alonso entering the finish line. Photo: César Daniel Nahuelcura

In the K1s, several penalties of 15 seconds for the same reason, but with no major changes in the first positions. The senior category lived another day of transition, with the Spanish Iván Alonso comfortably leading the race, this time accompanied all the entire stage by the U23 Nicolás Salvo, merit the Spaniard recognized at the finish coming together and hand by hand with the youngster from Neuquén, among the applause of the crowd. And that does not mean at all that this third day was a walk at the park for these guys. Keep in mind that in a stage of 38 km these two K1s arrived within four minutes of the first K2s, which certainly speaks well of the strong pace they managed to sustain.

Results after 3 days:
STAGE
OVERALL

Río Negro, day 2: Spaniard Iván Alonso crushes the race in K1

Finished the first third of Black River with the arrival yesterday to Villa Regina and, regarding the K1s, the race is already virtually decided except further surprises. Iván Alonso put the hammer down and showed his quality along the 59 km. of the stage. Since the eighth kilometre made a solo paddle in the absence of rivals that could hang up on his wash. His companion on the first stage, the U23 Nicolás Salvo, yesterday finished second more than 7 minutes away from Alonso.

Photo: Diario Río Negro

It was not that clear the race of the K2s, where Pinta and Mozzicafredo this time were second behind Balboa and Guerrero. The defending champions did not make the mistake of the first day and all the first half of this long second session (they went up to three hours at the finish line) was performed in a compact group that had up to eight boats. Gradually, of course, they were losing effectives until midway Balboa and Guerrero decided to attack after two hours of paddling in the bunch.

Río Negro, day 1: Victorious return of Pinta and Mozzicafredo

Pinta and Mozzicafredo facing the finish line. Photo: Matías Subat

The first stage of the 40th edition of the Río Negro Regatta (Argentina) recovered the starring of the river kings, Néstor Pinta and Martin Mozzicafredo. The 12-time champions returned to the water after an absence of two years and cutted from its roots the expectations about their duel with the defending champions, Franco Balboa and José Luis Guerrero, who yesterday, in the first assault, lost more than three minutes despite being the second boat through the finish line.

For the second time in history, the race began in the town of Cipolleti and not in Neuquen, the usual starting point. With some unstable and cloudy weather, Balboa and Guerrero took the lead just after the start and set a blistering pace.