After yesterdays disappointing slalom display, I am glad to see the team has more a feeling of sheer anger and hostility than desperation. That is something we can work with. The course is short by downriver standards, but as we were to experience soon enough, it is the most brutal 30 minute race anyone could imagine. It starts with a twelve boat mass start across a lake to the stairs. Then you grab your boat and run up the stairs, across the volleyball courts, throw your boat in the river and dive. You struggle to get into your seat before the first drop and paddle through the rest of the course. This leg was where you get to catch your breath but in this 3/4 of a mile of class 4 water, exhaustion played a big role and resulted in more than just a few flips, swims and other carnage. Then you rinse and repeat 4 more times.
We got a good start and after the twelve boat brawl we were in third place. We hung behind the Germans until we hit the stairs and passed them there. Now we are in second and the Brazilian’s have about a 50 yard lead. We hang with them until about half way through the pond on the second lap and we notice that the Japanese, that got a bad start, are coming up fast. They catch us by the stairs and pass us like we are standing still. By the time we hit the water we can see the Japanese disappearing around the first corner. We managed to hang in there for the rest of the race and finish in third. Not the goal but we can hold our head high again.
