Slalom video from Slovakia and Europeans...

[bearboater]

http://www.canoeworldseries.com/gallery/videos
this is the new HD video feed that they broadcast on eurosport, and they are slowly adding all they can from the races this year. there will likely be more from the WCs, and Worlds, and the pre-olympic event as well. in which estanguet broke his paddle at gate 14...
anyhow, enjoy
cheers
-isaac

[Alden]

I like it - but too many close-up shots (I'm looking at the Euro Open footage) are infuriating! I don't want to see the boater's face; I want to see his line!

The Slovak one seems to have better coverage. Man! Bratislava -- what a course!

Alden

[bearboater]

dude, it's better than the olympic coverage...
-isaac

[Nate]

That's pretty nice, Isaac. I hope they do the same for the Olympics next year.


Nate

[Alden]

I hope it's all the same for the Olympics next year except that Scott Parsons wins gold in K-1!

Alden

[bearboater]

I am overally pretty darned impressed with the quality, and the angles, however the big drop at Cunovo, and a few angles in Liptovsky Mikulas could have been better, but there isn't a more concise, and succinct database for this years slalom footage yet. and at least they have the harder moves at a wide screen shot so you can see placement, and timing... but with Martikan it doesn't matter because physics don't apply to him. and as for next years Olympics, I hope we qualify a C1. we have to beat Canada, and it's unfortunate that Jamie and Benn can't both go, but So it goes...
-isaac

[JFD]

great videos, thanks for the link Isaac. what's up with the left-handers here? 9 out of the top 10 in the Euro video paddle on the left.

[Nate]

Us lefties are just better

[John Coraor]

Left on, Nate!!!

John

[Alden]

It's just a joy to watch the Hochshorners and Martikan paddle. Sometimes, speaking of lefties, I wish we had a time machine to watch Lugbill and Hearn race against Martikan in these new boats on Bratislava (and Richard Fox against the K-1s). Now that would be fun to see.

Alden

[edg]

Sorry for the semi thread hijack, but does anyone currently racing have some perspective on what makes the Hochsorners so good? What I notice, (other than the absence of cross strokes in the bow) is that in most teams the bow paddles like a c-1, but the stern spends a fair amount of time in "static" steerring strokes. I'm always amazed that the stern Hochsorner paddles much more like he's in a c-1 than anyone else I've seen, both stroke and body position wise. Any insights?....edg (recreational slalom c-2 hack racer)

[bearboater]

alot of what makes the hochschorners so good is that they are truly together in their hips, and their lower bodies. I have looked at so much of their video, and it's true that there is a slight lack of strokes by Peter, but he is always in tune with with Pavel is doing. they are always together, for instance, in the Cunovo video there is an up where all of the teams are taking 3-4 strokes, and they do it in one. (it's the second double up after the big triangulated wave at the middle drop) and in my opinion, it's so much do with their total understanding of each other, and that they know exactly when to throw their weight.

I have almost stopped looking at Martikan for it makes no sense to look at someone who paddles a kayak with wings, and who does things that shouldn't be possible. He is fun to watch, and I like to watch him paddle, however there are very few things I can glean from watching his runs, because A) he's a lefty, B) we don't paddle the same boat C) he is tiny D) sometimes I get more confused. when i am on charlotte or ASCI just messing around, or takiong an off session to cool down, I will try martikan-esque moves... but in reality, I am far far from the level of complete comprehension to how he does what he does. he is also super subtle with his lower body, I have his run in augsburg this year, and it's flat out silly. I appreciate Bell, and Bieryt. I also try to look at the Volf/Stepanik Crew. there are things that the Hochschorners aren't so hot at this year for instance right ups... but they are simply so fast everywhere else that it doesn't matter. I have video of them training in China, and the things they were trying were ridiculous...

also here is another link to video from the canadians, possibly a better site for it has all the world cups. and most of the international events of the year.

http://canoekayakcanadaslalomvideo.wordpress.com/
cheers
-isaac

[Nate]

Isaac, I believe you touched on an important point in most of the top paddler's styles when you said they were subtle. Not only does Martikan use his lower body subtly, but notice when he is paddling forward, he does not lean forward and backwards as much, and does not seem to be desperate when he is paddling--like so many of the others do. I find it interesting that you said his paddling doesn't really seem to make sense. I find it to be more logical and sensible than many of the other paddling style's I've seen.

I'd be curious to try one of the Vajda Martikans. Not sure there are many (any?) in the US though.



Nate

[KNeal]

what makes the Hochsorners so good?

They're twins. It's pretty freaky to see twins working together. They have such a tuned-in sense of what each other is doing--so much so that they look more like one living organism/body than two separate persons.

KNeal

[bearboater]

at times the skantar cousins also have things spot on, but they definetely lack something. the best work from the hochschorners I have to say is the 04 olympic 1st run, and this years augsburg. they also were spot on at Tacen...
cheers
-isaac