Hi all,
Well we just made it back from another race on the weekend, levels were great and the weather wasn't that bad either.
Its great to see the young ones progress, and which keep doing that with leaps and bounds.... you couldn't ask for them to move along any faster. Wow!!!!
I had one of those highs the other day as I watched my oldest who just turned 13 last week, as she raced in the adult ladies OC1 class on the Gull River while paddling her prototype. Lets put it this way.... she did not miss a gate and only had three touches in the tech class II/III water, finishing her in 5th behind 4 of the best woman OC1 paddlers around.
The respones from anumber of Provincal/National team slalom people was to put her in a C1 as soon as possible. They could not believe what they had just seen and said there was the making of a future Olympian on the water in front of them.
The cool thing is there is now a ladies class in World slalom C1 competitions.... how prefect is that?????
Well she's off to the US Nationals in a couple weeks..... Just a proud Dad!!!!
Congrats Al. It is great getting our kids hooked on this sport.
In a little over a week I will be driving right thought your town on our way out to the race at Wausau. I will be racing with my 12 year old son out there. I am going out early as we will be visiting my in-laws in western Wisconsin (near Minneapolis / St.Paul).
If you or anyone out that way is available I will be looking to get out and paddle. I remember things like St. Croix Falls out there, and I will be poking around for other water to paddle on.
To give you an idea of where she's at , I forgot to mention what boat this little chick is paddling, its a cut down Zoom.... in lenght, height and width. Eight feet long.... sweet!!!! I don't know if any of you saw the thread back from the March break down in Tennessee( Louie Fest ). This is the little paddler that soloed the Upper Telico Creek and ran everything, even Baby Falls, a 14' vertical..... Oh Boy!!!!!!! I think I've even mentioned she can roll this thing to her offside. I know she"ll be out paddling by me next spring!
Canoe Water Adventuring, South Western Ontario's canoeing specialist.
That's awesome! Had my younger boy out on the river the other day for the first time in a while and he kept saying "Dad, you know, this is really fun!" I was ready to go get some dinner long before he was - "Can we go back by those rocks over there? Can we surf that wave again?" Taking the older boy out today and will introduce him to swimming in current and mild whitewater...
Al, it's good to hear from you and especially Alicia. She definitely rocks!
I saw her paddling at the Ain't Louie Fest this March and couldn't believe what I saw. She's going to make her way in the new women c class. I should have asked her for an autogram in Tennessee...
Post some pics of her in that modified Zoom please.
Al,
How great was it to see your girls do so well at the Gull races this weekend. Their Mom must be teaching them, cause there pretty darn good paddlers, nice kids too. You must be a proud Dad.
Looking forward to seeing on the water again.
Geoff
Nice Al! It's nice to hear kids turning up the volume and doing with a smile!
All you can do is show them the way and let them make the choices - sounds like she's had some good teaching and is now making some good decisions!
Paul C.
Paul C.
Cboats Moderator
Official TOG Member (Team Old Guy)!
are nats and OC nats combined this year? what happened to Wausau?
Al, why aren't you guys going to your nationals on the Wack? probably a similarly difficult course at the flows the wack will be running...
cheers
-isaac
race boats are so fast, i bet its in the speed wing.
That is awesome Al! Offside roll ! How cool is that !
Next time I see you guys soewhere she will have to teach me how to do that, although I think I am too clumsy to ever get it... ...
martin a.k.a. the great gonzo!
Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing - Henry David Thoreau
Taniwha wrote:Al, it's good to hear from you and especially Alicia. She definitely rocks!
I saw her paddling at the Ain't Louie Fest this March and couldn't believe what I saw. She's going to make her way in the new women c class. I should have asked her for an autogram in Tennessee...
Post some pics of her in that modified Zoom please.
I'll try to get some pictures of her from Last weekend race, so as I figure out how to post them.
Canoe Water Adventuring, South Western Ontario's canoeing specialist.
keez wrote:Al,
How great was it to see your girls do so well at the Gull races this weekend. Their Mom must be teaching them, cause there pretty darn good paddlers, nice kids too. You must be a proud Dad.
Looking forward to seeing on the water again.
Geoff
I'm trying to get them into as much instruction and from the best I can find. Back at the Single Blade, Aliesha was in all the advaced adult clinics, with Instructors like Kent Ford, Mark Scriver, Gail Sheilds and Scott McGregor.
I get them doing flat water drills when we're not near the moving water, setting up gates, a really working the offside, and using the 2X4 method that we're now teaching.
They are also going to that week long camp up at MKC for the Junior Open Canoe program with Gail Sheilds... perfect!
Andrew Westood was saying she should of skipped the junior program and went right into the Paul Mason & Andrew Westwood Advanced program...... we'll do that next year..... the leaves are falling from my money tree a little to quickly!
Canoe Water Adventuring, South Western Ontario's canoeing specialist.
bearboater wrote:are nats and OC nats combined this year? what happened to Wausau?
Al, why aren't you guys going to your nationals on the Wack? probably a similarly difficult course at the flows the wack will be running...
cheers
-isaac
The Nationals are at Wausau, I've seen Wausau and both the water and the course at the Gull was more difficult. There was a gate in the bottom right eddy of the Otterslide at the Gull, a solid class III move that many adults were missing it totaly, she nailed it cleanly. So right now I'll thinking she can handle want ever they throw at her, she can even handle some class IV water.
I was told she would just have to show up and she'd qualify for the Provincal Junior Slalom Team, that too funny! Rapid Mag is doing a "Paddler Profile" on her in the next edition, how perfect is that?
Canoe Water Adventuring, South Western Ontario's canoeing specialist.
Does anyone know were I could find a good used C1 slalom boat that would fit Aliesha, she weights 75lbs. I'd preferr to find one here in Ontario, but if not I would consider some distance.
Canoe Water Adventuring, South Western Ontario's canoeing specialist.
I don't know if any of you saw the thread back from the March break down in Tennessee( Louie Fest ). This is the little paddler that soloed the Upper Telico Creek and ran everything, even Baby Falls, a 14' vertical..... Oh Boy!!!!!!! 
