Last night I took the family out for supper. The Olympics were on the TV, but there was no audio. All of a sudden, what do I see but a "TOG" sticker on a kayaker's helmet I think the whole place looked at me when I said "WOW there's a Team Old Guy sticker at the Olympics!" I just found the video on-line & while it's not Team Old Guy, the paddler, Benjamin Boukpeti was too old to paddle for France, so he paddled for Togo. Seems TOG is short for Togo as well as Team Old Guy.
I've got to find an address for him so I can mail him some proper TOG stickers.
The commentary that goes with one of the video clips of his run states that he had to race for Togo, his father's country, because he was "too old" to race for France. Setting aside for a moment the notorious inaccuracy of the narratives that accompany some of these human interest pieces, perhaps he should, in fact, be eligible for Team Old Guy!!
Maybe we can give him a waiver, but dude he's 13 years younger than me!!!
Born: August 04, 1981
Ht: / Wt: 5'9'' / 161 lbs
I know what you mean about the inaccuracies, though - they said Scott Parsons was our most recent hope for our first medal in K-1. Uh, how about Dana Chladek's silver in the Atlanta games? And no, he didn't say "men's K-1", I listened to it twice...
If any one of the olympic slalom paddlers is eligible for a TOG,
The it's our Canadian K1 paddler, David Ford.
The guy is 41 years old, he actually got cut off from funding for being to old , and still managed to place 6th ! http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/teamcanada/s ... -ford.html
TGG!
Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing - Henry David Thoreau
It's too bad what happened to Scottie. But you guys know that he's going to race C-1 next year? That's right. He's a great C-1er already. It will be interesting to see how he does.
I think that it certainly would be a mistake to assign an age for TOG status- I agree with Mike W.- it is a state of mind.
That being said, I do have some notion that is has more to do with paddling history and experiences than with age. For example, just being OLD in age should not qualify for TOG status. You could have a person start paddling today at age 52, but be a "new " paddler. Age alone does not make TOG. On the other hand, there are some younger folks who are certainly TOG worthy. Maybe we could have some fun with this-
You might be Team Old Guy if......
-your first solo boat was a 16ft {blue hole, shenandoah,
GRUMMAN}
-a farmer john wetsuit was considered state of the art cold water outfitting
Chopped down Birch trees for my first boat while fighting off grizzly bears and wolves.
Not really, but I helped build a boat with my dad when I was 6. The paddle was plywood and closet dowel rod. Didn't even have neoprene then. Outfitting was whatever you were wearing to pad out the sharp spots.
You STILL have an Iliad paddle, in useable condition
Your first Mohawk paddle was "state-of-the-art"
You own a Coleman 17-foot canoe because it was the newest model on the market
KNeal
C-boats Moderator
"Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing-absolutely nothing-half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."
I think the whole place looked at me when I said "WOW there's a Team Old Guy sticker at the Olympics!" I just found the video on-line & while it's not Team Old Guy, the paddler, Benjamin Boukpeti was too old to paddle for France, so he paddled for Togo. Seems TOG is short for Togo as well as Team Old Guy.
, and still managed to place 6th 
