Buenos Aires to Auckland

Making the most of the last day in Buenos Aires the team headed to the famous cemetery - city of the dead- in the middle of the city. It was well worth the trip. The mausoleums are owned by families costing up to USD 35K with an annual fee of about 20USD to maintain the roads. The family is responsible for maintaining the crypt. It is just like a miniature city for the dead, narrow avenues are named after famous people. Just like real estate it is location location location- the more valuable crypts are on the main avenue and the further away the cheaper they become cost is on sq m. There are up to 24 coffins in each crypt layered in three levels in each crypt. All the coffins are metal inside and sealed. If a coffin leaks then the family must have it cremated immediately. As more family members move on the old coffins are cremated to make room for the latest deaths. Burial underground in Buenos Aires is only for five years and then the family must exhume the coffin and have the coffin cremated. There is also a concrete storage wall where sealed coffins can be stored but that is only for up to 15 years and then the family must also remove the coffin and have them cremated. Eva Peron is in her family vault at this cemetery.

After lunch everyone went their own ways for shopping and exploring.



Tonight most of the team fly home. Mark stays on a for a couple of weeks to explore the region, Kay and Mike have a couple of days in BA and everyone else head towards NZ, Uni exams and well deserved breaks from paddling. With the Oceania race now the major qualification for both NZ and Australia the pressure is on.

Safe travelling everyone

Andrew's Personal Best

The 3kg challenge
Qualifications, semi-finals and finals- Gold medalist

Travelling- South American style

All went smoothly out of the hotel in Foz do Iguacu, cars loaded and headed towards Foz airport Argentina for the trip home. Arrived at the airport and breathed a sigh of relief no one around- first clue NZL missed ( also the Italians on the same flight). Aeolineas was out on strike but fortunately just a short strike. With the plane only delayed until 3.30 check-in was smooth and all boats loaded and the wait began.

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Arrived safely in Buenos Aires and staying at the Waldorf Hotel in the middle of town.




A traditional restaurant, leather chairs, character of a waiter, food, wine, beers and relaxed times. Ordered a mixed grill-goat,pork,lamb,beef,chicken- the guys eyes were definitely bigger than their stomachs except for Andrew more to follow


Exhausted and replete

Kiwis leave for NZ

Boats have been disinfected, bags packed and last minute organisation finished as the Kiwis prepare for the two day trip back to NZ.

Safe travelling to all the Kiwis.

K1W and C2 men Results day Five Brazil

K1 Women and C2 Men Semi-Finals Day Five 23 September 2007 Brazil

With 30 C2 crews in the start line today the former Olympic gold and world champion C2 crew of brothers Peter and Pavel Hoschorner SVK once again showed their world class standard by easily taking out the C2 title in 206.81 with one touch. This season has seen them unbeatable in World Cups and European Opens. French brothers Pierre and Christophe Luquet were second in the medal count down by 8 seconds in a time of 214.83 with Benetti and Masoero ITA taking out 3rd position. The NZL C2 crew Nicholas and Robinson never quite found their form and had forced errors down the course putting paid to any hopes of Olympic qualification in the C2class. The course showed its challenges to C2 crews driving through gates 7-9 and 14-16 proving how easy it was to be off line, incur a 50 second penalty and struggle to fully recover.

Forty K1 women lined up with NZL’s Tania Perrett second starter today. The K1W had its drama with top paddlers incurring 50 second penalties often on gate 5. Perrett started well on the top of the course but had a slow time when coupled with forced errors between gates 12-16 leaving her near the bottom of the field. She found it difficult to maintain her speed and accuracy on the technically demanding course. At this stage final K1W results haven’t been posted on the web

Canoe slalom with high audience profile is seen as the most technically and physically demanding of all the Olympic sports . With inconsistent water the athletes are always adjusting their performance as they paddle down the course.

To all the NZL athletes competing in Brazil at their own cost, training without a coach and maintaining top 30 positions in the world be proud of your efforts. You have done the hard yards and it was unfortunate it didn’t happen on the day that counted. Teams with full support, paid coaches, paid athletes and paid managers, physios and nutritionists did not out do your performances at times in these world championships.
Thanks to Alison Perrett for her support, Sue and Kay for their help with the Kiwis and Kidda for his time and effort away from his work to be with the seniors

Watch out the Kiwis will be back for the Oceania Olympic Qualification Championships in Sydney March 2007.

K1Men and C1 Men Semi-Finals Day Four 22 September 2007 Brazil

K1Men and C1 Men Semi-Finals Day Four 22 September 2007 Brazil



Disappointment for NZ in the K1 men. Hopes were high but costly errors cost NZ an anticipated K1 Olympic place in Brazil qualifications

C1 world champion Michel Martikan SVK gained the upper hand with a fast final section reclaiming the title he won in 2002 and 2003 with a total of 192.87, just over a second ahead of the reigning champion, Tony Estanguet FRA, who crossed the line in 194.23. Robin Bell AUS 3rd added a world championship bronze medal to his 2005 world championship gold and 1999 world silver medals. The result has qualified a place for Australia in the C1 event at next year’s Olympics and confirms Bell’s potential to challenge for a medal in Beijing.

In the men’s kayak semi finals, Aaron Osborne finished 30th with a score of 102.98, Starting well he had a close shave with a near touch on gate 4, then settled into his rhythm through the top half of the course. A little off line in 12 he collected a penalty and again in 15 another touch, that he could not afford pushing him down the score board.

Mike Dawson nailed the top third of the course, but then picked up a touch on gate 9. He knew he had to push it to make up the time and he looked good coming out of the up at 12 before heading into the swirling water below the bridge. Then it all started to go horribly wrong and he misjudged coming into 15 with a simultaneous lull in the surge and then was totally off line and had to paddle back up for 16. Saying afterwards “that is something I have not had to do for a very long time” Any mistake was costly in this competition reflected by the fact that nine from ten finalists all had clean semis. Dawson finished 32nd.

New Zealand will have the opportunity to earn an Olympic place in the K1 event at next year’s Oceania Continental Qualification at Penrith in March, where they must finish ahead of Australia.
Racing continues tomorrow with the semi finals and finals of the C2 men and K1 women’s competition with Tania Perrett and Robinson and Nicholason the start line..

K1men and C1 Men Teams Day Three Brazil

The crowds dispersing after the final results were posted on the leader board. A wonderfully supportive atmosphere was felt as all spectators and competitors acknowledged by spontaneous clapping the sheer achievement of the winning teams

World’s underway in Foz do Iguassu -
Day 3 report from Brazil
Whitewater Slalom NZ, Friday, 21 September 2007 Brazil date
Adapted from Australian Canoeing

Germany dominate day three of the world championships in Brazil, New Zealand’s Men's K1 team finish 11th and Men’s C1 13th.
Germany dominated the team event finals on day three of the world championships winning gold in the men’s and women’s kayak events and silver in the men’s C1 team. France in C1 and the Czech Republic in C2 were the other winners.
New Zealand’s C1 team, James Dawson, Mark Yungnickel and Bryden Nicholas were in 13th position after first runs with two 50 second penalties. A shambles occurred during their second run when Hungry failed to pull over to the side of the river, team NZ caught them and couldn't’t avoid ramming one of their boats in a gate. A re-run was awarded unfortunately with only ten minutes to line up on the start Nicholas struggled on the course incurring two 50 second penalties, Dawson and Yungnickel both incurred touches leaving them well out of contention behind Canada and ahead of Japan in thirteenth position overall.
The French were the convincing winners ahead of Germany and the Czech Republic, holding on to a first run lead ahead. Slovakia, in second after the first runs and a potential threat to the French, were awarded a fifty second penalty on gate six and dropped out of contention.
New Zealand’s men’s kayak team posted competitive raw times on both their runs. However, Mike Dawson, Johann Roozenburg and Aaron Osborne were hindered by penalties and finished just out of a top ten position in eleventh behind the Australians and ahead of Spain, Japan, USA and Italy to name a few. Roozenburg commented on his performance "I had a faster time in teams than in my individual race"
For a moment, France looked liked they had snatched gold from first run leaders, Germany, when the scoreboard showed the Germans in second place with 6 seconds of penalties on their second run. However, an inquiry by the race officials corrected the result and confirmed Erik Pfannmoeller, Fabien Doerfler and Alexander Grimm as the men’s kayak world champions. The Czech Republic was third.
Slovakia started the day as one of the favourites for multiple team medals but had to settle for only one bronze in the C2 event behind the winners, the Czech Republic and France.
As expected the German team of Jennifer Bongardt, Jasmin Shornberg and Mandy Planert took gold in the women’s team with a total of 238.76, 1.73 seconds ahead of the Czech Republic and a relieved British team who survived a first run protest to place third.
The score board told the story with high penalty counts for the majority of teams, including the New Zealanders. The technical course, swirling upstreams and closely set gates creating the challenges for the athletes and the judges, who, at times, struggled to keep the score.
At the end of day three of competition the course was modified for the semi finals and finals on Saturday and Sunday.
The course designers, Eric Giddens of the USA and ICF technical commission chairman, Jean Michel Prono, have stepped up the level of difficulty creating even tighter moves on the 23 gate course.
Aaron Osborne will be the first New Zealander on the course followed by Mike Dawson in the K1 semi final event.
The men’s C2 and women’s K1 semi finals and finals take place on Sunday.


The judges preparing their judging sheets approximately 2-3hours each day

C1 Men Final Results Now Posted

Results at posting on the blog last night were provisional. After overnight protests this morning the chief judge Jean Michel Prono posted the C1 Men final results.

James Dawson 42nd Position
Mark Yungnickel 53rd Position

James Dawson will be timed and judged in forerunners for semi finals allowing him an opportunity to have a time against the semi final competitors.

K1W and C2 M Qualification Results Day Two Brazil

World’s underway in Foz do Iguassu -
Day 2 report from Brazil
Whitewater Slalom NZ, Friday, 21 September 2007

The C2 class of 36 paddlers started the days racing with the ICF developing nations first off the start line. The water proved unpredictable and pushy for the developing nations with many DNF and 50 second penalties. With only 6 boats dropping out from qualifications 30 C2 boats went through to the semis on Saturday. Top C2 crew brothers Simon and Simon (GER) put down two impressive runs leading the days racing with 207.38 closely followed by Volf and Stephanck (CZE) 208.33 ahead of the Olympic and current World Champion Horschoner brothers (SVK) who incurred an unusual touch for them leaving them in third position on 209.71. Australians Bellifore and Milne continued their season with a steady performance in 8th position 215.70. The NZL crew Robinson and Nicholas 29th position had penalties and with a time 365.43 were 156.06 behind the leaders scrapping into a position in the semi finals. They will be looking for a much improved run time in the semi-finals.

Jana Dukotova (SVK) continued her medal finishing performances this season qualifying first ahead of the field of 62 women with a time 203.07 ahead of team mate Kaliskan (SVK) 205.13 and Germany’s Mandy Planert 206.53 the only woman to post two clean runs. The top twenty places where as expected but there were a few upsets with a number of 50 second penalties on gates 5-9 and 13-15 where a wrong line made paddlers work extremely hard to make the gates on the fast moving surging water. Tania Perrett NZL secured her place in the semi finals in 39th position after two runs incurring 26 penalties and time of 283.52 which was 80.45 seconds behind the leader and just ahead of Schmidt (AUT) in 40th. Perrett will be looking for a much improved performance in the semis to reach her personal best.

First up tomorrow are the teams races with a field of 16 C1 teams competing NZL’s C1 men’s team of Yungnickel, Dawson and Nicholas are 4th off the start line at 9.37.30am (BRA) against a strong field with favourites the CZE team. Roozenburg, Osborne and Dawson are also 4th off the start list in the K1 men’s team event against a field of 19 top countries with GER as field favourite at 10.22.30am (BRA). NZL is not fielding teams in the K1W or C2 team events.

All the best to the paddlers competing in the teams


Check out the full results
http://cbca.org.br/foz2007/english/

K1M and C1M Qualification Results Day One Brazil

Worlds underway in Foz do Iguassu - day 1 report from Brazil

Whitewater Slalom NZ, Thursday, 20 September 2007
























Above Top:Aaron Osborne paddling from the upstream gate at 13 into 14

Above:Mike Dawson in gate 14

Mike Dawson qualifies in 16th and Aaron Osborne in 27th positions in qualification races securing them a berth in the prestigious semi finals on Saturday and the race for Olympic qualification quotas allocated in Brazil. Mike Dawson after qualifications held 9th country place out of the allocated 16 country positions to be decided at this event in K1 M .
Dawson and Osborne were the only two New Zealanders to progress to the semi finals after the first day of competition at the 2007 slalom world championships in Foz do Iguassu, Brazil.

Mike Dawson led the way with a 16th place finish in the K1 event despite collecting two seconds of penalties over his two runs on the course. After sitting in 29th position after first runs he pulled out a blistering clean run to secure his spot in the semi finals. Dawson’s total score of 189.95 was 6.42 seconds behind current World Cup champion and top ranked world paddler, Scott Parsons of USA, who finished with two clean runs and a total of 183.53 seconds. “I controlled and paced my runs much better and it paid off on the bottom section” Dawson said. Cipressi current World Champion was 14th two places ahead of Dawson while Roethenmund SUI and Sajbidor SVK 17 and 18th positions respectively were separated by less than 100th /s showing the calibre and tightness of the competition. Osborne in 10th position after run one with 94.05 clean had another fast run 93.02 but with 6 penalties 193.85s taking him into 27th position and into the line up for Saturday’s racing. Roozenburg 54th after first runs 101.13 plus 2 penalties didn’t find the form and pace necessary to make semis but put down a consistent second run 101.21 plus 6 penalties finishing outside the cut in 60th place,

Michal Martikan C1 moved up from 8th position after the first run to finish second overall with a total of 193.12, producing the fastest single run of the day on his second run. James Dawson C1 put down a solid run 1 sitting in 39th position and knew he had to pull something out of the box run two to make the semi cut. He was frustrated with the unpredictable and swirling waters pushing him off line on the top of the course and never quite found his rhythm again, losing twelve seconds through the top and end sections section of the course. This left him just out of the cut in 42nd position. Mark Yungnickel will want to forget the split second on his first run when he rolled at gate 15, incurring a fifty second penalty and effective elimination from the competition. Yungnickel pulled back showing his mental strength and put down a fast second run but finished well outside the top forty in 55th. The C1m are awaiting final results due to a protest. Results at this stage are provisional.

The men’s C1 and K1 will have a rest day tomorrow while Andrew Robinson, Bryden Nicholas and Tania Perrett compete in the C2 and K1 women's qualification heats.

Qualification runs

First run completed for C1men and K1 men.
New Zealand results
James Dawson 39th, Mark Yungnickel 55th
Aaron Osborne 10 Mike Dawson 29th and Johann Roozenburg 54th
For full coverage go to....

http://cbca.org.br/foz2007/english/

2007 Canoe Slalom Championships Brazil opening ceremony

The opening ceremony started in great Brazilian style with all the 66 countries competing turning up. After the national anthems of both the ICF and Brazil and the speeches the entertainment began. With dance, fire dancing acrobatics and music a truly cultural taste of Brazil.

Lining up outside the venue in countries

Inside the hall waiting for NZL to be called


Heading out of the hall after NZL was called

Flag high and into the public arean and entertainment area

Seated waiting for the speeches and entertainment to begin

NZL's only ICF JSL

Demos today

Scrutineering was all on yesterday with a little glitch for one of the Kiwi competitors but all in all everyone through scrutineering. Aaron just has to return this morning for the final OK. The course is looking fabulous with its village of tents, flagpoles and general busyness which surrounds a world championship. The course will bring it challenges for all the competitors as it is technically difficult and the gates will be demanding for all. With over 300 athletes competing the competition will be tight in particularly the K1men ( 102), C1 men (66)and K1Women(65) the C2 have more leeway with only 39 boats in that class
Demos are this afternoon and official technical feed has been organised but Alison and Sue will be there with the team videos as well just in case there are any hiccups.
The Kiwis will be on the water this morning for a final training then after that it is flat water as the course will be closed.
I have moved in with the judges who have arrived over the past few days from around the world The last three judges arrive in from Europe overnight.

The official site for information and results from the event www.cbca.org.br/foz2007/english/index.php

Team Photo

A quick team photo before heading off to the course and training