From the last post to this a lot of things happened. Also a lot of time was running in that time, I know. One month ago I finished the army so far. I was really a lot of time in training camps from January until now. Normally two weeks training camp and one week back at the army place. Now I’m the first time for a long time for 7 days at my home. That means training on my wavy lake and in my Spartan gym in the basement of a school. But it also means best food that you can get (my mom’s food), carry for all the stuff that I don’t have time in Camps (writing blogs for example) and meeting friends that I definitely meet too less.
I’m really happy how things running at the moment. In this Winter I was able to make a big step in my paddle technique. It’s hard to measure that, but when my coach is using positive words in Training it really means something. So I trust him and also the fact that I’m sprinting much faster than last year’s is an evidence for a better technique. But to find that out seriously you need 1000m races against concurrence. In two weeks I will have this possibility the first time this year. In Mantova (ITA) will be an international Regatta that I know really well from past years. Also my physics increased a bit over winter. Especially my endurance power is better. But I also weigh a bit more now, so it’s difficult to say if that makes me really faster. After Mantova soon the World cup series starts one of my highlights this year. I will compete the first time in all three stations. In Szeged (HUN) the 10th-12th May, in Racice (CZE) one week later and from 31st of May until the 2nd of June in Poznan (POL). This season I will also compete with some different material, I’m using the new shape from Plastex called Fighter Evo. It’s similar to my last boat, with some adoptions that in my opinion making that to a better boat. Also tests on the water are telling me the same. I also will use a new paddle, I paddle with a size bigger, so I have now an even bigger blade, with which I can produce more pressure. I feel also good with this in trainings, but I know that these are not the things that make a normal paddler to a super paddler. What is really important is what happens in training and with your body and not only the material, this is what I like in our sport among a lot of other things!
The picture you see was made last Friday at the Sports awards from the canton St. Gallen. I won in the category Elite/Amateur for my results last year. I’m really proud of such an award, it’s the first that I got! On the picture you can see Giulia Steingruber an Olympic gymnastics participant in London last summer which won the Award for best professional. Next to me is Jolanda Neff she won the Gold medal in Mountainbike Swiss Championships, European Championships and World Championships all in the U23 category. We were together this winter in the Sports Army so it was fun to see her for one time not in camouflage suit and that stuff 🙂 She won the Newcomer category. On the right of the picture you see Hans-Peter Hagmann president of the Ski Club Gonzen which won the Club category. It was an amazing evening with some good show acts. Through the evening moderated the famous TV-Moderator Jann Billeter. On the stage we did definitely the funniest Interview in my career so far. You will be able to read some stuff here after the first races!
