The World Championships 2015 was probably the most important race of some sports careers in the past years. So it was definitely for me. I dreamed big and wanted to reach an Olympic Quota which meant to race into Top 9. So the A-Final was the goal and I was very close to reach that. It wasn’t that close like in Duisburg 2013 where only some tenths of a second were missing. But the level of this Worlds was something totally different to this time. Like always the Semifinal was the most important race for me and I finished Fourth in mine. My time was better than ever 3:29.29, and this was the 11th best performance of the day. But this doesn’t count anything, because I had to race the B-Final on Saturday and hope for the best result possible. I wasn’t able to run my boat as calm as in the Semi and so my finish sprint was more an act of surviving than an effective move. Finally I came 4th, which meant an overall 13th place. I think I can be happy with this result, there were 60 Athletes racing the K1 1000m and a lot of big Names did not even achieve the B-Final. But sure I dreamed of something else…
The next race was the 5000m which unfortunately isn’t an Olympic distance. But still there were over 40 Paddlers on the start line of this Mass start race. All the season I raced Top 10 and I wanted to realise my first Top 10 result at World Championships level. I was surprisingly one of the fastest on the start and stayed the first half of the race in the leading group. But this guys are on another level and I was not able to react when they raised the speed. I managed to finished 6th. My best international result ever on Seniors level. I am pretty proud on that and it was an awesome way to conclude this Worlds.
Next stop was the Olympic Test Event in Rio de Janeiro, two weeks later. Sure I didn’t prepare as professional as the Worlds, but still I wanted to prove this course on Lagoa de Freitas in Rio de Janeiro. Unfortunately it wasn’t the most fair course in the world because of a lot of weed in the course. The place is definitely not in Olympic shape already, but I am sure they will handle it until next year. I was the fastest guy not coming into the A-Final, which is good but doesn’t give the most happiest feeling at all. But the trip was very cool and I give everything to go there next year again for some more serious paddling.
Next race are the Swiss Championships 26./27. September in Rapperswil-Jona the place where I live and train. It will be an international race so everybody is welcome there. One week later on the 3rd of October I will start at a 42km Marathon in Buochs on the Lake of Lucerne. Probably nobody knows this 42km better than me on the start line. It’s the place where I grew up and I probably collect the most kilometres in my career. It’s a really beautiful place when there are no waves so finger crossed. It will be the first Marathon on this lake and I hope this event can grow a lot in the next years! My brother leads the organisation of this competition which puts me in some ambassador position.
The links for this events: Swiss Championships (200,500,1000m): http://kcrj.ch/_int_regatta.php
1st Kanu Marathon (21km or 42km): http://www.kanu-marathon.ch/
If you want to watch some clips from Worlds than here you can watch it (there are also some scenes of the rare 5000m race): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waDWY0MWkBg
5000m at Worldchampionships in Milan /photo by Ronit Shaked
