My 2012 season was completed in beauty. The 2013 season began with more gentle. Indeed, two races have already done: the first two rounds of the french cup, qualifying heats for the World Championships which take place in the United States of America in September.
The first race took place on the hole of Tournon Saint Martin, at home of the vice-European champion title Sebastian Devred. I had not touched my boat for more than four months, except for a small wave session in early March. But my boat had not seen hole since November last year. So I wasn’t at all prepared for this event, but I went anyway to see my level. No big surprise for me, winter not progress me, the contrary even, since I finished fourth.
Entry move
Back loop
Unhappy with this performance, I’m training me on my return home, the second step is only three weeks later, in Pau, on a hole I know well, I won my fourth title of champion of France last year.
The competitors are the same as Tournon, with in addition, our Spanish friend Aitor Goikoetchea who finished third in the last European and World Championships : the battle will be difficult. Qualifications will not pass without difficulty, but I manage to take the provisional lead of the competition with my new equipment Duem Stuff.
Entry move
Loop
In the final, all the counters are reset. After the first run, I’m third. Just before my last run, I even spent fourth. So I empty my head, I convince myself that I’m here for the pleasure and it passes. I finally win the competition with a score of 695 points, the highest score of the weekend in canoe.
Podium
This victory, combined with that of last year, calls me directly for the World Championships in 2013. Unfortunately, I do not think I can honor my selection for financial reasons, the French federation does not help us enough. Indeed, the movement of these World Championships will cost me almost € 5,000 from the plane ticket, the life there, the shortfall in my work. Unless … But this is only a postponement. These good results confirm that I am always on top French and European level. So I’ll do whatever is necessary to return to the front of the international scene in 2014 for the European Championships.
Thanks to Mehdi Benounis, Nuria Fontané i Maso and Kristoff Mazagot for the pics.
