State Champs, What a Day!
A combination of great conditions and the first ever downwind course saw one of the best ever State OC1/OC2 Champs. Stay tuned to the PD News for the full race wrap-up.

King ‘o’ the Harbour
This Saturday sees potentially the most technically challenging surfski race of the season. A combination of spectacular 40m cliffs and deep water can make the North Head course for the King of the Harbour Race a real test.

Ocean racing in the Middle-East?!
Who would have thought that Dubai would be the site of one of the most hotly contested ocean races in the world.

The ‘shamaal’ wind is famous for whipping up many a sandstorm in the Middle-East. Apparently it also creates some great downwind ocean racing conditions.

Nearly $200k in prize money has attracted the world’s best paddlers to this Tuesday’s ‘Dubai Shamaal’. Included in the line-up is Australia’s recent Olympic gold medallist, Ken Wallace.

Training

Important Info for Kirribilli Club Canoe Users
There are now more people than canoes for Friday morning Kirribilli sessions. Additional Kirribilli sessions will not be added until after the end of the single craft season and the Xmas break.

Therefore for now two things will happen:
– different people each week will be asked skip the session. If it is your turn for the week you will be told on the Thursday prior; and
– if you need to pull out of the session after Wednesday you must phone Billy. Do not just take your name off the sign-up page.

What should I be doing?
Free Speed – Despina’s free-speed warm-up routine worked a treat at the State Titles. It helped calm her nerves and keep her mind in the right place. Taking the time to set up her balance even meant her left leg didn’t go numb throughout the whole race! With the nationals coming up she’s going to keep practicing last week’s free-speed warm-up routine at each session.

Not-So-Free Speed – With only two weeks until the national titles Ernesta and Carmela’s speed work will continue to remain all about quality. That is, they will ensure there is enough rest between sets to keep the L3 and L4 efforts well and truly at those levels.

Recovery – Fabio has organised himself to get to bed 30min earlier than he normally does in these last two weeks before the nationals. Fabio makes the point that it’s not because he need’s the beauty sleep. Rather it’s to ensure he’s at his best for every speed & endurance training session.

Sign-up for PD single craft training sessions
See the PD Single Craft Training Session article below for details. Info on the tag-along sessions is also included here. Sign-up for PD sessions by going to the Training Schedule page. If you have any questions please see those taking the sessions as listed. For use of club canoes please see Billy.