Final Post from Hungary!

by Jill Metz

Holy smokes, what a ride we had in Hungary! The final day of racing brought GOLD for James in the U24 500 meter small boat races—what a thrill! Lisa and Carol nabbed another bronze in the 500 meter standard boats (Sr. A) while my team grabbed silver (Sr. B) out-paddling the Aussies but still chasing Canada (but it was oh-so-close!) We all agreed that the Canadian national anthem (which I believe is forever ingrained in our heads) will be a huge motivator moving forward—we are committed to limiting the air time on that anthem in future racing! Final medal count: James (2) took a bronze and GOLD while Lisa, Carol and I (4 each) had two bronze and two silver). It's a little noisy walking around with multiple medals around your neck, but it's worth the strain!

A big shout out to WPC for sending us good vibes along the way! My experience in a Hungary has shown me that Wasabi Paddling Club is a world-class paddling club that has trained us well and is revered throughout the world by other clubs and teams. Thanks to the coaches, steers and teammates who comprise such a wonderful club! Signing off for now, but hoping to blog from another world event in the future!

IDBF Worlds, Szeged, Hungary: Day 4

by Jill Metz

Bronze is Beautiful, Baby!

Our second day of racing took us to the Olympic Centre Race Course on the outskirts of Szeged.  What a great racing venue with permanent structures for athletes to wait and rest in between heats that overlooks the racecourse.  It was a full day of 1,000 meter races.  By the time my team had arrived at the venue late morning, James had already finished his heats and had just missed the podium by one place.  Lisa, Carol and I all earned bronze medals with only a few seconds separating those on the podium in both Sr. A and B categories.. I snapped this photo of the flags at the podium ceremony for Sr. A women although the flags at the women's Sr. B ceremony were identical.  We continue to chase Canada and Australia and are visualizing GOLD for Team USA!

IDBF Worlds, Szeged, Hungary: Day 2

by Jill Metz

The opening ceremonies for the WDBRC were held last night in Szeged along the River Tisza. What a truly inspiring, fun and emotional ride seeing athletes from 40 countries celebrating together. I snapped this photo, which I feel captures the camaraderie and respect teams showed toward one another throughout the evening. Pretty cool if you ask me!

Team USA had a great day today with Wasabians capturing medals in each of their races in the 2,000 meters. The event was moved to the river from the race venue so we had the standard number of turns with the ensuing excitement with some boats crashing, some disqualified and others penalized. James' U24 team took bronze while Lisa and Carol's team (Women's Sr. A) and mine (Women's Sr. B) took silver! Lets just say we heard the Canadian national anthem A LOT!

We also had a chance to watch some of the other teams race this afternoon. The stroke rate of the Chinese is simply phenomenal; the Germans' and Canadians ' technique was flawless-- truly inspiring to watch. Tomorrow are the 1,000 races; teams will have two races each and will be evaluated by the combination of the two times. I hope to have more good news to report!

IDBF Worlds, Szeged, Hungary: Day 1

IDBF Worlds, Szeged, Hungary:  Day 1

by Jill Metz

The four of us arrived in Hungary safely and have settled in with our respective teams.  Szeged is a quaint and small university town located about 100 miles south of Budapest on the River Tisza. It's been fun walking around the town in the few spare moments we've had outside of our paddling responsibilities.

Today I was able to meet up with Lisa, Carol and James at the practice venue where we all had our first practices at the race site.  It is referred to as the "Olympic Centre" and is a very straight and long course.  Tomorrow (Tuesday) is another day of practice followed by the opening ceremonies tomorrow evening.  The first day of competition is Wednesday -- the 2,000 meters.  Word has it there will only be one turn which is somewhat unusual for a 2k, in my experience.  I Love the 2k and can't wait!  I'm so proud to be representing Wasabi Paddling Club and the USA, especially at this level of competition.   I hope to provide some results on my next post.

Well, CLUB CREW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2012 is officially in the bag. I think I wore more hats than ever at this event. I was the acting club manager on site. Gwen Foley gets all the props for doing all of the leg work. I just turned in paperwork at the appropriate times. Did have to make some tough decisions, but that is all I have to say about that. I was a co-coach of two crews. There is no harder moment in a coaches career than deciding seating at an event like this. You know that each and every person attending put out big money to be here. You know they have been training hard on and off the water for this event. You know that in their hearts they all want what is best for the team. You know that seating what you hope is the strongest crew for the distance you are racing that day and the boat style you are in will break somebones heart. You know you just cannot make everyone happy. I can only hope we made the right decisions. I have learned a lot from this, as a coach and a person. My ladies really made me proud. They gave it their all and that is all I really can ask for. I steered for three crews this week. Two crews for Wasabi (i helmed for Huge today due to Janet suffering a nasty virus infection) and for the San Diego 2000m race. I have to say that if I never ever see Victoria Harbor from the back of a dragon boat it will be too soon. This water was vicious, dirty, mean and nasty. I have heard from the officials that this race had more teams swamp, helms lose control, boats collide and general all around mayhem than many have ever seen. The crazy steering oar snapping in half will definitely be up there in my top three dragon boat stories of all time. The officials from Uganda took a particular liking to me. They would really love to have a Wasabi team race at one of their events. Can you believe that there are Dragonboat races in Uganda?!?! Just goes to show why there were 144 club crews competing with over 4700 athletes in attendance making this the most competitive Club Crew ever. Looking forward to life back home. Loved ones, work, food I can pronounce... All I can say is that now that I've steered Victoria Harbor I'm sure the heck not too worked up about some wake boarders or jet boats anymore. See you all soon. Hope you have enjoyed my blogging. Until next time COACH, HELM, MANAGER, SATINA

Saturday's 500m Sr B 10

Sunday 5:42 am We raced the Sr B team in the 10-man boats yesterday. Took 2nd in the minor final. Best Way to describe the feel of racing a 10? They are akin to the Rose Fest boats when it actually comes down to it. Our clubs 10 man is much lighter. The water is still crazy. In the 500m course you have this "pillow" effect even stronger than in the 200m. Imagine you take a bunch of throw pillows and lay them on top of your bed. Now take your comforter and gently let it fall on top of them. It just looks like one mound, until you run your hand over the comforter and realize there are all these dips and peaks you go over. That's what this water is like. From a distance it looks okay until you are right up on it. Then you have the washing machine effect and some great blowback from the sea wall, throw in 8 dragon boats racing and you have got yourself a party!! The crew is fighting it and doing their best to own the water, not let it own them. 500m standard for SrA and premier racing today and then our week of racing will be done. I'll post results tonight.

Friday 200m Sr A women

1st race we did an adequate job of racing. Regrouped and we were ready to lay it out in the second race. Just like Penang and Macau the helm holds a bar on their right and the drummer holds a floating toggle on their right. The idea is to have these items On opposite sides so the drummer and helm can keep the boat lined up straight. All the boats are in the chute. Bring up boat 3. Take it back boat 6. Paddles are holding. The cannon booms and we are off. Pounding out a strong start.  Connie and I calling presses. The crew making ground with each set.  Press press press press press A-N-D LAUNCH for power now!  The crew is moving great water. We are in a washing machine out there. SNAP! My steering oar snaps in half. I almost get launched overboard when it does. I yell let it run as our boat pulls hard to the left. I yell hold so that we don't put our dragon head right in to Quebecs helm. We all sit there is shock for a second. The crew has no idea what happened until I pull the half of the oar I do still have-- the handle and t-grip out of the housing and throw it away. The safety boat then comes up to us at full speed giving us a nice wake that I cannot turn into or away from and offer to tow us in. We politely decline and I steer us in using a dragon boat blade to poke like an OC blade. We are Wasabi. We may not finish the race but by George we damn well will make it back to the dock on our own thank you very much. They let me keep the broken oar. It's coming home in the paddle bag. They look on people's faces as we came up the gangplank was priceless. I had to pose for pictures four times before I cleared the launch. We did file a protest even though we were beyond the 50m mark. It was their equipment malfunction after all. They wouldn't re-run the race or allow us into another heat to put a time in but they are using our time from our third race as our time for our second race as well. Our third race was we nailed it so it very well may have worked out better for us. I have never had an oar break. One second  you're fighting wakes --a little pull here and a little push out with the oar there and then it's just gone. GONE! You never realize how much pressure you are putting on it until it goes out from under you. I'm just glad I stayed in the boat, we didn't crash, and we won't have a DNF next to our crews name. I'm going to make the crew autograph it and we are hanging it in the boathouse. Hopefully we'll make some medals to hang on it while we are here. That's my story for the day! And hopefully for the week.