Here is a post from Mathieu Coldebella, Werner Team Paddler and French Champion about travel and competing last season.
I’m a student in Materials Engineering in Chmbéry, French Alps which is a really nice place to be and practice a lot of sports. I especially paddle but I like very much snowboarding, longboarding and climbing too. Beside my studies I need a job to pay my journeys and life things. Moreover, I help for the university kayak lessons which are very fun.
I began kayaking 10 years ago and have been practicing freestyle for 6 years and creeking for 7. I love competition and train a lot for that but I paddle a lot for fun too with friends. I’m now paddling for : Werner Paddles (best paddles of the world), WRSI Helmets, Level Six (the most complete equipment line for kayakers) and Fluid Kayaks (my new kayak sponsor from Africa).
This last April I was among the team paddling the first descent of the last Source of the Tarn part, an amazing trip but a bit hard for somebody (2 broken ribs) on this trip. April was a crazy month in France, every huge wave were working at least one time which led to a nice French tour (la Malate, la Scie, Hawaii / Rhône). In May I went to Italy and then end of the French Championship just before the school events.
I had a sweet Summer. Mid-June is the end of the school year in France and then the beginning of the kayak time. The night after my last exam I took a plane from Lyon destination : UGANDA. I spent one month paddling every day on the awesome white Nile River. I was always moving between Bujagali and the Hairy Lemon to paddle a lot the river and the Nile Special wave. After those four weeks in this awesome country, it was time to go back in Europe to have the euro championship in Spanish Galicia. Unfortunately I have had some problem with my van on the way and arrived the day before the competition after 17,5 hours driving. In fact I miss the event and finished at the 17th rank.
One week later happened the R3 : Rabioux River Rodeo in the Alps which was a pretty cool event and a nice final for me against Mathieu Dumoulin and Gerd from Spain. I was 2nd and this result allowed me to win the Free Kayak Tour : French Championship.
Immediately after that we left France to go to Praha in the Czech Republic for the first World Cup event. We had a sweet training week in a pretty city with nice people. The hole was really small but every move possible I managed to pass through the prelims but unfortunately finished 11th of the quarterfinals. A last party in this amazing city and lets go for the 2nd event of the 2008 World Cup : Augsbourg. Result 31st after a very bad 2nd ride. The last event in Thun was very different thanks to a small wave on the opposite with the 2 first spots. Sun and blue water are the paddling conditions in Switzerland. A real nice event with a 4 prelim runs system to enjoy the spot. 16th of the qualifications but very good sensation in my new Nemesis S. The next day during the quarterfinals, I was not really in the course and finished 18th. The world cup over I had to go back to school knowing I was on the 17th rank that is OK but I really want to do better next year.
Go big and have fun.
Mathieu
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