Why so long, what I've been doing, where to now?..

Sorry for my long delay in posts! Summarizing the rest of Europe, I finished off the Teen Cups in 8th place from around 60 athletes. Things didn't go as well as I'd hoped in my racing, due to changes, but it is all part of the experience, and I enjoyed the trip. After the races I kicked back a bit and recovered my body and mind, heading to Edinburgh, Scotland for 10 days to visit all my family, first time I've been back to my birth place in 14 years! Another trip soon is necessary I think. Then heading off to watch the World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia, where the NZ team qualified two spots for the Olympics Games in London (Mike Dawson and Luuka Jones), which is awesome to see.

Over the last month after returning home I've had a break from paddling deciding what I want to do with my future. I've made the decision to study Architecture at Victoria University, which will be a challenge to continue training, but it's more than possible, and I'm looking forward to the new environment. Training sites in the area can be found at Mangahou, where the NZ Selections are held, 90km's from Wellington. There's also a training site close at Lower Hutt, and a nice flat water river mouth which should work out just dandy.

A: Where I'll be living 

B: The training site in Lower Hutt

I'm now getting back into training, with Ian Mercer preparing my program for the next NZ summer season. Selections and National Championships will be my goals for the year, where I hope to train up over summer and achieve some solid placings. It's now time for study, finishing my course at Waiariki with exams ending mid November, then it's yet another holiday, for 4 months! Boy, it's a hard life..

Over the last month I've been doing some creeking on the Lower Gorges of Kaituna and on the Manga with a bit of rain. Here's a video produced by Flow Addicts, edited and filmed by myself. To check out our other edits (videos) simply CLICK HERE