Guys, great job!!!  Again, another great practice!  We had a full boat with spares on the sides…  we all worked hard focusing on techniques…  starts…  pick-ups…  but, we still have lots to work on our stoke…  to have a MORE efficient one.  We might put our paddles at the same time…  and possibly taken them out at the same time…  but, we’re not quite efficient with our stroke in the water…  we’re just not pulling the full potential in the water.

 Here’s a video that Melissa wants to check-out on paddling techniques.  Maybe we’ll have a better understanding of it.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnmFbRH-qCg

 Enjoy the video and I’ll see you guys in a few weeks when I get back from Vancouver!

Nancy

I hope that you guys all had a great holidays…  I know that I did!  Now, yesterday was the first practice of the year and Melissa didn’t give us any break! LOL  We basically worked on our techniques while in different pace rate…  also, she enphasized that at every stroke, we have to put pressure on the blade when going in…  al the way in before pulling it back….  pull it back quickly for quick recovery time…  and also, give an extra “kick/push” in the back before pulling your blade out and doing the pause in the front…  that way, you maintain the power of the boat moving and never letting it sick.

We also worked on our starts which are 5-15-5.  We worked on the first 5 which are 5 real DEEP stroke with slightly less of a reach then at race pace…  to “lift” the boat.  The following 15 strokes, we basically increase the pace to get the boat moving…  at this point, you should be using a lot of your back & shoulder muscles for this…  a lot of twisting!  The last 5 strokes is our transition to race pace…  a pace that we can maintain during a 500m race, for example.  The first few starts, we were all over the place…  but, we slowly got together at the end.  Just remember that you have to keep your heads-up…  look at the person in front of you, the mirrors to look at the team & the pacer to be in synch with the whole team.  This is very important!  Because for every paddler that is off synch…  it slows down the boat by a little…  and if we don’t all put on paddles in the water at the same…   or we don’t pause at the same…   our speed slows down by every paddler that’s not in synch…  and we all know how it feels to lose a race by just a milliseconde… it TOTALLY SUCKS!

Anyways, just food for thought!  Till next practice!

Nancy

Just wanted to wish-you guys Merry X-Mas & Happy New Year!!!  Also, want to thank you all for the support that I’ve gotten from the team with everything that has happenned in my family in the last couple of months.  You guys are best!!!  Makes-me proud and HAPPY to be part of this team!  You guys simply ROCK & kick ass!

The holidays is the time to be with love ones…  family & friends…  good food…  cheers & laughter…  Best wishes!  And we’ll see each other in the upcoming new year…  2010…  which will be even better then the last!

Nancy

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Also, a few words from Karnon:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

-Karnon

 That was our last practice of the YEAR 2009!!!  And we finished with a great practice…  we obviously worked on our technics with Melissa’s personal feedback on each of us…  and we also worked on maintainning power, pace & technic while increasing the pace…  just like if we’re calling for start…  a pick-up or a finish.  Most excellent!

 And Melissa finished with a little treat for all of us who showed-up to practice last Friday…  homemade cookies made by her truly!  Thanks Melissa for the cookies!!!  They were real good!

 Hanting had sent out an e-mail about our next 10KM run for next year.  As you all know, every member on the team must do a 10KM run.  Reminder to register for it!  Here’s her message:

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Hello DragonFly,

Just a friendly confirmation that our 3rd Annual 10K Run will be on May 16th, 2010 (Sunday) @10:15am. Online registration is now available at http://www.circuitendurance.ca/en/racepierrefonds.htm. Yeah, as long as you remember this crucial date and consider doing something about it some day some time soon, please continue to help yourselves to the third, fourth or even fifth helping of that ever-so-yummy dish! =)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Cheers,

Hanting

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Also, the team is selling ski tickets for Jay Peak as our next fundraiser…  all the profits will go into paying for next summer’s festivals/races that the team will be participating.  We’re selling the adult tickets at 47$ and student (<18 years old) tickets at 37$.  If you want tickets to sell, ask Vicky & Brian for tickets!  There’s a prize for the best seller!

So, guys, next practice is 08JAN2010!!!  Enjoy the little time-off during the holidays!  Merry X-Mas & Happy New Year!

 Nancy

 This is a video that Melissa found on youtube.  It’s totally crazy!  40 Paddlers on boat and racing!

 This is a friend of Melissa, Tom Hall, whom she grew up with him at the Pointe-Claire canoe club. He is also an Olympic Bronze Medalist.
Melissa wants us to watch his shoulders!!!

 Nancy

 Sorry that I couldn’t make it to practice last Friday!  Mom organized a supper with friends/family which doesn’t happen very often…  and if I didn’t attend, I’ll be nagged to death…  So, I had to say yes!  Believe-me when I say this…  I wish that I was there just to burn-off the excess calories that I had at that supper!  Ate way too much for my own good!

 Anyways, I heard that it was a great practice!  I gotten a few feedbacks from some of you that I got to see over the weekend.  It seems that you guys worked on your stroke while slowly increasing your pace and also keeping control.  Most excellent!

Here’s a couple of videos that Melissa wants us to check-out.  It’s to help-us work on the proper muscles that we want to use when we paddle.  Maybe the next time that you’re at a gym or when you’re paddling, you might want to think about it.  Anyways, here are the two videos:

See-you guys on Friday!  Have a good week!

 Nancy

 The 2009-2010 season has started…  indoor practice has begun!  I’m glad that we had a great turn-out for last Friday’s practice.  For those that couldn’t make it, we went back to basics and focus a lot on using our shoulders/back for an efficient stroke.  The pace was very slow…  so that we can emphasize more on our errors which Melissa gave us feedback on it and it also gave us time to focus on which muscles that we were working on.  I know that for myself, I’m still feeling the effect of practices!

 Here’s a video that Melissa wants us to check-out: 2008 Olympics Canoe.  Have a look before next practice…  I have a feeling that Melissa is going to ask us about it!

Here’s another video that Melissa posted on her FB of 2009 DB World Championships - 200m Open Finals.  Look at the pace that these teams are doing…  but, also look at their strokes and their synchronization.  Like WOW!

Take care!

 Nancy 

We’re in lane 2 and we finished first out of 4 teams with a time of 2:21.76 min.

We’re in lane 1 and we finished first out of 4 teams with a time of 2:26.86 min.