GB Selections

Full video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdvS_f9gEAs 

Hurley

On the Friday night before Selections, it suddenly hit me that I was actually a Senior. It was a mix of excitement as if I was a child on the night before Christmas day, and nerves like it was the night before final exams and of course you'd done no revision. 

When the heat list was published, I was in the second heat, but last - so I would be the final woman competing (mirroring our pre Selections Burners competition). It was nice to have a later start which meant it wasn't such a ridiculously early get up. Although it was cold, I never like paddling, particularly competing, in dry trousers as I feel more restricted, so shorts it was, but with long thermals. 

Weirdly it felt exactly like normal - getting on at the tree, a quick few jumps on the banks, and then flat water warm up with a few cartwheels, and a tricky woo to force myself to submerge into the icy water. With water levels still high, I helped pull a branch (well virtually a tree) out the eddy to finish off my warm up. 

Even though I had not had the chance to paddle three gates this year, I felt relatively chilled, knowing I have paddled this level in the past, and also that the hole gate (which we were restricted to) was fairly consistent regardless of level. 

Then it was time to actually compete: 3 rides best two combined. Unusually, I was pretty calm and really enjoyed it. In all my rides I started with cartwheels, and although I couldn't get the loop on the day, I really didn't mind as it had been so much fun! As soon as my final ride finished, I headed straight back round to go surf the middle gate which was an incredibly green wave. I was on a massive high, bouncing with adrenaline!

I then headed to watch everyone else compete from the bridge, before getting back on when it was all finished. Interestingly, although it is for a hole competition, the majority of the Senior K1 Men just did wave moves in the hole gate, unlike any other category. Virtually everyone got back on and it was a great fun wave session. 

The days results were then published, and I had finished 3rd, behind Islay and Nicky! I was over the moon, and although a little disappointed I didn't score more, I know it is just a matter of refining and tweaking angles. 

HPP

I was lucky enough to head up to HPP on Friday afternoon to squeeze in a last minute ASP session with Den and Jake. My main aim of this was just to check through my rides and reassure myself with a bit of a confidence boost. However, it didn't go to plan! Inlet was significantly different, and much steeper than I had anticipated, and with already being tired, combined with cold and wind, I found it very difficult and felt empty. 

After a meal out, and some well needed rest, I felt a bit more energetic in the morning - but it was still just as windy, and there was even bits of snow throughout the day. It was the same order as Hurley, but this time with 4 rides, 2 counting as Inlet is unattainable. 

My rides went average, and had definitely paddled better in the weeks before hand. I knew a fair few moves were quite sloppy regarding angles and rotations, but hoped my consistency would help out. Energy levels were still quite low, but on my final ride I did manage to get really close to a McNasty, and then a switch McNasty after the whistle. 

While watching everyone else, I found out that the judges were apparently being very strict on Space Godzillas, but I think this is better than giving up false sense of security. (Especially as for the second week running we had a full ICF qualified judging panel.) 

After the competition finished, I jumped in Alex's new carbon 2016 Jackson Rockstar to try it out while waiting for results. These were finally announced and I had finished 3rd again, this time behind Nicky in 1st and Islay in 2nd!

Although it is possible to work out that this means I finished 3rd overall, there is still mitigating circumstances to consider, and therefore will have to wait on official results.