Ben Fouhy World Champion K1 1000m Kayaking New Zealand

Last week I decided that it was time to come home for the last part of my build up running into the games.

Nearly 3 months living out of bags away from home and only being a few hours from NZ I couldn’t resist flying home for a bit. For sure the weather is rubbish but the freshness of sleeping in my own bed and catching up with my fiancé and friends shouldn’t be underestimated. Its nice to dump my 40kg worth of gear and repack for Beijing.

The training camp in Rocky has been without question the best that I have been on. The water was mint. Even the wind if it did come up was a nice consistent type of wind that was never far off being in line of the direction that we were paddling.

We had access to a great coaching boat that Ferg and Macka used to coach the team. The food in Rocky has fantastic thanks to Fergs wife Ally who has tons of experience cooking for hungry athletes. I feel like I have really maintained my condition which has always been a battle for me going into big races so thanks Ally.

The only thing on my mind and a few other peoples although we tried not to dwell on was the fact that we were sharing the river with crocs! And I am not talking about ugly chic repelling footwear! Towards the end of last week when I was doing a longer steady with Slim who lives there I suggested that we could go a bit further past the 5k point which is when he alerted me to the fact that the 5k point was where it was known the crocs like to nest!

What? I said, youre saying that where we have been turning around is where the crocs are known to nest? Sure he said but its no problem, I just wouldn’t get out up there thats all! Cold comfort!

In fairness they are only after all “just freshwater crocs”! Just like the harmless ones I googled that you can see above…

So I was happy to finish my stint in Rocky without getting eaten!

Today at training we learnt of the terrible news that Hungarian canoeist Gyorgy Kolonics died in training preparing for what would have been his fifth Olympic Games. Gyorgy was a double Olympic Champion.

I didnt know him personally but I know myself and others in the New Zealand team were shocked and saddened by the news.

On behalf of the New Zealand team I pass on our deepest sympathy to family, friends and teammates of Gyorgy.

Its been a great start to our final preparations for Beijing. We are settled in well now and enjoying good food, the use of washing machines and decent beds and fine company.

As you can see the conditions are mint, maybe a little too nice, although we have a had a little wind from time to time to keep the feel you get paddling down wind or into it..

On Sunday the team had the day off training and we all headed north into the bush to have a day at Janines (ex pat Kiwi paddler) and Slims (Aussie paddler) farm. It was a very nice way to relax and see the rural side of Aussie.

We ate lots and all left for Rockhampton feeling relaxed and content full of great food.

We are now in Aussie and it feels great to be closer to home. The air is fresh and the food tastes good! As long as we dont become the food it is good!

Above is a sign by where we put on. Not surprisingly there aren’t too many other paddlers making the water rough for us.

The water is most probably the best I have been privileged enough to paddle on.

We are now doing some sharper work.