Caught in the Eye of the Storm - Kaizer Austin (Thu 02 Jun 2011)

Kaizer and the Austin Express (Sun 26 Sep 2009)
Captain's log star date Thursday 2nd June, 2011.

Today I started work this morning at 05:00 hrs so I could finish at 13:00 hrs, which would give me the opportunity to go for a paddle and an extra session on N'been lake, as part of my weekly training goals.

I hit the water at 14:00 hrs after a five minute warm up I strapped on the bungy cord around the hull, plugged into my music ear pieces listening to Classic Rock FM 95.3, and off I went at a steady 50 strokes per minute with 80% effort.

My starting point was just outside the Pro Kayaks shop, I headed out under the bridge to the top most pin at the northern tip of the lake, turned the pin and headed back with a slight head wind and the music pumping through my veins, working the legs and nailing the catch inhaling on the return & exhaling deep with every power phase aaahhhh...... beats work anytime, perfect way to spend an afternoon ..... back to my start position in 21'43" first lap. Six minutes of rest and recovery level one paddle, drink.

Removed the bungy cord, set the stop watch ........ off we go at a steady 60 spm.

Under the bridge, straight up the lake, grinding on, turn the pin and........ holey smoke where did those clouds come from ? The sky behind me had turned an ugly black, guess it must be only 14:40hrs, next thing..... the heavens open. For about what would have only been six minutes the rain came down, torrential, like needles stinging my body, it was so intense my vision was blurred . Battling on - the stroke rate starts to creep up and panic sets in ...... but i'm not going anywhere , the rains hitting my craft and the water's boiling with the spray, the wind churns up ...... holding my nerve I drop the rate, put the hammer down, but wait ...... what's that just emerging from the blackness up above and to the left? Why - its a Rainbow.... and within a few seconds, literally, the rains gone . A glint of sun to my right, and I can see Jenny smiling down ...... back to the finish line in 24' flat, 24....?!! But that's slower than the first lap ..... and I can hear her laugh......

Warm down, de rig, load up, laugh to myself, life...... don't you love it!!

Jenny - Byron Bay (Oct 2007)

Thoughts on Being the Best by Vernon Gambetta (11 Nov 2008)

Thoughts on Being the Best by Coach Vernon Gambetta (11 Nov 2008). A repost to get this to come up on the Tampa 2011 Label. It is also worth having a look at some of the other posts I have collected here.

Control what you can, not what you can’t! Be Smart. Work on something specific each day. Have a plan! Train with a purpose. Improvement is incremental. Small steps lead to big steps.

• Pressure - Pressure is what you make it! Use the pressure to make you better, internalize it and use it as a positive influence.



• Belief – Think you are the best and you are on your way. Confidence, believe in yourself, your preparation and your support system.



• Routine – Great athletes doing the same thing, the same way, at the same time each day. Regularity. You can set a clock by the great ones.



• Work - Every one works. The great ones work smarter. Analyze your strengths and weaknesses objectively. Minimize your weaknesses and optimize your strengths. Bring your weaknesses up to the level of your strengths.



• Choices - It is always about choices. Make the choice to be the best. Life is constantly about choices.



• Improvement - Michael Jordan, as good as he was, got better every year he played! He would pick one aspect of his game each off-season and set out to improve that aspect with relentless determination.



• Perfection - The perfect game has yet to be played, in fact it will probably never be played. The perfect race has yet to be run. That does not mean we should not strive for perfection, it does mean that that we should strive for perfection but not be frustrated when we do not achieve perfection. Take chances, risk, try a new move in a game, take on a defender. Make things happen!



• Mental Toughness - Physical preparation gives mental strength. Push yourself, do not give in. Go the extra step and the extra mile.



• Effort - Performance may vary, but effort is a constant. You have control over your effort. Make it high energy, high level and purposeful. Consistent effort will level out the peaks and valleys in performance.



• Goals - It is about goal achievement not goal setting. Anyone can set goals, but few can achieve goals! Dreams are private. Goals are public. Share them. Find people to support you to achieve your goals. Be specific both in setting your goals and the means to achievement. Constantly visualize yourself achieving your goals!



• Focus - No rabbit ears! Program your inner voice to respond only to what you tell it. Only listen to your positive self-talk. Filter out the negatives.



• Evaluation - Self-assessment is a constant for those who chose to be great. Be objective. Look at the positives and the negatives. It is an ongoing process. Evaluation and self-assessment are a series of stepping-stones necessary to climb the staircase of success.

Be yourself and true to yourself. You are great and will get better!

A copy of a blog post that I always come back to. Learnt a lot from this and all of Vern's writing.

Geoff an Jim Farintosh Canadian Senior Mixed/Open Coach and Sweep - Racice Prague - Fri 29 Aug 2009
Always take the time to say hello to Jim Farintosh from Toronto. First met him at Sydney 2007 when he coached and swept the Canadian Senior Open and Mixed Teams. Next said hello in Penang in Aug 2008 where he coached and swept the Toronto area "Mayfair Predators". Decided in Prague to finally get a photo with him after the Senior Open's 200m medal presentation. A top coach and a person who is obviously highly regarded by his peers.

NSW Masters Dragon Boat Squad - Parkes Place / Canberra - Thu 01 Apr 2011 (picasa)

All of us - NSW Master's Dragon Boat Squad - Parkes Place / Canberra - Thu 01 Apr 2011
Geoff, Rachel, Kaizer, Jo and Rachel - Pacific Dragons Masters Team Mates / NSW Master's Dragon Boat Squad - Parkes Place / Canberra - Thu 01 Apr 2011
Full circle for me now. Started my first State Campaign in Canberra back in April 2005.

Fantastic campaign, Great Team and Great People. My favourite campaign and I've done a few now.

Game-day performance is a manifestation of training and preparation - Phil Gould (14 Mar 2011)

Game-day performance is a manifestation of training and preparation.

It is a test of attitude and the ability to control your attitude under the pressure of challenge.

Timely advice from Phil Gould (Thanks to Steve for finding this quote).

Pacific Dragons Premier Women 500m Team - 2009 Australian Dragon Boat Championships - Kawana / Qld (Fri 24 Apr 2009)
Pacific Dragons Premier Open 500m Team - 2009 Australian Dragon Boat Championships - Kawana / Qld (Fri 24 Apr 2009)

Takapuna Beach Cup 2011 from Ocean Sports Media on Vimeo (Sat 26 Feb 2011)

Takapuna Beach Cup 2011 from Ocean Sports Media on Vimeo.
Done the training and the race. Now the Video. Fantastic Event. Let's do it again next year.

The difference between Motivation and Inspiration - Wade Wallace (Fri 04 Mar 2011)

The difference between motivation and inspiration is subtle but distinct.

Motivation often comes from an incentive or disincentive in order to reach a goal. A kick in the butt form yourself or someone else.

Inspiration is a totally different beast. It comes from within. It ignites a feeling of excitement and energy.

From Panache: An Open Letter To Professional Cycling by Wade Wallace (Cycling Tips - Fri 04 Mar 2011)

Pacific Dragons - 2009 NSW State Dragon Boat Titles - Penrith (Sat 21 Mar 2009)

Smile - Pacific Dragons - 2009 NSW State Dragon Boat Titles - Penrith (Sat 21 Mar 2009)

Takapuna Beach Cup 2011 - Pacific Dragons - Open Mixed (Sat 26 Feb 2011)

Takapuna Beach Cup 2011 - Pacific Dragons - Open Mixed - Google Doc (Sat 26 Feb 2011)
As previously indicated I was planning to participate in this years Takapuna Beach Cup, a 42 km changes outrigger race held on Sat 26 February.

Just back from a flying trip to Auckland. A fantastic event and one well worth planning to do at some stage. I am hoping that it will become a regular part of our calendar.

Here are the output from the two GPS's I had onboard. Firstly from my Locosys BT-31 (see here) which records it's position every second, and my Garmin Forerunner 301 (see here) which records every now and then (ie about every 10-20 sec). The Locosys gives a lot more detail.

For-40 Achievements - 400 km in 40 days - Billy (15 Feb 2011)

For-40 Achievements by Billy ..

Congrats to all those that took on the For-40 Challenge!

Whether you made the full 400km or not here's how working towards it would have transformed your body over the last 40 days...

You would have increased the number of capillaries in your paddling muscles. More oxygen rich blood can now reach the muscle fibres to see you paddling harder for longer... awesome!

The density of mitochondria would have increased in your paddling muscles . These little babies use oxygen to break down glucose and fats to create the energy that fires your muscles. The more you have the faster you can paddle for longer ... yeah!

You would increased the number of enzymes available to breakdown fats. The more of these you have the better you are able to use fat as fuel source and conserve precious sugars for passing other crews, catching runs and big finishes... you gotta love that!

You would have improved your muscular efficiency. Through repetition your brain now better coordinates all your paddling muscles so they work smoothly and seamlessly together. This minimises energy use to see you paddling harder for longer... and looking good too!

The number of red blood cells and hemoglobin would have increased. This sees your blood now have a greater oxygen- carrying capability.The more oxygen in the blood, the more blood to your paddling muscles, the harder you can paddle for longer... wow!

Thanks Billy for this great initative. The 400 km in 40 days was definitely what I needed for where I was at the beginning of January 2011.

Thank you - Geoff, Marty, Norm, Christian, Todd and Billy - Had just done a successful Individual Time Trial for Prague that morning at Penrith - just made it to the start and we had a great race all things considered. - State Titles OC6 Long Course - Ettalong - Sat 09 May 2009 (picasa)

Premier Opens Final - CNY 2011 - City Dragons (12 Feb 2011)

Premier Opens Final - CNY 2011 - City Dragons - Steve de Costa Filming and Steeering(12 Feb 2011)
To Steve de Costa and your City Dragons Team. Congratulations on an outstanding victory in yesterdays CNY 2011 Premier Open's Final at Darling Harbour. You and your team had to race all your races as if they were the Final, and then won the race that counted the most. BTW, the best piece of Dragon Boat racing footage I have ever seen. Love the quick little sneak views to the left and right towards the end of the race. You drove your team hard to the finish line. Shows great skill as a steerer. Congrulations again.

Premier Mixed Final - Chinese New Year 2008 - Dragon Boat Races - Darling Harbour (Sat 16 Feb 2008)

Premier Mixed Final - Chinese New Year 2008 - "Pain is temporary. It may last a minute,.." - Darling Harbour (Sat 16 Feb 2008)
Premier Mixed Final - Chinese New Year - "Pain is temporary. It may last a minute,.." - Darling Harbour (Sat 16 Feb 2008)
Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.
It’s Not About the Bike, published May 2000, Lance Armstrong

All Done!! - Premier Mixed Final - Chinese New Year - "..but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever." - Darling Harbour (Sat 16 Feb 2008)

All Done!! - Premier Mixed Final - Chinese New Year - Dragon ".. but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever." - Darling Harbour (Sat 16 Feb 2008)
Good luck to all this weekend, Chinese New Year 2011 - Year of the Rabbit.

HCC 2010 - Photo Collage - Pacific Dragons and Friends (Sat/Sun 23/24 Oct 2010)

HCC 2010 - Photo Collage - Pacific Dragons and Friends - Sat/Sun 23/24 Oct 2010 (picasa)

Macau 2010: CCWC 2010 Mixed 500m Finals

Another video of the CCWC 2010 Mixed 500m Finals, including a couple of minutes of post race celebration on the water.
Nice to have these memories captured on video.

Macau 2010: Intention and Reflection

Intention & Reflection by Drew Ginn (7 May 2007)

What does it mean to have conscious intent?

To be fully engaged and intentionally focused is a critical ingredient for improving performance.

Maintaining a clear focus when everything becomes hazy with fatigue and stress is certainly some thing I practice.

It is something that I work on while engaged in any activity, in fact that is the greatest part you can practice it any time.

Being clear about what, how and why creates a purposeful performance and intention is that capacity to transfer thought in to action.

It is easy to switch off and go through the motions, but to stay present and aware is a challenge, at least initially.

That's why I love training by myself sometimes, it enables me to practice finding that clarity and to apply thought or mental image to action.

Reflection is important to ensure that what you intent is realised and it is upon reflection that insights are gained about how to improve each session, each stroke, each race and each season.

Clear intention is like a laser. It penetrates through the power of unity. A diffused athlete is more likely to under perform than an athlete who is clear, driven and focused.

Another blog post that I keep coming back to read.

Now that we are back from Macau, it is a good time to reflect on what was achieved and how it was done ..

CCWC Mixed 500m Final (Video Screen) - Pacific Dragons/Lane 2 - Macau/China- Sat 31 Jul 2010
Premier Mixed 500m Final - Macau/China - Sat 31 Jul 2010
CCWC Mixed 500m Final - Pacific Dragons - Macau/China- Sat 31 Jul 2010
Premier Mixed 500m Medal Presentation - Pacific Dragons/World Champions - Sun 01 Aug 2010
Pacific Dragons Premier Mixed 500m Team - Back (l-r) Geoff Eldridge, Norman Joe, Rachel Mosen, Kerry Davenport, Darren Ma, Todd Skeels, Craig Stewart, Justin Spake, Michal Hrcka, Suzy Kong, Annett Happich, Mark Hall, Lisa Green, Stuart Young, Toby Wilson, Graeme Bacon Front (l-r) Michelle Ng, Helen Papin, Christian Happich, Matt Spies, Michelle Hone, Nicola Frowen, Di Morgan, Paul Smith, Christophe Pistoni, Julia Ryall, Kathaleen Burrows - Macau/China - Sun 01 Aug 2010

Thoughts on Being the Best by Vernon Gambetta (11 Nov 2008)

Thoughts on Being the Best by Coach Vernon Gambetta (11 Nov 2008).

Control what you can, not what you can’t! Be Smart. Work on something specific each day. Have a plan! Train with a purpose. Improvement is incremental. Small steps lead to big steps.

Pressure - Pressure is what you make it! Use the pressure to make you better, internalize it and use it as a positive influence.

Belief – Think you are the best and you are on your way. Confidence, believe in yourself, your preparation and your support system.

Routine – Great athletes doing the same thing, the same way, at the same time each day. Regularity. You can set a clock by the great ones.

Work - Every one works. The great ones work smarter. Analyze your strengths and weaknesses objectively. Minimize your weaknesses and optimize your strengths. Bring your weaknesses up to the level of your strengths.

Choices - It is always about choices. Make the choice to be the best. Life is constantly about choices.

Improvement - Michael Jordan, as good as he was, got better every year he played! He would pick one aspect of his game each off-season and set out to improve that aspect with relentless determination.

Perfection - The perfect game has yet to be played, in fact it will probably never be played. The perfect race has yet to be run. That does not mean we should not strive for perfection, it does mean that that we should strive for perfection but not be frustrated when we do not achieve perfection. Take chances, risk, try a new move in a game, take on a defender. Make things happen!

Mental Toughness - Physical preparation gives mental strength. Push yourself, do not give in. Go the extra step and the extra mile.

Effort - Performance may vary, but effort is a constant. You have control over your effort. Make it high energy, high level and purposeful. Consistent effort will level out the peaks and valleys in performance.

Goals - It is about goal achievement not goal setting. Anyone can set goals, but few can achieve goals! Dreams are private. Goals are public. Share them. Find people to support you to achieve your goals. Be specific both in setting your goals and the means to achievement. Constantly visualize yourself achieving your goals!

Focus - No rabbit ears! Program your inner voice to respond only to what you tell it. Only listen to your positive self-talk. Filter out the negatives.

Evaluation - Self-assessment is a constant for those who chose to be great. Be objective. Look at the positives and the negatives. It is an ongoing process. Evaluation and self-assessment are a series of stepping-stones necessary to climb the staircase of success.

Be yourself and true to yourself. You are great and will get better!

A copy of a blog post that I always come back to. Learnt a lot from this and all of Vern's writing.

Geoff an Jim Farintosh Canadian Senior Mixed/Open Coach and Sweep - Racice Prague - Fri 29 Aug 2009
Always take the time to say hello to Jim Farintosh from Toronto. First met him at Sydney 2007 when he coached and swept the Canadian Senior Open and Mixed Teams. Next said hello in Penang in Aug 2008 where he coached and swept the Toronto area "Mayfair Predators". Decided in Prague to finally get a photo with him after the Senior Open's 200m medal presentation. A top coach and a person who is obviously highly regarded by his peers.

Macau 2010: The warrior of light is a believer ..

The warrior of light is a believer.

Because he believes in miracles, miracles begin to happen. Because he is sure that his thoughts can change his life, his life begins to change. Because he is certain that he will find love, that love appears.

Now and then he is disappointed. Sometimes he gets hurt.

Then he hears people say ‘He is so ingenuous’

But the warrior knows that it is worth it. For every defeat, he has two victories in his favour.

All believers know this.

From the Manual of Warrior of Light by Paulo Coelho. A really hard campaign (and here) for me in many ways, but I know we believed when it counted most - it was a matter of 'remembering and honouring', and 'letting go' at the same time .

Pacific Dragons 2km Premier Mixed Team - (b-f-l-r) Kaizer Austin, Michelle Hone, Lisa Green, Rachel Mosen, Joanne Petterson, Nicola Frowen, Geoff Eldridge (Jenny's Candle), Kerry Davenport, Helen Papin, Paul Smith, Di Morgan, Michelle Ng, Stuart Young, Anne Weber, Christian Happich, Annett Happich, Christophe Pistoni, Craig Stewart, Graeme Bacon, Matt Spies, Michal Hrcka, Justin Spake, Mark Hall, Todd Skeels, Norman Joe - Macau/China - Thu 29 Jul 2009
A candle for Jenny - Macau/China - Thu 29 Jul 2009
Pacific Dragons Small Boat 200m Premier Womens - (b-f-l-r) Michelle Hone, Nicola Frowen, Joanne Petterson, Annett Happich, Michelle Ng, Anne Weber, kathaleen Burrows, Di Morgan, Julia Ryall, Suzy Kong, Kerry Davenport, Helen Papin, Lisa Green, Rachel Mosen - Macau/China - Fri 30 Jul 2010
Geoff, Joanne and Mike Haslam - Macau/China - Fri 30 Jul 2010
Premier Mixed 500m Final - Macau/China - Sat 31 Jul 2010
Pacific Dragons Premier Mixed 500m Team - Back (l-r) Geoff Eldridge, Norman Joe, Rachel Mosen, Kerry Davenport, Darren Ma, Todd Skeels, Craig Stewart, Justin Spake, Michal Hrcka, Suzy Kong, Annett Happich, Mark Hall, Lisa Green, Stuart Young, Toby Wilson, Graeme Bacon Front (l-r) Michelle Ng, Helen Papin, Christian Happich, Matt Spies, Michelle Hone, Nicola Frowen, Di Morgan, Paul Smith, Christophe Pistoni, Julia Ryall, Kathaleen Burrows - Macau/China - Sun 01 Aug 2010

Macau 2010: The Warrior's Motivation and Inspiration ..

One day, for no apparent reason, the warrior realises that he does not feel the same enthusiasm for the fight that he used to.

He continues to do what he has always done, but every gesture seems meaningless. At such a time, he has only one choice: to continue fighting the Good Fight. He says his prayers out of duty or fear or whatever, but he does not abandon the path.

He knows that the angel of the One who inspires him has simply wandered off somewhere. The warrior keeps his attention focused on the battle and he perseveres, even when everything seems utterly pointless. The angel will soon return and the merest flutter of her wings will restore the warrior's joy to him.

From the Manual of Warrior of Light by Paulo Coelho - (more here). More about Macau 2010.

Geoff and Joanne - Macau/China - Fri 30 Jul 2010
A candle for Jenny - Macau/China - Thu 29 Jul 2009
Hotel Eaton/Hong Kong - Tue 27 Jul 2010
Joanne and Geoff - Ord River Marathon - Kununarra/WA - Sun 13 Jun 2010
Geoff and Joanne - 2010 Asian Dragon Boat Championships - Wujin/China - Sat 01 May 2010
Geoff and Joanne - 2010 Asian Dragon Boat Championships Opening Ceremony - Wujin/China - Fri 30 Apr 2010
Geoff and Joanne - AusDBF National Dragon Boat Championships - Adelaide - Sun 25 Apr 2010
Back (l-r) Mark Hall, Michal Hrcka, Marty Doherty, Craig Stewart, Graeme Bacon, Grant Billen, Norman Joe, Stuart Young Front (l-r) Adrian Wicks, Moana, Geoff Eldridge, Gavin Godfrey, Matt Spies - Pacific Dragons Mens Outriggers - OC6 State Marathon Titles/Port Stephens - Sat 27 Mar 2010
Jenny, Geoff and Joanne - St George Private Hospital - Sun 19 Aug 2006 (picasa)
Geoff and Jenny - 2nd Wedding Anniversay - Quay West/Sydney - Tue 30 Apr 2002

Some Quotes

Geoff, Jenny and Joanne - St George Private Hospital - Chemotherapy Ward - 1520hrs Thu 19 Mar 2009
Just found these little quotes that had I saved (would just cut and paste into an email and send it to myself) in the period between Jenny's diagnosis of multiple liver tumors on Wed 11 Mar 2009, and her diagnosis of a 4cm brain tumor on Thu 11 Jun 2009 and resulting neurosurgery on Wed 17 Jun 2009. Interesting to see what resonated with my thoughts and feelings during that time. Here they are:

"Don't think of yourself as a statistic; think of yourself as an individual," - Tue 26 May 2009

"You can't let statistics get in the way of your recovery and progress." - Tue 26 May 2009

"it's not who you are, it's what you do" - Thu 28 May 2009

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you are happy then you will be successful" - Wed 03 Jun 2009

"You're constantly making choices, and your choices determine your experience" - Wed 03 Jun 2009

And a few months later ..

"Everybody has to die, You don't know how you're going to die. You don't know when you're going to die. It's strange to have that knowledge that this will do it. You don't get angry at it. You just live with it and keep going." - Thu 8 Oct 2009

Two days after the above photo was taken (during her first treatment on a new round of chemotherapy), Jenny would race in the DBNSW 2009 State Titles at Penrith where she stroked the Pacific Dragons Mixed B Boat. Some photos from that day are here.

The following week we would enjoy a lovely holiday in Cairns where we would celebrate Jenny and Joanne's Birtday.

30 June 2010 - Jenny's Anniversary

Jo and I would like to thank everyone for last nights little ceremony under the Anzac Bridge as we finished our dragon boat training session. It was a complete surprise and we were very touched - in fact a little overwhelmed.

We also thank you for your support, words, cards and the beautiful necklace that was made for Jo, which she is wearing today.

Anniversaries are times to celebrate, reflect, and to reaffirm your values and goals. Today is a day we do this with Jenny in our thoughts and heart. She inspires and guides us from above.

Thanks again.

Love .. Geoff and Jo x-x

Jo - St George Private Hospital - Wed 30 Jun 2010 (picasa)

Anzac Bridge - Wed 30 Jun 2010 (picasa)

Jo, Jenny and Geoff - Flowers from PD's - St George Private Hospital - Wed 12 Mar 2008 (picasa)

Jenny and Geoff - Cape Leveque Sunset - Wed 09 May 2001 - (picasa)

Jo and Jenny - Chamiox - Sep 2005 - (picasa)

Jenny - Coffs Harbour Xmas 2006 - Mon 25 Dec 2006 (picasa)

St George Private Hospital ICU Waiting Area - 9:16am Wed 30 Jun 2010 - (picasa)

Jenny - Lord Howe Island/Mt Gower - Oct 2001 (picasa)

The Warrior and the Good Fight

The warrior rarely knows the result of a battle when the battle is over.

The activity of fighting will have generated an enormous amount of energy around him and there is always a moment when victory and defeat are both equally possible. Time will tell who won and who lost, but he knows that, from that moment on, he can do nothing more: the fate of that battle lies in God's hands.

At such moments, the warrior of light is not concerned with results. He examines his heart and asks: 'Did I fight the Good Fight?' If the answer is 'yes', he can rest. If the answer is 'no', he takes up his sword and begins training all over again.

From the Manual of Warrior of Light by Paulo Coelho - (more here).

'..Time will tell who won and who lost..' - Premier Open 200m Final - Kawana - Sun 26 Apr 2010 (picasa)
Makes me think of 200m Dragon Boat Racing. At club level, it's all over in 45-46 seconds and at World Championship level, for the top countries (i.e. the Philippines and China), it is closer to 39-40 seconds. Always finish a 200m race not really knowing the result, though more often than not I always have a strong feeling we have done it.

The 200m is a great leveler where placing margins are in the 1/100's of a second. I enjoy the flurry of 200m racing where it is important to put all the training into action, and to not hesitate or make mistakes. There is no time to think, you just have to do what you have trained yourselves to do.

Somehow we have squirmed through the National Finals where we have competed - 2006 (Nagambie/Vic after a dramatic final rerun), 2007 (Sydney/NSW), 2008 (we did not go to Perth), 2009 (Kawana/Qld) and 2010 (Adelaide/SA).

Keep on paddling.