Today, Nicolas Thirion tells us more about his training experience in Australia!
What was the biggest difference between your training in Australia and the one you usually have in Canada?
Winter in Canada is way too cold and snowy to train on the water so every year, high performance athletes go train in warmer regions.
Every country has different techniques and habits when it comes to training! Since Australians are among the best athletes in Kayak racing, being there allowed me to learn that I should add new things to my routine. Their habits is definitely different from the ones I had so I was always out of my comfort zone and I had to work harder to keep up.
What were the biggest challenges you faced when training in Australia? How did you overcome that?
When I arrived in Australia, I hadn’t exercised since November 1st whereas the Australians had already started their season. They were close to their competitive racing speed but I had to get used to everything again: the boat, the technique, being sited in a small carbon bench several hours a day… It was a challenge because I didn’t have the necessary speed to face the group at the beginning and it took me a few weeks to catch up and reach a competitive level. The important is to stay focus and keep in mind the daily progress instead of being frustrated.
What do you remember most from this trip?
I spent a lot of time with my Australian teammates. They were really friendly and passionate about their goals. I really hope to see them again in the future!
When it comes to my performance, I have developed my skills as an elite athlete. Spending time with great international athletes with many medals from the World Cup, World Championship and even the Olympics…it really motivated me! I learned a lot about their training habits and I want to keep these habits even back home!
What are your goals for the future?
Right now, I’m in Florida for a training camp of 3 months with the national team U21 from Canada. We are a good team of 15 guys, ready to push the boundaries every day to achieve victory!
At the end of these 3 months, around mid-May, we will qualify for the international events of the year. My main goal is to qualify for the team that will go to the World Championship U23 during the mid-May competition.