Returning from OZ- (Australia)
by Eric Jackson | Apr 5, 2010 | JK Family Posts, JK Team Posts, Whitewater | 0 comments
i flew into Melbourne at 10 am on Thursday- did a dealer clinic at noon, on the water at blue gum, or something like that at 2pm, drove to Penrith after that. did two days of clinics, slalom training, and helped run a "hometown throwdown" at Penrith Whitewater Stadium (where I won the 2005 World Championships), met with Richard Fox, and Jez, and then got taken to the Syney Airport where my flight was overbooked and I didn't get a seat to LAX. Got on a plane, well, hopefully, to San Francisco, and then getting into DC after midnight on monday night. Whirlwind OZ tour, very fun, productive, but ready to be back with the family. See you in NJ on Tuesday AM! Then at the Triple Crown in CT. It is Sunday at 1:33 pm here in Australia- yes, that may seem wierd to you in North America to think that it is tomorrow already here. I am a day ahead. Daylight savings time just got taken away here, meaning "fall back" yesterday. It is still warm, however, as this is a land with palm trees, and snow is a myth. Roy and Dita from Velocity Watersports, who import Jackson Kayak into Australia for us, took great care of me and made me feel right at home. Thank you for that! i got to paddle with a group of 5 girls, ages 14-15, and two boys ages 15 and 18 that paddle slalom and playboat with Dita/Roy and their parents. it was awesome. I also got to paddle with the Fox family; Richard, Miriam, Jess, and Naomi. Richard and Miriam are Mr./Mrs. Slalom world champions. (richard is 5 time world champion) and I am still chasing his record as the 4 time world champion. Nick thwarted my 5th title, with Richard watching in the stands this past fall in Switzerland. i am not done yet. Paddling a slalom workout with the Fox family was an honor and a pleasure that you can't get just anywhere. Jess is 16 years old and i have threatened richard for 16 years that i am going to set up Dane to go out with her. Naomi is 13 and cute as a button as well. Miriam is one fiesty woman, and keeps Richard's hands full, and looks as good today as in 1990 (i think) when they got married, like my woman, Kristine. It is awesome to train, even if just for fun, with somebody 20+ years later, in a parallel life, with kids, etc.
i flew into Melbourne at 10 am on Thursday- did a dealer clinic at noon, on the water at blue gum, or something like that at 2pm, drove to Penrith after that. did two days of clinics, slalom training, and helped run a "hometown throwdown" at Penrith Whitewater Stadium (where I won the 2005 World Championships), met with Richard Fox, and Jez, and then got taken to the Syney Airport where my flight was overbooked and I didn't get a seat to LAX. Got on a plane, well, hopefully, to San Francisco, and then getting into DC after midnight on monday night. Whirlwind OZ tour, very fun, productive, but ready to be back with the family. See you in NJ on Tuesday AM! Then at the Triple Crown in CT. It is Sunday at 1:33 pm here in Australia- yes, that may seem wierd to you in North America to think that it is tomorrow already here. I am a day ahead.
Daylight savings time just got taken away here, meaning "fall back" yesterday. It is still warm, however, as this is a land with palm trees, and snow is a myth.
Roy and Dita from Velocity Watersports, who import Jackson Kayak into Australia for us, took great care of me and made me feel right at home. Thank you for that! i got to paddle with a group of 5 girls, ages 14-15, and two boys ages 15 and 18 that paddle slalom and playboat with Dita/Roy and their parents. it was awesome.
I also got to paddle with the Fox family; Richard, Miriam, Jess, and Naomi. Richard and Miriam are Mr./Mrs. Slalom world champions. (richard is 5 time world champion) and I am still chasing his record as the 4 time world champion. Nick thwarted my 5th title, with Richard watching in the stands this past fall in Switzerland. i am not done yet.
Paddling a slalom workout with the Fox family was an honor and a pleasure that you can't get just anywhere. Jess is 16 years old and i have threatened richard for 16 years that i am going to set up Dane to go out with her. Naomi is 13 and cute as a button as well. Miriam is one fiesty woman, and keeps Richard's hands full, and looks as good today as in 1990 (i think) when they got married, like my woman, Kristine.
It is awesome to train, even if just for fun, with somebody 20+ years later, in a parallel life, with kids, etc. and it is like you never left off. richard has two awesome kids, I have three. Yes, i think i need to introduce Dane, who does both C1 and Kayak, to Jess, who does both too. They would make a cute couple. I could watch richard sweat, too, which is always fun.
Thanks to everyone who made my time in OZ a great one- Roy/Dita, Richard, Miriam, Gary Finlay, Jez, the parents of the paddling group in Melbourne, and the paddlers who came to penrith.
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