New personal web page launch!

We are launching new web page !!!! WWW.CSONKA.SK

http://www.csonka.sk

Kayak freestyle World Championships 2013 update #1

It is already two week since we got here to NOC. We were here last year for World Cup so we know this area well. We arrived to Atlanta and drove to Nantahala. 

Nantahala gorge is nice area surrounded by great Smoky Mountains. It is quite in the middle of nowhere. We started to train as soon as we got here. We had to take the advantage of not manny people being here already so the lines in the eddy were shorter. As the days passed more and more paddles has arrived.

We trained twice a day but now we slowed down and do just one training a day and every third day is a rest day. I definitely think you need to slow down as the event is coming closer because your body need more time to recovery. 

This year the level of paddling is very high. And not just in men class. Even woman and junior classes get much better. 

The competition starts at the start of september and till this time we have to prepared ourselves physically and mentally for the Worlds. It is not easy here just because you don't have much to do here except kayaking and the weather wasn't very nice for last two weeks. But we have many friends here and we do our small routine each day to not get bored. You can love kayaking but to stay five weeks on one place and train full on only here is really tough task. But on the other hand this atmosphere is great you can see many  foreign paddlers from all around the world paddling together, to share their stories, experiences and hanging around. 

So for now we will continue in our preparation and will look forward for the competition to start. 

Wish us luck. This year it will be big fight for medals.

See you. 

Nina. 

Second Eurocup in Prague and Festival Divoka voda in Cunovo

From our training in Nottingham we went straight to Prague to have some training before the second Euro cup. We stopped on our way in Belgium at the see, to have some fun in the waves with our dog Puko. He really loved to jump into the waves and play. I was also trying to teach him how to swim-surf the wave on the way to the sure.
After many hours we arrived to Prague to the national white water stadium. We could train only in some hours written on the schedule board, because all the slalom kayakers are really stressed and have to paddle there 2 moths before the worlds and nonstop...
Anyway we was spending all the time in the water with kayaks or just swimming in pool because of the tropical weather. 40 degrees were just too hot. The competition started at saturday and I had to say it wasn't easy. The spot was a bit difficult, and the skills level of kayakers is rising every year.
In the qualis I won the first place and Nina had pretty good runs too and finished first as well. We had the semifinals in the evening where Bartosz from POL did and incredible run and beat me in some points. Behind us was Martin Koll from GER. In woman semifinals Nina still hold her lead, so we could have a nice evening with our friends doing the pancakes and some other sweet stuff. 
The sunday finals were really exhausting. Tomasz from POL did an incredible ride and I had to beat him. It didn't work out for first two try’s. In the last ride I pulled out almost everything I was able to do in my rides and managed it in to the 1st place , Thomas was 2nd and Martin Koll on the 3rd place. In Woman Nina did her best and got 1st even she wasn't really happy with her performance during the finals, second was Anna RUS and third was Zofia POL.

    After the Eurocup we went home. It was around a month we were not home. The week was super busy because during the next weekend I had to organize some other festival in Cunovo Slovakia. This festival was made more for public and not only for the competitors. There was rafting, jetski , beach volleyball, surfing and many other activities. We also decided to make a small competition for kayakers as kayak cross and kayak freestyle. Me and Nina we wasn't competing at all. We just was organizing some of the festival events. Oh sorry we was competing in raft with the rafting team Vodohospodárska výstavba with her Mother and step father. We did all right but unfortunately we didn't won.
We have been trying to make the festival as best as we could for all the paddlers and I think we were successful. We even managed to have price money!
It was a sick weekend with lot of fun and nice evenings.
After the festival we had one day to pack all our stuff and leave to USA for the Worlds so next update will be from there !
See you soon
Peter

TRAINING AT THE WHITE WATER COURSE IN NOTTINGHAM

Our peak of the season, World Championships in USA, is coming and we want to prepare ourselves as good as we can. It is hard to keep motivated if you stay at one place, that’s why we travel as much as we can. This summer we have a busy schedule and spend only one short week at home. But that is what I like most about kayaking!

After a successful competition in Wildalpen and great two days in Friedrichshafen at outdoorshow we headed to Nottingham. We have been there in 2006 at the European Championships. I was just a beginner that time but I have very good memories to this place.

Nottingham’s white water national sport centre is a great area where you can find a white water course, a lake for flat water racing or another lake with a lift for wakeboarding.

This white water course is one of the best ones I have ever seen. It is not hard water but it is very funny. You can find four sometimes even five holes there on this single place! I really like the first inlet gate hole. It was very constant, slow and friendly. Perfect for improving my technique. We spent ten days in Nottingham. Most of the time we were training twice a day. The weather was great and even the locals were surprised that it was so hot and sunny. The water was warm, too, so you could paddle only in your short jacket or just in a life-jacket. People were really friendly there and helped us when we needed something.

After a few days of paddling we had to take a break for a day so we went wakeboarding. It was pretty good fun. We haven't been just kayaking all day but also cycling and running as well. I improved my skills a lot and got better. I've even learned a few new moves and combos like Lunar Orbit or Front-Loop to Back-Loop. It was really fun to paddle here. I can say it is one of my most favorite places to paddle. Hopefully we can go there again soon. I need to give a big thank to Paul Shepherd who was very kind and helped us with everything what we needed while we stayed in Nottingham.

Now we are in Prague, where the second Euro Cup will take place on Saturday and Sunday. Lot of paddlers are already here and train to get a chance to fight for medals. So keep the fingers crossed for Peter and me.



See you,
Nina

Helliwelli freestyle event

Hi all. After some weeks doing some biking and training we went to my first competition this year. This time we went for the Salza - Austrian championship at Helliwelli. Helli made the wave him self for the kayakers to train and of course for this one day in year, the championship. We have been at Salza few times this year but I couldn't train yet.

The hole is really great! Its probably possible to do everything there and it also feels strong.

At saturday was the day with big "D". Nina and me we also have been judging the competition so it was full on. In the quali I did Ok and finished on the 1st place , behind me was Marcel Bloder from Austria and than Martin Koll from Germany. Nina did also great she won the quali. After some break we had the semis where I also manage to finish on the first place with Martin behind my back. After that was woman finals where Nina had really good first ride so she stayed at the first place. Second place took the Corrine from Austria and 3rd was Luci from CZE. In the men finals I also did ok and finished 1st, 2nd was Jan Spindler CZE and 3rd was Martin Koll GER. I was pretty stoked that I started my season so well because I still have problems with my injury , many times I had to really focus to not feel too much pain because than I cant go for my 100%. 

The atmosphere was awesome too, with all our friends!

After the competition we stayed foe few more days kayaking and biking every day to get even better shape.

Next stop is the Fridrichshaffen and The Adidas outdoor show!

See you 

Peter. 

Here is a small combo move from my rides :)          

Salza combo moves

Short video from the combo moves training before the competition.


see you

Lienz freestyle kayak competition

This weekend was open Austrian championships in Lienz. Week before a big fload came to Slovakia so we couldnt paddle for few days. I was really looking forward as this event is every time very good. We came to Lienz Thursday night. Friday we woke up to sunny day. It was first sunny day after long time. After first kayak session we went biking a bit and than we had second session. The hole in Lienz has changed a lot. It is completly different hole from the hole what used to be there. It is something like a wave-hole pretty funny to paddle but difficult as well. Saturday's event started after lunch. Peter still can't compete, but at least he can paddle a bit. He took the role of head jundge again and judged whole event. The prelims were by sesion system. It means you have to do as many different moves as you can. I took first place in prelims. Finals started few hours afterwards. This time it went by normal rules so you have three rides and the best one counts. I was quite unlucky in competitions before and took 2nd places only. This time I tried not to be nervous and focus only to my rides. It worked and I finally placed first! I was really happy and specialy because this time there were prize money and not only for winners but for second and third place as well. Afterwards we enjoyed awesome dinner and shared few beers with friends. Next day we stayed in Lienz and went mountain biking. Lienz has very beautiful scenery and biking there was awesome experience. We did two hours trip up to the lake and than 15 minutes down back to the car :) now we are on road again, heading to Wildalpen for few days training. After our slalom course is open we will go back home. Hopefuly water will not rise anymore and we can paddle.

See you 

Nina

ADIDAS ALL IN video

Hi.
At the moment we have flood here in Slovakia so the white water course is closed and we don't have any place to paddle. Of course we did paddle the Danube river by flood. Me and Marcel we went to Vienna because there were some rumours about some flood waves over there. Unfortunately only spot we did find by kayaking 20km down the river at 10000 cms river was flooded already, so there left some small waves which were not possible to surf. However we did not find any spot to surf, but we still had lot of adrenalin from hiding from the Fireworks department. The river is closed now and we could really get troubles kayaking down.

Today I was doing also some clip editing. In winter 2012 we took part by making the movie ALL IN in High Tatras supported by Adidas. There was a movie from more sport arts for the presentation and festivals. Now after some time we can use it also for commercial, so I decided to re-edid it a little bit, add some of mine footage and make it as a short clip.
So this is the result from it


Thanks again to Quinta and Adidas for the footage I could use!

In the evening I went to wakeboard with my good friend to the lake. It was awesome , I did it for the first time and I really liked it! After 3 circles I already tried some jumps , 180's and 360's.

Awesome! So what I will do tomorrow ? I hope something really interesting like the last days !
See you soon at my first competition after the injury this year in Lienz !