Interview of Valerie on kayaksurf.net
Wave Sport team member Valerie Bertrand has given an extensive interview to one of Europe’s biggest kayak surf websites: kayaksurf.net. Here’s the short English version, also extracted from kayaksurf.net. In order to read the whole story and get a glimpse on an excellent selection of photos featuring Valerie in all kinds of different sports, check out this link: http://www.kayaksurf.net/ValerieBertrand.html
KS.net: Hi Val. You were last year in FOUR World Championships – kayaksurf in Portugal, Freestyle in Switzerland, Slalom in Spain and Rafting in Bosnia. What will you remember about this three events?
Val: What I will remember from the Worlds tour? The competition side obviously! The hard training period before each comp and the very quick transfer to another discipline the day after it would be over.
KS.net: And the trainings?
Val: Physically, paddling is paddling: you more or less use the same muscle groups. But the technique and style and the whole strategy behind each competition is VERY different. It is extremely hard to set your mind so quickly off one and onto another, especially at Worlds level.
KS.net: Satisfy with the results?
Val: Most people take 2 years to get ready; I took 1 month for each! As a result, I did not manage to keep my World Champ titles in surf kayaking and freestyle-squirt that I held for a while. A lesson for me to learn I suppose.
KS.net: OK, but you know that your achievement was unique?
Val: Yes, I managed to keep myself at a steady top level all season, hitting podium or at least semi-finals in all of these: extreme creek races, freestyle, squirt, surf kayak IC + HP and rafting R6 + R4. For that, I am extremely proud. In fact, I don’t know anyone up to date, who has achieved the same, neither in the men.
KS.net: Commons points in this four events…
Val: Each event has in common a few key elements: tones of happy paddlers, good atmosphere, late nights and many memories that will last you forever. Only the place and the people change. The truth is: a World Championship is an unexplanably intense experience each time. You must live it to realize that there is a lot more to it than just being there to compete. Meeting the best paddlers in the world, paddle until you hurt, sharing a passion, the tips and the encouragements… Simply said: the best things and the best people in the world are there, in one spot, for 1-2 weeks. Anyone would be pretty dam stupid to miss out on that!!!
KS.net: And for this year…
Val: For next season, I plan on refocussing a little. Perhaps it would be enough with surfkayaking, slalom and freestyle?
KS.net: Let’s see if you will stay for there ;) Thanks a lot Val!
Tags: Freestyle · interview · kayaksurf.net · kiting · rafting · slalom · squirt · surf · valerie bertrand · Worlds
