Sunday, March 27, 2011

Speed rolling - old school video


Yesterday I competed (just for fun ;-) in the "Open Alphense Eskimoteer Kampioenschappen". Winner is who does most rolls in 60 seconds. Any rolling technique is allowed. The use of a paddle is compulsory (no hand-rolls allowed). I finished at a (shared) third place with 18 rolls, Govert tricked me out with 1 extra roll, Aschwin was the overall-winner with 21 rolls - congratulations, a very good result!

Tricky in the "Open Alphense Eskimoteer-kampioenschappen" (and different from the contest in the video) is that the kayak is not secured by ropes. Which means that, after some rolls, you inevitably start moving around in the small swimming pool, and you get stuck the edges of the pool. Correcting strokes, repositioning strokes cost time and concentration at the expense of some rolls. When the kayak is held in position you can fully concentrate on the rolling, no correction strokes, and you can squeeze out some extra rolls.

Tips for speed rolling are: put in more brace than sweep, don't bother about a smooth technique: don't finish the rolls by full recovery to the back- (or front-)deck. But in the 60 seconds contest it's not only about technique and power. Condition also comes into play, the lack of oxygen - timing and a good breathing technique helps.
Enough aspects to train on for a better result next year!

The video is 25 years old - Dutch TV nostalgia with Jos Brink, Sonja Barend, Vanessa...