LUUKA JONES

The origins of this blog stem back to 2006, when MySpace and Bebo, along with the blog were our idea of online communication. As I write this from Paris 18 years later, I feel I owe this platform a few more entries in what is quite likely my last year of competitive slalom kayaking. When I reflect on this journey, there is so much that has been forgotten, a myriad of adventures and years of travelling to Europe pursuing the sport that mould into one. From time to time I enjoy looking back and remembering, amused at the stories and situations that I found myself in, and proud of where I have got to in a career that could have been ambitious, but at the same time fleeting. 

So here it goes, a current update.

Four years have passed since I last updated my blog. Whilst social media has taken over the humble blogspot, it doesn't provide the same platform for rambling and insight. I also stopped writing this blog after Louise passed away. Since our first trip to Europe as Juniors in 2006 we have told our stories through here. It is a really nice way to remember the details of our adventures and things that I might have otherwise forgotten.

As 2015 made a swift appearance, I made a swift exit across the ditch to the shores of Sydney. I am not sure what happened but two weeks of training on the Sydney Olympic course have sailed by and as I smash back a coffee at the airport and wait for the plane I have a feeling that this year is going to fly by.

The Siberian spring weather that has braced NZ in the past month seems to be passing and short sleeved paddling tops and jandals are finally appropriate. Much has happened since the world championships which feel like an eternity ago and I have settled in to a nice routine of training and recovery.

Campbell has been out in kiwi country for four weeks and flew home last week concluding what was a really beneficial training camp.

The World Champs are well and truly over and the two and a half weeks since they concluded have flown by. Its always a bit strange in the days following a major championships as the cocktail of emotions surrounding an event like this are suddenly gone. The focus on this one competition is over and its a long time until the next one.

It is Monday and the week of the Canoe Slalom World Championships. There is one session left on the course, two days until the opening ceremony and three days until qualifications (yes I am counting!).

Today marks two weeks since we arrived in 'Merica and for some reason it feels like an eternal fortnight.

Following the training camp in America, I hit the ground running in EUrope, spending two days in Nottingham before flying out to the world cup in La Seu. Constructed to host the Barcelona Olympics, this course is nestled in the centre of the beautiful town of La Seu on the edge of the majestic Pyrenees mountains. Its a tricky, shallow little course and I was glad to have swapped back to using my old kayak as I incurred a few scrapes and scratches during training.

A swift return to the daily training grind in Nottingham after the world cups saw a couple of tough weeks as I recovered from three back to back international races. Sleeping between sessions every day for the first week was a friendly reminder of how intense three weeks of travelling and competing can be and they definitely took their toll.

I am not sure for how long I have wanted to make a world cup final but it was only this year that I have truly believed I am capable of doing so. Last weekend in London I was very close and this week in Slovenia I achieved one of my goals. I was on the start line with my fellow competitors, all veterans of the sport, having lined up in multiple world cup and championship finals and it felt especially good to be there as well.