Hey, everyone! I just want to say that, despite worrying about this trip for weeks on end before it happened, I cannot express how greatful I am for the opportunity. This trip with my incredible team mates is a precious experience I will never forget.
This morning's walk in a downpour with thunder and lightning and little frogs hopping everywhere was amazing! The entire racing experience has been simply awesome.
The comoraderie between teams...from all over the world was something to remember for sure. I feel so proud of my team, not only for paddling like badasses, but also for the way we represented our country with friendship, smiles everywhere we went and just plain ole heart, spirit and good will. The other teams seemed to not quite know what to think of us at first, but by today they all wanted Wasabi Gang Green t-shirts! Everywhere you looked this afternoon, it was a sea of wasabi shirts, just like at home! A couple of other teams even raced in our shirts today!
OK, that's all for now...
XOXO
Celest
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Silver!
We are currently at a sports pub not far from the race venue. IIn a very Dr. Chen-like fashion, they opened up at 4:30 for us instead of the usual 6 p.m.
Closing ceremonies are complete and we are enjoying some beer and foozball...and a SILVER medal in the 2000m race!!! We were the ONLY team on the 2000m course out of 12 teams with a woman tiller...Steph! She was awesome and steered her first 2000m ever at the World Championships...wow! We're very happy with the results and the times were close, very close.
We can't wait to share our experiences with you all...did we mention the dragonflies yet? They are beautiful and EVERYWHERE!
We're so grateful to have had this opportunity, so happy to represent the USA & Wasabi here. Some banners will be coming back to decorate the boathouse...of course...we know our jobs here!
See you soon...we're back Tuesday.
Eyeball
Closing ceremonies are complete and we are enjoying some beer and foozball...and a SILVER medal in the 2000m race!!! We were the ONLY team on the 2000m course out of 12 teams with a woman tiller...Steph! She was awesome and steered her first 2000m ever at the World Championships...wow! We're very happy with the results and the times were close, very close.
We can't wait to share our experiences with you all...did we mention the dragonflies yet? They are beautiful and EVERYWHERE!
We're so grateful to have had this opportunity, so happy to represent the USA & Wasabi here. Some banners will be coming back to decorate the boathouse...of course...we know our jobs here!
See you soon...we're back Tuesday.
Eyeball
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Pouring rain & lightning...yikes!
It's 7:45 a.m. right now and it is POURING RAIN with a touch of lightning thrown in! We are hoping the rain and wind lighten up a bit before our 2000m race at 11:30 a.m. We'll try to post tonight!
The opening ceremonies on Friday were great and the Welcome Dinner last night was fantastic! The food...can we just talk about the food for a second? It's by far the best I have ever had at an international event before...we are spoiled rotten!
Members of our team have been interviewed for TV at least 4 times as well as Coach Jeremy...but he's the only one that's been asked for an autograph so far! Could his head get any bigger? LOL!
Some members caught the sports edition and saw our whole boat during the 200m race on TV...wow! We're hoping to get a copy so we can share.
Oh, and did anyone mention pineapple yet? The BEST EVER EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!
Ok, the Hungarians are waiting for the computer and I will be a polite American and sign off now.
The comraderie between all the teams is wonderful...the best part of why we are here.
Later gators,
Eyeball
The opening ceremonies on Friday were great and the Welcome Dinner last night was fantastic! The food...can we just talk about the food for a second? It's by far the best I have ever had at an international event before...we are spoiled rotten!
Members of our team have been interviewed for TV at least 4 times as well as Coach Jeremy...but he's the only one that's been asked for an autograph so far! Could his head get any bigger? LOL!
Some members caught the sports edition and saw our whole boat during the 200m race on TV...wow! We're hoping to get a copy so we can share.
Oh, and did anyone mention pineapple yet? The BEST EVER EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!
Ok, the Hungarians are waiting for the computer and I will be a polite American and sign off now.
The comraderie between all the teams is wonderful...the best part of why we are here.
Later gators,
Eyeball
500m Day
We raced 3, 500m races today...
1: kickass
2: hard, we lost our mojo
3: all heart, came in 3rd by less than 1/2 second (less than a dragon head!)
It's amazing how much can change from one race to the next. Standing in the back is like riding a rocket and when you scream for more and the team gives it all, gotta say, there's nothing quite like that.
Tonight we ate dinner with all of the other paddlers at a Welcome dinner and toasted and took many pictures. I'm sorry we're behind in the pic department. We were at the venue all day and night. Now it's time to rest and prepare for the finale...
Tomorrow is our last day and we'll race 2000m with 9 men's boats and 2 other women's boats...12 boats in a Guts & Glory in South Korea in the heart of downtown Ulsan.
It still seems unreal.
Man, do we want to hear the Star Spangled Banner....
1: kickass
2: hard, we lost our mojo
3: all heart, came in 3rd by less than 1/2 second (less than a dragon head!)
It's amazing how much can change from one race to the next. Standing in the back is like riding a rocket and when you scream for more and the team gives it all, gotta say, there's nothing quite like that.
Tonight we ate dinner with all of the other paddlers at a Welcome dinner and toasted and took many pictures. I'm sorry we're behind in the pic department. We were at the venue all day and night. Now it's time to rest and prepare for the finale...
Tomorrow is our last day and we'll race 2000m with 9 men's boats and 2 other women's boats...12 boats in a Guts & Glory in South Korea in the heart of downtown Ulsan.
It still seems unreal.
Man, do we want to hear the Star Spangled Banner....
Friday, July 10, 2009
Opening Ceremonies!
I think that last night would have to be one of the highlights of my sports career to date. The ceremony held to celebrate the opening of our "games" was a fantastic spectacle of color, light, sound and excitement.
Walking in to the reserved seating through a sea of faces really brought home what a huge event this is, not only for the team, but also for the city of Ulsan. The crowd of Ulsan citizens in attendance last night was large and enthusiastic - even better, it was free for all in attendance. A show of that magnitude in the States would have had a premimum ticket price. It just goes to show the friendly and encompassing nature of the Korean people that we have already had the priviledge of experiencing extends beyond just visitors.
Last night became even more memorable as I had a personal "olympic moment." All the atheletes in attendance were asked to stand and be recognized by the spectators. Standing and waving to them with my team was a moment that I will have etched in to my memory forever.
I am so grateful to be here and be a part of this special experience. I wish that all my Gang Green teammates were here to share in this in person - you're here with us in spirit!
Andrea
Walking in to the reserved seating through a sea of faces really brought home what a huge event this is, not only for the team, but also for the city of Ulsan. The crowd of Ulsan citizens in attendance last night was large and enthusiastic - even better, it was free for all in attendance. A show of that magnitude in the States would have had a premimum ticket price. It just goes to show the friendly and encompassing nature of the Korean people that we have already had the priviledge of experiencing extends beyond just visitors.
Last night became even more memorable as I had a personal "olympic moment." All the atheletes in attendance were asked to stand and be recognized by the spectators. Standing and waving to them with my team was a moment that I will have etched in to my memory forever.
I am so grateful to be here and be a part of this special experience. I wish that all my Gang Green teammates were here to share in this in person - you're here with us in spirit!
Andrea
Today there is cloud coverage. I am still happy for the lack of the rain. Today will be wonderful if the wind stays calm and the clouds stay mellow.
I got chills yesterday when we were on stage to recieve our bronze medal and watched them raise our flags. All of the teams are friendly and there are several shirts that I would like to trade my jersey for at the end of the race days.
Today is all about the 500 meter races and that is our race. We are long strong and comfortable with the 500s as opposed to the short 200 meter races.
Opening cerimonies was amazing, from Taiko dummers to traditional dressed court dancers to Korean pop music it was all entertaining and wonderful.
I am also well impressed with all of the media coverage here. Three of our team members have been interview by the news station and all of the team made the news while we were dancing to the Korean Pop music. Couldn't miss the Americans in thier bright Hawian shirts! It was a great start to a great weekend of racing and comaraderie.
I wish all of you were here. I would love to have my other Gang Green ladies with us for laughing, racing and staring at the other teams with thier shirts off and dancing on the party bus.
I got chills yesterday when we were on stage to recieve our bronze medal and watched them raise our flags. All of the teams are friendly and there are several shirts that I would like to trade my jersey for at the end of the race days.
Today is all about the 500 meter races and that is our race. We are long strong and comfortable with the 500s as opposed to the short 200 meter races.
Opening cerimonies was amazing, from Taiko dummers to traditional dressed court dancers to Korean pop music it was all entertaining and wonderful.
I am also well impressed with all of the media coverage here. Three of our team members have been interview by the news station and all of the team made the news while we were dancing to the Korean Pop music. Couldn't miss the Americans in thier bright Hawian shirts! It was a great start to a great weekend of racing and comaraderie.
I wish all of you were here. I would love to have my other Gang Green ladies with us for laughing, racing and staring at the other teams with thier shirts off and dancing on the party bus.
Korea...in a nutshell
Beer at Gustav's. Flight delays. Disco bus. Resort on a mountain. Hot, humid. Hungarians arrive. First practice, 30 mph winds, yikes. All food, fabulous. Russians arrive. First race day, nerves, loudest music ever at the start line, close races, bronze. More disco bus, dancing on the bus. Opening ceremonies, fantastic, beautiful, colorful, awesome.
and not so nutshell...
The Korean hospitality is fantastic. The people are incredibly friendly and polite and wonderful. The waiters in the athlete's cafeteria are wearing tuxedos!!! The food is ridiculous, as in ridiculously good and variety is crazy.
We're excited and nervous about the 500m races. We are hoping we can do a little better even.
We're staying at a resort on a mountain...really. It's a long winding road up here but the view is great. And it's got a Jack Nicklaus golf course that hosted an LPGA tour a few years ago...might have time for golf on Monday.
Oh, our bus driver is amazing as well...we have witnessed 2 car accidents already but he misses things by mere inches!!! We're glad to have him.
We love the comments and emails from home...keep em coming!
Later gators,
Eyeball
and not so nutshell...
The Korean hospitality is fantastic. The people are incredibly friendly and polite and wonderful. The waiters in the athlete's cafeteria are wearing tuxedos!!! The food is ridiculous, as in ridiculously good and variety is crazy.
We're excited and nervous about the 500m races. We are hoping we can do a little better even.
We're staying at a resort on a mountain...really. It's a long winding road up here but the view is great. And it's got a Jack Nicklaus golf course that hosted an LPGA tour a few years ago...might have time for golf on Monday.
Oh, our bus driver is amazing as well...we have witnessed 2 car accidents already but he misses things by mere inches!!! We're glad to have him.
We love the comments and emails from home...keep em coming!
Later gators,
Eyeball
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