With Cedric at Lake Placid OTC and International Canoe/Kayak Regatta

Lake Placid, New York is a beautiful place! Though a bit unseasonably chilly (38 degrees one morning) and rainy (like Western Washington), but not any more. This morning, the opening day of the Lake Placid International Flatwater Canoe and Kayak Regatta, is gorgeous. This is a critical race for my son Cedric because he and his K-2 partner Ryan Stock have an opportunity to bump up to the full USA Senior Team and World Cup racing in Poland, not an easy thing for two guys who are only months into being senior division athletes (18 and above).

It's been an interesting morning meeting all Cedric's kayak friends from around the country--and the world, and talking with his new senior coach, Sean Caven, as well as various parents and supporters. There's virtually no wind, water is flat and calm, wispy clouds linger in the hills (they call them mountains) surrounding Mirror Lake where the regatta is underway.  See pictures below of Cedric, Lake Placid and countryside, warming up, adjusting a borrowed boat (XXL--too big), warming up and off to the start, midway in the 1000m heat, and the 3rd place finish and an advance to finals. More later today!