Kayak cross is a new addition to the Olympic program, with Martin Dougoud from Geneva as a medal contender. The knockout heats with four canoeists on a course with a five-metre jump promise to be spectacular.
Martin Dougoud has been looking forward to the next three days for weeks. "It's going to be fantastic," the 33-year-old from Geneva assured us before the start of the Olympic Games. "Four boats start at the same time and plunge into the water from a five to six meter high ramp. The audience will love it." And Dougoud is ready, as he impressively demonstrated on Thursday with 4th place in the kayak singles.
Although cross is the same sport, it is something completely different. It is best compared to a classic downhill race on the one hand and ski cross on the other in winter. A timed run took place on Friday, the result of which determined the allocation to the individual rounds. The real action starts on Saturday. After the first round, there will be a second chance in a repechage. The "heats" or preliminary heats will take place on Sunday, followed by the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final on Monday. Alongside Dougoud, Alena Marx from Bern, who is also in good form as eighth in the single canoe, will also be competing.
Full attack
Similar to ski cross, four canoeists compete against each other in a heat, with the best two progressing to the next round. As in the singles, various gates must be passed upstream or downstream. To do this, an Eskimo roll - a 360-degree roll with the head through the water - must be performed at a certain point. And in each case, it's boat against boat.
For Dougoud, the classic slalom is mentally more challenging. "You have to be finer, more precise," he explains. "In cross you have to attack, be more aggressive. Like a dog that hasn't had anything to eat for four or five days." Personally, he likes the slalom better, but he is delighted to have a second chance at a medal. He doesn't have to hide in the new discipline either. At last year's World Championships, he took bronze - after a 4th place in the slalom, of course. If that's not a good omen.
It's better with joy
However, Dougoud does not want to get stuck on a medal. That didn't sit well with him in Tokyo three years ago (13th place). "Since then, I've concentrated more on the joy of kayaking than on the results. I'm calmer, more centered." A mental coach has also helped, as the man from Geneva is a very cerebral person. "I often talk to myself, I often have negative thoughts." He tries to lower his heart rate with meditation and relaxation through breathing. "I do better with this attitude."
Dougoud is a meticulous worker who will do anything for his sport. He has lived in the French performance center in Pau for many years because there is no whitewater course in Switzerland. So he has a home game in Paris, so to speak. He wants to make the most of it over the next few days.
SDA
