Source: Kajak-Kenu Sport | Translation: Frenk Szekszardi - The late autumn-winter training camp of the the Honved Canoe Club took off  in Abu Dhabi in October last year. Attila Vajda also joined. The weather was stunning and everyone was happy with the conditions, the training environment and the facilities. The only down side was the struggle with the wind that picks up heavily at a certain time of the day. The main sensation of the camp was Katalin Kovacs’s great shape and outstanding performance that the coaches and training partners are all raving about. Katalin just returned back into full time paddling after giving birth.

The club closed a productive and successful season, more or less at the Senior World Championships as well as the club’s Junior Team has won several gold medals at the Junior World Championships in Szeged in July. The Abu Dhabi training camp is a kind of a reward for the great achievements from the club manager Gabor Horváth, but beside the fun and relaxing time they also put big focus on collecting Kilometers on the water and on the winter preparation in the gym too.

“We paddle in the mornings then we have the 2nd session in the gym or we run in the afternoon, so the switch into only dry land training should be easier when we get home. Same talking we make sure that we have enough down time and relax as well!”

Gabriella Szabó said (2x Gold medalist at the World Championships in 2014):

“On the water I mostly train with Attila Vajda and we joined the senior men kayak group for some time intervals sessions. We also did some long distance paddling with Tamara Csipes. According to the results of the time trials Tamara is also in great shape. Kati has also started to gain her old glory back. She's working very hard at every single session and she's doing fantastic work.”

It was not only the athletes that were working hard at the training camp, the coaches were also making a great effort! Ferenc Csipes, László Toth (Vackor) and Istvan Kiss (Vidi) also got on the water every day in Abu Dhabi.

“The coaches are in really good shape for themselves too. Feri paddled 24km with us the other day and Vackor and Vidi are also doing great. So hats off for them!”: added the Olympic Champion Gabi Szabó with a cheeky smile.

In some of the afternoons and the weekends the team had time to relax and undertake some day trips. They fit fun stuff into the program including local sightseeing, visiting the spectacular water slide park or even camel back riding in the desert..

Vidi: “The whole team tested the water slide park on Sunday which is only about 3km away from our base. It's a super fun and extremely exciting place, Attila Vajda  even said that it was one of the most fun experience of his life!”

The Honved Canoe Club’s senior men kayak team consists of 5 athletes: Bence Dombvari, Tibor Hufnagel, Benjamin Ceiner, Csaba Csontos and Akos Gacsal.

Despite the climate difference and the 35C heat through the days the team still sticks to the traditional Hungarian autumn training program. It means that they paddle in the mornings, long distance twice a week as well as gym and run in the afternoons..

Vidi: “I believe that it's very important during the preparation that we are able to paddle on a strong and solid pace in great conditions. It'd be too cold for this type of training back home at this time of the year. The other thing is that I'm also very happy for that my athletes can see in real close up how determined and focused the girls are. For instance, Kati’s performance is absolute outstanding after her return, you can really see how she gets better day by day!”