Source: Kajak Kenu Hungary | Translation: Frank Szekszárdi | Robert Mike & Henrik Vasbanyai are over the first 500kms of the spring preparation. So far the world champion double canoe paddlers are training in single a bit further down on the Danube as they used to since the Kolonics Gyorgy Water Club is being reconstructed at the moment. The preparation is going smooth and they are keeping strong focus, they are getting ready for Rio and they are planning up all the way to Tokyo.

Whilst all the other National Team members have spent whole March in warm water training camps abroad it was the second year for them that they stayed at home in spring time. They are the exception that makes the rule stronger (Hungarian expression). Their coach Tamas Olah says it is completely unnecessary to take them to the other side of the world in order to focus only to train since they do sacrifice everything for canoeing anyways.

“I’ve always been like this, I’ve been very mindful about my training for long years – says Robert – however I’ve also managed to add some frustration to my mindfulness. Fortunately nowdays it is less true I’d say that I’m getting closer and closer to what I’ve started to work for which is the Olympic Gold and now I know what and when I need to do.”

“Last year I was the one with the frustration, I wanted to be the best at every single session. I deprived everything from myself and it wasn’t good for me – says Henrik – I got exhausted very early into the season, I was in the ditch and it was quiet difficult to climb out of it. I realized that it isn’t good if I want too much and over push it even Robi told me that I need to chill a bit out and take it easier.

In fact between the two of us he’s the one that is more focused and mindful about training. Recently I’ve loosen up my diet a little bit it happens that I allow myself a choc bar or a piece of cake. Often a remind myself how much I trained in 2010 & 2011 that it was way less than what I do now and still I was doing okay at the races. I don’t have to take it too serious, now I have all the work behind me and it will prove itself at the competition.”

Within a week time they will start the double sessions on the water which they have delayed on purpose. It seems like they will start work together now with better results than last year this time.

Through the winter preparation Robert had run a record time and his personal best on the Cooper test, he ran over 3700m so he beat the entire National Team. Same time Henrik showed major improvement in swimming but in his opinion he had a rather weak performance in the swimming pool before.

“I think the reason of my improvement is that our coach gave us a quiet colorful training program in the swimming as well. I believe that we haven’t even done the same session twice through the winter and it has really worked for me. By the feedbacks my paddling is also going better than last year this time so I’m really looking forward to start the double sessions. As I mentioned before I was a bit burnt out because of my frustration by the time we started to work in the double but it’ll be way better this year!”

“I can really feel the paddling and enjoy myself in the single now and that’s good sign since the double is always going great when I have this feeling – says Robert. They say the reason of why our technics make a good match in the double because Henrik has a solid catch at the front and I have stronger finish of the stroke. In the boat it gives me a feeling that we don't need to rip it apart it is just running smooth."

They couldn't defend their world champion title in C-2 1000m in Moscow last year. They finished with silver medal behind the Romanians but Robert does not consider it as failure he even thinks that the 'smack in the face' came in the right time.

"It was much better this way than getting beaten at the Olympic Games. The moral of the last World Championship was that we need to start more aggressive in the tail wind. The Romanians took it on they did well and they were lucky to be able to keep it up to the end. I believe that we could have done it too if we had more curage at the beginning. We were only 0.3 second behind and still it was an absolute world record time."

They won the C-2 1000m and as a bonus they got silver medal on C-2 500m despite they didn't even focus on that one in Duisburg in 2013. Last year the 500m came first in the program and they came 5th that time...

"It's not a good omen to start with our weaker event. If the 500m comes first this year too I think we just have to let it go but if we win the 1000m then anything could happen on the 500m". - says Robert

They started to work together with a mindset two years ago that they both wanted to perform well in their single because that gives a solid base to the double. Accordingly they both raced the Hungarian qualification races for the World championship in single as well. Henrik even pulled the whiskers of the lion several times, he even beat the Olympic Champion Attila Vajda in 2013. Henrik does not deny it that the single is still a big part of his motivation.

"I think that Robert is at that stage where he doesn't need to prove much in the single anymore. But I'm only 24 years old and it is important to me to get routine and experience in the single as well. I'm almost sure that I'll line up for the C-1 1000m this year at the selection races but if the single is first in the program I might scratch it.. The main focus is to get the Olympic spot this year and I wouldn't be allowed to race both events at Worlds anyways.."

The program for the Olympics is already published and there's a chance to race both 1000m events in Rio. And in Hungary the athlete that has the strongest chance to qualify for both is Henrik Vasbanyai. However for Henrik to take on that massive challenge his double partner Robert might be on a different opinion about that one.

"I think that I could be okay for him to do both 1000m events if it makes sense. But we definitely have to look into he's chances in the single because if he wouldn't do well that would risk and effect the double big time as well." -says Robert.

"Even if things would work out so great that I could race both events at the Olympic Games I'd still have to pay respect to the will of mass. - adds it Henrik. I'd definitely ask for the professional opinion of my coach, my double partner and few more experienced people in the sport and I'd listen to their advice."