Thanks of the 2014 and Merry Christmas! :)

 and more pull ups 

Hi everyone!

Here is an up date how my training is going here down under. My training here in New Zealand has been mostly gym training trying to push big weights. I have also done some running and paddling sessions but the main focus has been gym.

The weather has been so far pretty much out of the place.. actually the weather does whatever it pleases and we just have to adapt. It has been really windy which has made some paddling sessions very interesting (how to stay in the K1 and not to sink).

I wish everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New year!! I would also like to thank for the year 2014, My Coach/ Husband Nic Riosa, my club Tampereen Vihuri, my sponsor Noname Sportswear, Tuisku Jarva thank you for the K2 races and training, all the athletes and other coaches that I trained with on this season, and of course last but not least my family and friends. Thank you for the support.

Finally "May 2015 be ever on your favor"!! :)

Niko (former junior national teammate) visited me from Australia. So we had to go and try some surfski. The waves were big and the wind was strong.. it was good fun :)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from New Zealand beach!

In New Zealand

Start of the new season, It is my second official training week of the season 2015.
After last weekends gym tests I headed to New Zealand to start paddling again and prepare for the season. Wednesday was first time on the water since World Championships in Oklahoma. It was fun! :)

Some pics will come later of the training :)

Marathon world championships in Oklahoma not exactly according to the plan..

On Monday 22.9 we started our travel to Oklahoma City USA for the kayak marathon world championships. We did not quite know what to expect since we had not visited the USA before but me and my K2 partner Tuisku were really thrilled for the fact that we would be racing in USA.

It is the people that make the country

My experience of Oklahoma was great and really positive in every way. Especially for me the attitude of all the Americans who I met was a surprise. I have been in about 15 countries in my life and I have never experienced before the kind of hospitality, willingness to help and positive attitude that I experienced during my stay in Oklahoma.

The race course

The race was held in Oklahoma River at Boathouse District in USA Canoe/Rowing Olympic and Para Olympic training center. I have to say that the investment of 150 million US dollars for the training facility really showed and had made everything look good. (at least when you compere to our home lake where we have only two shipping containers for boat storage) The course it self was really nice and easy to paddle. It was very hot week the temperature stayed the whole time in max 30 c which was challenge for us because we were used to 5-15c. We also had little bit difficult time to find suitable boats for us since we were not able to bring our own kayaks. Lucky for us the other teams were willing to help with kayaks for training and for racing.

the K1 race 27.9 Saturday

My first race of the weekend was my K1 25km in senior women. The competition was won by Renata Csey which was her 14th world championship title. For me the competition was a challenge from the start to the finish, with fighting against the could and coughing and the heat that got the better of me. Big thanks to Danish Katrine G. Christensen for letting me use your boat at the race!




link to the results of all races: http://results.deltatiming.com/cam/2014-icf-cam-world-championships#.VCv5Ovl_uaI

The K2 race Sunday 28.9

Day two of racing for me and our main race of the year with Tuisku. All ready to go.. what could go wrong.. we had good boat which was barrow from the team Canada. Big thanks for letting us use the K2!! So of we went to the heat. We were comfortably sitting in our group until the 4th portage. We twisted our rudder and lost all the control of the K2 after we got back to water. Quickly we got on the platform and our Coach Nic ran over to fix the rudder for us. After getting the tools and getting the rudder sorted we made a decision to continue the last three laps of the race. One and the half lap to go I started to feel dizzy and powerless. I told Tuisku that my "lights are shutting down" that does she has anything motivational for me for the last lap and a half. She said that we can do this and it will be over soon.. as it was. We managed to finish the race after all difficulties in the race.

To the hospital

After finishing we got of the water. As we did so I started to have symptoms of the heat stroke and dehydration  which were feeling could, shaking and feeling dizzy. After couple minutes the paramedics were taking care on me and the ambulance was called. So I ended up to Hospital after the race for getting some Ice and fluids to my over heated body. Thanks to the professional staff I recovered in couple hours enough to get back to the race course just to see the epic finish of men K2 race as Hank Mcgregor and Jasper Mocke won gold.

Of the Results:

These world championships was for me the bottom of the wave. I'm not happy about the results and of course I'm very disappointed because me, my coach and my K2 partner Tuisku  worked the whole season hard for better results and now that we did not get the result that we wanted is disappointing. I think the only thing to say is that it was a hell weekend at the office and hopefully it wont happen again any time soon.

I also want to want thank my coach/ Husband Nic Riosa for all the work of this season! Special thanks to Tuisku for all the training and K2 racing on this season and getting me through the finish line in world champs! Special thanks also to all the teams and people who helped us during the world champs!!

Tomorrow to Hungary! =)

Tomorrow to Hungary! Finally we will change the climate and go somewhere little bit warmer!! =) cant wait to get to our this years training location Nagymaros. I have never been in this Hungarian town before so I am excited to see the place and how the training will work out! At least one thing is sure my fingers wont freeze anymore after this weekend =)
So far this season the water training has been could and trying to avoid the icebergs =P

Nagymaros see you soon!

Happy new year!! Last paddle of this year =)

This morning the temperature was +4 and Kaukajärvi (lake) was open which is very rear. Usually we have snow and ice in the lake on this time of the year. So I decided to go for the last paddle of the year with Nic, Marcel and Tuisku.

It was also my first time in the boat since July and after having the baby so I really enjoyed this last paddle of the year around the lake.=) Happy new year!!! Good luck to 2014!

de

2013 and to next season with the new name

Hi everybody,

2013 was very very busy year for me so here is finally an update:
In February I got married to Nic Riosa and in August our son Udi was born.

                                            
                                                                    the Family

 So next season I will race with my new name Nina Riosa (used to be Itkonen).
Now I'm back in training and preparing myself for the 2014 Marathon World Championships!


Hei kaikki,

2013 oli kiireinen vuosi joten tässä on nyt viimein päivitys:
Helmikuussa vietin häitä Nic Riosan kanssa ja minusta tuli rouva Riosa (os. Itkonen).
Elokuussa saimme perheenlisäystä kun poikamme Udi syntyi.

Ensi kaudella kilpaillaan sitten uudella nimellä Nina Riosa. Harjoitukset ovat jo käynnissä ja valmistautuminen ensi vuoden maratonmelonnan maailman mestaruuskilpailuihin on alkanut.

Season over time to give thanks! / Kausi ohi, Kiitosten aika!

Season over, it is time to Thank all the people who made my great season possible!

When the season started I was not so sure how it would go. In the beginning of the season I was sick over two months and my training had to be really light (no gym, no hard stuff, just technic). Instead of hard training I concentrated on psychological side and on technical side in my training. I had to concentrate more on what I did, increse the quality in my training instead of quantaty, which is what I have done in previous years.

So it was a great surprise and relief when things started to work, the season became a great season!

10th in marathon world championships K1 senior women
15th in marathon world championships K2 senior women
4th in marathon world cup in K1 senior women
6th in Hungarian marathon championships K1 senior women
Finnish Champion in K1 senior women: Marathon, 5000m, K2 5000m
Silver in Finnish championships: K1, K2 500m
Bronze in Finnish Championships: K1, K4 1000m, K4 500m

Eventhought my sport is mainly individual sport I needed many people around me to make it possible

First Special Thanks to my Fiance/Coach Nic Riosa, without his patience, support, love, training programs, addvise and taktics (especially during the time when I was sick) this season would not have happend!!!

                    My sponsors Noname and TUL Thank you for support again in this season!


 My Canoe Club Tampereen Vihuri thank you all the support for this season!
 My Club Team mates Netta, Olivia, Kaisa, Ilona Thank you for great races together!

Tampereen Vihuri K4 500m and 1000m Finnish Championships Bronze medalists

           Me and Olivia Finnish Champions in K2 5000m we also got silver in K2 500m

Thank you Köszönöm Györ Canoe/kayak club! All the athletes and coaches!! Thank you for the training and making me go faster!! =)

My K2 partner in marathon world champs Oona Vasko!! Thank you for all the trainings and fun competitions!!! =D

 Thanks to all the athletes that I have trained and competed with this year!! It was great fun!!!

And of course All my friends and family Thank you for support, your support has been very important for me!!!

Now it is tme to head to New Zealand for the winter and winter training! There is still left couple weeks of the off season before it is time to start planing the next season and get back to training!!!