Good moring, Albert and congratulations for your fourth position. How did occured to you to compete in the world longest competition in the other side of the planet?
Actually, it wasn't my first time. In 2000 and 2001 I competed and I also finished fourth, but competing in K-2.
I took part in La regata del Río Negro just as a pre-season preparation. And that prevented me to compete 100% from the very first day, as I didn't trained specifically for it.
What's your final valuation of this year's final result?
To be honest, I didn't expected, because as I said, I afronted it as a training. We're just starting the winter season and the quantity and quality of the kilometers that I rowed there in 6 days (390km) it would be really difficult to have done them in Banyoles. So, my final valoration of the competition is really positive. As the days went by during the competition I improved my classification day by day. I finished seventh at the end of the first day and I moved forward from there every day until I finished fourth in final stage, where I arrived at the sprint with the stronger guys.
Appart from the quantity of kilometers, which other adversities had you to face?
I would say the weather conditions. Before arriving to Argentina, I spent some days in New York, where the temperature was around -10ºC and 15ºC. In a few hours by plane I arrived at Buenos Aires with temperatures that could arrive to 35ºC. That's a differencial of 45 or 50ºC! Adapting to this change was specially hard on the first day of competition. Besides, the stages started usually at noon, where the sun shone at his very best!
Another disadvantatge I had to face was a storm of wind and sand in three of the six stages. That made specially difficult to row safely and comfortably. There were some competitors that fell off to the water!
At the end, everything went really good and I can only say that my final valuation is really positive, because these little problems make you stronger and provide you with experience to face them.
Explain us a little bit of the other kayakers.
Enventough it's a very famous competition in Argentina, it is unknown in Europe. Actually, I was the only european to compete there. Most of the kayakers are argentinian and used to row at Negro river with a strong know-how of the river currents really useful to face the competition. However, there were some good kayakers: Adrian Vega, the final winner, is also training to compete in the Canoe Marathon World Championships Banyoles 2010!
Your usual K-2 partner in the national team, Iván Alonso, has decided to traing specifically for short distances. This week the criteria to be selected for the World Championships has been published. How do you consider your inclusion to the national team?
By now, I'm just training with my sight set in the K-1. Training in Banyoles and with the support I've recieved from all the people around me, I'll try to bet for the K-1, eventhough I don't postpone the classification in the K-2.
Will you look for another kayaker to try it in the K-2?
There's always people who offer for the K-2, but because of the proximity of the WOrld and Spanish Championships and my experience in Marathon Wolrd Cups I don't think it's a good idea to mix it up with different kayakers. So, we could say that all the money is in the K-1. But the K-2 would be considered if another experienced kayaker finally shows up!
In which modality do you think you have more possibilities to be included in the national team?
Actually, it is very difficult in both (K-1 and K-2), because there's only one place for each of them. In K-1, Manuel Bustos is the defending champion and he has his place safe and secure. So I would have to win the Spanish Championships.
In the K-2, the boat Merchan-Fiuza are already classified for the World Championships because they are the defending chamipons too. So, there's also one place left!
Personally, I rather do it in K-2, because it's more spectacular and funnier. But, by now, the solution would be try it in K-1 and that's how I will try!
Good luck, then!
