Cheryl Smith is in Moscow with the team, and she sent this report she received from Mac Hickox - Team Coach.

DAY 1 — Friday July 31 — MORNING REPORT

1000M HEATS

7:00 — Coach Barlow, Ben Hefner and I walk to the course – weather is perfect – clear blue sky – no wind

7:30 — Ben heads to the water for a warm up

8:00 — Ben back from his easy paddle / water secured from the Org Com for our team / Coach Anderson at breakfast with rest of the team

Vaija / Nelo and Plastex booths are open for service – we have picked up our MK4 that needed some small hull repairs discovered during Boat Control on Wednesday

One country is frantically going through Boat Control – unbelievable, one hour prior to the start of the regatta..

Coach Barlow and I take Ben’s boat over to Boat Control to recheck the boat weight – 16.2 kg

8:35 — Ben heads to water – each athlete must clear “Boat Debarkation” – our process has a Coach and Team Leader go through carrying the boat while the athlete carries their paddle – the ICF official checks their boat for the Boat Control sticker / athlete Body Number and Athlete Photo ID

Coach Barlow goes up the course on his bike to support Ben – athletes paddle up a warm up channel then must dock and crossover a grass median to another dock on the race course.– athletes are not allowed to paddle up the race course for their race

8:45 – Two USA Canoe Kayak ICF accredited officials — Connie Hagler and Connie Naughton go to their positions

9:00 Races begin.

9:07 – Heat #2 – Lane 9 – 1000m C1 – Ben Hefner – Result = 7^th 4:27:52 – ranked 18^th of 25 – his goal is now to qualify for the B final - top 9 to ‘A’ Final; 11 – 18 to ‘B’ Final

Poland recorded the fastest time with a 3:59 – the Polish entry won the Pre Test Regatta September, 2008.

Ben said it was cool in the start area when each country is called to the line – “Lane 9 USA” he was very proud to be part of the Junior World Championships as are all of our athletes.

Earlier in the week we took the team over to where the Org Com has all of the competing nation flags – there are 55 countries competing in this the 13^th ICF Junior World Championships – it was pointed out to our athletes that it is because of them that the US flag is on that pole – if we are not here competing, our flag is not present – then we said on a count of 3 the loudest Team USA you have ever heard – Putin could hear it in his parliament office in downtown Moscow..

10:15 — WK4 heads back to the hotel, a short 15 minute walk up the side of the course, after a light am paddle, as there is no 1000m for women, they will compete this afternoon in the 500m heats.

MK2 returns from their pre race paddle while the WK2 warms up and stretches with bands.

11:00 — MK2 heads to the water while WK2 continue their pre race routine

MK2 — finishes 4th 3:26.70 and advances to the semi final — ranked 13^th of 33. Luke and Cedric both felt they need to back of a little in the first 500 to be able to attack more in the final 500m

11:30 — WK2 finishes 5^th 4:02.25 and advances to the semi final — ranked 19^th of 25. Katy and Chelsea also felt that they have to back off a little in the first 500m in order to attack the final 500m

11:50 — MK4 heads to the water – 2 of the athletes are asked to remove wrist watches – these are not prohibited by the rules – the Chief Official indicated this at the Team Leaders meeting the day before – another example of an official being too officious – it was refreshing to hear the Chief Official say that we must educate the Juniors versus punish them through disqualification.

MK4 – finishes their race and feel that was the best they have felt – finishing 8^th in a time of 3:14.90 — ranked 27thof 28 – they are eliminated – their time in a strong tailwind today has not improved since Lake Placid.

Mac Hickox
National Development Director
USA Canoe Kayak

Here's more from Cheryl in Moscow - via Mac Hickox:

DAY 2 — SATURDAY, AUGUST1 — MORNING REPORT

1000M SEMI FINALS

6:50 — Coach Barlow, Ben Hefner, Ian Ross and I leave the hotel for our 15 minute walk to the boat house

7:20 — Ben goes to the water for his pre race paddle

WEATHER — clear blue sky & “dead calm”

MOOD — the atmosphere is changing – some athletes are still competing while others are out – the semi finals have been announced and some are “harder” than others BUT all are very demanding – some countries will be battling for placement into the ‘A’ Finals while others will fight to get into the ‘B’ Final.

In the end it will be about your time – there will be very few surprises – times that have been posted throughout the year, see some improvement BUT 10, 15 and 20 second improvements in the last six weeks will not occur.

8:35 — Ben clears Boat Debarkation & heads up the course to SF #1 with top 3 to ‘A’ Final / 4 - 7 to ‘B’ Final / with next best time from either semi final also going to ‘B’ Final — Rest Out – his goal is the ‘B’ Final – it will be very competitive – he will have a battle to make the ‘B’ Final BUT it is doable

Rest of the team arrives with Coach Anderson. Chris Miller and Zach Robertson have secured the video camera and long range camera and are off to the grandstand – their assistance is appreciated

MK2 — have gone to the water for a pre race paddle

Wk2 — have gone to the water for a pre race paddle

9:00 — SF #1 – Lane # 9 Ben Hefner USA – finishes 9^th in a time of 4:36.198 / 1^st place is 4:13.913 from Kazakhstan – this athlete raced at the Beijing Olympics in C1

Japan was 7^th in 4:26.550 and 8^th place was 4:28.528 – Ben is eliminated.

Reaching the dock he was emotionally upset – he did not have his best performance and in this arena, that is all you can ask of yourself – a personal best must be brought when it counts – this morning it counted.

10:00 — MK2 – final prep period is on – Luke and Cedric are now loosening up near the boat – a few final reminders of the progression – it is strictly by position – Top 3 to ‘A’ Final / 4 – 6 to ‘B’ Final.

They race well and execute their plan to perfection – they are exhausted as they paddle to Boat Control – they are elated as they should be they have just done a personal best and finished 6^th – they are in the ‘B’ Final with a time of 3:29.630 / Japan was 5^thwith a 3:28.811 – in the SF #1 – 4^th was Iran in 3:28.070 and 5^th Ukraine was 3:29.527. SF # 3 – Great Britain was 5^th with a 3:28.031, while Slovakia was 6^th in 3:30.742

It is exciting for the whole team to see a crew perform so well. It will be a great B final at 3:36 this afternoon.

10:40 — WK2 – Chelsea Smith and Katy Hill are now headed to the Boat Debarkation – they are quiet but determined – they are reminded of the progression and the need to bring all they have. “Get ‘er done” is the last thing they hear – Chelsea smiles broadly.

Their performance although raced according to their plan places them in 9^th in their SF with a time of 4:06.256 – they are out of the 1000m competition – 8^th was Iran in a time of 4:04.381 and 7^th was from Japan with 4:03.436 and 6^th Belarus – 4:00.393. In the SF # 1 – Poland was 1^st in 3:52.369 / 1^st in SF #2 was Germany in 3:50.367

This morning dramatically showed all countries how competitive the ICF Junior World Championships have become. Our time standards are very relevant for USA to continue to attain – Luke Potts and Cedric Bond will carry the stars and stripes into our only final this afternoon. As Cedric Bond stood tall on opening night as our flag bearer – he and his partner Luke Potts will do us proud this afternoon