Hello, Pisquali speaking. I am gently saddened by my decision of quitting paddling and I currently feel a bit like I miss Florida; especially when I read those great articles in your journal(s), it reminds me of the funny yet serious and competitive atmosphere of the canoe world. Do you still have a chairmen committee for the Florida poker tour? Is Attila still imitating Borat all the time? I wish you guys all the best for this springs qualifications, but mostly I wish you a great time training and at Yak for a Stack; because I have realized that for most young paddlers who don't make it to the national team or even the junior worlds, you get as much from the training than from the competition, if not more.
Ciao

Pisquali, you have managed to make all four C4C members get a little cloudy eyed. All of us could not agree more with your sentiments. As Mark so aptly put in his acceptance speech for 2001 Canadian Junior Athlete of the Year, “I’d just like to say, that once you accomplish your dream. You realize it’s not just about the dream, but about all the things you experienced along the way.” It is a really special realization to make that it is so much about the work you do every day to be your best, the friends you make and the pure fun of being out on the water with such a great group of people and only partially about the end results, medals, teams and time standards.

In response to your questions: Poker tournaments seem to be out, largely because co-chairman and former Borat impersonator Atilla is now a father with a little girl to chase around his apartment. Golf is in. Gab shot a 97 last week.

Finally, if you miss paddling, it isn’t going anywhere. It isn’t the end of the world to take some time away, do other stuff and come back to it if you want to. Take a lesson from one Andrew Russell who was largely a club/CCA paddler for his last three years of University. You know how things have gone since he has come back. We hope to see you @ Nationals.