Olympic silver medallist and former World Champion, Richard Hounslow, has retired from men’s slalom K1 to intensify his efforts on the C2 boat which he will race with David Florence in next summer’s Rio Games.
Before doubling up in K1 and C2, the 33 year old Hounslow had, in men’s K1 slalom, finished fourth in the 2007 World Championships and medalled the following year in the World Cup series.
Since London 2012, where he won silver in C2 and came 12th in K1, Hounslow has been a top twenty K1 finisher in World Championships. But, in the back of the boat with Florence, the pair has delivered consistent medal success including the 2013 World title.
“I’m not after top twenties, I’m after medals, gold medals and the C2 has been going exceptionally well,” said Hounslow, who has paired up with Florence in the C2 since 2009.
Florence, who won the C1 title in this summer’s World Championships, will continue to compete in both boats.
Hounslow decided not to race the K1 at last month’s trials for the team bound for Rio 2016. After a tight competition, which came down to the final race of the three days, 22 year old Joe Clarke won the K1 spot. Florence and Hounslow were clear winners in the C2.
That meant that September’s Lee Valley World Championships were Hounslow’s K1 swansong, although at that point he hadn’t firmly decided.
“At the time I didn’t know it was going to be my last race because I hadn’t made my decision,” he admitted. “But it was something I had talked to my coach and head coach about immediately after the London Games, that at some point I might focus on C2 if the K1 was not going well.”
Hounslow sees obvious benefits of adapting his training to the demands of competing in one event: “In terms of what we do in C2, nothing will change and we will still do the same number of C2 sessions because David is still competing in the C1.
“But it will mean I can work in the gym now, I can make myself more robust, I can make myself into the strongest, best possible back-man I can.
“That leaves a couple of sessions to be able to jump out on the water in the C1, to really try and improve my general canoe skills and that will help with the speed of the C2.
“I’m looking forward to getting back into this new way of training, minus the K1 and I’m really excited about what it can do for our C2 and how we can improve it.”
Being one of the first countries to decide its team for the Rio Games means Hounslow and his GB team mates can use their time more effectively, particularly at this weekend’s Rio test event.
“Having selected the team so early we will be at every training camp in Rio and the focus will be volume and train, train, train to get used to the Rio course and make it our home from home,” said Hounslow.
“We’ll be going to the Rio test event knowing we will be competing at the Olympics. Whereas, there will be other boats from other countries that will be there for training and don’t yet know if they will be going to the Games.
“It’s going to be an intense three weeks and we will use every single opportunity we get to go on the water and do as many runs as we possibly can.
“I want to be coming back a broken man - not injured obviously, but physically drained - knowing I’ve put everything I possibly can into it and learnt as much as I can about the course.”
Said British Canoeing Slalom Head Coach, Paul Ratcliffe: “It's a great achievement that Richard has been a member of the men’s K1 team every year since 2005 and has learned his trade through hard work and dedication, whilst being guided along the way by the coaches, Ian Raspin, Mark Delaney and myself.
“Richard has consistently looked to improve his kayak year on year and, for me, his kayak highlights were a fourth place at the Worlds and earning the Olympic spot in London. It is a great decision by Richard to now focus his efforts on the C2 which can only strength his pursuit of excellence in Rio next year.”
