Adventures in Kuala Lumpur

OMG, Lisa, Carolyn and Nancy have nothing

to hold on to!

Before the plunge

The elephant decides to dump us and go for a Swim!

So, we go swimming in elephant poop.

Nancy and Carolyn and "friends" at the foot

fish spa - their feet have never been softer!

Lisa and Carolyn get a Hindu "blessing"

Miscellaneous afterthoughts.

Notice the glassy stare of the champion
swimming pool chicken fighter as she peers
from behind the foliage - selecting
her next victim.







"Do you think that if I have too many
beers it'll make my hips bigger?"
Yes dear, and that can of Pringles
won't help either.


And they say that guys are not too bright.
Sitting under the pool-side waterfall
in the heat and humidity looks pretty smart to me.

Home from KL

hello all, sorry we were not able to get the final stats on the web, but it has been pretty hectic the last 3 days and internet access is a bit limited at times.
Wasabi proudly is coming home with 4 medal from worlds. Grand Masters mixed proudly earned a bronze in 500 meter. Wasabi GM Women earned a bronze in 2000 meter, silver in 200 meter and bronze in 500 meter, missing silver by less than 7/10 of a second. Not even a dragons hair.
Wasabi Premier Women had a tough bracket with 21 competitors from around the world, all there to prove who is best. Even with this tough racing, I believe they came in 10th. Not bad women !!!
Besides the wonderful time we all had, Wasabi has shown the world that we are a well-rounded, competitive, gracious team.
The race area was a bit barren, but the competition was well run and a joy to compete in. It was apparent that Penang was proud that they were sponsoring the games. The locals knew who was competing and who was winning. One day my group stopped at the batik factory on the way down the hill. The proprietor knew that we had won a metal the day before. Overall, an incredible experience. It is such a priviledge to have competed.
The next day we all went our separate ways. The group I joined for a brief time enjoyed a trip to the Highlands to stay at the Equator Hotel. It was like having a view from the top of the world. The next day we spent several hours at the BOH Team farm and factory. What a sight. It is hard to show in a picture, the steep hills. The workers carry a wicker basket on their back, cut and scoop the leaves in the basket until full. They are paid by pound of leaves. If you are a human Billy goat with incredible stamina, you have a good future toiling in the tea fields.
That night we ended up in Kuala Lampur. Imagine, Disney Land, Las Vegas and Hong Kong on steroids and you might get an idea of the strip our hotel was on. Quite different than the placid beaches we had spent the last week at.
Over the next few days when I recover from jet lag and my return to work, I will be downloading more photos. Please visit this Flickr link and the others that Larry listed.
Also, if you have photos to contribute, please let me know and I will post them for you.

More of the Kek Lok Si temple

GM Mixed picture pose after the Bronze

Pants, I need no pants!

More photos to be seen:
Gene's: -- http://flickr.com/photos/genestatic and
All Wasabi: --http://flickr.com/groups/wasabipaddlingclub

Malay + Wasabi

Kung Fu, Dragon Style

Races are Over

It is Tuedsday is the U.S. and some of us are home. It is Wednesday on the other side of the International dateline and many of the club members are on their extended vacations.
Thailand, Singapore, Laos, Vietnam and some little island where the diving is supposed to be real good (enjoy Connie) plus others. Safe journey's to all.

Stayed tuned to the blog spot for more updates and pictures.

Mornings in Penang

Mornings arrive
like a call to prayer
over the China Sea.

He calls the sun to rise
above blue mountains
arms outstretched
over Penang.

He calls heat to rise
like fog, calls the sea
to the sand, calls the crab
to shore, sand shuffling
under its feet.

Dogs resting on the beach
lift their heads
sniff the new day.

Cultural Side - Kek Lok Si Temple

The expansive Kek Lok Si temple overlooks Georgetown, Penang's largest city.

Some team Burn members were taking in the culuture and in search of a little team luck when they arrived at the temple. For a contribution to the construction they were able to enscribe one of the roof tiles that will protect the Guan Yin Bodhisaliva statue. The statue is proclaimed to be the tallest of its kind in the world at 120 feet tall. It is constructed of bronze and will be protected by a roof held by 16, 200 foot tall, dragon pillars. The Wasabi Burn tile will be one of thousands protecting the statue and giving the team good luck.

Laurie Hansen

Saturday - Start of Jersey trade day

One of the taditions at the World Championships is trading race jerseys with other countries. Here the lovely Meghan is modeling one of the only "Tiger style" race jerseys scored from the Malaysian team. (And you all thought there would never be another Marilyn Monroe).

There were several Malaysian teams at the event. It seems that the Wasabi jerseys were particularly popular with the Malaysians as their jerseys were with us. You'll see many Malasian jersys at practice in the coming weeks.

More to come with race results. Please be patient as they are not recorded in a timely fashion.

Friday by the pool and some of Saturdays results

As you can see Wasabi Burn members Tracey and SaTina decided on a chicken fight in the pool Saturday afternoon. Satina (and Terry) won the best two out of three.

Saturday started out as another brutally hot and humid day. As the afternoon deepened so did a layer of clouds cooling things off by about 10 degrees. The afternoon also saw the Grand Masters Mixed team win the Bronze Medal in the 500 meter, edging out "Eat Trout" and "Pond Scum" from Canada. First palce went to Heat (Canada) and Burleigh (Australia).

Wasabi Burn earned a second place finish in the minor final of the 500 meter. A very hard fought race against primarily Asian teams.

Pictures and more race results to follow.

Tomorrow is the Womens 500 meter races followed by the closing paddlers party. Everyone will then be heading back home or on extended trips to various locales.

bronze and silver for GM women

Today started out well, we learned that the GM women earned a bronze medal for the 2000 meter race.
We arrived just in time to marshall for the 200 meter race. We were first in our heat. For the final, we received a silver. Not bad for a days work.
GM women are given a day off from racing tomorrow while the rest of the teams are continuing competition in the 200 meter races.
Go Wasabi !

Friday 200 meter day

In the center of the picture is what they call the floating Mosque. Each morning John and I wake up at 5:30am to the call to morning prayer being broacast from the Mosque. Because we are on the 25th floor it is pretty easy to hear in the dark and silence of the early morning it is actually quite a beautiful thing.

Speaking of beautiful things there were a couple of them today from the Mixed 200 meter races. (As I write this the Women's teams are still on the race course but I am back at the hotel earger to finish this blog and head for the cold Tiger beer waiting for me at pool side.) Wasabi Burn (the Premier Mixed team) and the Grand Masters Mixed team traveled to Penang 2 male paddlers short of the permitted 12 for the mixed division. Coach Sue and Polly had agreed to cross-roster Chris, Jim, Kirk and Larry so each crew could race with 12 male paddlers. As fate would have it, the GM Mixed team landed in the Finals for the 200 meter which placed them right after Wasabi Burns 2nd heat of the day.

In a true show of club spirit Wasabi Burn raced short two paddlers in order to give GM Mixed the greatest possbile opportunity in the finals (beautiful thing 1).

Wasabi Burn racing two paddlers short gave a very respectable showing in their heat pushing the Canadian teams. It wasn't enough however to land them in the Premier Mixed final. GM Mixed finished 4th in the 200 meter finals with a time of 48.6 seconds, 1.08 seconds out of first place and less than 1/2 a second out of second place (beautiful thing 2), thanks in a big way to the selfless support of our Wasabi Burn teammates.

Set the bar high, accept nothing less, strive for perfection and lead by example. Thank you all.

Larry