PROFILE

TWO MEN IN A BOAT

Two Men + Three Boats = Three Medals?

In front, kayaker Fabien Lefèvre paddles on his knees, not in his usual sitting position. His paddle has just one blade, not the double used in the kayak. It’s «a radical change that often makes me feel I’m going to fall into the water on the left (of the boat) where I can no longer brace.» Behind him, Denis Gargaud-Chanut, the canoe specialist, let’s him take charge, «trusting in his instinct».

These two whitewater fanatics have joined forces on the road to the 2012 London Olympics, driven by the shared dream of an unprecedented treble. «Our ambition is to go there as two men with three boats for three medals,» says Fabien.

LETTING GO

For Fabien, it’s «a human adventure and an unprecedented challenge». For Denis, «It’s like the thrill of a big poker play!»

The high spot of their first season together was a World Cup podium. Denis swears he «gained four years experience in just one season!» And Fabien? «I feel more able to let Denis take charge here and there. I’m even starting not to notice when he’s in control!»

Little by little, Fabien, the kayaker, is starting to understand how to control the kicking, bucking canoe. «In the kayak, each stroke is the engine that drives you, each stroke counts. At first, in the canoe, I wanted to return to the attack all the time. Now I’ve learnt how to accelerate by braking, how to widen my line and how to anticipate ahead of each gate.»

A GAMBLE STARTS TO PAY OFF

Little by little, Denis, a single canoe specialist, is starting to feel more at home in the new boat. «There are those who think that being in the double canoe will stop me progressing in the single canoe. That was certainly the case during the first season (2008-09). Certainly my single canoe technique didn’t improve as quickly as it might have done. But… but, thanks to the double canoe, I’ve gained four years experience, I’ve gained the equivalent of an Olympic build-up: that’s a huge bonus and I will enjoy the benefit of that for a long time to come.»

ONE PLUS ONE MAKES THREE

DENIS ON THE «DUO»

«With our trainer Jean-Yves Cheutin, our duo consists of three people. All three, we’re happy to be together, happy to work together. It’s as simple as that!»

FABIEN ON THE «DUO»

«With our trainer Jean-Yves Cheutin, our duo is a trio covering three generations (in canoe-kayak terms): An early Twenty Something – An approaching Thirty Something – An almost Forty Something! This interaction between the different generations is the foundation on which our challenge in built.»

MEMORABLE FIRSTS

FIRST RUN TOGETHER OCTOBER 2008 PAU

Denis: «It was the worst fright I’ve had for at least 10 years! At one point when things went belly-up, we took a ducking… but we hadn’t agreed in advance whether to roll out to the right or to the left!!!»

Fabien: «It was just as well no-one was watching us that day, because we sailed like a right pair of idiots, making it up as we went along. I guess you could say it was an interesting workout!!!»

FIRST WORLD CUP PODIUM JUNE 2009 PAU (France)

Denis: «Even if we were second, for me, it was a victory… only beaten by the Slovaks! It was a fantastic race. At the finish, I had to dig deep! As we crossed the line, I saw we’d beaten our semi-final time by four seconds. I shrieked like a man possessed, a real primal scream. It made some women kayakers who were warming up nearby laugh!!»

FIRST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS SEPTEMBER 2009 LA SEU D’URGELL (Spain)

Denis: «This 11th place was frustrating. As the program had not been adapted (to take account of our needs), we had the semi-final at 8h30 then I had the single canoe semi at 9h00. Following our semi, they gave us a penalty point, which kept us out of the final. With just 20 minutes between the semis, I found it difficult to refocus, to get rid of my irritation. As a result, I made a stupid mistake… I took one gate with the line you’d use for the double canoe. This incident highlights the limitations facing us. If the international authorities don’t adapt the program, it will be difficult (for us) to compete with the best…»

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

FABIEN’S SWITCH FROM SINGLE KAYAK (K1) TO DOUBLE CANOE (C2)

«In double canoe, everything’s on a different scale: the effort, the sharing, the communication, the pleasure, the sensations, the emotions. In single kayak, I was beginning to feel alone. In double canoe, happiness comes from the osmosis of being together, of successfully navigating a run together. In single kayak, happiness comes from osmosis with the whitewater. In double canoe with a single blade, sailing is more like flying. On my knees, I feel the movement of the water differently. I really feel as though I’m taming the river. In the kayak, where I’m sitting and have the benefit of a double blade, I master above all the turns where the gates are close together.»

DENIS’ SWITCH FROM SINGLE CANOE (C2) TO DOUBLE CANOE (C2)

«In single canoe, I talk to my canoe as though it’s my team-mate. In double canoe, I don’t talk to my canoe. I talk to my team-mate. In single canoe, the water is not an obstacle for me but my ally, my accomplice. In double canoe, the water becomes an obstacle. For me, I get a real kick from taking it on in with Fabien, in harmony with one another, with a determination to hang in there, come what may, in tune with the ‘alien’ in the boat with me.»