(Leia o artigo em Português)
This team needs no introduction. Not only are they the R4 and R6 World Rafting Champions, there has not been a World Rafting Champs where they have not climbed onto the podium since they first started competing.
They radiate such positive energy that it is simply addictive. Their love of singing and dancing is infectious. Their T-shirts are the most sort after. And as we lead up to the 2015 WRC, they are once again in the top three as favourites. Certainly everyone’s eyes are on them wherever they are and they are definitely the most popular team. But, we love them because they are such nice guys.
Here is the interview with them.
Name the team members?
”Lucas, coré ( coach ) – Antonio, zé – Rafael, keke – Genildo, gê – Saulo, queiroz – Carlos, pezão – Fabio, fabinho – André, mãozinha.”
A brief history of the team?
“The team has existed since 2002, our first championship we achieved 4th and in 2003 won the national championship and so the privilege to represent Brazil at the WRC in the Czech Republic that year. We won the H2H race and achieved 3rd overall. In 2004 we won the Brazilian Champs and went to the Pre Worlds in Ecuador, where we achieved 3rd in the H2H and 4th overall. From 2006 to 2015, we won all the national championships both in R6 and R4.
We won the Pan American championship in the years 2006 (Costa Rica), 2008 (Argentina), 2010 (in Brazil) and 2012 (in Canada).
We won the World Cup in 2009 in Serbia, in 2010 in Argentina and 2012 in Canada. In 2011 we were 4th in the World Champs in Costa Rica.
We won the World Rafting Champs in 2007 (R6 – South Korea), 2009 (R6 – Bosnia) 2013 (R6 – New Zealand) and 2014 (R4 – Brazil).
We have also participated in some Euro Champs as guests, since we are from South America, and participated in the Euro Cup in Austria and Slovakia.”
What do the team do?
“We all work as rafting guides. I also paddle slalom kayaks, and Genildo paddles a kayak for paracanoe. All of us do functional training in a nearby town (San Carlos) with Valeria in the treatment and rehabilitation centre and follow up with her and her husband Marcos, in the Dominato clinic (specialized physiotherapy). We also do workouts at the gym, Active Gym. ”
How long have your team members done rafting?
- Lucas 17 years
- Fabio 19 years
- Rafael 16 years
- Antonio 17 years
- Saul 5 years
- Genildo 10 years
- André 15 years
- Carlos 10 years
How does your team prepare for the competition?
“We are training in our local town, Brotas, on the river Jacaré Pepira, where the level of water is very low at the moment due to the lack of rain, it’s only Class II and III. For more training we paddle in the flat water stretch within the city. This year we participated and won a national championship in the city of Apiuna (Santa Catarina) where the level of the river was III and IV. ”
You will be defending your R6 title gained in New Zealand in 2013 – what do you expect the outcome will be …. and what are your expectations in general?
“We always train to achieve the best result. I believe the competition will be fierce, the teams will be training hard for the WRC, and we are also training hard to achieve our goal which is the title.”
Which discipline does your team like the most?
“We enjoy the Sprint, and the Slalom as it has the opportunity to do it twice, but we also train hard for H2H and DR for a good placement.”
Sponsors you want to thank? “Hidro2, Ecoação, Dominato, C.T.R, Pousada Jacaúna , Restaurante Brotas Bar , Assai Frooty, Jornal Ideias, Prefeitura de Brotas, academia Active Gym, Zefir, Hotel fazenda Roseira, Pousada Primavera da Serra.”
Facebook – Bozo D’ Água Brasil Rafting Team
(Thanks to Renata Grandi and Sebastien Denervaud for help with the Portuguese.)
And even when there have been changes in the composition of the team over the years, they have maintained the same level of high quality, which is very rare. If you follow them through their Facebook page, you will see that they have been seriously preparing for Indonesia for a long time already. We can not wait to see them in action again. We also want to congratulation these great guys for all they have achieved so far. Pushing their own limits, they have also pushed the limits of this sport internationally. The standards are getting higher and tougher, and without serious work, commitment, dedication and perseverance there can be no success.
We wish them good stroke, and continue in this vein for a long long time.
