Hello everyone. Happy New Year to you all.

Today we catch up again with Peter Chambers, a little late but everyone has been busy with seasonal festivities.

Peter is a very proud man as he’s had a boat named after him by Bann Rowing Club, Coleraine – not something that happens every day! Congratulations Peter.

2013 has arrived!

2012 was a brilliant year and it will be very difficult to top it, but I’m looking forward to the upcoming season and the opportunities it will provide with rowing. We have been back in training for three months and, as both Richard and I have discussed before on our blogs, it has shown its challenges, mainly the challenge of training and getting back up to top form, but finally we are well and truly up and running with our training.

I had a great Christmas as I was at home for a week in Northern Ireland. I spent the time mainly eating, meeting friends, surf kayaking and doing some training. The kayaking is a favourite for me when I go home. I head out with my dad and it’s great to get out on the water and practice some skills. It’s not any colder than the summer, it’s pretty much the same temperature all year round.

But unfortunately it’s back to work now.  Our first trip this year starts this coming Saturday, we head to Portugal for a couple of weeks to do a solid block of training. It’s a great time to get the training done, but pretty remote and the only faces we see are each others, thats alright for everyone else as I’m pretty good looking, but it can get a bit boring! We are based on a farm which is quite far away from the nearest town, so there isn’t really anything to do except eat, sleep, row.

After this we have the opportunity to head to Australia for the first World Cup in March, but we will have to be on top form to be selected as only a strong team will go. This should keep us on our toes for the next few months. It’s exciting, but before this we have to grind out ergo tests and water trials to show how fit we are. I look forward to the challenge of this year, it will be just as tough as any other year.

Next month you will hear from Richard about how the Portugal training camp has gone and what he looks forward to in this coming year.

Thanks Peter, sounds like an interesting few months ahead. I have a sneak preview of the supplies you’ll be taking to camp, official and, ummm, not so official. No prizes! Have a great time at training camp.