Wishing you all a very belated (sorry about that) happy New Year! I hope it is a happy and successful year. I don’t want to jinx the year ahead but I quite like the sound of 2010. Don’t ask me why.
I am in Paris at the moment to train with the French female foilists at their sporting academy called L’INSEP. I have already had a couple of training sessions and I am truly impressed with the French setup. The facilities are outstanding and worthy of any champion. I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to train with the French girls and will no doubt learn a lot from them. The ambience is welcoming and sociable too, a perfect environment to challenge and better yourself during training.
I will also be fencing in the Antony International Challenge on Sunday in Paris as a warm-up for the start of the international season in February. There is a strong entry including both French and German teams, and some Italians. The incentive, apart from a good performance to prepare well for the upcoming season, is prize money of approximately € 2000! Wish me luck!
As an additional bonus, I love Paris. I spent a large part of 2007 living and studying in Paris while on my year abroad from Durham University and I often look back upon those days with a big smile. I used to spend my days studying at a leisurely pace (the best way to do it), training and walking, everywhere. Paris is an enchanting place with its quaint narrow streets, beautiful boulevards, parks and bistros.
I look forward to training or competing in France and I am always guaranteed great food. I find it funny how the French mock us Brits for our perceived culinary ignorance. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I think the French/British banter is hilarious. And we only do it because we secretly love and admire one another’s distinctive qualities. That’s what I keep telling myself anyway.
Bye for now!
Claire.
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