Wairoa Extreme Race Final

8 Feb, 2010 - The Gisborne Herald- Fire is back — ‘I’m going to win’

Kristine Walsh

POLLY Green’s mate reckoned that if she started training now, she could be in the top 10 at the 2011 whitewater kayaking freestyle world championships, in Germany.

He should know — German kayaker Arnd Schaeftlein is considered a legend in the sport. But Green says she did not receive his praise with much grace.

“I’m not interested in being in the top 10,” says the US-born sportswoman and filmmaker, who settled in Gisborne in 2007.

“I’m going to win.”

A bold claim but, if anyone’s going to make it, she is. This is the woman who last year told The Gisborne Herald she wanted her second short documentary — Soft Power Health, about kayaker Dr Jessie Stone’s humanitarian aid efforts in Uganda — to be an award-winner. The film was last month named jury winner of best action sports film at California’s Mammoth Mountain Film Festival.

She has a strong foundation to work from. As a fine arts student at the University of Colorado, she was already a hardcore sportswoman when she took up freestyle kayaking in the early 1990s. In 2003, she was fifth at the world champs in Austria.

Though she gave up competing two years later, Green believes her experience and ability to work under pressure will stand her in good stead.

Taking a top place next year will not be easy. In 2009 the championship in Switzerland was won by US kayaker Emily Jackson, at 19 half Green’s age.

“But it’s certainly do-able so I’m stoked that my sponsors, Jackson Kayaks and Kokatat Watersports Wear, are back on board.”

Green is already doing her part — a seven-hour-a-day, six-day-a-week schedule that combines flatwater training on the Waimata River with cycling, yoga and meditation.

To supplement that she plans regular trips starting this week to Rotorua’s Kaituna River which, with its grade five rating, will give her the whitewater she needs to perfect her tricks.

“But because I don’t really want to leave Gisborne, much of my training will be on flat water — which means a lot of the work I do will be mental,” she says.

Schaeftlein will coach her via the internet. Today she is in Auckland for a session with neuroscientist/sports coach Kerry Spackman, whose book The Winner’s Bible is a source of inspiration to her.

She will also appear on tomorrow’s 8.20am edition of the Sunrise television programme to talk about both her sport and her filmmaking.

She has a meeting booked with the New Zealand Film Commission to talk about funding for A Fire Burning, the feature film she intends to make documenting her comeback into whitewater kayaking.

The first shoot for the film has already been done and Green has assembled a team that includes co-producer/co-writer Darnelle Timbs and co-directer/co-photographer Jo Tito, with high-profile Gisborne-based US duo Peter and Sarah Dixon on board as mentors.

“You have to approach these things with a sense of humour, so the film should be quite funny as well as being very personal,” Green says as she buckles on her helmet for the day’s training session.

“It will be very raw, very real but should have a few life lessons along the way.”

Polly Green in part blames The Gisborne Herald for her coming out of retirement, after it reported comments she made last year about not having won the world championship she coveted.

“Seeing it in black and white brought it home that I hadn’t achieved my goal to be the world No. 1 and I knew that if I didn’t go for it, I’d regret it.

“So now I’m absolutely committed. The fire is back.”

Training and Filming

Last week was a big one. Starting off with an interview on TV 3 Sunrise.

http://www.3news.co.nz/Gisborne-film-maker-creates-award-winning-documentary/tabid/418/articleID/140835/Default.aspx

-click on this link to view the interview

Then I went to Rotorua where I starting my first training back on the river. Training was filled with both ups and downs. It was great to be back on the river again, but I also experienced alot of frustration. Its been over a year since I have even been in a kayak so I felt really rusty and uncoordinated. And have high expectations of myself, knowing what I can do and am capable of.

I am super lucky to be getting coaching from Arnd Schaeftlein who brings to the table years of experience and a German no nonsense manner that is kicking me into shape whether I like it or not.
He gave me no choice in whether or not I was going to compete in the Wairoa Extreme Race. He said "Polly you will race and that's all there is to it". I was apprehensive as I hadn't been down the Wairoa in 5 years and hadn't even been down the Kaituna river yet. So it was strait into the frying pan and luckily German paddler Andi Uhl was there before my start and gave me a rundown of the lines for the time trial. I surprised myself and had pretty good lines and then found myself getting ready for the first of the head to head races. Once again I had good lines and kept advancing through my heats until I was in the final race. The whole way through the race I was focused on having good lines and having fun which I did, without focusing on the outcome. I ended up narrowly missing out on the win but felt great about my performance especially coming right off the couch so to speak.

So I think my lessons from last week are to be entirely in the moment and not focusing to much on the outcome.

We also began filming last week for a Fire Burning and I am starting to edit the trailer this week. We got some amazing POV shots thanks to Arnds new little Hero POV camera which is tiny but delivers amazing quality.

I am super grateful to my amazing production team and excited about the start of this journey! And also have to thank Andi Uhl who carried my boat up after each of my races which was a massive help and I appreciated so much, and was to me a true example of being a winning person, helping me when he didn't have to and going the extra mile. I am feeling so supported and it makes all the difference in the world!

Production begins on A Fire Burning

A Fire Burning Week 2

It's been a busy week with pre-production meetings for A Fire Burning, training, and getting organized for next week.

I am so grateful for the people that work with me and their dedication and enthusiasm. We have done some great brainstorming and have gotten clear with the essence of the film and what we want to achieve.

I think A Fire Burning is in some ways a response to comments I have gotten from my other 3 films. People want to help or make a difference but don't necessarily have the means or time to go to Africa and volunteer or money to donate. The underlying theme of A Fire Burning, is that to create positive change it begins with you and the person you are in the world. It is a simple as that. Taking a good hard look at our selves and the energy we put out. When someone leaves an encounter with us do they feel better than before or worse? Are you gossiping, complaining, and focusing on the negative? or are you optimistic, joyful, and full of gratitude?
The way we are in the world makes a massive difference and that is where true change begins.

Choosing myself as the main character for a Fire Burning is so that I walk my talk. I am constantly checking in with myself and the way I am being, and pretending the camera is rolling at all times. How can I be better? How can I make the world a better place?

My goal in life is the satisfaction in knowing that I did the absolute best I could with what I have been given and that by me being here on the planet I was able to make a positive impact.

So these are all reasons behind making A Fire Burning.

An amazing team of people have come together to share the passion behind this project and I am so grateful for them and their efforts.
I love working with people that get things done and do what they say they will do.
Next week we begin shooting.

I am having a coaching session with Kerry Spackman the author of the Winner's Bible on Monday, which feels like a dream come true and can't wait!
On Tuesday morning 9 February at 8:20am I have an interview on TV 3 Sunrise and will be talking about Soft Power Health and also launching the new film and my kayaking comeback.

So it will be a big week.

Thanks for following the progress of A Fire Burning. I have so much excitement and vision for this film, and know that the process of making it will be just as important as the finished film.