Corona Diaries #3, Michele Ramazza (Italy)

Outside, rivers are starting to flow and spring is around the corner, the sun is shining high in some areas, yet around the world, many are grounded at home, and it seems likely others soon will be. Which, though difficult, let’s repeat it, folks is THE THING TO DO! It is necessary and worth it!

So, we at Kayak Session decided to take the opportunity to catch up with our friends in the whitewater community and see how they are coping across the globe.

Today we talked to extreme racer Michele Ramazza from Italy who – after a full on winter of training and kayaking – is stuck at home in Bologna, Northern Italy – right in the epicenter of the pandemic in Europe where hundreds are dying daily at the moment.

How zit Michele, Where are you and what is the situation like where you are?

I’m at home as you can imagine, where else… Since the 10^th of March, every day the government has imposed more and more restrictions. At the present time we can only go out to buy food, cigarettes and go to work. All schools, restaurants, bar, unnecessary shops, and public parks are closed. The hospital are overloaded due to the amount of people who need emergency assistance. It has even become tricky to find food since some people are panicking and raid the supermarkets.

« Since probably Italy is the first country that started this bad experience, I would like to invite all the people around the world to start immediately the social distancing because the earlier you will begin, the more chance you have to mitigate this bad boy. «

Any exercise? Can you get out to the Gym? Run? Paddle at all?

I can do exercise at home. I’m not allowed to go outside for this reason. So, of course, no paddling.

Are you keep training of you are taking a break?

I need to keep training, for my mental sanity and to not loose all the work done in the past. It’s a bit harder to train properly at home by yourself but I’m not going to take a break. I’ll just train hard at home. I’m focusing on those exercise which you can do at home, like stretching and core stability.

You are producing an online “Stay Fit” Blog during the outbreak … tell us more about it.

I’m training since I was 13 years old and I’m a trainer and a kayak instructor. I feel responsible to give some advice to the kayakers confined at home who don’t know how to destroy their abs with just a mattress in the living room in front of the TV.

How has Covid-19 impacted your plans for the season? What do you know about the extreme Worlds in Norway at the end of June, there are rumors of cancellation…?

Extreme Sport Veko in Norway is going to happen if the authorities give the “thumb up” At the moment the World Champ in Voss are confirmed and, as soon as I know, it will be epic. However the World Champion title can only be assigned if all the athletes of the globe are in the condition to reach the event safely.

« This hard time is going to end at some point and you must be ready to get the most out of the next time you hit the river! «

How do you spend most of your time?

I have a big working project going on at the moment and I’m using this time to do as much work as possible in order to have more free time when this hard time will be over. As soon as I stop working my daughter Nina begins to ask to play with me and I try to make her smile… She also like to play with kayaks sometimes! I always save 1 hour for my daily training or garage works on bikes or kayak.

What are you watching right now? Any (kayak) porn recommendations?

I personally don’t looks many kayaking video, but I really like to follow the good kayaking and traveling photos posted by friends around the world. Those images make me still dream of new missions and rivers.

Any words of wisdom for your fellow paddlers across the world?

Since probably Italy is the first country that started this bad experience, I would like to invite all the people around the world to start immediately the social distancing because the earlier you will begin, the more chance you have to mitigate this bad boy. My philosophy is to try to get the best from every moment. You cannot stop the river, but you can enjoy running it. We must stay home now.. Ok, play with you children, train the core, stretch and tune your kayak for the next time you will go kayaking. This hard time is going to end at some point and you must be ready to get the most out of the next time you hit the river!