Two brothers, Conrad Erik Hopp, 19, of Toronto and Henno Hopp, 8, of Malibu, California have achieved top standing in competitions on the water.
Head coach Peter Martinek, formerly coach of the Greek Olympic team keeps the athletes focused and in year-round top condition. Competition season training consists of on-water workouts, weight training and running; off-season includes swimming, running, calisthenics weights and ergometer (indoor kayak system), all packed into ten sessions a week.
As a youngster, Conrad participated in many sports: house/select league hockey, house competitive league soccer, high school swim and soccer teams. By grade 11, time constraints dictated that he focus solely on sprint kayak and academics. He graduated with honours, on the dean's list.
Canoe and kayak paddlers from 42 clubs across Canada – over 1000 paddlers – competed at the end of August 2013 at the Canadian Sprint CanoeKayak Championships at the Olympic Basin in Montréal. Conrad paddles with the Balmy Beach Canoe Club in Toronto and competes in flatwater sprint races in distances of 200m, 500m and 1000m, both in singles and 2-man and 4-man kayaks.
His club had great success at the National Championships and Conrad won 3 medals at the National Championships – 2 golds, 1 silver: Gold medal and Canadian Champions in the Under 19 Men K-4 1000m race. This was the third consecutive year that Conrad and his team mates have won gold in this category. Gold medal and Canadian Champions in the Senior Men K-4 1000m race. Conrad and his team mates won this hard fought race, a relentless full-out 1000m, beating the crew from Cheema by just .244 seconds! Silver medal in the Under 19 Men K2 1000m. Conrad and his K2 partner, Nigel Rockett, have won bronze in previous years. The winners – from Saskatchewan – set a course record.
While brother Henno's CV isn't as extensive as his older brother's he has placed fourth in the Explorer Super Groms Division of the National Scholastic Surfing Association in California. In The Malibu Times he was labeled as a local hero. Both boys are ex-Jõekääru campers. There father is Jon Hopp.
Estonian Life
