PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY WORLD ROWING

After deteriorating conditions yesterday caused racing to be abandoned, the action got underway again early this morning on Barletta Beach as the final four boat classes were concluded at the 2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Italy.

The final medal table had ten nations picking up medals across the nine boat classes with the host nation, Italy, claiming three of them. All four boat classes raced today were won by different nations as Great Britain, Spain and the Netherlands also claimed World titles.

Racing started with the U19 women’s double sculls. The first rounds had been raced yesterday and it was just the finals left to race. The extra speed that Vittoria Pastorelli and Maria Vittoria Crevatin had on the return leg was enough to secure gold for Italy, Great Britain taking the silver.

Racing came thick and fast in the condensed programme and the U19 mixed double sculls were up next where, despite a capsize in the final stages of the row to the beach, Jonathan Martini’s run to the buzzer was enough to secure gold for him and his British teammate, Isabel Lancaster.

It was just the solos left to race, and the men were up first. The final saw two former World Rowing Beach Sprint champions go head-to-head as 2019 winner Adrian Miarmon Quiroga of Spain faced local hero Giovanni Ficarra, who has won in 2021. It was the Spaniard, who had a bit more experience and was able to judge the waves a little better, that came on top and claimed his second World title.

The women’s solo saw an exact repeat of the Final from the European Rowing Beach Sprint Championships just a few weeks ago where France’s Elodie Ravera-Scaramozzino beat Dutch athlete Janneke Van Der Meulen of the Netherlands by 0.18 seconds. However, the result was reversed on this occasion and it was revenge for the Dutch athlete as she became World Champion.
As the curtain came down on a dramatic set of World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals, focus moved to the endurance format which Barletta will host next weekend, 6-8 October 2023.

You can find full results and reactions on worldrowing.com.

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BY MARLENE ROYLE
PHOTO BY ED MORAN

Pause for a count of 1-one thousand, 2-one thousand. Row. 

This slight interruption of the stroke cycle gives you the opportunity to stop briefly and check your position. Pause drills can be incorporated at the finish position, arms away, arms away/body over, quarter-slide, half-slide, three-quarter slide. 

Double pause drills incorporate two pauses during one recovery, such as pausing at arms/body away and at one-half slide. Pause drills are a staple of technical training. For example, a pause at arms/body away grooves in various skills, such as a smooth follow-through of the stroke with a fluid release and complete body preparation; setting posture correctly out of bow; maintaining a still body angle once compression begins; keeping weight over the handles with flat wrists; checking the left-hand-leads-the right in sculling; relaxing the slide once the pause breaks; balancing the boat with blades off the water; syncing a crew’s timing out of bow, matching when all knees rise. 

Pause drills can also be part of a strength-endurance session with a focus on single-stroke power through the water, a regular part of your warm-up, or adapted for the indoor rower. Begin a pause drill set by pausing after every stroke for 10 strokes. Next, try pausing every other stroke for 10 strokes. Finally, five and pause—up to five strokes of continuous rowing followed by a one-stroke pause.

Blend the skill you perfected at the pause into your continuous rowing.

Marlene Royle is the author of Tip of the Blade: Notes on Rowing. She specializes in training for masters rowers. Her coaching service, Roylerow Performance Training Programs, provides the support you need to improve your competitive edge. For information, email Marlene at roylerow@aol.com or visit www.roylerow.com.

The post Perfecting the Pause appeared first on Rowing News.

VIDEO AND STORY COURTESY OKC RIVERSPORT

OKLAHOMA CITY – RIVERSPORT OKC will host the 2023 Oklahoma Regatta Festival from September 29 through October 1 in downtown Oklahoma City’s Boathouse District. The family-friendly event features Oklahoma City University Head of the Oklahoma racing, OG&E Sprints, RIVERSPORT Corporate Rowing, Dragon Boat Cand Whitewater Rafting League Championships, Youth Kayaking, and RIVERSPORT Rapids and Adventures.

The event kicks off on Friday at 5:00 p.m. with OG&E NightSprints racing for RIVERSPORT Corporate Rowing and Dragon Boat League Championships. Saturday features top collegiate and junior teams from across the country racing in OCU Head of the Oklahoma 4000m races during the day and 500m OG&E NightSprints on Saturday night.

On Sunday, October 1st, the weekend will conclude with an exciting lineup of Paddlemania events at the RIVERSPORT Rapids whitewater channel from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Participants and spectators alike can look forward to thrilling activities including the Battle of the Paddles, where paddlers will compete for supremacy. For those feeling creative, there’s the BYOB (Build Your Own Boat) challenge, allowing participants to showcase their boat-building skills. Additionally, the Kayak Freestyle Exhibition promises awe-inspiring stunts and the daring “Hold My Beer Roll Challenge.” To top it all off, adventurers can experience the excitement of Big Water Rafting. It’s a perfect way to wrap up the weekend with adrenaline-pumping water adventures.

CORPORATE TEAMS

Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, VIARP Visually Impaired, Phillips Murrah, Flywheel Energy, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, Love’s Travel Stops, Creative Kids, and Siren

Corporate Dragon Boat League racing includes two teams from Spanish Cove plus the Kamikaze Dragon, Flying Dragons, Love’s Sunshine Express, Route 66ers, Love’s Heart of Sunshine, bOLD Paddlers, Longwavers, Woodward PrimeTime, Paddle Junkies, Y’s Crew, Speed Dragons, Lady Vikings, and Dragon Slayers.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday, September 29

5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. OG&E Night Sprints

5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. RIVERSPORT Corporate Rowing & Dragon Boat Championships

5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Thrive Outside Youth Kayak Races

Saturday, September 30

8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. OCU Head of the Oklahoma Racing

11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. RIVERSPORT Adventures

6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. A Most Beautiful Thing Inclusion Award Ceremony with Arshay Cooper

7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. OG&E Night Sprints

Sunday, October 1

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. OCU Head of the Oklahoma Racing

11:00 a.m. – 6:00p.m. RIVERSPORT Adventures Paddlemania

11:30 a.m. – Battle of the Paddles

12:00 p.m. – Corporate Rafting League Championships

1:00 p.m. – CAT Rafting (Corporate/Athletic Teams)

1:30 p.m. – Whitewater Kayak Racing

2:00 p.m. – BYOB (Build Your Own Boat)

3:00 p.m. – Extreme Kayak 3:30 p.m.– Kayak Freestyle Exhibition/Hold My Beer Roll Challenge

4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Big Water Rafting

Parking is $10 and benefits RIVERSPORT OKC’s nonprofit programs including scholarships for youth in underserved communities.

The Oklahoma Regatta Festival is made possible through the generous support of the OG&E, Chesapeake Energy, The Chickasaw Nation, Row2k, Love’s, Greater Oklahoma City Chambers, COX, Lamar, Robinson Park, CompSource Mutual Ins. Co, Inasmuch Foundation, Mercy Hospital, Prosperity Bank, ECHO, Express Employment, TSET, Outdoor Foundation, Express Employment Professionals, Braum’s, Kimray INC., CVB, Bank of Oklahoma, The Oklahoman LocaliQ, Jake FM, The Franchise, Magic 104.1, 92.5 KOMA, American Fidelity, KFOR Oklahoma News 4, and Devon Energy.

The post 2023 Oklahoma Regatta Festival Slated for Sept 29 – Oct 1 appeared first on Rowing News.

PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY WORLD ROWING

It was a beautiful day to start, but the sea conditions deteriorated requiring racing to be paused, and eventually abandoned for the day in Barletta at the 2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals.

Two boat classes had already taken place at the time of suspension, and the medals were awarded for the PR3 coastal mixed double sculls and the U19 coastal men’s double sculls.

2023 was the first time that a para boat class had been included in the programme at a World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals with the PR3 mixed double sculls being held as an inclusion event. With four entries, all boats got to race in a final, and the Final A was an incredibly close race with less than a second between the two runners to the buzzer. The gold went to Australia’s Macintyre Russell and Phoebe Robinson who pipped Great Britain to the line.

Spain had been gold medallists in the U19 men’s double sculls in both 2021 and 2022 but it was not to be this year as Italy stole the world championship title on home waters. It was gold for Leonardo Bellomo and Pasquale Tamborrino as they beat France in the Final A.

Conditions started to become really challenging in the afternoon and caused all sorts of drama. Last year’s bronze medallists in the U19 Women’s Double Sculls, USA, were excluded after their quarterfinal for not being in control of their boat. Shortly later, a capsize for France meant that Italy progressed to the Final A. However, as conditions continued to deteriorate, racing was eventually halted.

After discussions with Team Managers and test boats being set out, it was initially decided that the U19 boat classes would be postponed and that the coastal men’s solo would go ahead. However, upon further consideration, a decision was made to abandon racing for the day.

Following an assessment of the current weather and wave conditions, which result in potentially unsafe conditions, it was decided that the remainder of racing would be delayed to the spare day, tomorrow, 02 October 2023.

The updated schedule is now here.

You can find full results and reactions on worldrowing.com.

The post Wind disrupts the finals of the 2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals appeared first on Rowing News.

VIDEO AND STORY COURTESY OKC RIVERSPORT

OKLAHOMA CITY – RIVERSPORT OKC will host the 2023 Oklahoma Regatta Festival from September 29 through October 1 in downtown Oklahoma City’s Boathouse District. The family-friendly event features Oklahoma City University Head of the Oklahoma racing, OG&E Sprints, RIVERSPORT Corporate Rowing, Dragon Boat Cand Whitewater Rafting League Championships, Youth Kayaking, and RIVERSPORT Rapids and Adventures.

The event kicks off on Friday at 5:00 p.m. with OG&E NightSprints racing for RIVERSPORT Corporate Rowing and Dragon Boat League Championships. Saturday features top collegiate and junior teams from across the country racing in OCU Head of the Oklahoma 4000m races during the day and 500m OG&E NightSprints on Saturday night.

On Sunday, October 1st, the weekend will conclude with an exciting lineup of Paddlemania events at the RIVERSPORT Rapids whitewater channel from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Participants and spectators alike can look forward to thrilling activities including the Battle of the Paddles, where paddlers will compete for supremacy. For those feeling creative, there’s the BYOB (Build Your Own Boat) challenge, allowing participants to showcase their boat-building skills. Additionally, the Kayak Freestyle Exhibition promises awe-inspiring stunts and the daring “Hold My Beer Roll Challenge.” To top it all off, adventurers can experience the excitement of Big Water Rafting. It’s a perfect way to wrap up the weekend with adrenaline-pumping water adventures.

CORPORATE TEAMS

Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, VIARP Visually Impaired, Phillips Murrah, Flywheel Energy, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, Love’s Travel Stops, Creative Kids, and Siren

Corporate Dragon Boat League racing includes two teams from Spanish Cove plus the Kamikaze Dragon, Flying Dragons, Love’s Sunshine Express, Route 66ers, Love’s Heart of Sunshine, bOLD Paddlers, Longwavers, Woodward PrimeTime, Paddle Junkies, Y’s Crew, Speed Dragons, Lady Vikings, and Dragon Slayers.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday, September 29

5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. OG&E Night Sprints

5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. RIVERSPORT Corporate Rowing & Dragon Boat Championships

5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Thrive Outside Youth Kayak Races

Saturday, September 30

8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. OCU Head of the Oklahoma Racing

11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. RIVERSPORT Adventures

6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. A Most Beautiful Thing Inclusion Award Ceremony with Arshay Cooper

7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. OG&E Night Sprints

Sunday, October 1

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. OCU Head of the Oklahoma Racing

11:00 a.m. – 6:00p.m. RIVERSPORT Adventures Paddlemania

11:30 a.m. – Battle of the Paddles

12:00 p.m. – Corporate Rafting League Championships

1:00 p.m. – CAT Rafting (Corporate/Athletic Teams)

1:30 p.m. – Whitewater Kayak Racing

2:00 p.m. – BYOB (Build Your Own Boat)

3:00 p.m. – Extreme Kayak 3:30 p.m.– Kayak Freestyle Exhibition/Hold My Beer Roll Challenge

4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Big Water Rafting

Parking is $10 and benefits RIVERSPORT OKC’s nonprofit programs including scholarships for youth in underserved communities.

The Oklahoma Regatta Festival is made possible through the generous support of the OG&E, Chesapeake Energy, The Chickasaw Nation, Row2k, Love’s, Greater Oklahoma City Chambers, COX, Lamar, Robinson Park, CompSource Mutual Ins. Co, Inasmuch Foundation, Mercy Hospital, Prosperity Bank, ECHO, Express Employment, TSET, Outdoor Foundation, Express Employment Professionals, Braum’s, Kimray INC., CVB, Bank of Oklahoma, The Oklahoman LocaliQ, Jake FM, The Franchise, Magic 104.1, 92.5 KOMA, American Fidelity, KFOR Oklahoma News 4, and Devon Energy.

The post 2023 Oklahoma Regatta Festival Slated for Sept 29 – Oct 1 appeared first on Rowing News.

STORY COURTESY ELISE LEVINE COOPER | PHOTO BY SIMON FELDMAN

Friends of San Miguel Program gathered at the Westchester Country Club on Thursday, Sept. 21 for an evening honoring the 2023 IMPACT Award winners-  Mercy University, Hudson Valley Investment Advisors, Inc. and Mike Oats and the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation. This year more than 275 guests were in attendance.  The event is the single biggest fundraiser of the year for San Miguel Program, and as is typical, brought in over $350k.  For the second year,  Lisa LaRocca of News12 was the host.

Special guests and icons of the rowing community Arshay Cooper and Mike Teti closed out the evening with Ann Mara Cacase, who announced that San Miguel Program was awarded an NFL Play:60 grant, the League’s national Youth Health and Wellness initiative. The formal presentation will be October 2nd at MetLife Stadium during the Giants v. Seahawks game when our hardworking student-athletes will receive the award.  

San Miguel Academy, located in Newburgh, NY, opened in 2006 as a middle school and has grown into the multi-faceted San Miguel Program.  The program’s method centers around a 12-year commitment to each student, which is integral to changing the trajectory of  students’ lives.  San Miguel Program is 100% scholarship-driven, serving low-income opportunity students and their families. 

The post Arshay Cooper and Mike Teti join in celebration at San Miguel Awards Dinner on 9/21 appeared first on Rowing News.

PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY UCF ATHLETICS

ORLANDO – In its first season in the Big 12 Conference, UCF will race in five regattas in advance of the Big 12 Championship and a potential NCAA Rowing Championship berth as the Mara Allen era officially launches in 2023-24.

“I am excited for our racing schedule,” said Allen, who was named the Knights’ head coach in June. “We will face tough competition throughout the spring which should prepare us well for the Big 12 Championship in May.”

UCF is joining a conference that has been dominated by Allen’s previous stop, Texas, which has won two NCAA championships in the past three years (winning in 2021 and 2022 while finishing fourth in 2023). The Longhorns also have won the past eight Big 12 titles. Allen spent eight seasons in Austin.

Texas was the only Big 12 team to finish the season ranked in the Pocock Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) poll at number four. Other Big 12 opponents to receive votes for the Pocock CRCA poll include Tennessee and Alabama (Big 12 rowing affiliated members).

In addition to the Knights’ Big 12 opponents, nine of UCF’s 2023-24 opponents finished in the final Pocock CRCA poll. Those teams include Brown (sixth), Pennsylvania (eighth), American Athletic Conference Champion SMU (ninth), Big 10 Champion Michigan (11^th), Ohio State (12^th), Duke (14^th), Rutgers (15^th), Indiana (17^th) and Iowa (20^th).

UCF opened its season with a scrimmage Sept. 23 against Stetson at home on Lake Pickett at the UCF Intercollegiate Rowing Center. UCF will host its second and final scrimmage of the 2023-24 season against Iowa Feb. 10.

UCF officially will begin its racing season on March 15 with a Senior Day regatta against Jacksonville and Connecticut. Last season, the Knights hosted Jacksonville and UConn along with Miami. Both the I Four and II Four won their respective races.

Two weeks later, UCF will travel southwest to Sarasota for the Knights’ sixth-straight Sunshine State Invitational appearance at Nathan Benderson Park March 29 and 30. The Knights will face Miami, Stetson, Jacksonville, Michigan State, Tulsa, North Carolina, Old Dominion, Iowa, Massachusetts, Louisville, Boston College and Drexel. UCF will get an early look at Big 12 competition with Kansas State, Kansas and West Virginia also traveling to Sarasota.

UCF finished with two grand final wins from the II Eight and the I Four at the 2023 Sunshine State Invitational. 

UCF will return to Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota on April 19 and 20 for the Big 10 Invitational. UCF will face off against Michigan, Ohio State, Rutgers, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan State, Brown, Duke, Notre Dame, Clemson, SMU and UCLA. The Knights also will face current Big 12 opponents Tennessee, Alabama and Oklahoma.

The Knights’ only out-of-state trip will be the Lake Wheeler Invitational in Raleigh, North Carolina, on April 26 and 27 for their final regular-season regatta. This will mark the Knights’ fifth trip to Lake Wheeler. The Knights will race Boston, Boston College, Clemson, Georgetown, Iowa, Louisville, Miami, Navy, Pennsylvania, Syracuse, Tulsa and Washington State, plus host teams North Carolina and Duke. Joining the regatta are three Big 12 opponents in Alabama, Tennessee and Kansas.

UCF’s II Four received American Athletic Conference Boat of the Week honors after finishing with a second-place finish and two third-place finishes at the Lake Wheeler Invitational last spring.

On May 19, UCF will be back at Nathan Benderson Park for its first Big 12 Championship appearance with hopes of capturing its sixth conference title in program history. In the American Athletic Conference, UCF won five straight conference championships from 2015-2019.

The NCAA Rowing Championship will be held in Bethel, Ohio on Harsha Lake at East Fork State Park from May 31-June 2. The Knights hope to qualify for their seventh NCAA Championship appearance. The Knights previously competed at the NCAA Championship in 2006, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, capturing five top-20 finishes and a top-15 finish in 2019.

Last season, UCF finished third overall in its final AAC Conference Championship appearance. There will be 32 returning Knights for the 2023-24 season.

The post Rowing Unveils 2023-24 Schedule appeared first on Rowing News.

PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY OKC RIVERSPORT

OKLAHOMA CITY (September 27, 2023) – Rower, bestselling and award-winning author, and founder of national non-profit A Most Beautiful Thing Inclusion Fund (AMBTIF), Arshay Cooper will present an AMBTIF 2023-2024 grant to the RIVERSPORT Foundation on Saturday, September 30, at 6:00 p.m. during the Oklahoma Regatta Festival. 

RIVERSPORT is being honored for breaking down barriers in the sport of rowing through their youth programs.

Cooper will be joined by 2004 Olympian and AMBTIF Board Chair, Aquil Abdullah, and 2008 and 2012 Olympian and AMBTIF Board Member, David Banks. 

Athletes from RIVERSPORT’s youth rowing program will do an exhibition row and be recognized during the presentation. 

“RIVERSPORT is creating opportunities and showcasing possibilities in the sport of rowing for young people of color in Oklahoma City,” Cooper said. “This grant will support their efforts in areas such as swim lessons that will help young people to feel comfortable and confident on the water, funding for travel to regional and national regattas, and a stipend to compensate a coach of color in their program. 

“This level of commitment enables a community to support their athletes across all levels of the sport- from youth development- to college- and beyond. AMBTIF is thrilled to partner with RIVERSPORT and honored to support Oklahoma City youth.” 

RIVERSPORT’s youth rowing programs bring youth from across Oklahoma City into the sport with Title 1 schools participating at no cost. This fall, F.D. Moon and Southeast Middle Schools both added teams bringing the total number of schools represented to 16. 

“Since our earliest days, we’ve been working to make rowing more inclusive,” said Mike Knopp, executive director of the RIVERSPORT Foundation. “We have a great partner in the Oklahoma City Public Schools and our hope is to get every middle school involved over the next couple of years.”

“Today we have hundreds of kids in our programs and are seeing the face of rowing change before our eyes. It’s pretty inspiring.”  

RIVERSPORT, in partnership with Shawntay Alexander and the OKC Black Alumni Coalition, proudly hosted the 2022 and 2023 River Bowl Classic regatta, an annual reunion that has been a catalyst for getting the Black community engaged in the sport. 

“River Bowl stands as a beacon of inspiration by igniting the flames of collective empowerment in the Black community,” Alexander said.

The grant award is being presented during the Oklahoma Regatta Festival. The event features three days of rowing and paddlesport racing on the Oklahoma River in the Boathouse District. Admission to the event is free; parking is $10. The presentation will be held at the RIVERSPORT Finish Line Tower located at 606 RIVERSPORT Drive. Visit riversportokc.org to learn more about the event.

About A Most Beautiful Thing Inclusion Fund

A Most Beautiful Thing Inclusion Fund aims to break barriers within the sport of rowing by increasing- sustainability, access to rowing, and diversity throughout youth rowing programs across the country.

The Vision for the A Most Beautiful Thing Inclusion Fund (AMBTIF) is for all boathouses in this country to reflect the diversity within each city at each level of competition, from recreational rowing to the Olympics.

A Most Beautiful Thing Inclusion Fund (“AMBTIF “) aims to build a diverse, inclusive, and equitable sport in rowing. The AMBTIF is housed as its own fund, under the umbrella of the George Pocock Rowing Foundation.

The post Arshay Cooper to Present National Inclusion Fund Award in OKC appeared first on Rowing News.

PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY ROWING CANADA AVIRON

Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) and the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) have announced Canada’s rowing team of 16 athletes nominated to compete at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games.

Canadian rowers qualified ten boat classes for Santiago 2023 during the Pan Am Qualification Regatta this past April in Concepción, Chile. The 16 athletes were selected for Team Canada based on their performances during a selection camp held at the Rowing Canada Aviron National Training Centre in Duncan, British Columbia earlier this month.

With the addition of the women’s coxed eights to the Pan American Games program, Kristen Kit, Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion, will cox both the women’s and mixed eight boats at her first-ever Pan American Games.

“These Games have been on my radar for years now,” shared Kit. “With the addition of the eights to the Pan Am competition schedule, I am thrilled to step to the line with a talented group of Canadian rowers! I have raced a mixed eight a few times at the Canadian Royal Henley Regatta and I think it will be wild to race the 2kms with both men and women next month.”

Amongst the talented young crews are emerging women’s sweep rowers Parker Illingsworth, winning bronze in the women’s coxed eight at the Under-23 World Rowing Championships, and Abby Dent, finishing fifth in the women’s four with teammate Leia Till. Dent is thrilled to make her Pan Am Games debut, an important milestone in her career.

“This is a really exciting opportunity to represent Canada and wear the maple leaf,” said Dent. “This is an exciting step in my rowing career and another chance to step up to the challenge and show people what we have to bring to the table!”

Under-23 World Rowing Championship bronze medalist, Emerson Crick is another emerging Canadian rower who will be making his Pan Am Games debut at Laguna Grande de San Pedro de la Paz in Concepción next month, competing in the lightweight men’s double sculls and the mixed coxed eight.

“Representing Canada is a special moment in my career. It is not just a personal achievement but a testament to the unwavering support of my coaches, teammates, friends, and family,” said Crick. “We have had a great camp over the last few weeks, and I know the competition will be tough in Santiago, but I am excited to get down there and give it my all. I know the whole country will be behind us, cheering us all on.”

The Pan American Games have been an important event for Canadian rowers over the years. At Lima 2019, Team Canada won three medals, including two gold. The Santiago 2023 team heads into the Games next month with high expectations.

“We have had a really rewarding camp over the last month and the 16 rowers that we have selected will represent the nation proudly in Santiago,” said Team Leader, Chuck McDiarmid. “We know that it is going to be a challenging regatta with nations like Chile, Argentina, and Mexico sending crews who recently raced at the World Rowing Championships, but our team is going to be giving it their all at the regatta and competing proudly for Canada.”

Rowing will take place October 21-25 (Days 1 to 5) at the Laguna Grande de San Pedro de la Paz in Concepción.

“Welcome, rowing team, to Team Canada on the way to the Pan American Games,” said Christine Girard, Team Canada’s Santiago 2023 Chef de Mission. “May the waters of this competition carry you forward, and may your efforts inspire others to strive for excellence. We are proud to have you here, and we stand with you in this important endeavour.”

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organisations.

The latest Team Canada Santiago 2023 roster can be found here.

The post Canada’s Santiago 2023 Rowing Team Announced  appeared first on Rowing News.

BY BILL MANNING | PHOTO BY LISA WORTHY

For most coaches, the challenge when teaching rowers is where to begin. Troubleshooting a rower’s stroke helps detect what’s actually going on and what can be improved. Though the stroke cycle is continuous, focusing on its elements generally makes the whole better. A handy hack for coaching better is looking at the stroke with “the P’s” in mind.

Posture. “Posture proceeds performance,” former Boston University men’s rowing coach Rodney Pratt preached. Rowers should sit on their seats square and level, weight distributed evenly left to right, neither too far forward nor too far back. Their hips should be elevated (lift the belly button) so their pelvic bones—the sit bones—are the primary point of contact. 

Rowers should be able to sit in this position comfortably for an extended period. If not, ask them to put their hands on the gunwales, lift off the seat gently, and sit back down. This will help center their weight on the seat.

Next, check that the bottom of their feet connect to the foot stretchers. Engaging with the foot stretchers balances the boat and creates the potential for power.

Rowers should keep the oar collar(s) firm against the oarlock(s) through the entire stroke cycle. This light lateral pressure keeps the lever engaged against the fulcrum of the pin, thus balancing the boat and making the drive more effective.

Preparation. Everything in the stroke cycle depends on what’s done before. The recovery begins with rowers separating the handle from the body and forming a rectangle—outstretched arms making up two sides, shoulders and handle the other two. Look for the pivot from the hips, the pelvic tilt, being low in the torso and early on the slide. Too often, body weight doesn’t shift forward because rowers are reaching from their shoulders and rounding the upper back. After pivoting, the body is positioned and remains patient as the knees rise. The recovery is sequential but overlapping. It should position rowers so they’re poised to reverse direction. Pause drills reinforce proper preparation.

Pushing with a firmly braced body initiates the change of direction. While pressure on the foot stretchers and handles should be equal, emphasize pushing. The tendency to pull rarely needs reinforcing, but the need to push always does. Just like the recovery, the drive should be sequential but overlapping. This is achieved by the trunk’s prying open against the continued push of the legs. The pertinent mantra: “Push…push pry…push to prevail.”  

Rowing with greater resistance—meaning a heavier boat—helps teach prying against the leg push. In a single, hold the oars closer to the collars, and in sweep, row inside-arm-only to achieve this effect. Rowing a team boat with some sitting out works, too.

Pulling seemingly comes next, but too often pulling replaces pushing rather than adding to it. While the arms draw the handle toward the body, this depends on continued pressure being applied through the shoes (every action has an equal and opposite reaction). If the finish is weak, the problem almost always is insufficient pressure on the feet rather than too little on the front of the handle. Maintain posture and keep pressing. 

Power properly applied cures most problems. Rowing powerfully with the feet on top of the shoes rights many wrongs.  “More power!” is often the best coaching advice one can give.

The post Minding a Rower’s ‘P’s’ appeared first on Rowing News.

PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY DUKE ATHLETICS

DURHAM – Duke rowing head coach Megan Cooke Carcagno has announced the team’s fall schedule for the 2023-24 season. The Blue Devils will compete in three regattas across three states in October and November.

The fall season begins Sunday, Oct. 8 in High Point, N.C., as Duke competes in the High Point Rowing Festival on Oak Hollow Lake.

The team then travels to Cambridge, Mass., to race against crews from around the world in the 58th Head of the Charles Regatta Oct. 20-22. Duke will race three boats, Women’s Club 4+, Women’s Championship 4+ and Women’s Championship 8+, along the historic three-mile course.

The Blue Devils wrap up the fall slate in Charlottesville, Va., at the Rivanna Romp Head Race Sunday, Nov. 12. Duke is set to make its 11th appearance at the annual event since 2006. Last season, the Blue Devils raced 11 boats, placing five in the top-10, including the Novice 8+ which claimed a first-place finish.

To stay up to date with Blue Devils rowing, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching “DukeROW”.

The post Duke Rowing Announces Fall Schedule appeared first on Rowing News.

PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY CLEMSON ATHLETICS

Clemson, S.C – Head Coach Stephen Frazier Wong is pleased to announce the addition of Amy Hildebrandt as Assistant Coach to the Clemson Rowing team.  

“I am excited to welcome Amy to our staff and to the Clemson Family” said Stephen Frazier Wong. “Amy’s love of rowing and teaching student-athletes will fit in seamlessly here at Clemson Rowing as we pursue wins and stay true to our core values.”

Hildebrandt joins Clemson from Seattle Pacific University where she served as the Assistant Coach for six years. At Seattle Pacific, Hildebrandt led the Varsity 4+ to fourth place finishes in the Grand Final at the 2022 and 2023 NCAA and the 2023 GNAC Championship. In 2021 and 2022, she led the Varsity 4+ to place second in the GNAC Championship. In addition, she coached the JV8+, 2v8+, and Open 4+ to first place finishes in 2019 at WIRA Championship, Windermere Cup, and Central Oklahoma dual race. 

While coaching at Seattle Pacific, Hildebrandt also coached the Lake Washington Rowing Club’s juniors and masters teams from 2013-2023. Before that, she served as the Assistant Juniors Coach at Eastside Preparatory School for two years, the Juniors Coach for the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club for one year and the Head Club Coach for Springfield College for two years. 

She earned her bachelor’s in Business Administration from Pacific Lutheran University and her Masters of Science Exercise Physiology with a concentration in Wellness & Fitness from California University of Pennsylvania. Hildebrandt was a four year student athlete at Pacific Lutheran University from 2001- 2005. She made varsity the spring of her freshman year and raced at the NCAA Division II National Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana. Following her graduation, she returned to her alma mater as a Volunteer Assistant Women’s Coach for one year and then as Co-Head Men’s Coach for one year.

“I am very excited to join the Clemson rowing staff and be a part of the Tiger family,” said Coach Hildebrandt. “Moving from Seattle was definitely a big change, but has been a relatively smooth transition with help and support from everyone on staff. I’m looking forward to a great year and hopefully a return to the national stage.”

For complete coverage of the Clemson Rowing team follow @ClemsonRowing on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

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STORY COURTESY UNC ATHLETICS | PHOTO BY JEFFREY CAMRATI

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Miranda Cyr and Gavin Kelley have joined the North Carolina rowing staff as assistant coaches, head coach Erin Neppel announced September 12. Cyr and Kelley bring unique experience and insights to their new positions.
 
“We’re all excited to welcome Miranda and Gavin to our program,” Neppel said. “They bring big energy and enthusiasm for what we are doing here, and both have already hit the ground running. We now have the largest coaching staff in our program’s history, which will enable us to better serve our student-athletes.”
 
Cyr will work primarily with the novice program and with the Tar Heel coxswains, both developing the current student-athletes and recruiting future ones. She comes to Chapel Hill after four years as a member of the Minnesota rowing program and a total of 13 years of competition as a coxswain. As a coxswain for the Golden Gophers, she raced in both fours and eights, coxing her boat to first in the women’s collegiate 8+ at the Head of the Mississippi Regatta. A native of Glastonbury, Conn., she has coxed at the Head of the Charles and the Canadian Henley.  She is a 2023 graduate of Minnesota with a degree in sports management.
 
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Tar Heel community,” Cyr said. “It’s amazing to be surrounded by a dedicated and talented coaching staff, allowing me to get going right away. I’m impressed by the grit and determination shown by the UNC coaches and athletes and I can’t wait to continue to push this momentum forward.”
 
Kelley brings experience coaching on the collegiate, club and prep levels. He comes to Carolina from Jacksonville University, where he coached the men’s team during the 2022-23 school year. He spent the summer of 2023 as an assistant coach for Cambridge Boat Club Juniors Team that captured five event titles at the 139^th Canadian Henley Regatta in St. Catherine’s, Ontario.
 
Kelley also has coached at Colby College (2021), Catholic University (2018-19) and Boston College (2013-15).  A native of Holliston, Mass., he rowed at Marist, where he was part of back-to-back MAAC Championship teams. He earned gold medals as part of the 2V8 in 2010 and the Lightweight 4+ in both 2009 and 2010. He graduated in 2016 with a degree in History.
 
“I can’t imagine a better place to be,” Kelley said. “There is an understanding among the staff and the student-athletes of how important culture and behavior are to performance at the highest level. The team is hungry to work hard every day. It’s a joy to witness every time we practice.”
 
The 2023-24 season is the third at the program’s helm for Neppel, a UNC graduate. Cyr and Kelley join a staff that also includes assistant coaches Shayla Lamb and Edvina Nesukaityte, as well as Director of Rowing Operations John Leonard.
 

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PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami head rowing coach James Mulcahy announced Thursday the hiring of three new members of his staff.

Michelle Etchebaster and Maydelissa Pinell are joining the program as assistant coaches, while Freya Portl will do so as a graduate student intern.

“We’re all very excited to welcome Michelle, Maydelissa and Freya to Miami rowing,” Mulcahy said. “Each brings with them a breadth of experience and excellent skillset that will complement the rest of our staff and help our athletes on and off the water. Go Canes!”

Etchebaster comes to Miami from nearby Barry University, where she spent one season as an assistant coach. She aided the Buccaneers to a second-place finish in the SSC during her lone year working at her alma mater.

A native of Argentina, Etchebaster has over 13 years of collegiate and international rowing experience, including spending 2013 and 2014 with her national team. The four-time Argentinian champion rowed at Barry from 2017-21.

Etchebaster served as the coach for the junior rowing team at Club Mendoza de Regatas in her home nation from 2014-15. She owns a master’s degree from Barry, where she also was a teaching and research assistant in the sport and exercise science department.

“First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to James Mulcahy for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to coach at this incredible institution,” Etchebaster said. “I am already familiar with the rowing culture here in South Florida and I am eager to do all I can to help elevate the program here at Miami to even greater heights.”

Pinell, who possesses numerous ties to the local community, spent the last four years as an assistant coach at NSU University School in Davie, Fla. There, she led coxswain development and curriculum, aiding the team to its first appearance in the USRowing Youth Nationals in 2023.

A four-year competitor at Nova Southeastern University from 2016-19, Pinell got her coaching start the season after completing her eligibility, working as a volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater in 2019-20. In 2017, she helped the Sharks place second in the SSC and win the team title at the FIRA Championships.

Hailing from nearby Hollywood, Fla., Pinell graduated from Hollywood Hills High School. She, in 2020, earned a degree from Nova Southeastern in exercise and sports science.

“As a native South Floridian, I am humbled for the opportunity to join the rowing program at The U,” Pinell said. “Thank you to James Mulcahy for giving me this incredible opportunity. I look forward to working closely with our novices and coxswains, and will do all I can to help them excel to the best of their abilities.”

Portl comes to the Hurricanes from Publicidad Virtual in Mexico City, where she worked as a commercial operation manager. She managed the day-to-day communication between the commercial, design and operation departments to facilitate the proper placement and approval of all advertising spaces across nine stadiums every week for clients in the Mexican soccer league, Liga MX.

Now at Miami, Portl will assist with social media and public promotion of the rowing team. She previously worked as a marketing intern at William Grant & Sons in Mexico City from February 2016 to May 2017, assisting with brand management.

Portl graduated from Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México (UIA) in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a 3.74 GPA. During her college tenure, she also did a foreign exhange marketing program at Université Jean Moulin in Lyon, France.

“I’m very grateful to be part of the rowing team at UM, assisting with social media content and brand marketing activities as a graduate student intern in sport administration,” Portl said. “I want to thank coach James Mulcahy for giving me this amazing opportunity. I’m looking forward to creating incredible content for the team.”

To keep up with the University of Miami men’s rowing team on social media, follow @CanesRowing on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY WORLD ROWING

The 2023 World Rowing Masters Regatta saw 308 races taking place on the Roodeplaat Dam, competed by 805 athletes. From the individual men’s and women’s age groups to the mixed events, the regatta had hugely competitive athletes mixed with virtual novice rowers through to former Olympians.

The first-ever World Rowing event in Africa was a huge success in Tshwane. Athletes, volunteers, organisers and spectators had unanimously a great experience on the shores of Roodeplaat Dam, with tremendous races during the day and great entertainment at night.

Ron Chen, chair of World Rowing’s Masters Commission, stated: “This was the first ever World Rowing event to take place on the continent of Africa. It is therefore fitting that it will be long remembered as a version of the World Rowing Masters Regatta that created a new model for hosting our regatta. The many beneficial lessons and examples we learned this year will certainly find their way into future versions of our regatta. It has been, quite simply, one of the most fulfilling and enjoyable experiences that the Masters Rowing Commission and others who have been loyal participants in this event over the years can remember.”

Keith McIvor, chair of the 2023 World Rowing Masters Regatta’s organising committee, added : “The Organising Committee of the World Masters Rowing Regatta 2023 set our objectives as the hosting of a world-class regatta fundamentally African in nature, to leave a legacy for rowing in South Africa, to positively impact the local community, to promote key stakeholder relationships and build enduring friendships.  We have achieved all of those. South African Rowing has delivered an event that the Country can be proud of.”

The 308 races had rowers grouped by those nearest in age. The D men’s single sculls (44 to 49 years of age) had the most entries with 47 competitors.

The World Rowing Club Trophies were awarded on Saturday afternoon. For the men’s category, it was a great performance from Red Star Belgrade of Serbia, who won by more than 70 points over Victoria Lake of Gauteng, South Africa. But with their great performances on the women’s side – they won by nearly 100 points over Minas Brasilia Tenis Club of Brazil – Victoria Lake of South Africa took home both the women’s Club Trophy Award and the overall Club Trophy Award.

Notable participants this year included Olympic Champions James Thompson and Sizwe Ndlovu who raced in various events, on their home soil. To see the full list of results, click here.

Friday night, the members of the “Octos” were honoured. This group celebrates active rowers 80 years of age and older. Within this group, the oldest competitor of the regatta was Odilon Maia Martins from Brazil. Maia Martins is impressively still rowing at the age of 94 years old, within the M age category (89 years and over).

Next year, the 2024 World Rowing Masters Regatta will be held in Brandenburg, Germany, from 11 to 15 September 2024. For more information about the regatta, please click here.

Find all photo galleries of the event here.

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PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY HARVARD ATHLETICS

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Claire Ochal, The Friends of Radcliffe Rowing Head Coach for Women’s Heavyweight Crew, has announced the hiring of Hannah Woodruff and Dan Harrison as assistant coaches. The duo will arrive in Cambridge in time for the start of the 2023-24 campaign, which is set to begin in October with the Head of the Charles Regatta.
 
“Hannah brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our squad here at Harvard-Radcliffe,” Ochal said. “Hannah’s recruiting skills and time spent on the Charles will have an immediate impact on our program. I am looking forward to working alongside such a talented coach and even better person.
 
“We are equally excited to welcome Dan to our program,” Ochal added. “Dan brings a lot of experience in developing athletes into championship-caliber rowers. I know that Dan will impact the team both on and off the water.”
 
Woodruff will make the short trip to Harvard from Boston University where she spent six seasons as an assistant coach.
 
“I’m excited to work with the team at Radcliffe,” Woodruff said. “This program has such a rich legacy, and I’m looking forward to helping Claire guide the team into a new era.” 
 
During her time on Commonwealth Ave., Woodruff helped the Terriers become a force in the Patriot League. In her first three full seasons (2019-20 was interrupted due to the pandemic), Woodruff helped every BU boat make the grand final at the Patriot League Championships, while recording top-5 finishes in each of those campaigns (2018: runner-up, 2019: fourth place, 2021: third place). BU’s breakthrough came in 2022, as Woodruff tutored the 2V8 to its first-ever gold medal and helped the Terriers capture their second Patriot League team title and first since 2014. That same season, Boston University advanced to the NCAA Championships for the first time since ’14 and finished in 19^th place. This past season, Woodruff once again led the Terrier 2V8 to a gold medal at the conference meet, with BU coming in second place despite tying for first in team points.
 
Prior to joining the Boston University coaching staff, Woodruff served as an assistant coach at Wellesley College for four seasons, leading the second varsity eight boat. In 2015-16, the 2V8 earned gold medals at the New England Rowing Championships (NERC) and the National Invitational Rowing Championship (NIRC), before capturing silver at the NCAA Division III Championships. As a team, Wellesley won the 2016 NCAA Division III team title, with the coaching staff being named the Division III Staff of the Year. A season later, Woodruff, helped the 2V8 win bronze at the NERC and NIRC, and another silver at NCAAs.
 
Woodruff, who has also served as an assistant coach at Community Rowing Inc., Boston College High School and Cambridge Boat Club, was a four-year coxswain at Wellesley and named a team co-captain as a senior. In 2011, Woodruff helped the 1V8 finish in third place at the ECAC, NERC and NCAA Championships, while earning second-team CRCA All-America accolades. A two-time CRCA National Scholar-Athlete (2010, 2011), Woodruff graduated cum laude from Wellesley College in 2011, with degrees in economics and history.
 
Harrison returns to the Boston area for the first time since 2014-15, and brings a wealth of experience from stops within the Big Ten and Pac-12 Conferences.
 
“I am incredibly grateful and excited to join the Harvard-Radcliffe Women’s Rowing program,” Harrison said. “Radcliffe has an incredible history and tradition of rowing excellence, and I believe the team is poised to continue finding success in the Ivy League and NCAA. There are few places as special as the Charles to row, and I am looking forward to working with Coach Ochal and Coach Woodruff to help create a positive and formative experience for the women who row for Radcliffe.”
 
Harrison will join the Black and White after serving as an assistant coach at Oregon State in 2022-23, which marked his third stint in Corvallis. Originally a volunteer in 2013, Harrison rejoined the Beavers staff as an assistant in the fall of 2015, working with the Oregon State novice program.
 
In between his first and second appointments with the Beavers, Harrison was a volunteer assistant coach at BU in 2014-15, working with the Terriers’ developmental boats. During his time in New England, he also served as an assistant coach to the varsity boys’ program at Wayland-Weston Rowing Association, helping with fitness and technique training plans.
 
In the spring of 2017, Harrison left Oregon State for Ohio State, joining the Buckeyes as a volunteer coach. During his time in Columbus, Harrison coached the 1V4 to a third-place finish at the 2017 NCAA Championships before leaving for a graduate assistant coach role at Michigan in Aug. 2017.
 
Harrison’s first season in Ann Arbor resulted in the Wolverines recording a seventh-place finish at the 2018 NCAA Championships behind the performance of their four All-Americans. In the fall of 2018, Harrison was elevated to a full-time assistant coach, working with Michigan’s novice rowers.
 
The Wolverines’ novice boats thrived under Harrison’s watch as the 1N8 captured two Big Ten gold medals (2019, 2021), with the 2N8 earning a bronze in 2019 and a silver in 2021. As a team, Michigan won conference championships in 2019 and 2021, while coming in third (2019) and fourth place (2021) at the NCAA Championships. The accomplishments of the 2019 squad helped the Wolverines coaching staff earn CRCA Region 4 Staff-of-the-Year accolades.
 
Before jumping into the coaching profession, Harrison rowed for four seasons at Seattle University as part of its club team. Harrison served as club president for three years and was chosen as the “Top Hawk” his senior year by his coaches, recognizing him as the club’s top performer. On the water, Harrison raced his way to consecutive Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships (2012, 2013) and captured the 2013 American Collegiate Rowing Association national title in the pair.
 
A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Harrison graduated from Seattle in 2013, with a bachelor’s degree in sport and exercise science. He also completed a one-year coaching education program in 2015, at the Institute for Rowing Leadership, which is designed to give fellows the necessary theoretical framework and experiential learning opportunities to achieve the knowledge, skills and abilities required of a master rowing coach.
 

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BY ANDY ANDERSON, DR. ROWING | PHOTO COURTESY OF NICK TROJAN

I logged on to YouTube to watch some of the superb coverage of Henley. After I viewed a few races, YouTube’s algorithm pointed me toward rowing films that might be of interest. I clicked on Yale men’s rowing with a photo of Steve Gladstone, Yale’s recently retired coach. No one has won more collegiate national championships than Gladstone—14 in all, five at Brown, six at Cal, and three at Yale. If you want to hear it from one of the best coaches ever, you ought to listen to the interview.

The film opens with a shot of the Housatonic River before sunrise, a dark ribbon of calm water. The title credits inform us that it’s October 2021, one week before the Head of the Charles. The boatman checks the shell trailer and oarsmen dribble into the boathouse and prepare to go out on the water. 

There are quick cuts of de-rigging, unrolling the boat cover, closing the boathouse doors, and the myriad details involved in getting prepared, all to a lively rendition of “Iko Iko,” a song that bursts with energy. With so much content online, it’s important to grab the viewer right away. In less than two minutes, the action has captured me. I’m in!

I was intrigued. Who is the filmmaker, Nick Trojan? Obviously, he knows quite a bit about rowing; he asks good questions and knows what to film on the water. 

Trojan filled me in on his rowing career. He had rowed as a junior at Long Beach. He continued at Orange Coast College in Newport Beach. From 2009 to 2019, he rowed on five U.S. National Teams in the lightweight double and two years in the lightweight single, achieving his best finish in 2015, when he came in fifth.

In 2018, he made his first rowing film, a profile of the Harvard men’s heavyweights and their coach, Charlie Butt.

“I was training in Boston and I wanted to try to capture what happens in a boathouse,” Trojan said.

 There’s a bit of rowing in the film, “but it was winter, and the team hadn’t started to go out all together, so the footage is of pairs.” Most of it is a conversation with Coach Butt.

Next up was a look at the men at Cal. Again, Trojan focused on the boathouse, the team erg workouts, the coaches—Mike Teti had just departed, and Scott Frandsen had taken over. There are some gorgeous shots of eights. The camera zeroes in on bladework. The drone shots are beautiful; I’ve never seen them used so effectively.

His third film focuses on the Yale heavyweight men, and his maturity as a filmmaker and interviewer is apparent. It is his best work yet. In the style of many good documentary filmmakers, we do not hear his own questions. 

“I like to let my subjects talk with as little interruption as possible,” Trojan said.

At six minutes into the film, Gladstone arrives at Gilder Boathouse while the soundtrack cranks out “Bad to the Bone.” Oh yes, there’s humor in Trojan’s choice of music. With Gladstone, a fine public speaker, the conversation flows smoothly. There’s a lot of good stuff here, especially when he talks about creating a culture. 

“The most important piece is to give the athletes the sense, to have them understand,” Gladstone says, “that the results on the water are directly correlated to the energy that they bring to each practice.”

Trojan spent 10 days filming at Yale. We see the easy give-and-take between coach and crews before they go out on the water. Gladstone asks who has a thought that will enhance the workout. One guy says, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” Much cheering and laughter ensue. This is a team that enjoys being together. 

The film takes us out on the water, where we are treated to some beautiful footage of the crews being put through their paces. Many filmmakers see the beauty of our sport—the rhythm, the dipping of the oars into the water, the grace. You don’t have to be an artist to appreciate it. I often take parents or non-rowing friends out on the water to watch practice, and they get it. 

Trojan has a good eye for what looks great. I asked him who his audience is. 

“They haven’t been commissioned by any university teams. They aren’t recruiting or fundraising devices. I don’t want them to appeal just to rowers. I’d love for people to see them and think ‘I want to get involved with that.’

“I’ve heard some criticism that this is Ivy League propaganda. My interest, and the reason I’ve made these films, is to show the culture of rowing teams, an inside look at boathouse culture. I haven’t included many interviews with athletes because that would date the film. You can have a lot of talent among your athletes, but the important thing is how are you bringing them together. That’s why I focus on the coaches. There are different workouts, different ways of working with athletes, but it is the culture of successful programs that I’m interested in showing.”

His three films have shown men’s heavyweight programs. Why no women’s programs? 

“It’s much more complicated with the NCAA; it’s hard to get permission,” Trojan said. “They all have their own media teams.” 

But he is pursuing some of the top women’s programs and acknowledges that he needs to show more balance and get some of the great women’s collegiate rowing on film. Funding is always an issue. I hope that he can get the permissions and money to continue his work with rowing teams. Take a look on YouTube. You won’t be disappointed.  

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PHOTO AND STORY COURTESY TEXAS ROWING

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Rowing announced its 2023-24 schedule on Thursday, highlighted by a fall regatta for the second year in a row and the return of the Longhorn Invite, which will feature many of the top programs in the nation. The eight-time defending Big 12 Conference champions will travel to Sarasota, Fla. for the conference’s championship regatta.

Texas will open the season up the freeway in Waco, Texas on Sunday, November 12 at the Waco Rowing Regatta, a 5K Head Race on the Brazos River. Hosted by the Waco Rowing Center along the banks of Brazos Park East, the course will travel from the bridges of downtown Waco to the bluffs of Cameron Park.

The spring season will once again begin with a “rust buster” in Dallas with a two-day dual against SMU on March 23-24 on White Rock Lake. It will mark the third-straight year Texas opens the spring slate with a scrimmage at SMU. The three-time defending American Athletic Conference Champion Mustangs finished ninth at last year’s NCAA championships, the best finish in program history.

Next up, the Longhorns head to California on April 6-7 for the California Crew Classic, regarded as America’s premier spring regatta. Racing is held in Mission Bay Park on the shores of Fiesta Bay-Crown Point. At last year’s classic, Texas swept through the prelims and finals on the way to winning four trophies, winning the Collegiate Varsity Jessop-Whittier Cup, the Collegiate Varsity 4+ Karen Plumleigh Cortney Cup, the Collegiate 2V Jackie Ann Stitt Hungness Trophy and the Carley Copley Cup.

The next weekend, the Horns travel north to square off with Michigan on Saturday, April 13, the fourth consecutive year the Longhorns will meet the Wolverines in the regular season. Last year, Texas swept four races at home on Lady Bird Lake. The Horns won three of four races the previous year in Michigan with victories in the First Eight, Second Eight and Four. Michigan placed 11th at last year’s national regatta.

Texas will wrap up the regular season portion of the schedule by hosting the Longhorn Invite on Saturday, April 27. The invite returns after a one-year hiatus and will including many of the premier teams in the nation, including defending national champions Stanford, 13-time defending ACC champions Virginia and 10-time Big Ten champions Ohio State. Virginia place 10th at the 2023 NCAA Championships and Ohio State placed 12th at last year’s national regatta. The four programs have combined to win nine of the last 14 NCAA championships.

Texas will look to defend its conference crown when the Longhorns travel to Sarasota, Fla. for Big 12 Conference Championship on Sunday, May 19. The conference regatta will take place at Nathan Benderson Park, the site of UT’s 2021 and 2022 national championship victories. The Horns swept last year’s regatta, the eighth consecutive sweep of the Big 12 Championship, and had six student-athletes earn all-conference honors for the eighth-straight year.

The 2024 season will conclude at the NCAA Championships on May 31-June 2 in Bethel, Ohio on Harsha Lake at East Fork State Park. The Longhorns placed fourth at the 2023 national regatta, the program’s sixth consecutive top-4 finish and the eighth-straight top-8 result.

The post Texas Longhorns Women’s Rowing announces 2023-24 schedule appeared first on Rowing News.

BY ANDY ANDERSON, DR. ROWING

Dear Doctor Rowing,

As we begin to think about head-racing season and the granddaddy of them all, the Head of the Charles, our coach told us that in order to do really well, you don’t even have to have a perfect race. To emphasize his point, he told us that in the world championships of 1990, the U.S. lightweight men’s double stopped during the race and then came back to win it. Gold medals!

Did they actually stop or is this just a made-up story by our coach? Why would they stop? Nobody believes him, so I thought I’d ask you.

        T.J.

Yes, Virginia, the U.S. lightweight men’s double really did stop and come back to win the world championship. Now if you’re imagining a little break to sip on water bottles and munch on pieces of banana Power Bars, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed by the real story. It’s much more dramatic than that.

Bow Bob Dreher and stroke Steve Peterson were the lightweight double. Surprisingly, they have never talked about the oarlock incident much, so delighted were they with the result. These guys should be on the banquet circuit, burnishing their reputations with this unusual race.

Like many American scullers in international regattas, they had modest hopes for the regatta in Tasmania, Australia. 

“We’d been though the reps, and according to the times, we were looking at sixth place,” Dreher remembers. “That had been our goal, to make the finals. But as the regatta went on, we had been getting better and better. It felt like we were really hitting a peak, and we might do something in the finals.

“That morning, I woke up and thought, ‘We can win.’ I felt great about our chances. The race was delayed for over an hour because it was so windy and rough. But when we finally started, we felt great. We were right in it when just before the first 500 mark, I started to feel something funny with my starboard oar. I looked out and saw that the gate of the oarlock was standing straight up.

“Now I had locked it; there’s even some videotape of me on the dock doing it up. But the rough water must’ve knocked it loose. I rowed for about another three or four strokes, afraid to put much pressure on, trying to decide what to do. On the fourth stroke, the gate happened to come down. So, I stopped rowing, tucked the oars into my gut and reached out and screwed the lock shut again.

“Steve came through with a stroke and hit my oars. I could see that he wasn’t sure what was happening. But I was ready, and I yelled, ‘Go.’ We started up again; the boat hadn’t ever come to an absolute dead stop and took off.

“The videotape of the race doesn’t show what had happened. And they didn’t bother to show us, now about a length of open water behind the field.”

Did they abandon their race plan at that point?

“Well, it’s kind of a blur, but we just did everything we could in the middle of the race. We used the same sprint that we had planned on. We went from fourth place to first in the last 500, but where we really moved was in the last hundred meters. We rocketed to the finish. It felt so fast, so good.

“At the finish line I was kind of pissed. I thought that maybe we had won a medal, and I was thinking, ‘We could have won.’ There was a photo finish; we had to wait 30 minutes to find out the results. When they finally announced it, I couldn’t believe it.”

His partner, Steve Peterson, remembers the race much the same way Bob does.

“We’d been hoping to make the finals and we were there. So, we had a nothing-to-lose attitude. I remember thinking that things were going great; I remember thinking, ‘We’re in it.’ And then Bob started swearing for two or three strokes. I thought, ‘What’s he so upset about? We’re doing great; we’re right where we want to be.’ I don’t know if you know that sick feeling of coming up to a catch and hitting your blades against the shafts of your partner’s oars, but that’s what happened next. Luckily, before I could get stressed about it, he had the oarlock shut. Probably because I didn’t know what the problem had been, I never got too worried.

“I guess that I’d attribute our win to two things. First, that nothing-to-lose attitude. I really felt like anything I did would be fine. And second, it helped to have the headwind. I remember to this day the time 7:46.15. If the race hadn’t been so long—6:20 was the gold standard—I don’t think that we could’ve gotten back into it. What an adrenaline rush!” 

There was some talk, half serious, in rowing circles that Dreher and Peterson had hit upon the perfect physiological race plan—just as the lactate was building up after the hard first 500, a quick break to let it work out of the muscles, then on into the race, lactate-free, setting yourself up for an incredible finishing 500. 

“Well, we never tried that again,” Dreher said, “but I don’t think that’s the way you want to race.”

What can you take away from this story that will help your head racing? I’d agree with your coach: If a 2K race at the worlds doesn’t always demand perfection, a 5K race in the fall definitely doesn’t. Don’t obsess over little things like rough water, crabs, poor steering, boats that won’t get out of your way, boats that crash into you, or any of the other things that make head racing so much fun. 

Have a great fall season!  

The post The Pause That Refreshed appeared first on Rowing News.

BY NANCY CLARK

At the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, more than 3,000 sports-medicine professionals and researchers from around the globe gathered to share knowledge. Here are summaries of several sports-nutrition presentations sure to be of interest to rowers: 

Body Composition: 

Historically, collegiate and competitive rowers would have their body fat measured routinely, with the data posted for all to see. Many were praised for their extreme leanness (read anorexia); others were fat-shamed. Hence, many rowers experienced intense pressure both internally and externally to have a lean physique.

Today, we know that athletic performance is not dictated primarily by body-fat percentage but by volume of training, mental state, adequacy of sleep, and sufficient food intake.

Today’s recommendation is that measuring body fat should be done only if (1) the rower consents, (2) the measurement is done in private by a trained measurer using the most reliable method, (3) the information is discussed in confidence with rowers and their health-care team, and (4) the mental and physical health of the rower is a priority.

Rowers, please understand that you will perform better if you focus on getting stronger and gaining power as opposed to restricting food. If the cost of losing body fat is having to train for weeks with poorly fueled muscles, your performance will suffer and your risk of injury will increase.

Ultra-Processed Foods and Athletes

About 95 percent of athletes enjoy ultra-processed foods (UPFs) such as frozen waffles, boxed mac ’n’ cheese, chips, etc. The average American consumes about 60 percent of total calories from UPFs. They are readily available, easy to prepare, have a long shelf life, and can save time. 

What do rowers need to know about UPFs? First, let’s define what they are. UPFs contain substances that are used rarely in home cooking—emulsifiers, thickeners, protein isolates, etc. You’ll find those substances in energy bars, fruit yogurts, commercially baked breads, and many grab-and-go foods that busy athletes consume commonly.

UPFs also include sport drinks and protein powders. Not only are they convenient but also they digest easily. During extended exercise, when rowers need quick and easy carbs, consuming a gel, chomp, or sports drink can boost energy easily. While a swig of maple syrup or a banana can be equally energizing, UPFs are generally easier to manage.  

In the general population, UPFs are linked with obesity. The more UPFs consumed, the greater the risk of weight gain. In a carefully controlled study with menus matched for carbs, protein, fat, fiber, and palatability, the UPF menu led to weight gain. The UPF eaters consumed about 500 additional calories a day compared to when they ate from the whole-foods menu, and they gained about two pounds in two weeks. Yikes! 

Why did that happen? Are UPFs easier to overeat because they require less chewing, can be eaten quickly, and are super-tasty? 

The answer is yet to be determined. Until such time, your better bet is to consume homemade foods whenever possible. The less packaging in your grocery cart, the better for your waistline and the better for the environment (less trash in landfills). 

That said, balance and moderation pave a prudent path. There’s a time and a place for UPFs. If your protein intake is low, grabbing a protein bar on the run can help you hit your 20-to-30-gram protein target. If you consume little red meat, an iron-enriched breakfast cereal like Grape Nuts can help fill that gap. For traveling athletes, carrying bars, gels, and carb-based recovery drinks are “safe” (uncontaminated). Safety matters.

Protein

Muscle is being broken down constantly into amino acids and then rebuilt into new muscle tissue. Resistance exercise, such as weightlifting, stimulates the synthesis of new muscle during the 24 hours after exercise. Including about a sixth of a gram of high-quality protein per pound of body weight per meal maximizes muscle-protein synthesis. That comes to about 20 grams of protein for a 120-pound rower and about 30 grams for a 180-pound rower. You can consume that amount easily in chocolate milk, eggs, or tofu. 

Protein’s food matrix, with all the bioactive compounds that accompany the amino acids in natural foods, has a positive influence on the muscle-building effectiveness of the amino acids. For example, eating a whole egg, not just the egg white, builds muscle tissue more effectively. Hence, your best bet is to choose food naturally rich in protein, such as nuts, yogurt, tuna, beans and rice, etc. Whole foods are preferable to the protein isolates in powders and bars. 

Including protein at each meal and snack also offers benefits. Many rowers eat too little protein at breakfast and lunch, then devour two to three chicken breasts at dinner. They’d be better off enjoying a serving of protein at each meal and snack.

Vegan rowers can indeed consume adequate protein—if they’re responsible. A vegan meal with just pasta and greens doesn’t do the job.

How much protein from plants is enough? The goal is one gram of plant protein per pound of body weight a day. For a 120-pound rower, this comes to about 30 grams per meal, plus 10 to 15 grams in each of two snacks. 

The information on food labels reveals the grams of protein per serving, as does a quick Google search (e.g., the protein in a  half cup of hummus). Don’t be among the many athletes who believe erroneously that most Americans consume too much protein and make little effort to replace chicken with enough beans. A big dollop of hummus (about a half cup) with eight grams of protein does not equate to the 35 grams of protein in a small chicken breast. 

Vegans, educate yourself!  

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