The World Championships finished a month ago and the subsequent feelings of success or failure have started to wear off.  Most of us are just finishing our second week of “official” training, not that we ever really take time off.  The first few days weren’t bad, there is always excitement in seeing everyone and in getting back to the familiar routine again.

Although, then the soreness sets in and waking up early wasn’t as easy as it was those first few days.  And you realize you have eleven months of this before you get to redeem yourself or defend your success.

Eleven months is a long time.  It’s hard to get motivated at the beginning of an eleven-month journey. So, breaking down that time into manageable pieces and setting goals to reach along the way is how to start.  That’s what gets those extra core sessions going in the beginning of the season, how to push those AT sessions and suffer through the new blisters earned. That and knowing that this year the World Championships are more than just that, it is also the first Olympic Qualifying Regatta, the first true taste of the ultimate goal, the Rio Olympic Games.

For those training in Oklahoma, the first fun event is this weekend, The Head of the Oklahoma and the Night Sprints. Racing is what most live for and this regatta supplies plenty of that.  Most National Team athletes will be doubling up by racing in a sculling and a sweep event. Plus, success in the head race earns you a spot in the Night Sprints. The Sprints are 500 meters long and held under bright lights. The last race of the evening will cross the finish line just as fireworks are set off; it is a pretty unique event as far as rowing goes.

The fall will likely contain a few head style races for most athletes, the biggest of course being the Head of the Charles. This regatta, known by all, is also a reunion for many rowers, racing in alumni boats, seeing past teammates and competitors. It is definitely more than just a regatta.

The fall culminates with the first National Team Selection Event, the Fall Speed Order, which also includes the first big erg test of the year. This is the first true milestone of the training cycle. It can leave you knowing you are on the right track or knowing you have your work cut out for you. Either way, it will motivate you for the long cold months ahead, unless you are lucky enough to be in California of course. For most of us, the winter season brings plenty of erging, pogies, and the hope that spring will come early.

The most recent European racing trip was an extremely successful one for the US National Team. The team’s World Cup performance was one of the best ever, second only to last year’s performance in Lucerne when the U.S. won the points trophy for the first time ever.

While all athletes laid down great pieces and solid races, there were definitely a few standouts.  On the women’s side, the dominant W8+ had a fantastic race featuring a move that blew past Canada in the last 500m to a commanding win. What’s more, all of the women in the eight had raced in the A Final of the pair event.  The fact that all four of the pairs made it to the A final speaks to the caliber and depth of Tom Terhaar’s program. The pair of Kerry Simmonds and Megan Kalmoe finished second to GB while the pair of Caroline Lind and Grace Luczak finished third.

On the men’s heavyweight side, the M8+ and M4- both proved to be among the fastest in the world. The 8+ led from the start to win gold and the 4- brought home the bronze.  Mike Gennaro was part of both crews, filling in for the injured Ross James.

On the men’s lightweight side, both the LM4- and LM2X finished fourth in their respective A finals. This was an unprecedented result for both boats and is exciting leading into this year’s World Championships.

On top of all the great racing, the team was able to learn a lot about the course in France that will be used for the Olympic qualifier next year.

After leaving France, the team headed to Holland to get a feel for the course that will be used at this year’s World Championships in Amsterdam.  It was helpful to get a bit of training on the course before some fun racing in the Holland-Beker Regatta.  However, it proved to be tough physically on the team with more injuries creeping up on both the men’s and women’s side.

The women once again showed their speed finishing first in the W8+, first in the W2X and second in the W4X. The truly exceptional part was that many of the women who had raced in the quad during the World Cup raced the eight and vice versa showing the versatility of the group.

On the first day of racing in Amsterdam, the men’s boats were kept more or less the same from the World Cup.  The M8+ proved dominant again and the M4- final featured the US men’s heavyweights and lightweights against the Canadians, Dutch and Chinese heavyweights.  The race proved to be a real barn burner with the US heavies taking an early lead followed by Canada, the US lighties and then the Dutch.  With just 250m to go, the lighties moved into 2^nd before catching a little digger which dropped them to 4^th, just 3 seconds back from the winning US heavies.

On the second day of the regatta, the men wanted to test their mettle at switching lineups. Four guys from the M8+ hopped into the M4- and the guys from the 4- joined the rest of the men in the 8+. Both the 8+ and the 4- won again, showing the incredible depth of the men’s squad this cycle. When driving on road, it is important to stay away from alcohol and also make sure you know all about implied consent in Florida.

Overall it was a great regatta that provided everyone with valuable racing experience come this summer’s World Championships. Thank you to the NRF for making this European racing adventure possible for the men’s and women’s National Team and on to more training, selection and then Worlds!

-Will Daly

Well, the first day of racing in Aiguebelette, France came and went. It was full of Exhibition

Races, or racing in the time trial format similar to what we’re used to at NSRs.  For some, the results of the time trial determined who got eliminated and who got to skip the repechage and go directly to the semifinals.  For others, the results of the time trial proved less meaningful.  For many events, the time trial simply seeded the heats. Because many crews decided to use the time trial as more of a primer for the heats, some races ended a bit lopsided.

Participating in the Exhibition Race did, however, provide its own bit of excitement.  Crews were started out of the blocks, meaning no rolling start (which is the format at NSRs).  This led to a bit of confusion at the starting line seeing as there were only two lanes in operation and you had to pull in, lock on and get pointed all in about a minute.  This was a new format for everyone involved and it turns out that the quota for griping was met, so that is good news.

Overall, it was a great day of racing for US athletes with every crew progressing.  With heats, reps and semis coming tomorrow, there will be a huge number of races for the US to shine in.

Keep tabs on US athletes and their racing schedule here.

For the latest photos from row2k click on the following links:

Heats: Fours, Quads and Eights

Heats: Doubles

Heats: Pairs

Heats: Singles

North Stonington, CT  June 5, 2014 –The National Rowing Foundation is pleased to announce that the Head Of The Charles Regatta has agreed to donate $30,000 to support the United States National Team in its quest for gold at the 2014 World Rowing  Championships, 2014 World Rowing Under 23 Championships and 2014 World Rowing Junior Championships. These funds will be used to support each of the elite programs at the senior and Para-Rowing, under 23 and junior levels.

 

The HOCR grant comes in response to an NRF request to participate in its Regatta Grant Project, a fund raising effort that seeks to engage the goodwill of regattas and their participants across the country to help support our national teams.

Charles Hamlin, Executive Director of the NRF, stated, “The NRF could not be more pleased with the generosity of the HOCR in supporting our national team athletes.  The Regatta and the NRF have a mutual desire to see that our national teams have the best possible opportunity to compete successfully on the world stage.  Their overall success fuels the growth and reach of our sport.  And the individuals who represent us become points of aspiration for the entire rowing community.”

Fred Schoch, the Executive Director of the HOCR, stated, “We responded to the call of the NRF because we feel an obligation as the nation’s largest regatta to support our sport and the dedicated athletes who give so much of their lives to represent us. The HOCR is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, and with this gift we are crossing the $1 Million dollar threshold for Funds raised for Charities. It is fitting that this particular grant from our endowment is for the four US National team programs. Each represents an important community in our Regatta and we are happy to support them; the HOCR wouldn’t be the same without them.”

About the National Rowing Foundation

The National Rowing Foundation is a 501c3 corporation dedicated to raising funds to support the U.S. National Rowing Teams including the Senior/Olympic, Under 23, Junior and Para-Rower teams. Founded in 1966, the NRF has been supporting Olympic athletes for more than four decades. The funds raised support year round training, development, competition and preservation of rowing history through the Hall of Fame and Rowing Museum. More information can be found online at https://natrowing.org.

About the Head Of the Charles ® Regatta

In its 50th year, the Head Of the Charles Regatta is the world’s largest two-day regatta, attracting more than 10,000 rowers and 400,000 spectators to the banks of the Charles River. The Regatta attracts youth, collegiate, masters, international, world champion and Olympic athletes competing in 61 events. The 2014 Regatta takes place on Saturday, October 18 and Sunday, October 19, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.  Follow the HOCR on Facebook and Twitter.

 

For more information on the Regatta Grant Project, please contact Charles Hamlin at
203-434-5180 or via e-mail at charlie@natrowing.org.

 

NORTH STONINGTON, Conn. – The National Rowing Foundation inducted seventeen of the most distinguished United States athletes and coaches into the National Rowing Hall of Fame on Saturday, May 31, 2014. The induction ceremony took place at the Princeton Marriott at Forrestal in Princeton, N.J.

“The Class of 2014 being honored for induction into our Rowing Hall of Fame embodies the achievement in performance, dedication, persistence and contribution to rowing necessary to earn this recognition,” said Kent Mitchell, Chair of NRF Hall of Fame Selection Committee.

“In 96 appearances over multiple years in Olympic Games and World Championship competition, these men and women have won 71 medals, 64 of them gold, and rowed their way into the grand finals 94 percent of the time,” said Mitchell. “Hall of Fame induction standards are demanding; each of these honorees has met those standards by open water.”

Inducted for individual achievements:

• Porter Collins – Five-time senior national team member, two-time Olympian in the men’s eight, world champion in the 1995 men’s four and 1998 and 1999 men’s eight.
• Yasmin “Yaz” Farooq – Eight-time national team member and two-time Olympian, coxswain of the women’s eight for eight consecutive years, world champion in 1995, silver medalist in 1990, 1993 and 1994.
• Jamie Koven – Eight-time senior national team member and three-time Olympian, world champion in the 1997 men’s single sculls and 1994 men’s eight, bronze medalist at the 1993 and 1995 World Rowing Championships in the men’s eight.
• Garrett Miller – Four-time senior national team member, 2000 Olympian and world champion in the 1997, 1998 and 1999 men’s eight.
• Thomas Welsh – Three-time senior national team member, 2000 Olympian and world champion in the 1998 and 1999 men’s eight.
• Michael Wherley – Eight-time senior national team member and two-time Olympian in the men’s four, world champion in the 1997, 1998 and 1999 men’s eight, bronze medalist in the 2002 men’s eight and silver medalist in the 2003 men’s eight.

Inducted for achievement as a boat: The U.S. women’s eight and coach that won gold at the 2008 Olympic Games:Erin Cafaro, Lindsay Shoop, Anna Goodale, Eleanor Logan, Anna Cummins Mickelson, Susan Francia, Caroline Lind, Caryn Davies, Mary Whipple Murray, and Coach Tom Terhaar. Lindsay Shoop spoke on behalf of the members of the boat. In rowing Shoop commented, “there are not enough seats in a shell to hold all the people who make it go fast.”

Inducted posthumously as a Patron in the sport of rowing: John “Jack” Sulger, legendary rower and coach from the New York Athletic Club. Jack was a second-generation sculler in America, and a major force in rowing at the national and international level for over 35 years. Jack’s son, Francis X. Sulger, was present to accept the honor for his late father.

Click here to view a photo gallery of the Class of 2014 induction ceremony. Click here for a full list of National Rowing Hall of Fame members.

About the National Rowing Foundation
The National Rowing Foundation is dedicated to raising funds to support the U.S. National Rowing Teams. Founded in 1966, the NRF has been supporting Olympic athletes for more than four decades. The funds raised support year-round training, development, competition and preservation of rowing history through the Hall of Fame and Rowing Museum. More information can be found online at https://natrowing.org.

For additional information: Mara Keggi Ford, National Rowing Foundation, (203) 525-6566, mara@natrowing.org.