BY MARLENE ROYLE
PHOTO BY PETER SPURRIER

With the summer of the single happening, you will want to get as proficient as you can as quickly as you can. You need to have a good handle on boat maneuvering and blade work if you plan to put in meters of sculling.

Perfecting your backing will give you the biggest bang for your buck in terms of boosting your skills. If you get stuck in the bushes on shore, moving your shell sternward is essential for getting you out of the predicament. Besides safety, backing allows you to practice proper blade depth, keeping your handles moving on a level plane, making subtle steering adjustments and to feather-squaring or reverse feather-squaring.

By taking a backing stroke, then letting your blade gather pressure, you can learn the feeling of a set blade at the beginning of the drive. By watching how you back your boat down, a coach can quickly assess your sculling skills.

Practice first with your port oar so you move only in a circle. Keep the starboard oar flat on the water and keep the boat set. With the handle near your body at the release position, square your blade in the water and keep the blade in the same position you would while rowing. Push the handle away from you toward the stern. Then, as you release the blade, feather forward so the scoop faces down and you can slide the tip of the blades across the water to return the handle to your body. Practice with each oar, then both together. Begin with your arms and body only, then gradually build up the slide length as you get comfortable taking longer backing strokes. 

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

STAFF REPORTS
PHOTO BY PETER SPURRIER

The 2020 European Rowing Junior Championships have been confirmed.

The event, previously scheduled for May 30-31, will now take place September 26-27 in Belgrade, Serbia.

“The Serbian Rowing Federation and the European Rowing Board (ERB) have been closely monitoring the evolving pandemic situation and, with the support of the Serbian and Belgrade governments, have put in place a plan to host the event using the Event Infection Prevention Guidelines (Guidelines Link) based on the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and FISA Sports Medicine Commission,” according to a release from FISA.

The regatta is the second confirmed event on the 2020 FISA calendar joining the 2020 European Rowing Under 23 Championships which will take place in Duisburg, Germany, September 5-6.

A decision is expected to be made for the viability of the 2020 European Rowing Championships in late July. The race is currently scheduled to happen October 9-11 in Poznan, Poland.

BY LUKE REYNOLDS
PHOTO BY PETER SPURRIER

The Gay and Lesbian Rowing Federation (GLRF) has been in the rowing community for decades providing resources, unique rowing gear, and a community of like-minded rowers with a place to commiserate with one another. Rowing News interviewed with GLRF co-founders Brian Todd and Elizabeth Morgan, to hear a little bit more about the organization, its history, and what it hopes to achieve. 

*This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Q: So tell me a little bit about the history of the GLRF.

Todd – Well we got the ball first started rolling in 1998 at the Amsterdam Games on a Wednesday afternoon midweek when we found out there would be no rowing at the Sydney Gay Games. So we muttered among ourselves, ‘we should do something about this.’ That started a kind of email list and then Liz contacted me in March of 2000. She had gotten an email from someone at the gay games — I think it was the president — who said, ‘if you want rowing in Sydney, you need to join the Federation of Gay Games.’ And that began the collaboration and the eventual creation of the GLRF. 

Morgan – Part of I think what we’ve struggled with, as well, was also trying to figure out what this organization was going to be. You know, because in rowing at that time there was not sort of a big contingent of dedicated gay and lesbian rowing events. And so a lot of people who were rowing who were also gay were just rowing with or working with other clubs whether or not they were out. So, we were trying to figure out how an organization like ours fits in. Really our main objective at that time was simply to create an organization as required by the Federation of Gay Games to know to be able to represent the rowing community. 

Q: Tell me a little bit more about the community that exists within the Federation. Why is it important for there to be a community like that tailored toward people who identify as gay or identify as someone on the LGBTQ spectrum?

Todd – I think to be able to connect with rowers from around the world is still important for gay and lesbian rowers. There is still to this day I see it in a sense of community that rowers enjoy being able to connect with like-minded folk. 

Q: Would the two of you say that rowing is an inclusive sport? Is rowing a good sport for a gay person? What makes rowing unique versus other sports?

Todd – Well, you hit one of my hot buttons because this is one of the things that I talk about. And it’s always amazing when I met at a GLRF booth at regatta and people come in and say ‘but why [do you have this organization]?’ and we say, well, rowing is a noncontact sport and we feel the number of gay and lesbian people in rowing is much higher than the standard 10 percent. It’s more like probably 20 percent. One of the reasons is because rowing is a noncontact sport and everybody can participate. It’s not like the traditional where you’re you’re at the playground and being picked out for whose team you’re on. Everybody has to perform on their own, in their own seats. And it’s much easier, I feel, for a gay or lesbian person to fit in than to be essentially being dominated by somebody in a more contact sport.

Morgan – Rowing has a mystique that, you know? There’s always new people willing to try it. One thing that I personally have found interesting, having been involved with [DC] Strokes since the early 90s, I teach the learn to row classes and going back 20 years the novice classes were often people who had never actually participated in any kind of sport previously. Maybe they run or maybe they have done some things very individually but generally, people didn’t have experience with sports. So rowing was sort of new on multiple levels for them. Now I find it much more common that athletes have done some sort of sport in the past often with some rowing experience. 

Q: Tell me a little bit more about that dynamic that’s changed. I mean, obviously, the whole landscape for gay people has changed outside of the sport of rowing. But in rowing as well, how have things changed in the past 20 or 25 years?

Morgan – There is a lot, a lot more openness and people feel more comfortable now. I think one of the things that early on that we did see and one thing that is still true today is to continue being an advocate because there is still a stigma. I mean we still hear stories of people not being willing to be out on their team or what have you because people, coaches, in particular, wouldn’t be supportive. They might be worried they won’t get boated or what have you. Certainly, as you made your way through the elite levels of the sport, I don’t think we’ve totally cast that off but I do think things have really shifted. People feel more comfortable coming out at an earlier age and I don’t think there is quite the stereotype that existed back in the day. 

Q: What’s coming down the line for GLRF? Anything on the calendar for the fall or spring 2021?

Todd – Our calendar still shows the Sin City Erg which is still up in the air due to the virus. Are we going to be able to compete? We don’t know but our plan is to move forward with it. We are also planning on having a booth at the Head of the Charles and the Head of the Hooch. I haven’t talked to Head of the Charles yet to see if there have been any changes but I think everyone is just doing a ‘wait and see.’ 

The Gay and Lesbian Federation is currently hosting “a global initiative to promote inclusion and acceptance in the broader rowing community” called the Rower’s Pledge. To sign the pledge and learn more about the Gay and Lesbian Rowing Federation, visit glrf.info. 

BY RICH DAVIS
PHOTO BY PETER SPURRIER

During the summer, staying in shape and building strength should be the primary focus. Rowers can achieve these goals in many ways: running, biking, swimming, surfing, even rowing. 

Young athletes should exercise at least 50 minutes to develop aerobic capacity. If they need to improve their rowing, they might sign up for a short session at a rowing camp or join a club and row occasionally. 

Why not row more? Young athletes will not develop properly if they engage in the same sport exclusively all year long. I recommend that coxswains seek a challenging sport or fitness program to increase their athleticism. Some of my best coxswains were accomplished athletes in other sports — wrestling, cross-country running, skiing and swimming — and as a result they understood exactly what their rowers were going through during a race and knew intuitively when to ask for more. They also commanded the respect of their crewmates.

There are summer rowing camps that offer specific coaching for coxes who may not get the instruction they need during the busy school year. Teenagers grow exponentially in the summer, and using this time to strengthen rowing ability in a sensible way will pay dividends during the racing season. The late Harvard coach Harry Parker once said his goal was not to win sprints but for his crews to be as fast as they could and to win as many races as they could. About the speed of each crew, he was a realist. 

My goal for crews is to row hard. By rowing hard, I mean developing technique and fitness and learning to push to the limit. If a crew does all this, what more can you ask? The pressure is on the coach to help athletes to row well, to be in top shape, and to love working hard. 

BY LUKE REYNOLDS
PHOTO PROVIDED BY TEXAS ROWING CENTER

The 2020 USRowing Youth Virtual National Championship has concluded after more than 1,000 athletes from 119 clubs submitted their times in hopes of a first-place finish and the title of National Champion.

Greenwich Crew took home the points trophy with nine total points from 17 entries, including three first-place finishes in the men’s lightweight eight, the women’s lightweight eight, and the women’s U17 eight.

“It was hard,” Heidi Hunsberger, Greenwich Crew women’s co-head coach, said. “There wasn’t a youth nationals and youth regionals plan right away in April. It really came after everything was canceled.”

“We tried to focus on regionals first and foremost and then we as a team thought it would be fun to get as many people to go on to youth nationals as possible and keep motivated and training by doing that.”

Catherine Starr, women’s co-head coach said a lot of the focus on training leading up to the event was to make sure the athletes were, simply, having a good time.

“The plan was to try and keep it as fun as possible for as long as possible,” Starr said. “We definitely wanted them to learn some lessons along the way about independence and having goals and things but at the end of the day we really just wanted to make sure they come back this summer or next year.”

In addition to having fun and overcoming the challenges of training independently, the women’s coaches of Greenwich Crew all agree that leadership from the older athletes and a team made up of athletes who were truly devoted to the sport led to their ultimate success.

“They’re just a really amazing group of athletes,” Starr said. “They’re really good people.”

“Each class stepped up at different times,” Hunsberger added. “It was nice to see our seniors led at the beginning of this. They were really positive and they did a great job of staying on task and staying really positive. I think they inspire the younger kids as well.”

Greenwich women’s novice head coach, Paul Ruggeberg, felt the leadership made a difference for the group of novices he coaches.

“It is always nice to have that leadership from the top-down,” Ruggeberg said. “With the novices, they’re in a particularly challenging situation because this is their first real season where they’re learning how to race and they’re learning how to train but having the support of the varsity team and some of the older athletes definitely helped them feel a sense of direction in their training.”

“I can’t say it enough, the athletes are the ones that did the work,” Ruggeberg said. “This group of athletes is incredible. It was a joy to coach them even throughout the tough situation.”

Sarasota Crew took the top spot in both the men’s youth eight and the women’s youth eight, finishing fifth in team points.

In the second team points position was Texas Rowing Center (TRC). TRC locked down the runner-up slot with seven total points, two points behind Greenwich.

The crew, coming off a team points trophy win at the 2020 USRowing Virtual Central Youth Regional Championship, and based out of Austin, Texas, chalked their success up to hard work and perseverance.

“It was pretty challenging,” TRC juniors head coach Falesha Thrash said. “I’m sure everyone can attest to that. Once we heard about virtual regionals we organized ourselves and we wrote out an expedited training plan to cover three weeks.”

“They [TRC athletes] definitely put in a lot of effort and not just the leading two months up to it. It’s still rewarding to them to push themselves in a very different kind of challenging setup and circumstances. We saw the peaks and valleys in the short term training. It was definitely a mental game for them but in the end, it paid off.”

Despite the obstacles, the TRC athletes remained optimistic and made the best of the 2020 USRowing Youth National Championships being canceled and replaced by a virtual event by adapting to it — no matter how different it looked.

“We were able to get into a Row Fitness facility here to do the 2k,” Thrash said. “They had glass privacy partitions between each station so we set up different times to limit the number of people and they spread out on the ergs and did their 2k. I didn’t really expect that many athletes to really bite on the chance to do this but they were so eager to do something that resembled anything normal so that’s what we did.”

“The effort was felt all around both squads [men and women] and of course we came together for a successful virtual regatta; winning virtual centrals and second at virtual nationals.  It certainly doesn’t carry the same weight as if we had raced on the water, but is still important to those who put in the effort, especially our seniors.”

A full list of results from the 2020 USRowing Youth Virtual National Championship is available at RegattaCentral.com.

BY JOSH CROSBY
PHOTO BY PETER SPURRIER

“Just get me in the water!” This was all I was thinking during the second half of the run portion for a recent four-hour training session for an upcoming Odyssey swim/run race. (In these events, you swim to an island, run around said island, and then do it again and again.) My mind was serving me well considering it was 92 degrees, humid, not a cloud in the sky, and I was running up to four miles in a wetsuit and drenched shoes. What allowed me to get through this self-inflicted torture was knowing that as soon as I plunged back into the 64-degree Atlantic Ocean, my body temperature would regulate and my focus could turn back to steady strokes and consistent breathing. 

But I was also prepared. In the back of my Jeep I had set up a little aid station equipped with sunscreen, gels, a towel, and plenty of water. And I was glad I did. Being prepared with a few simple tools allowed me to minimize the heat’s effects on my performance and get the work in needed for a race-day victory. Try the following tips and test workout to hone your plan for beating the heat.

Listen to your body. Everyone deals with intense heat differently. If you aren’t feeling up to attacking it on a hot day, try an early morning workout or an air-conditioned gym session instead. 

Start out hydrated. Drinking plenty of water and eating well the day before and morning of will allow you start with some reserves. 

Plan well. Set up your own aid station and do loops throughout your session to access water, electrolytes, and sugars. 

Keep your cool. Cool it down by keeping a small towel in a cooler of ice water. Wrap the towel around you during a quick break, or even run with it around your neck. 

Pick your spots.  Locate your workout near a pool or the ocean and include a few dunks or swimming throughout.

Stay positive and aware. If you notice yourself thinking obsessively about water or cooling down, find a way to address it immediately. 

The Workout (50-60 minutes)

Run 3 miles (1.5 miles out and back) to your aid station 
Drink a few sips of water
Swim 500 meters (6-10 minutes)
Run 2 miles (1 mile out and back) to your aid station
Drink a few sips of water
Swim 400 meters
Run 0.5 miles
Consume water and electrolytes
Swim 300 meters

STAFF REPORTS
PHOTO BY PETER SPURRIER

Former University of Wisconsin women’s rowing associate head coach Nancy LaRocque has been hired as the head coach of Dartmouth College women’s rowing.

“I am incredibly excited and honored to have been given the opportunity to lead the women of Dartmouth rowing,” LaRocque said.

“I want to thank Athletic Director Harry Sheehy for bringing me on board and for his commitment to the growth and success of this program. The passion that Dartmouth College and the Friends of Dartmouth Rowing have is clearly expressed in the beautiful, world-class facilities on the Connecticut River. I am ready to build connections with the women of Dartmouth rowing, both present, and past.”

LaRocque currently serves as the president of the board of directors of the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA).

Dartmouth director of athletics and recreation Harry Sheehy welcomed LaRocque to the Dartmouth community in a June 11 release.

“It is my great pleasure to welcome Nancy to the Big Green athletic family, the college and community at large,” Harry Sheehy said.

“She brings a terrific rowing background as a competitor and coach. Her passion and enthusiasm for working with student-athletes makes her a great fit for our team and college. I am looking forward to watching her move our program forward, and I believe the future of Dartmouth women’s rowing is bright.”

LaRocque, who has been coaching for more than 17 seasons in the women’s collegiate rowing world, helped lead the Badgers to six NCAA championship appearances.

Prior to coaching at the University of Wisconsin, LaRocque coached at the University of Tennessee, West Virginia University, and Vassar College.

LaRocque is a Dover, New Hampshire, native, and graduated from UMass Amherst in 1997 with a degree in legal studies and anthropology. During her time at UMass, LaRocque’s crew won three consecutive Atlantic 10 Championship titles.

STAFF REPORTS
PHOTO PROVIDED

The National Rowing Foundation (NRF) has added three board members to its board of directors.

Aquil Abdullah, Patrick Manning, and Campbell Rogers will be formally inducted at the next special NRF meeting or annual meeting according to a June 11 release.

“These three Board Members bring a wealth of perspective – athletically, professionally, and personally – to the NRF Board,” Marcia Hooper and Jamie Koven, NRF co-chairs said. 

“Their experiences and viewpoints will help guide the NRF as we prepare to support Team USA for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2021, Paris 2024, Los Angeles 2028, and beyond.”

Abdullah currently works as a senior infrastructure engineer and featured athlete at Hydrow. Rogers currently serves as executive vice president and chief medical officer at Heartflow, Inc., a California-based medical device company. Manning currently sits on the Board of a $1B+ beauty and skincare company, according to the release.