The joy of elite rowing is tough racing, close margins and interesting racing plans. For masters, there are lessons we can take into our own practice.
We welcome guest Grant Craies who writes the programmes for Faster Masters Rowing subscribers.
01:00 Olympic Regatta Thoughts
Do the basics well Watching crews from different countries who may row differently stylistically. Despite this they all row the basics extremely well such as blade parallels are accurate, height off the water is the same, they square up at the same time. They are very consistent with these at low ratings as well as when racing. They always look unhurried with their movements. To achieve this you have to be accurate with movements which creates time in the rowing stroke. These athletes have extreme physical capacities compared to us. But we can bring diligence and practice to doing the basics.
06:00 A change of pace
Making the boat go faster with a “move” especially in the last 10% of the race affected the outcome. The positions the crews were in at 1500m weren’t the same as at the finish line. Fitness is a component of this they would have practiced making pace changes in training. The crews must know how to effect the change and what the call is to do it.
Within the Faster Masters Rowing training programs is a change of pace during a workout to help train us as masters to be able to do this.
The Romanian womens 2x were doubling up into the 8+. They tend to race from the front. In their semi-final they didn’t do this – racing in the pack. After 1500m they sprinted hard to win the semi final using the change of pace in the final stages. In the final they tried to do the same thing and couldn’t overtake the New Zealand W2x who won the event. Their opposition would try to counter the change of pace because they had seen it happen before. They created a buffer between the NZ boat and the Romanian boat.
14:00 Start your sprint before other crews
It takes around 2-3 strokes before you get a real response from your boat speed. If you can get 5 strokes on another crew before they realise you have changed your pace it may gain you a bit. The opponents have to both match your change of pace and make up the distance you already gained – going significantly faster than you to win the race. It is easier to be in front than to play catch up. You take a risk by sprinting early.
17:30 It’s not over till you cross the line
The mens pair race – the British crew were leading by a few feet over the Croatian pair. They countered the push the Croatian Sinkovic brothers did. Coming up to the line the British crew caught water and this slowed their boat. There were only 2-3 strokes left in the race and that was enough for the Sinkovic to win. You have always got to keep going until you cross the line.
20:00 Van Dorp versus Zeidler The change of pace in the mens 1x came from the unaffiliated Belorussian who overtook the Dutch Van Dorp. This race got delayed to after the eights because a bus from the Olympic Athletes Village had broken down and the Belorussian was on the bus.
22:00 Have a contingency plan Things happen. The starting boot failed in one lane and forced lane changes. Know what you are going to do if something happens. This affected the timing of everyone’s warm up and pre-race plans. Adjusting your plans to suit the new situation and then execute your race well. Can you filter out the things which are unexpected and re-focus on the new reality.
25:00 Know what is within your control and what is outside your control. Mental training and practice can help you learn not to react negatively when things change. Stay in the zone and produce a great athletic performance. We saw people doing catch drills, legs only rowing, finish drills in their practices after racing was over. All the crews were very careful on the recovery – they were doing nothing to disturb the boat while rolling up the slide.
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