It's another beauty of a day in NZ.
With the training/eating/sleeping settling into a rhythm, I figure this is a good opportunity to mention how this composite quad (of GMS Rowing Center and RBC) came together and introduce the guys in the boat.
Starting with yours truly, Riverside has been home since 2003. Since joining, I've had the privilege of rowing around the US, in Canada, England, Italy, and Israel. My personal favorite moments are too numerous to list, but racing at trials and eventually Worlds in the 2006 RBC LM8 in was pretty up there. On the same note, missing the same sweep boat in 2007 was pretty tough, but it made me want to race internationally again. I thought a quad might be a better fit for me, so I began monthly weekend trips to GMS because of their sculling focus while still training at RBC almost every day.
The 2010 GMS/RBC trials boat of Brian Tryon (pictured above on beanbag chairs), myself, Todd Mickelson, and Matt Carey, was selected in September based on results from pieces in quads, singles, and on ergs down in CT. After winning US Trials on Oct 2nd, we've had a few weekend camps, bought some long haul plane tickets, and now we're psyched to be in NZ for our longest stretch of consecutive practices as a crew. Hopefully there's more speed to find.
Brian is the crotchety old Purdue alum of the crew at 33 yrs old (oldest on the team...and the room of Pete/Brian is the oldest avg age room with the lowest maturity level) Consequently, he sits in bow and tells the rest of us what to do. Brian attempted to make the US Team for almost 10 years after college before making the '09 and '10 LM4x, so he never takes anything for granted and knows a thing or 2 about seizing an opportunity when it presents itself. His day job entails designing jet engines, and I won't be surprised if someday he straps one onto his 1x stern deck.
Todd quietly dominated quad selection after a 2+ year stint working as a civil engineer in Seattle following his U23 LM2x trip in 2007. As a young eligible bachelor, Todd serves as our scapegoat ("Sorry - have you met Todd?!?) to deflect harsh feelings during any on-water entanglements with female crews on the crowded course. Look out for this Lehigh grad in the future.
Matt is a stoic firecracker, and he'll let you know if things aren't moving in the right direction. His routine Pavlovian responses to the boat launching process are 2nd to none, so we allot an extra few minutes in case he needs to run back to the team tent or WC. Matt rowed out of RBC in 2009 and 2010 in a 2x with member Dave Smith and reluctantly admits that Boston is cool. He also raced at the 2007 U23's, and hails from Weslyan.
Other random news tidbits:
- Tomorrow afternoon is the opening ceremony, and if the weather's nice I'll stick around to snap some photos
- Today the first 500 meters of the course were closed down for practice starts off the blocks. This was also the first day where the lower portion of the lake is closed off to long distance training. Until now, this area offered an additional 5k of rowing away from traffic, along the shore with cliffs and palm trees adding to the visual experience.
- In Matt Muffelman's event (Lightweight Men's 8), despite only 5 entries, it will be a brutal fight. The Australians have prioritized the LM8 and have no other lightweight men racing. The Germans and Chinese are putting their lightweight fours into their 8's, and Italy are the defending champs. Matt's blog can be found here:
http://shivspix.com/usa/team-usa/matt-muffelmans-new-blog/
- Esther, racing in the Women's 8, is also blogging. She more high tech than I am.
http://usrowing2010nz.blogspot.com/2010/10/more-training-more-teams-arriving.html
- Yesterday, the grocery store had free samples of Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate. I'm now the proud owner of a berry fruit and vanilla shortcake "bar of plenty."
Racing begins this Saturday (Eastern Time) and runs through next Saturday (Eastern Time). Race coverage info:
My heat (race for lanes) in Lightweight Men's Quad is next Monday at 6:47pm (Eastern Time), with final on Friday at 9:33pm (Eastern Time).
Matt's heat (race for lanes) in Lightweight Men's Eight is next Tuesday at 6:41pm, with final on Saturday at 9:33pm (Eastern Times).
Results can be found at www.fisa.org
Streaming video (for finals only, next Th-Sat) can be found at: http://fisa.feedroom.com/
Word,
Pete
With the training/eating/sleeping settling into a rhythm, I figure this is a good opportunity to mention how this composite quad (of GMS Rowing Center and RBC) came together and introduce the guys in the boat.
Starting with yours truly, Riverside has been home since 2003. Since joining, I've had the privilege of rowing around the US, in Canada, England, Italy, and Israel. My personal favorite moments are too numerous to list, but racing at trials and eventually Worlds in the 2006 RBC LM8 in was pretty up there. On the same note, missing the same sweep boat in 2007 was pretty tough, but it made me want to race internationally again. I thought a quad might be a better fit for me, so I began monthly weekend trips to GMS because of their sculling focus while still training at RBC almost every day.
The 2010 GMS/RBC trials boat of Brian Tryon (pictured above on beanbag chairs), myself, Todd Mickelson, and Matt Carey, was selected in September based on results from pieces in quads, singles, and on ergs down in CT. After winning US Trials on Oct 2nd, we've had a few weekend camps, bought some long haul plane tickets, and now we're psyched to be in NZ for our longest stretch of consecutive practices as a crew. Hopefully there's more speed to find.
Brian is the crotchety old Purdue alum of the crew at 33 yrs old (oldest on the team...and the room of Pete/Brian is the oldest avg age room with the lowest maturity level) Consequently, he sits in bow and tells the rest of us what to do. Brian attempted to make the US Team for almost 10 years after college before making the '09 and '10 LM4x, so he never takes anything for granted and knows a thing or 2 about seizing an opportunity when it presents itself. His day job entails designing jet engines, and I won't be surprised if someday he straps one onto his 1x stern deck.
Todd quietly dominated quad selection after a 2+ year stint working as a civil engineer in Seattle following his U23 LM2x trip in 2007. As a young eligible bachelor, Todd serves as our scapegoat ("Sorry - have you met Todd?!?) to deflect harsh feelings during any on-water entanglements with female crews on the crowded course. Look out for this Lehigh grad in the future.
Matt is a stoic firecracker, and he'll let you know if things aren't moving in the right direction. His routine Pavlovian responses to the boat launching process are 2nd to none, so we allot an extra few minutes in case he needs to run back to the team tent or WC. Matt rowed out of RBC in 2009 and 2010 in a 2x with member Dave Smith and reluctantly admits that Boston is cool. He also raced at the 2007 U23's, and hails from Weslyan.
Other random news tidbits:
- Tomorrow afternoon is the opening ceremony, and if the weather's nice I'll stick around to snap some photos
- Today the first 500 meters of the course were closed down for practice starts off the blocks. This was also the first day where the lower portion of the lake is closed off to long distance training. Until now, this area offered an additional 5k of rowing away from traffic, along the shore with cliffs and palm trees adding to the visual experience.
- In Matt Muffelman's event (Lightweight Men's 8), despite only 5 entries, it will be a brutal fight. The Australians have prioritized the LM8 and have no other lightweight men racing. The Germans and Chinese are putting their lightweight fours into their 8's, and Italy are the defending champs. Matt's blog can be found here:
http://shivspix.com/usa/team-usa/matt-muffelmans-new-blog/
- Esther, racing in the Women's 8, is also blogging. She more high tech than I am.
http://usrowing2010nz.blogspot.com/2010/10/more-training-more-teams-arriving.html
- Yesterday, the grocery store had free samples of Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate. I'm now the proud owner of a berry fruit and vanilla shortcake "bar of plenty."
Racing begins this Saturday (Eastern Time) and runs through next Saturday (Eastern Time). Race coverage info:
My heat (race for lanes) in Lightweight Men's Quad is next Monday at 6:47pm (Eastern Time), with final on Friday at 9:33pm (Eastern Time).
Matt's heat (race for lanes) in Lightweight Men's Eight is next Tuesday at 6:41pm, with final on Saturday at 9:33pm (Eastern Times).
Results can be found at www.fisa.org
Streaming video (for finals only, next Th-Sat) can be found at: http://fisa.feedroom.com/
Word,
Pete
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