Waitemata Rowing Club News

Judy working – others watching

Originally uploaded by bri_tred.

getting used to managing photographs in a different way

Hello Rowers and  Families,

I trust you had a wonderful break from rowing and routine over the Christmas holidays. I did, I had six whole days off! But I only got to the third day before the withdrawal symptoms were too much for me and I had to drive four hours down from Whirinaki (Hokianga, beside Opononi) to join Sarah on an Auckland RPC( Regional Performance Center) training camp.

The idea for this camp, and the RPC program, is to allow rowers like Sarah and I to row with elites and improve our skills. Basically, NZ elites and Under 23’s are ‘relesed’ from the NZ program over Christmas to row with us, and then at nationals to race with us as an RPC group (Sarah and I will still wear club colours, but race with more people). The camp was definitely beneficial for me. Over three days we rowed eight times, in boats ranging from 1x to 8+. On the first row I got put in an 8 with Nicky and Juliette (who are,as you know,world gold medalists) and Emma Twigg who is a… well fast single sculler, she won an international gold at U19 level and placed third in U21’s at aged 19 I think. It was good to be in a boat with people who are used to making it go fast, it helped to show me just how far off the pace I am, not too far I think, compared with the rest of crew, who were made up of U23’s and girls who made the NZ 8 last season.  The problems the elites are having with their rowing are not much different to ours. Things like not lunging forward at the catch, or getting the blade into the water into the water faster, are what Troy and Brian are telling us rowers all the time. The difference is that the elites dont’n make such gross errors, their mistakes are more refined, and when asked to change, they can. Another thing I noticed was that some of the girls just tried to row hard without really thinking what they doing to move the boat, rowing like tanks. However, they are very good at working hard for long periods of time!! They couldn’t believe we only rowed for one hour at a time, doing 10K or so at the camp,  at Karapiro the rows are about 30K each time!

So if you want to get somewhere with rowing girls, get tough and row long distances but stay sharp about your rowing, try to understand the stroke. Brian is the best coach I have come across for that, and it stood out at camp.

If you have any questions about this ‘posting’ or you want to know any more about RPC or whatever, please please write it tin the comments box. this way others can see what you have asked and what I (in all my worldly wisdom, HAHA lol) write in reply!

Cheers, emma.

Check the ‘photgraphic journal’ page occasionally – there are links to photographs.

Access to photographs is important for us and there is work still to be done to identify the best method(s) for providing a current (=new) supply. Watch this page.

By the way: HAPPY NEW YEAR