THE SPORT OF

To the readers of www.row2k.com

The Amateurs it from you. In addition, if you find any typos in this This is the third installment on row2k of chapter, or if you have any questions, com- my retelling of our American Iliad, the story ments, suggestions, corrections, agreements, of the U.S. men’s scullers of 1984, first told disagreements, additional sources and illu- by David Halberstam in his best-selling strations, etc. please email me at the address book, The Amateurs. below. Your continuing input will be an This draft chapter recounts the events of essential contribution to what has always the spring of 1984. In the coming week, we been intended to be a joint project of the will see the saga to its conclusion from the rowing community, so please contribute. If rowers’ perspectives. you and I end up finally disagreeing on some relevant point or another, I will be The following .pdf is in the format in- thrilled to present both alternatives so the tended for the final printed book. It is from readers can decide for themselves. the fourth and final volume. All my contact info is at my website. I will also be at the World Rowing Coaches’ I need you! Conference in London in January.

Or you can email me anytime at: I have results and TV footage of the Sunday finals in in 1984, but I am [email protected]. still looking for the results of the Saturday Many thanks. heats and finals. If anybody has that infor- mation, I would be most grateful to receive

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THE SPORT OF ROWING

141. American Iliad

1984 Singles Trials – Sculling Camp – Lucerne

Biglow: “After the quad in „83, Harry wasting our time training that way, but later and I figured out that I should go back out to after both our results from the 1984 Games, Seattle and row in a double because it didn‟t he had his sweep rowers doing some of our hurt my back so much. I started rowing with workouts the following year.”6750 , and we spent the winter working out and running stairs, and it was Purdy: “During the fall of 1983, I great! trained at Harvard. We had fewer organized “Paul is a great friend.”6746 rows with Harry and trained as a group Enquist: “The stairs were near John‟s mostly by ourselves in singles and doubles. home, 192 stairs, very steep with only a I raced at the Head of the Charles in the three-foot landing in the middle. The first championship double with Charlie time I did them with him I was only able to Altekruse. We won and set a course do one flight running. I managed to finish record.”6751 ten by running, then walking and then The Harvard boathouse had been the crawling to the top. My legs were jello for informal center of U.S. men‟s sculling since the next week. This was in early January. the spring of 1983 when Harry Parker “By mid April, two days before leaving accepted the position as Olympic men‟s Seattle for Boston, we both did 20 flights, sculling coach. A group made up mostly of two at a time.”6747 Yale and Harvard graduates coalesced there around Harry, and for those athletes whose While in Seattle, John and Paul again personal lives prevented them from got help from Frank Cunningham.6748 relocating to Cambridge for a year, there Enquist: “It is interesting to read about developed a sense that they were outsiders. the weakness in John‟s legs due to his back Harry‟s personality and coaching style condition. I know we adjusted our 1984 did not discourage this mindset. For twenty winter workouts to accommodate his needs. years, Harry had been known as a coach of “When we trained in the double, I was few words who selected his crews through the timer, so I know the long pieces were six relentless intramural competition, especially minutes on, three off, up to ten or twelve seat racing, and who seemed to rely on the cycles. The quality of the rowing became athletes themselves to resolve issues of very good doing this method. technique. “It is interesting to note that Kris Korzeniowski6749 had told us we were All this was evident during the two- week camp in Tampa, Florida in January, 6746 Biglow, personal conversation, 2008 1984. 6747 Enquist, op cit, 2010 6748 Halberstam, p. 159 6750 Enquist, op cit, 2008 6749 See Chapter 124. 6751 Purdy, op cit.

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Jim Dietz: “NO boats were rigged Fredy is perhaps one of the greatest properly. The doubles were in a range from rowers ever. A natural lightweight at 5‟11” 155cm to 162cm spreads with varying [180 cm] and 154 lb. [70 kg], Fredy rowed [oarlock angles and distances] through the heavyweights his whole life. pin. The oarsmen themselves agreed upon “After barely losing the 1972 Swiss and rigged these boats after the first week. Olympic Singles Trials to European and “Instead of constant racing and pressure World Doubles Champion Melch of being ranked in a point system, Mr. Bürgin,6755 Fredy was relegated to the Parker should have established a greater sculling spare position. During training in aerobic base with more emphasis on St. Moritz before the Games, Fredy technique. At no time did he ever identify consistently beat Melch in pieces. Just the style he wanted.”6752 before the Games, the stroke of the Purdy: “Following the winter training Swiss straight-pair was hit by a car and session in Tampa, I moved to Long Beach, couldn‟t row. Someone suggested the bow California to train for the rest of the winter. rower move to stroke and Fredy jump into While there, I made frequent trips to the bow seat. Fredy says from the beginning Newport Beach, where I trained with Curtis the boat flew – mostly because of his Fleming. Curtis was a class guy, an incredible technique, honed from years in accomplished sculler and a great friend. Out sculling boats (as is the European way). A of everyone in the Olympic Quad that later week or two later, they won the Silver beat us in the Trials, I was happiest for Medal very unexpectedly. him.”6753 “Fredy Bachman rows like Joe Charlie Altekruse: “I felt like I was a Bouscaren. He glides in the boat and does pretty good quad sculler but not as nothing to check its forward movement. comfortable in a single. After Harry had Huge emphasis on getting hands and back challenged me to take my training more extended quickly on the recovery and seriously,6754 I was determined to become a leaving the seat behind. Also, emphasis on top-tier sculler, and I also wanted an preparing for the catch, blades arching for adventure worthy of postponing my the water and placed in before the catch. education and career. So, after our team trip The catch is a gradual pickup rather than a to Tampa, I went to Switzerland from hard attack, like they do in eights roughly mid-January to mid-April. I [Schubschlag instead of Kernschlag]. planned to return in time to acclimate for the “I trained about twelve times a week, U.S. Singles Trials. including a very little bit of land workouts. “I trained amidst the steam boats on the For the twelve weeks, I averaged over 100 big lake at Luzern and on Lago di Lugano in miles [160 km] a week, which works out to the Ticino (Italian) part of Switzerland. I almost 16 miles [23 km] a day. trained mostly by myself, though sometimes “A typical morning workout for Fredy with the Swiss national sculler, who I and me would be to row a 5-mile piece, consistently beat, and a few times a week either from the small town of Agnuzzo to with Fredy Bachmann. the little statue in Morcote on Lago di Lugano or from the city center in Luzern to Küssnacht on the Vierwaldstättersee, at full 6752 Dietz, memorandum to Men‟s Olympic power at about 28-30. Thirty minutes right Rowing Committee, September, 1984 6753 Purdy, op cit. 6754 See Chapter 140. 6755 See Chapter 87.

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Troy but nevertheless was destined by fate to play only a minor role in the epic that would follow.

Jim Dietz: “There were four weekends held in Boston [during the early spring of 1984]. The first two consisted of seat racing in quads. The third was for physiological testing in Hanover, New Hampshire, followed by singles racing in Boston. This was the second physiological test held. The first was attended mostly by the Boston- based scullers. The others received notice three days late. “There was little communication outside the Harvard boathouse. Mr. Parker did not attend the testing or the singles racing. He 6757 National Archaeological Museum, Athens did assign heats.”

The Mask of Agamemnon Enquist: “Before leaving Seattle in the spring of „84, John and I made a trip to off, no stopping. On the way back we Canada for the weekend. The day before would do shorter pieces. I must have done leaving, the blade broke off one of John‟s this thirty times in those three months in the sculls and we had to make a switch to a set Alps. of different length and size of blades. “I already knew from Tampa that I was “On Saturday we raced Pat Walter and among the „stronger‟ scullers, and I came Bruce Ford at Burnaby Lake over 2000m. back from Switzerland even stronger than They had represented Canada at the Worlds when I left. a number of times. We lost by half a length. “The physiological benefits of this Settled too low and fell way behind early. training were huge: when we returned to the Couldn‟t make up the difference. sculling camp and were tested, I recall my “Sunday we raced the Tim Storm / anaerobic capacity was at the top of the team Peter MacGowan double on Elk Lake near by a substantial margin (10-15%) above the Victoria. We did 3 x 1500m, holding the next person, who I believe was Biglow. I rating to 32. As was becoming normal, we think my lung capacity approached 7.5-8 fell behind in the first two but were able to liters. row back through them for 2 to 4 sec. wins. “I could technically row much better as “The last piece we settled at around 34 well. I came back with a much better feel and moved out to a length or more of open for the boat than I had had in „83, and I felt water immediately. Jack Nicholson, their prepared to row competitively in the coach started screaming at us to take it Olympic Singles Trials.”6756 down, and we did, but the damage was done, Charlie Altekruse has the wide visage we pulled steadily away and beat them by 8 seen on the Mask of Agamemnon, the king seconds. of Mycenae who led the Greek assault on

6756 Altekruse, personal correspondence, 2009 6757 Dietz, op cit.

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“This was the same Canadian double that raced in Lucerne and Casitas. I still have the time splits note Jack gave me after the workout. It was a great confidence builder just before leaving for Boston. I was hoping it would be enough to keep John away from the single. No such luck.”6758 Biglow: “After the winter, Paul Enquist and I came back to Boston, and we did really well. This was when Harry had the Olympic Sculling Camp, and he had all these doubles that had been working out with him all fall and all winter, and Paul and I came back and beat them all. We were the fastest double. It was great.

Easter, 1984

Biglow: “I had not been training in the single at all because of my back, and then we did a singles race. It was down in the Charles River Basin. It was kind of choppy, and I usually don‟t do well in choppy water. “Joe Bouscaren was there, and Tiff was there. We started off, and Boom! Those guys are out. Joe was really quick off the line, and Tiff was quick off the line, too. They‟re both fast twitch guys, but at the Mass. Ave. Bridge where it got rougher and Harry Parker rougher, I was catching up! I moved Singles Race, Easter Sunday, 1984 through them both just after M.I.T., and I Charles River Basin won! It blew my mind. I had no idea. As they passed the MIT boathouse, John Biglow Where did this come from? How could I (in white, far lane) rolled through Tiff Wood (near have gotten fast again? lane) and Joe Bouscaren (middle lane). “Then I thought to myself at the finish line, „It‟s April 22nd, Easter Sunday!‟ I‟m not especially religious, but I was thinking, there. I got Joe at the very end, and I was „Well, someone has risen again.‟ sure that I had gotten him, and he didn‟t believe me, sort of thing, until Harry in the “That was another humbling experience 6760 for me.”6759 launch confirmed it.” Enquist: “After the stair workouts Wood: “I have a very vivid recollection combined with the high quality rowing of that race. It‟s funny. I remember racing workouts, I was not surprised when John Joe. I don‟t even remember John being rowed away from everyone on Easter

6758 Enquist, op cit, 2010 6759 Biglow, op cit. 6760 Wood, personal conversation, 2009

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Harry Parker

John Biglow in practice race on the Charles River Easter, 1984

-10°, +25° to -30°, 0-7, 0-10, 5-10, Schubschlag, late arm draw Return to his 1981 Classical Technique concurrency with emphasis on back swing

Sunday in the single. Probably the fastest he Joe Bouscaren like a hot knife through went in the single all year.”6761 butter. The other scullers in the workout were many lengths behind the three leaders. Technique Rowing with Paul Enquist had been very good for John Biglow. After spending the winter rowing a double with Paul Enquist and being Halberstam: “After Biglow had won observed by Frank Cunningham and others the race, Enquist had not said anything, but in the Seattle community, John Biglow had there was a sad look on his face. Later, returned to the form he had shown three Enquist had shaken his head and made a years earlier. The Modern Orthodox hybrid- downward circling motion with his right hand. The meaning was perfectly clear. concurrency of 1982 and 1983 had been 6762 replaced by the Classical concurrency of Their double was down the drain.” 1981 and before. The emphasis was on back swing right from the entry and solid follow- Olympic Singles Trials through to the release. The Olympic Singles Trials took place John Biglow never rowed better than he two weeks later on the weekend of May 6. did on that Easter Sunday in 1984, and Biglow: “Before the Olympic Singles Harry Parker‟s film of that practice shows Trials, Tiff had granted an interview to him rolling through first Tiff Wood and then author David Halberstam, who was

6761 Enquist, op cit. 6762 Halberstam, p. 15

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THE ERA OF POLARIZATION preparing an article for Parade Magazine, behind and the ageless Jim Dietz a close and Tiff was saying that it was too early for fourth. the Singles Trials. „The cherry trees have Rowing U.S.A.: “Coming into the last not even blossomed,‟ and that showed me 500 meters, third place was still a question. that he was not confident. Bouscaren seemed to have it, but with about “Halberstam considered writing 20 strokes to go, Dietz put on an amazing something longer only after his first run to take back the half length that interviews for that Parade Magazine piece. Bouscaren seemed to have on him. He loved rowing himself, having rowed on a “As they flashed past the finish line, the house crew at Harvard. I remember him general feeling in the crowd was that Dietz saying after our first three-hour interview, „I may have just nosed past Bouscaren, may have enough here for a book!‟6763 probably by inches. The videotape left the The result was The Amateurs, a classic officials in a quandary. The body of in American 20th Century nonfiction. [Biglow] obscured the view of [the bow balls of] the two boats. The race was Altekruse: “From my point of view, the declared a dead heat for third [with four way that 1984 worked out was pretty advancing to the final].”6766 unfortunate because of the timing of how it Sean Colgan: “Even though he was put together. Also, the way that the definitely came fourth, Harry wanted Olympic boycotts washed through the Bouscaren in the final and unilaterally put system is not to be understated. We him in. My dad6767 was the head judge and boycotted „80, which meant that we had would not allow it. After a one hour fight twice as many people trying out in „84, on the Princeton bank, my dad was which is one reason why it was so hard to overruled by the Men‟s Olympic Rowing make the team. Committee.”6768 “The Singles Trials were packed with Dietz: “If there was a finish line picture good scullers.”6764 taken of the semi-final, it was not necessary. Mr. Colgan told me I clearly had beaten Joe. Dietz: “Mr. Parker took it upon himself I knew it, Joe knew it, and everyone else to seed the Olympic Trials. This was knew that Harry had put him in the unprecedented in U.S. rowing and believed final.”6769 by many a tool to protect the scullers he “Blatant interference. He never should favored.”6765 have been allowed in the finish line area, having no official capacity.”6770 There were thirty-five entrants in the “I also remember that I was given an Olympic Singles Trials. After six seeded outside lane in the final with Joe more in the heats with one to advance and six repêchages with one to advance, all the 6766 Kathryn Reith, Men‟s Olympic Single favorites had made it to the semi-finals. In Sculling Trials, Rowing U.S.A., June/July 1984, the first semi, Tiff Wood led throughout p. 37 with John Biglow stalking a half length 6767 Chuck Colgan (1927-1999), University of back, Joe Bouscaren another half-length Pennsylvania and Vesper Boat Club, a tireless rower, coach, father of rowers, referee and raconteur his entire life. 6768 Colgan, personal correspondence, 2009 6763 Biglow, op cit. 6769 Dietz, personal correspondence, 2009 6764 Altekruse, personal conversation, 2009 6770 Dietz, memorandum to Men‟s Olympic 6765 Dietz, op cit. Rowing Committee, September, 1984

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THE SPORT OF ROWING center of the race course. Harry threw out the rules of rowing and orchestrated the race as he felt it should go.”6771

In the second semi-final, there were also four competitors closely tracking each other down the course. Several went out too fast, and all crossed the finish line within 1.1 seconds or just over half a length. It was Sean Colgan first, Brad Lewis second, Greg Montesi third and Charlie Altekruse a heartbreaking fourth. Lewis: “I survived the semi-finals, although only by inches, due to a blazing fast start and a remarkably slow finish.”6772 Colgan: “I won my semi by 0.7 seconds over Lewis, but I had shut down as I had the final the following day. “Harry then proceeded to assign the lanes for the final, which is also illegal. My dad walked out and quit. Winning my semi, I should have had Lane 3 or 4. Instead, I got Lane 1!!!”6773 Carol McGowan Greg Montesi, 6‟1” 185 cm 179 lb. 81 kg, a 1982 United States Naval Academy Discussions during the Singles Trials Harry (above) and Korzo graduate, is the son of Ed Montesi, 5-seat on the 1959 Pan Am Champion Syracuse University Eight. “I told Harry Parker that I didn‟t want to At the age of 17, Greg had won Bronze race in the petite finals because I knew that in the single at the 1976 Junior World the Doubles Camp was going to start two Championships in Villach, Austria. He won days later. I was exhausted, I was the U.S. Junior title a second time in 1977, disappointed, and I couldn‟t understand but mononucleosis kept him from again what I would have to gain. competing in the Junior Worlds. “That conversation features in The An active-duty Marine in 1984, he had Amateurs as a confrontation between Harry been training hard for the Olympic Singles and me, which I never talked to Halberstam Trials only since the previous January. about. I would be surprised if Harry talked to him about it, but maybe he heard about it Altekruse: “It ended up that the only third hand.”6774 time in my life that I ever officially raced a single was at the „84 Trials, when I missed What are Selection Trials? the finals by a split second to Greg Montesi. In fairness, it should be noted that selection trial races are unique in sport. In a 6771 Dietz, personal correspondence, 2009 6772 Lewis, Assault, p. 19 6773 Colgan, op cit. 6774 Altekruse, op cit.

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THE ERA OF POLARIZATION perfect world, they would pick not the outsiders, and there were many outsiders in fastest entrant on the particular day but the 1984, including Jim Dietz. strongest candidate for the coming World or Dietz: “Harry set aside procedures Olympic competition, weeks or months several times to get the results that he away. At the 1956 Olympic Eights Trials in wanted. I don‟t think there was even an the days before seeded heats, this rationale attempt on his part to cover up his desired was used by the overwhelming majority of outcomes. He knew, as did everyone else, participating coaches, the very best in that he would do what he felt was best, America at the time, to justify open regardless of the rules. manipulation of the lane draws after the “I have come away from 1984 dedicated fact.6775 Today seeding, a form of to making any coaching decision (and life manipulation, is common in international decisions) as fair and honest as I can for all sport, including rowing. involved. No one should be prejudged. Every time that equipment breakage has “All the scullers in „84 gave it their best impacted a trials outcome, there have been and deserved an open and fair environment strong arguments made to set aside the to demonstrate their ability. Today‟s results and rerun the trial. selection criteria and Rules of Rowing are in It need not be mentioned that all this place for just these reasons.”6776 represents a slippery slope towards institutionalizing bias and pre-determined The Singles Trials Final outcomes, and so in recent decades most sports in the United States that use selection Rowing U.S.A.: “The final was another trials, including rowing, have made their classic race, a tactical duel to the finish. Tiff procedures and their results absolute. had a slight lead off the start, but he settled However, the 1984 Singles Trials were back into the pack. even more problematical in that they were “At 1,000 meters, Bouscaren had a being used not just to select the Olympic length lead with Colgan a half-length ahead single sculler but also as a prelude to the of Biglow, Dietz, Wood and Lewis. Only Doubles/Quad Camp by a head coach who two to three feet separated third through had been working with many of the athletes sixth.”6777 involved for more than a year and seemed to Wood: “I remember looking over and have already begun the coming selection saying to myself, „Wait a second. I‟m not process in his mind. even ahead of Brad!‟”6778 There is no question that Harry Parker So far, only Montesi in seventh had had an agenda when he injected himself into fallen off the pace. the semi-final results and into the lane Lewis: “At the half-way mark, I took assignments in the final of the Singles three deep breaths, sucking heavy on the air. Trials, but that agenda was to collect Then I began to lean on it. I caught Joe information he believed would help him in Bouscaren in 20 strokes, and I was in first his job as Olympic Sculling Coach. place.”6779

One of the great strengths of selection trials is that they allow the outsider to prove 6776 Dietz, op cit. himself. Unfortunately and inevitably, 6777 Kathryn Reith, Men‟s Olympic Single manipulation of trials works against Sculling Trials, Rowing U.S.A., June/July 1984, p. 38 6778 Qtd. by Reith, op cit. 6775 See Chapter 68. 6779 Lewis, op cit, p. 22

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Rowing U.S.A.: “At 1,250 meters, Tiff as the single sculler, but Brad Lewis Lewis made a strong move into second was different. place, drawing Wood and Biglow along. At “With 500 meters to go, Biglow set out 500 meters to go, Lewis moved into a half- to catch him. Probably Biglow would have length lead over Bouscaren, Biglow and tried to win anyway, but his feelings about Wood.”6780 Lewis gave him more reason.”6786 Halberstam: “Lewis had surged ahead, Rowing U.S.A.: “Coming into the last going by so quickly that Bouscaren could 25 strokes, Lewis led with Biglow moving not respond. That seemed to stagger him and Wood taking over third. In the last ten, mentally for a moment, and now as he both Biglow and Wood tried to catch Lewis looked out he saw both Wood and Biglow with a last surge. Biglow succeeded. Wood beginning their sprints. It was hard for him didn‟t.”6787 to find more energy, and he had a sense that 6781 1 John Biglow 7:27.10 he had gone out too fast.” 2 Brad Alan Lewis 7:28.00 Biglow: “Brad was far away from me. I 3 Tiff Wood 7:28.10 was in a far right lane, and he was in a far 4 Joe Bouscaren 7:32.05 left lane, and the finish line at Princeton is at 5 Sean Colgan 7:32.10 an angle to the shore so it‟s really hard to 6 Jim Dietz 7:34.10 6782 7 Greg Montesi 7:37.60 read.” Colgan: “Montesi was screwed out in Wood: “The heat and the semi-finals at Lane 0, which was dead slow. I was in Lane the Trials had gone . . . perfectly. I was in 1, and Biggie was in Lane 2 or 3. Brad had the semi where they ended up having four Lane 6, which is a big advantage in people go to the final, so ostensibly it might Princeton.”6783 have been thought of as being a really hard Wood: “That‟s interesting about Lane 6 race, but it was a race that I felt in control being an advantage. I was never too aware of, and that‟s somewhat unusual for me. that Princeton was unfair, though it does Often I get nervous about not being far ring a bell that at high water there could be enough ahead or whatever, but that was one some lane difference, and the Trials were where honestly I did feel very much in early enough in the season that maybe there control and watching these other people was some water running. fighting it out, wondering what was going to “At the time I don‟t remember thinking happen but never feeling threatened by it. about it – probably one of those things you “It wasn‟t to me a hard race. There have try not to be aware of.”6784 been people who have postulated that as the Biglow: “I came from way behind, and I oldest person there maybe I didn‟t recover was thinking, „I can’t let Brad Lewis win! I as well as everyone else, and that was the can’t let Brad Lewis win!‟”6785 problem the next day. Halberstam: “It seemed wrong to “In the final, I had the most incredibly Biglow that Brad Lewis should be the awful race. Five strokes into it I felt like I sculler. It offended his Biglovian sense of couldn‟t find the rhythm. I couldn‟t get it order and hierarchy. It was easy to picture going.

6780 “If there was one thing that was wrong Reith, op cit. in my single sculling career, it was 6781 Halberstam, pp. 129-30 6782 inconsistency. It took me a long time to Biglow, op cit. 6783 Colgan, op cit. 6784 Wood, personal correspondence, 2009 6786 Halberstam, p. 131 6785 Biglow, op cit. 6787 Reith, op cit.

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Carol McGowan

John Biglow 1984 Olympic Singles Trials Winner learn to row the single, and it wasn‟t the him,‟ he‟s thinking, „This has got to be a technique. It was in my head. trick!‟ “Relatively early in the race, I remember “No . . . It was just Tiff having a bad having difficulty having a good race. At row.”6788 some point, around the 1,000 probably, I decided that if I‟m not going to be able to Lewis has written of the Singles Trials row right, I might as well just take it up, and from his own unique perspective in his that‟s all I did for the rest of the race. Every memoir, Assault on Lake Casitas. 20 strokes I took it up. Lewis: “At the time it felt like a great “And I did start to move. I actually tragedy, but . . . in retrospect, the best thing started to row better . . . at some point, but I that ever happened to me was that I lost was coming from pretty far behind. I those Singles Trials.6789 remember John telling me after the race that he saw me back there, and he was thinking, „What is Tiff‟s strategy?‟ “Typical John. [laughing heartily] Rather than thinking, „Great! I‟m killing 6788 Wood, personal conversation, 2009 6789 Lewis, personal conversation, 2009

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Carol McGowan

Brad Lewis 1984 Olympic Singles Trials Runner-Up

The Agony of Defeat

Olympic Sculling Camp seconds,6791 and three of them, Dietz, Biglow and Wood, were already World Medalists! It had all been there for anybody Halberstam: “If rowing is an estimable 6792 sport filled with virtue and honor and to win.” strength, then there was something about Enquist: “The week immediately after team camps that was the reverse of that. the Singles Trials, a lot of us continued They became its Darwinian lowest common rowing in doubles in Boston under Harry‟s denominator. eye. I spent that week rowing with Bill “This camp was, if anything, worse, Purdy, Jack Frackleton and Greg Montesi as filled with anxiety and tension and partners. After Saturday morning‟s row, paranoia.”6790 Harry left for the Eastern Sprints, and the rest of us were told to meet in Hanover Charlie Altekruse: “When we gathered 6793 in Hanover, New Hampshire on the banks of Sunday evening.” the Connecticut River for the Olympic Sculling Camp in 1984, it was eight days after the Singles Trials in Princeton, where 6791 we had had eight people within three Colgan: “ . . . in the semis, but semis are always close because people shut down to save themselves for the final.” – personal correspondence, 2009 6792 Altekruse, op cit. 6790 Halberstam, p. 160 6793 Enquist, op cit, 2010

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Altekruse: “We had fifteen people Ridgley joined, and we had the final ten of invited to the Camp. We went through the the camp.”6797 schedule for the summer, and I said to Dietz: “Mr. Parker informed Group „B‟ Harry, „How are we going to do this? How after one week that Group „A‟ was are we going to have a training camp for unchallengeable, and he had no intention of three or four weeks, go to race in Lucerne mixing the groups before the next day‟s and come back and do the Olympic Trials cuts. His reason was that Group „A‟ had two weeks later?‟ proven their ability throughout the year. “He said to me, „Charlie, that‟s for me The following day he made his cuts and kept to worry about. I‟m the coach,‟ in perfect S. Colgan and C. Bracken – all others were sort of Harry Parker style.”6794 out. Two hours later he decided to keep R. Johnson and J. Frackleton. This did nothing Halberstam: “Some of the oarsmen, for the morale or the psyche of these men or Jim Dietz among them, did not like Harry for those who were cut, who believed Mr. Parker and knew that he did not like them. Parker was keeping them for the sole If most of the oarsmen called him „Harry‟ purpose of preventing challenge boats from and spoke of him as a kind of rowing deity, forming. Dietz referred to him as „Parker‟ and “That day, Mr. Parker left for the thought of him as an enemy.”6795 Harvard-Yale Race and did not return for Dietz: “At the Camp in Hanover, there one week.”6798 were two different groups that trained Colgan: “It was not that stressful. I separately: the group that Harry favored, and loved it. What, seat racing every day??? then the second group that I was in with Bring it on! those never under consideration. I was the “Through the entire camp, I had my only singles finalist not in the mix. work sent from Philly by courier. While “I knew before even going to Hanover everyone else napped between practices, I that Harry would never seat race me or let was on the phone and doing paperwork. I me row with the better scullers. That‟s why did not need the rest. I needed my mind I soon left.”6796 doing something else. I still have to play Enquist: “Racing started Tuesday, May golf in under 2.5 hours. There is always too 15. Group A was Brad, Tiff, Charlie A., much to do in life.”6799 Joe, Bill Purdy and me. Almost every The first task of the camp was to select a combination was put together with the double that would compete in Europe and exception of Brad and Tiff. On Thursday, then come back and take on all comers at the May 17, I was paired with Tiff. During the Doubles Trials. The fastest combination first six minute piece, I strained a muscle in before the Singles Trials had been Biglow my left forearm. As the forearm fatigued and Enquist, but that possibility had been during pieces, I would start to lose my grip. eliminated since Biglow had already made It was a big problem for me the rest of the the Olympic Team as the single sculler. camp and to a point, the rest of the summer. Another obvious pairing was Lewis and “Sean and Charlie Bracken joined this Enquist, the 1983 sixth-place U.S. double. group on Tuesday afternoon, May 22. Then on Friday, May 25, Jack Frackleton and

6797 Enquist, op cit. 6794 Altekruse, op cit. 6798 Dietz, memorandum to Men‟s Olympic 6795 Halberstam, p. 161 Rowing Committee, September, 1984 6796 Dietz, op cit. 6799 Colgan, op cit.

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A third possible combination was will be assigned a new partner. You‟ll use Colgan and Altekruse, who had done well the afternoon practices to get in Tampa four months earlier. acquainted.”6805 Colgan: “In the January Florida camp, Enquist: “At camp, a two-mile warm- Charlie and I had been undefeated in up with your new partner was all we usually doubles races, but we never rowed together had before racing. This produced really again as Harry wanted me in the quad. inconsistent results. Even the same partners “Later at the Head of the Charles in would be inconsistent from day to day and October, 1984, Charlie and I jumped into a sometimes even piece by piece.”6806 double without practice and won the race Purdy: “I don‟t recall much about the over Brad Lewis and set the course record 1984 camp except that it was physically and that stood for eleven years.”6800 psychologically as intense as ever. A fourth possibility was Lewis and “I recall rowing with Brad and not Wood, who had finished second and third at having such a great time. He was constantly the Singles Trials. Brad suggested to Tiff correcting me. I don‟t think we rowed well that the two of them bypass the Camp together. I regretted that John had won the entirely and just go for the Trials. Tiff Singles Trials. I knew he was a stronger thought for a moment but turned him down. team boat sculler than Brad, and I liked “Nah, I don‟t think so.”6801 rowing with him better. It turned out that during the entire month “I was not privy to all of the of the Camp they would not row a double maneuvering and requests from people to together even once. Brad eventually went row with others in a double. I kept to up to assistant coach Chris Allsopp, his myself and rowed in the boats where Harry 1978 double partner, and pleaded his case. placed me. Despite the fact that I had rowed Halberstam: “Allsopp said he would for Harry in 1979, 1980 and 1983, I did not think about it, but nothing ever feel that I was one of his favorites at the happened.”6802 camp. I had to prove myself every day and Toward the end of the Camp, Brad was seat raced frequently. I think it was approached Tiff a second time about leaving better that I didn‟t know what was going on and preparing together for the Doubles with all of the potential alliances that were Trials. being formed. There was a lot of politicking Again, Tiff said no.6803 going on behind the scenes that many of us Wood in 2009: “What I should have were not aware of.”6807 done was win the Singles Trials. After that, what I should have done was leave the Brad Lewis believed he was trying his Camp with Brad.”6804 best to fit in, but it wasn‟t easy for him, and it wasn‟t very successful. On the first day of the Camp, Harry Lewis: “Over the past year, I had Parker announced, “Each morning you‟ll worked myself into a massive ball of anger row two 2,000 meter races. The winning for the sole purpose of traversing the 2,000 crew will stay together, and everyone else meter race course in a single faster than any American.6808

6800 Ibid. 6801 Qtd. by Lewis, Assault, p. 24 6805 Qtd. by Lewis, Assault, p. 31 6802 Halberstam, p. 165 6806 Enquist, op cit, 2009 6803 Lewis, op cit, p. 60 6807 Purdy, op cit. 6804 Wood, op cit. 6808 Lewis, op cit, p. 29

1938

THE ERA OF POLARIZATION

Harry Parker

1984 U.S. Sculling Camp Men’s Double Stroke Charlie Altekruse 6‟2” 188 cm 194 lb. 88 kg, Bow Joe Bouscaren 6‟3” 191 cm 180 lb. 82 kg Film taken during a long, full-pressure piece, Tampa, Florida, January, 1984 Altekruse: +5°, +35° to -30°, 0-8, 0-9, 4-10, ferryman‟s finish Bouscaren: -5°, +40° to -30°, 0-9, 0-9, 0-10 Modern Orthodox hybrid-concurrent, Kernschlag Leg pulse dominated first quarter of drive, then smooth surge to release. Integrity of the pullthrough at steady state looked good in January.

“I rarely [socialized] with the other to why I couldn‟t perform at that Camp. I‟m scullers. In retrospect, this was probably not not a bad team boat rower. Historically, I‟ve wise. If I had made an effort to be friendlier done better in team boats as opposed to the with my campmates, perhaps I would have single until finally I got the single going. had an easier time when I was teamed with Greg and I had a great double for a while, them.”6809 and Chris Allsopp and I, and that quad in „79 had some real possibilities.”6810 Tiff was also struggling. Wood: “I don‟t know if on some level I Once the workouts started, very quickly was still processing the loss in the single as one double combination separated itself

6809 Ibid, p. 46 6810 Wood, op cit.

1939

THE SPORT OF ROWING from all the rest, Altekruse and Bouscaren, Enquist: “Sunday morning, May 27, bow pair in the 1983 U.S. quad, both among Sean and Ridgley did beat Joe and Charlie. the top eight single scullers at the Trials, Joe and Charlie were named the double later both perceived as members of Harry‟s inner that day.”6814 circle. Colgan: “Charlie and Joe did lose one Altekruse: “We spent a month getting day. ‟Happy‟6815 stuck me with Ridgely selected [actually Tuesday, May 15 to Johnson, and we won. Harry would not let Sunday, May 27]. We did two or three us continue. He wanted me in the quad to weeks of almost pure doubles 2,000-meter stabilize the crew, like I had done with his races. Joe and I beat every combination, eight in 1980. I did not like the decision, but including Enquist and Lewis, over those that is the system. I was enjoying myself. It weeks.”6811 was always fun to watch all the Harvard and Enquist: “Tiff and I were paired Yale guys constantly trying to outthink a together on Sunday afternoon, May 20. simple system. If they had spent less time Brad‟s head was still screwed up from the on mind games and more time just racing, Singles Trials, and I had pulled some sort of they might have done better.”6816 muscle in my forearm [gestures] and felt I could barely hold on to my oar in the last The atmosphere continued to be few hundred meters of each piece. Over two extremely stressful for many during the six minute pieces, we lost to Charlie and Joe entire Camp. by about one seat in each piece after giving Biglow: “I had two really hard decisions away open water in the first two minutes. that followed winning the Singles Trials. Brad and I were paired together on Monday One was that if I accepted the single position morning, May 21. We lost to Charlie and at the end of the Trials, then I couldn‟t row Joe by about a length in the first six minute the double with Paul . . . and we were the piece after giving open water to them in the fastest double. first minute. We lost the second piece by “The next decision came after I went up about half a length after giving up open to Hanover to start training in the single at water in the first minute again. Harry Harry‟s Sculling Camp. Harry approached stopped the second piece at four minutes for me and said, „How about if Brad rows the an unknown reason, but we were moving single because he‟s really hard to coach? back strongly. That told me that we Would you be willing to row in the double?‟ wouldn‟t have to get a lot faster and we‟d “Joe and Charlie had quickly become beat those guys.”6812 the fastest double in the Camp, and for them Lewis: “Paul and I started slowly in it was obvious that I was crossing the line by each of the two races. We struggled to even considering Harry‟s suggestion. It was within striking range of Charlie and Joe at very tense for a while. the finish, gaining on them with each stroke, “Helping me decide was getting on the climbing up their stern, hauling them down, phone with Charlie McIntyre and Frank but each time we finished a half-boat Cunningham out in Seattle and having them behind. say, „No, you‟ve got the position. It‟s a “„A loss is a loss,‟ Charlie reminded us as we paddled back to the boathouse.”6813

6814 Enquist, op cit, 2010 6811 Altekruse, op cit. 6815 “Happy Harry,” a nickname for Harry Parker 6812 Enquist, op cit, 2008 and 2010 used by some (non-Harvard) rowers. 6813 Lewis, op cit, p. 55 6816 Colgan, op cit.

1940

THE ERA OF POLARIZATION position of great honor. You‟ve got to row When Harry returned from the IRA on it.‟ Wednesday, June 6, Ridgely Johnson and “Anyway, I decided to stay with the Paul Enquist were cut. single. With 20-20 hindsight, I wish that I The nominated Camp quad would be hadn‟t, but I did.”6817 stroked by Charlie Bracken, from a Philadelphia Boathouse Row family. He After Altekruse and Bouscaren had been had done his rowing at West Catholic High selected as the double, the next task was to School, Fairmount Rowing Association and select a quad for Lucerne and the Olympic Northeastern University before he stroked Quad Trials. In well-established Harry Temple University‟s 1983 Dad Vail Parker style, this was done primarily Champion crew. through seat racing in quads between In 3-seat behind Bracken would be Bill Monday, May 28 and Friday, June 8. Purdy. Sean Colgan and Tiff Wood Altekruse: “Bouscaren and I were doing would round out the Camp Quad. a lot of the stroking because we were already designated the double, so we were Harry also nominated Brad Lewis and going to be neutral. Jack Frackleton, 5‟11” 180 cm 187 lb. 85 “Enquist was close to making the quad, kg, another Philadelphian, to be in a second but it became pretty clear that if you jacked or spare double to compete in Lucerne. it up in the last twenty strokes you could Interestingly, Bracken and Frackleton pass any boat that Enquist was in. had been members of a Fairmont R.A. quad “And then at that point you also had which had won the Quad Trials for the 1982 Lewis trying to make the quad, and the flow Worlds over a high-powered big-name crew issue was terrible. I could remember when of Wood, Dietz, Lewis and Colgan. we went to a training camp in Tampa in Lewis: “The characters in my rowing January of „84, and nobody could row with career, from year to year, never changed Brad. His power application was too jerky, very much. Only the boatings were and his temperament seemed to fit that. I reshuffled.”6820 mean this is a man who would end up Colgan: “Dietz, Tiff, Altekruse and I writing „Rape & Murder‟ on the side of his had all pledged early in 1982 to row a quad single for the Trials. for the Worlds if we did not win the Singles “These were the issues with those two Trials (never much of an option for me). guys that helped determine that they We practiced it several times through the wouldn‟t make the quad.”6818 year. I even remember a long weekend at Lewis: “I couldn‟t win any seat races. NYAC. It‟s that simple. I can offer a lot of excuses. “Anyway, Parker asked me to row in the I was tired from the Singles Trials, the four-with that he was forming, but I boatings were screwy, but when it came declined, saying I was pledged to the quad. time for Harry to make his decision, he went That did not stop Parker from asking with the proven seat racers.”6819 Altekruse, who accepted. Then as a spare in Luzern, I substituted for Charlie for most of the time as his back was injured. “Small world.”6821

6817 Biglow, op cit. 6818 Altekruse, op cit. 6820 Lewis, op cit, p. 108 6819 Lewis, op cit, p. 90 6821 Colgan, op cit.

1941

THE SPORT OF ROWING

Once the „84 Camp lineups were “Funny but the four men in the quad announced, Brad quickly contacted Paul told me after the vote that if they won they‟d Enquist, who had left Hanover after being choose me as their spare. cut, and getting his assent, politely declined “When they did win, I got excited about Harry‟s invitation by phone, saying he that possibility, but when they came back to preferred to commit to the Doubles Trials Boston after the Trials, I saw Ridgely with Paul. Harry instantaneously called warming up on an erg and asked him what Paul and invited him to take Brad‟s place in they were going to do. He didn‟t even make Lucerne. eye contact and said, „We don‟t owe you You can just imagine what Brad and anything . . . ‟ – a funny comment coming Paul thought of that! from a guy who wouldn‟t have even been in Paul also declined, and Harry then the boat if I hadn‟t talked him out of invited and was turned down by two other Lucerne. camp cuts, Ridgely Johnson and Greg “In 1983, I had competed well at the Montesi,6822 who had already committed to a Camp and was in the final selection for the challenge quad of their own for the Trials. last seat in the quad with Charlie. That fall Dietz: “Mr. Parker tried, in vain, to get of 1983, I had foolishly overtrained and another sculler back – but no one would frequently got sick. I went to Long Beach return.”6823 for the winter and continued just pounding Mike Totta: “Actually, Ridgely initially myself. I wasn‟t listening to my body – I accepted. I still remember as clear as didn‟t know any better. By the Tampa yesterday standing in the parking lot at camp, I was very ill and had to go home, Newell Boathouse talking Ridgely out of only to be diagnosed with mono – I was Lucerne and into going to Squam Lake for a wiped out for two months at about the worst long weekend with Brad, Paul, Bruce Beall, time possible. Curtis Fleming, and Gregg Montesi to “I returned to Boston but just couldn‟t arrange a challenge double and quad. develop the fitness fast enough – I didn‟t get “As it turned out, I was the guy voted invited to the camp and had to wait for guys out of the quad . . . with the inclusion of to fall out to develop a challenge. Since Ridgely in the process! I had thought that there were so many guys close in the team Curtis would be the one left out, but the boats, I thought there was still a chance . . . consensus was that I was less effective. I “That guardrail still sits at the end of the can come up with excuses and claims that parking lot at Newell. I see it every time I the process was unfair (What jilted rower drive by . . . and I remember.”6824 can‟t produce the same?), but we were without a coach and it had to be that kind of So plans for a second double in Lucerne decision, and it ended up working out for had to be abandoned. Wood and Frackleton them, so it wasn‟t wrong. would take turns in the bow seat of the quad in the separate Saturday and Sunday race “After the vote happened back in programs on the Rotsee. Newell, as a 26-year-old I went out into the parking lot and just sat on the guardrail and Brad and Paul then quickly removed one cried for about five minutes – I knew my of several Men‟s Olympic Rowing Olympic dream was over. Committee doubles and two sets of oars from the Camp trailer parked at the Harvard

6822 Lewis, op cit, p. 79 6823 Dietz, op cit. 6824 Totta, personal correspondence, 2010

1942

THE ERA OF POLARIZATION boathouse and prepared to leave town in a Good luck. I‟m sure I‟m going to see you hurry. There was a harsh exchange of words down the road.‟ in the parking lot between Brad and Charlie, “This was before we went to Lucerne, and the following morning Harry hit the roof so the Trials were off about three weeks when he found out the equipment had been away. It wasn‟t clear that Enquist and taken.6825 Lewis were going to get together, although it This was not an isolated incident. was obviously a possibility. Dietz: “When asked by scullers who “Later I reminded Paul of the story and were cut if they could use equipment which told him maybe I should never have given was not being raced, he refused permission. him that four-leaf clover.”6829 This is not the kind of action which should come from a coach whose responsibility is Lewis and Enquist to create the fastest boats for the USA. He had no reason to refuse equipment to Lewis: “If the best thing that ever Olympic contenders except to give his 6826 happened to me was that I lost those Singles favored boats another edge.” Trials, the second best thing that happened Wherever Brad and Paul went after they was that Enquist got kicked out of the left, their reputation as “the guys who blew 6827 Camp, and the third best thing was that I did off Harry” would precede them. poorly at the Camp, too, so we were both freed up to do our own thing.6830 And so the actors in Halberstam‟s epic Altekruse: “Brad was terrible to row drama reassembled and hastened toward with . . . except when he was rowing with their destinies. Enquist, whom he respected and had rowed Ted Nash: “I can‟t believe that Paul and with and done well with the year before at Brad were ever cut, but that is what all good the World Championships. club athletes feed on. Tell them they are “They had been able to put in a lot of „nothing special,‟ and they will find a secret 6828 miles as the double in „83, but they ended lake or river and become very special.” that year sort of swearing they would never row together again. It was that hard Altekruse: “One more story. Paul is a emotionally. wonderful guy, a gentle soul, sort of the “The next year turned out to be the opposite of the Brad Lewis cool. perfect scenario for Brad because what “The day that he got cut from the happened was when they got cut from the training camp in Dartmouth, I was camp, they came back together because hitchhiking from town back to the Chieftain there was nothing else left, and they only Motel when I happened to find a little four- had to stay together for a few weeks to win leaf clover that I plucked and taped to a the Trials, go to the Olympics, win the card. Olympics, and then they were done with “When I ran into Paul, I said, „This is each other again. for you. I really respect you as a rower. “Don‟t get me wrong. Paul and Brad were a really strong crew. Joe and I certainly knew that. After all, we had 6825 Lewis, op cit, p. 75 watched them race magnificently in 6826 Dietz, op cit. Duisburg in „83, and we had raced them 6827 Lewis, op cit, p. 83 6828 Ted Nash has made a career of taking camp rejects and molding them into Trials-winning 6829 Altekruse, op cit. boats. See Chapters 129 and 132. 6830 Lewis, personal conversation, 2009

1943

THE SPORT OF ROWING

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

1983 United States Men’s Double Stroke Paul Enquist 6‟6” 198 cm 205 lb. 93 kg, Bow Brad Alan Lewis 6‟4” 193cm 196 lb. 89 kg -5°, +25° to -25°, 0-8, 0-9, 0-10, Classical Technique Schubschlag, ferryman‟s finish.

twice over 2k at the Olympic Sculling Camp single . . . but Paul Enquist was not one of in Hanover. We only narrowly beat them, them. our closest races by far!”6831 “He didn‟t enter the Singles Trials in „84 Lewis: “Back then was a golden era of because he knew he wouldn‟t even make the sculling in this country thanks to Harry second-level final. He was just not a single Parker being coach. We had about eight or sculler. He was too big, wasn‟t quick nine guys who were really pretty good in a enough, didn‟t have the balance or the boatmanship skills, but he was smart enough 6831 Altekruse, op cit.

1944

THE ERA OF POLARIZATION to just not do the Trials and wait for team guys who liked to train really hard every boats in „84. day.6836 “Paul‟s a really good stroke in a double, “With that in place, you‟re most likely straight ahead, doesn‟t look out much, going to improve over time. Without it, cranks, good rhythm. Great work ethic. you‟ll never reach your potential.”6837 “Me, I like to look around. I like to Enquist: “I was handed a two-page steer. I like to think strategy, so we were description of the sculling stroke by George really different. Sometimes differences Pocock6838 when I bought my first single work against crews, but sometimes they from Stan [Pocock] in 1977. I think I may complement, and in our case we really still have it somewhere. Never really complemented each other.”6832 deviated from it, even when training on the East Coast. Technique “Brad and I certainly followed its content pretty closely, even though he may 6839 Except during power-10s, Lewis and not have known it.” Enquist rowed nearly pure Classical Technique, Enquist betraying his John Biglow had done his very best Pocock/Seattle heritage with a mild rowing in 1984 after rowing in a double with ferryman‟s finish. Lewis‟s pullthrough Paul Enquist. Paul also brought out the very showed mild leg emphasis, while Enquist‟s best in Brad Lewis. was more back-dominated. The Enquist force curve rose a bit more precipitously Enquist: “When we started training in than Lewis‟s. Ithaca after our weekend at Squam Lake, Lewis: “My approach? I was a student Tony Johnson and Findlay Meislahn of some excellent coaches, including immediately took some video. We yourself, Peter, along with John Van Blom discovered I was much longer than Brad. and Tom McKibbon,6833 excellent To match, I needed to shorten up at the catch technicians, Bob Ernst, strong on discipline, quite a bit. It felt like I was rowing ¾ slide, Hans Svensson,6834 solid work ethic, Kris but what a DIFFERENCE it made our Korzeniowski,6835 good on technique. speed. “And of course Harry . . . I respect him “When I got too long it was a struggle to a lot. row above 32. When I shortened up and sat “Lots and lots of good rowing people. up a little straighter, everything was better. “Also of key importance . . . for several We could row 35-36, bladework cleaned up years we had a large, active, aggressive, and our legs felt so much stronger. This was competitive group training out of the UCI boathouse in Newport Beach, California. 6836 Brad forgets to mention the key role played Essentially no coaching – just a bunch of by Mike Sullivan, then the UCIrvine Freshman Coach, in getting Brad‟s boat into the boathouse and giving him guidance in technique and training during the mid-1970s. It was Mike who organized Sunday 6-mile 10k all-comers singles workouts to attract other scullers and who 6832 Lewis, op cit. nurtured UCI grads like Curt Fleming. It takes a 6833 See Chapter 88. village to create an Olympian. 6834 Swedish single sculler who trained with 6837 Lewis, personal correspondence, 2008 Brad‟s group in Newport Beach, California 6838 See Chapter 47. 6835 See Chapter 124. 6839 Enquist, op cit, 2008

1945

THE SPORT OF ROWING

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

When Brad Lewis was on one of his power-10s, his leg drive would explode in a manner that is hard to capture in a photograph but easy to appreciate on film. On the previous page during the body of the race, his legs were mostly in synch with Enquist. In this photo during a 10, they were going down noticeably faster.

Author Paul Smith

Brad Lewis Paul Enquist Schubschlag, close to a parabola. Schubschlag, closer to a parabola. Kink at top indicates force discontinuity the main thing that was the difference tracks to keep me from accidently coming between the camp double of Brad and I and too far forward. We also made some the Trials and Olympic double. wooden rests at the front of the tracks to pad “We even installed some crude front our calves at the end of the leg drive. Most stops about 5 inches from the front of the rowers had holes in their calves from the

1946

THE ERA OF POLARIZATION tracks back then. We could then push the maximizing each moment or living each day legs down hard all the way to the end.”6840 as if it were the last. ”6843 “„Good day,‟ the tape began, „we are Training privileged to live another day in this magnificent world. Today you will be Halberstam: “Rowing with Paul, tested. Today you will confront your death with the power of your living. As a warrior, thought Bob Ernst, who had coached both 6844 6845 men, was as close as Brad could come to this is your . . .” and on and on. being alone in a single. His ego could rule There were repeated race simulations completely. Enquist would never challenge through what Brad called “shadow rowing,” him.”6841 sort of a precursor to the now common But even just reading about the grueling technique of visualization. Paul and Brad preparations Brad planned for their double would get on two ergometers and between the end of the Camp on June 8 and pantomime the entire race in real time, going the finals of the Doubles Trials on July 1 is up and down the slides but without touching physically and emotionally draining. the handles, all the while with people Rowing with Brad Lewis in the best of screaming at them, trying to distract them. times must have been an exhausting They imagined and practiced every possible proposition, but Brad‟s mental intensity after scenario, defending a lead, coming from leaving the Camp burned like a blowtorch. behind, crab at the start, hitting a buoy, There were repeated side-by-side endless possibilities. interval pieces against three heavyweight coxed-fours and a lightweight coxless-four Altekruse and Bouscaren training with Tony Johnson out of the in Lucerne Cornell boathouse in Ithaca, New York. There were gym workouts with heavy Altekruse: “Joe Bouscaren was like weights. There was deep muscle massage in rowing with a butterfly. It was incredibly an era when only professional cyclists and fragile but incredibly beautiful. When I East Bloc rowers recognized its enormous rowed with Joe, he really challenged me to benefits. There was rock music and even take a different approach to the catch and a “aura balancing.” different fluidity to the stroke. That was a There was an inspirational tape from real test for me . . . but also a real Mike Livingston, bow-seat of the 1972 U.S. 6842 opportunity. I think out of that I gained as Olympic Eight, set to music he had an oarsman and was able to develop a much composed. lighter approach to the catch. Halberstam: “Livingston was “What was difficult for Bouscaren and fascinated with the unknown limits of me was clicking on the mental side. We got human experience, the secrets of the mind. it to click, and that‟s why we were able to do A devotee on the writings of Carlos well in the Camp and in Lucerne, I mean Castaneda, he tried to create what he reasonably well for only rowing solidly described as „white-hot concentration,‟ together as a double for about two weeks prior to the Rotsee Regatta.

6843 Halberstam, pp. 109-10 6840 Ibid. 6844 Ibid, p. 176 6841 Halberstam, p. 173 6845 Livingston wrote a book on the subject. 6842 See Chapter 103. Refer to the Bibliography.

1947

THE SPORT OF ROWING

“I think we finished fourth one day and The second-place Czech double from fifth the other day against a lot of Eastern Dukla Praha (Prague), Václav Vochoska, European crews that were really angry 6‟4” 192 cm 187 lb. 85 kg, and Zdenĕk because they weren‟t going to . Pecka, 6‟4” 193 cm 194 lb. 88 kg, had been That was pretty good. the 1980 Olympic Silver Medalists. “Nobody beat us in Lucerne that was GDR and CZE would not compete in going to show up at Los Angeles, with the Los Angeles due to the Soviet-led boycott. possible exception of West Germany.”6846 Geoffrey Page: “Denying that it was tit- That is not accurate. In the Sunday for-tat for the American-led boycott of the final, Altekruse and Bouscaren were Moscow Olympics, Soviet officials claimed relatively slow off the line but with the pack that the reason was fear for the safety of at 500 meters. The GDR crew led from their athletes in Los Angeles, and accused Canada, with everyone else, including the the Americans of organizing an anti-Russian U.S., around a length behind. campaign and violating the Olympic At the 1,000, the American double was a charter.”6849 clear fourth, less than a meter behind the third-place Czechs and half a length ahead The third-place Canadian double of Tim of Switzerland and the Norwegian crew of Storm, 6‟3” 190 cm 183 lb. 83 kg, and Thorsen and Hansen.6847 Peter MacGowan, 6‟3” 190 cm 187 lb. 85 During the third 500, the very kg, had been fifth in the 1983 World aggressive Canadians sprinted hard and took Championships, one place ahead of the U.S. the lead over GDR. Charlie and Joe lost double of Lewis and Enquist. In Los contact with the Czechs and found Angeles, they would advance through the themselves about to be overtaken by repêchages but fade to sixth in the final. . The fourth-place Norwegian double6850 In the last 500, the German Democratic of Rolf Thorsen, 6‟3” 191 cm 198 lb. 90 kg, Republic took back the lead for good. By and 36-year-old , 6‟1” 185 cm the line, the Czechs just took second over a 187 lb. 85 kg, 1982 World Champions and fading Canada, who then almost lost the 1983 World Silver Medalists, were in the Bronze to Norway on the last stroke. As the midst of a down year for them. After failing others surged to the finish, the U.S. fell to medal in Lucerne, they would fail to away to fifth. make the finals and place tenth in Los This was a very good GDR double. Angeles. Still, they beat Bouscaren and Twenty-year-old , 6‟2” 189 Altekruse. cm 196 lb. 89 kg, and the veteran Uwe The sixth-place Swiss double from Heppner, 6‟5” 196 cm 201 lb. 91 kg, who Grasshopper Club Zürich, Mark-Sven had been a member of the 1980 Olympic Nater, 6‟4” 193 cm 190 lb. 86kg, and Urs Champion Quad, were already 1983 World Steinnemann, 6‟0” 184 cm 190 lb. 86kg, Doubles Champions and would win their would place eleventh on Lake Casitas. second Doubles Championship in 1985. West Germany, the 1983 World Bronze Lange would go on to win the Olympic Medalists, Andreas Schmelz, 6‟5” 196 cm Singles Gold Medal in both 1988 and 201 lb. 91kg, and Georg Agrikola, 6‟5” 195 1992.6848 cm 196 lb. 89 kg, had beaten Altekruse and Bouscaren in the Saturday final in Lucerne

6846 Altekruse, op cit. 6847 See Chapter 123. 6849 Page, p. 153 6848 See Chapter 119. 6850 See Chapter 123.

1948

THE ERA OF POLARIZATION

Swiss Television

1984 U.S. Sculling Camp Men’s Double Internationale Rotsee Regatta, Luzern (Sunday)

Stroke Charlie Altekruse, Bow Joe Bouscaren

1 GDR 6:21.45, 2 CZE 6:23.40, 3 CAN 6:23.62, 4 NOR 6:24.41, 5 USA 6:26.68, 6 SUI 6:36.58

Altekruse: -5°, +40° to -10°, 0-7, 0-9, 4-10, ferryman‟s finish, Kernschlag

Between January and June, force application had become segmented as the legs became ever more assertive. This was especially true of Bouscaren (Photos 1 – 3). but failed to make the final on Sunday. On disciplined erectness of posture had been Lake Casitas, they would win their heat but replaced by a bit of a slouch. place only fourth in the final. Stroke mechanics had also materially evolved. Both athletes straightened their Altekruse and Bouscaren’s legs at 60-70% of the pullthrough rather Technique in Lucerne than their 90% in January. This represents a major evolution towards sequential

segmented-stroke Kernschlag, the same Television footage from Lucerne on this approach that Frank Cunningham had page suggests that the Camp experience had described in the 1983 U.S. Quad in taken a heavy toll on the U.S. Camp Duisburg. As is typical of Kernschlag double‟s technique. Compared to film from crews, Charlie and Joe had nothing left to January earlier in this chapter, Charlie‟s give when the racing got serious in the last body language had changed markedly. A 500 meters.

1949

THE SPORT OF ROWING

Swiss Television

John Biglow 1984 Internationale Rotsee Regatta, Luzern (Sunday) 1 Karppinen FIN 6:58.64, 2 Reiche GDR 7:03.64, 3 Pat Walter CAN 7:04.61, 4 Biglow USA 7:06.21, 5 RDA 7:10.55, 6 SUE 7:11.49

0°, +25° to -30°, 0-8, 0-10, 0-10, Modern Orthodox sequential, Kernschlag Note in the first three photos, he lost several inches of slide while covering the blade.

“Biglow had a tall trunk and sat very tall when in top health. In these pictures, his posture tells it all. His right elbow was far lower than his left. He folded his back into a low „C‟ shape. His chin fell, and his neck stretched. His knees bounced up at the release to try to get some momentary relief from the pain. Add to that the shock of shooting his tail. So many times John raced his heart out when he was injured” – Ted Nash

There is no question that Altekruse and they had, the process had begun well before Bouscaren were a fine double, but their Lucerne rather than after. performance in Lucerne suggests that they already would have had serious trouble even Biglow in Europe making the Olympic final on Lake Casitas. Biglow: “1984 for me was a lot of If they had slowed down during the pressure, mostly from the expectations of course of the spring and summer, and surely others that I should be able to get third place

1950

THE ERA OF POLARIZATION at the Olympics.6851 It was challenging for In the first quarter of the pullthrough, he me coming back from having had a year shot his tail. His legs overpowered his back when I wasn‟t able to row the single fast (Photos 1 – 3). For an athlete whose legs because of my back injury, so when I got were supposedly weak and numb, this was back and was able to secure the single unexpected and completely unintended. sculler position, I was still kind of guarded Biglow: “I wasn‟t really aware of in my optimism. techniques differing or my changing “I went over to Germany to race in technique. When you‟re rowing, you can‟t Berlin [Grünau] behind the Wall, and I was see yourself. I just felt frustrated that I loaned a very heavy Stämpfli boat that I had couldn‟t do what the coach would ask me to never rowed before, and it was on an do.”6853 industrial river, and it was really hard to Of course, John Biglow is not alone in row, and I did miserably. I think my boat being unaware of his technique in the filled with water, and I don‟t think I even moment. Throughout history, many of the placed in a race there. best in our sport have relied on instinct “Then I went to Lucerne. I was third on instead of intellect, and rightly so. Saturday, and I beat the Canadian that ended up beating me in the Olympics. I‟m trying The Camp Quad in Lucerne to remember who was first and second. 6852 Karppinen and Kolbe were not there.” Colgan: “Harry seat raced Tiff and Frackleton in Luzern all week long and In fact, both were there. On Saturday, through the weekend instead of resting us John placed third behind Kolbe and Reiche and recovering from the stress of the Camp and two seconds ahead of 1984 Canadian and the jet lag.”6854 Olympic sculler Bob Mills, 6‟4” 193 cm In Lucerne, the Camp quad rowed their 176 lb. 80 kg. Saturday heat with Tiff in 2 and Sean in the Mills, a 1983 Pan Am Gold Medalist in bow seat. They came in fourth and failed to the double and quad, would go on to advance. represent Canada and beat Biglow in Los Wood: “We didn‟t make the final on Angeles. Saturday when I was in the boat, and they On Sunday, Biglow placed fourth did on Sunday with Frackleton in the behind Karppinen, Reiche and Canadian boat.”6855 Olympic spare Pat Walter, 6‟3” 190 cm On Sunday with Frackleton in bow and 192 lb. 87kg. That day, Biglow lost two Sean in 2, they placed a very creditable third seconds on the start and was four seconds in the final. behind the field after 500 meters. He then Halberstam: “The word from the others rowed the last 1,500 faster than everyone in the quad was that the boat seemed heavier except Karppinen. with Wood in it.”6856 On Sunday, GDR put nearly a length on Biglow’s Technique in Lucerne the field in the first 500 meters, stretched it to nearly two lengths by the half-way point Film of John in Lucerne on the previous and then held that margin to the finish. page reveals a crucial new technical flaw.

6853 Biglow, op cit. 6851 Behind Karppinen and Kolbe. See Chapter 6854 Colgan, op cit. 125. 6855 Wood, op cit. 6852 Biglow, op cit. 6856 Halberstam, p. 171

1951

THE SPORT OF ROWING

Swiss Television

1984 U.S. Sculling Camp Men’s Quad Luzern (Sunday)

Stroke Charlie Bracken (shown), 3 Bill Purdy, 2 Sean Colgan, Bow Jack Frackleton

Bracken: +5°, +40° to -15°, 0-6, 2-10, 5-10, Modern Orthodox Kernschlag Sequential to the brink of tail-shooting, late arm draw A product of post-Rosenberg Boathouse Row, Bracken‟s technique relied on good extension at entry, legs only to initiate the pullthrough, and then strong back swing to the release.

Behind them, everybody was within a Frank Dundr, 6‟1” 186 cm 196 lb. 89 kg, 2 deck at 500, and the eventual finishing Uwe Sëgling, Joachim Dreifke, 6‟4” 192 margins for second, third and fourth places cm 209 lb. 95 kg, and Martin Winter, 6‟4” were pretty much set by the 1,000. Italy led 194 cm 201 lb. 91 kg, contained three 1980 the U.S. Camp by a bare half-meter with Olympic Gold Medalists. Dreifke and Spain a deck further back, and that‟s how it Winter had also been members of the 1983 ended up at the finish. World Silver Medal Quad. Sëgling would Colgan: “Our Quad beat the 1984 be part of the 1985 World Silver Medal Olympic Gold Medalists with one day of Quad. practice in the boat! We only lost to East The other Lucerne finalists besides the Germany, who boycotted, and Italy, who U.S.: Italy, Norway, France and Spain took sick in L.A.”6857 would go on to place fourth, eighth, fifth and The winning Grünau/Leipzig/Röstock/ sixth in Los Angeles. Magdeburg GDR composite crew of bow The 1984 Olympic medalists would turn out to be 1983 World Champion West 6857 Colgan, op cit. Germany Gold, who did not make the

1952

THE ERA OF POLARIZATION

Swiss Television

1984 U.S. Sculling Camp Men’s Quad Luzern (Sunday)

Stroke Charlie Bracken, 3 Bill Purdy (shown), 2 Sean Colgan (shown), Bow Jack Frackleton

Colgan: +5°, +40° to -15°, 0-6, 0-9, 5-10 Modern Orthodox Kernschlag Late arm draw, ferryman‟s finish

These television stills cannot convey the explosiveness of Colgan‟s initial drive. His stroke mechanics were less sequential than Bracken‟s, but his two-part Kernschlag pullthrough was unique.

Lucerne Sunday final, Australia Silver, who today nobody remembers. Selective was not in Lucerne, and Canada Bronze, memory is wonderful. who did not qualify for either day‟s final in “Luzern was wonderful. We proved that Lucerne due to illness and injury. we could scull and win against the best in Colgan: “We in the quad (well, maybe the world. That was why we fought to race just myself) were extremely happy with our in Luzern before the Trials. We all agreed Bronze in Luzern, which was the only that we did not need any more uniforms or meeting in 1984 for all the world‟s crews. other trappings of splendor. L.A. was the This was the first international medal for a „official IOC party,‟ but Luzern was why we U.S. men‟s quad ever, and it remained the trained for 1984. only one until 1996. “Unless you lived through the 1980 “Los Angeles was never going to prove boycott, this might not make sense, but since anything with the boycott, which of course most oarsmen keep their medals in their drawers, it is the finish place that counts, not

1953

THE SPORT OF ROWING

Chris Allsopp

1984 U.S. Sculling Camp Men’s Quad Bronze Medal Internationale Rotsee Regatta (Sunday) 1 GDR 5:48.23, 2 ITA 5:51.77, 3 USA 5:52.10, 4 NOR 5:52.72, 5 FRA 5:55.25, 6 ESP 5:56.97

Stroke Charlie Bracken 6‟0” 183 cm 183 lb. 83 kg, 3 Bill Purdy 6‟5” 196 cm 197 lb. 89 kg, 2 Sean Colgan 6‟2” 188 cm 180 lb. 82 kg, Bow Jack Frackleton 6‟1” 185 cm 198 lb. 90 kg

whether there is someone to witness or distinctive post-Allen Rosenberg style of remember . . . besides ourselves.”6858 Boathouse Row. Only Bill Purdy in the 3- Based on their performance in Lucerne, seat was not a Philly rower, and they there was every reason to expect the U.S. performed what Stan Pocock called the Camp quad would make a strong showing in Philadelphia dipsy-doodle,6859 essentially the Olympic final on Lake Casitas. Modern Orthodox sequential Kernschlag pullthroughs with an explosive leg kick. Quad Technique in Lucerne Colgan: “I had the really strong leg drive for two reasons. It evolved from It is interesting that after all the focus on sweep rowing and especially the 1980 eight, Harry Parker and the scullers from Yale which was the fastest non-drugged eight on and Harvard, scullers like Biglow and Earth that year. It exploded at each catch. Bouscaren and Altekruse and Wood, the “Plus I did not have the size or strength quad that came out of the Camp had the to gradually build the power in the single. I

6858 Ibid. 6859 See Chapter 107

1954

THE ERA OF POLARIZATION had to lift it quick to lighten the stroke load, dominated hybrid-concurrent Kernschlag not to mention that explosive legs help in force application, but at least three Camp seat racing. athletes, two of them finalists at the Singles “I never lost a seat race in junior, Trials, had really distinctive (and lightweight, or heavyweight, sweep or presumably disruptive) explosive leg drive sculling. I just loved it. Ted Nash gave me before and/or after the Camp: Sean Colgan, the ultimate compliment many years ago Curtis Fleming, Brad Lewis, and Tiff when he told me I was the best racer he ever Wood.6862 coached.”6860 It seemed to work for Sean, but not for Wood: “Wait a minute – Ted told me the other three. Curtis was not invited to the that I was the best racer he ever coached. Camp. Brad lost his last seat race to Bill “Oh yeah, now I remember. He said I Purdy by many, many lengths, and Tiff also was the best racer he never coached.”6861 lost convincingly his virtual seat race with Jack Frackleton in Lucerne. Sean made the It is interesting. Films and first-hand quad, and helped them to their Bronze accounts of the Camp clearly demonstrate Medal in the Sunday final in Lucerne. the preference for Modern Orthodox leg-

6862 John Biglow, Joe Bouscaren and Charlie 6860 Colgan, op cit. Altekruse by the time of Lucerne might be added 6861 Wood, personal correspondence, 2009 to this list.

1955