2017 USRowing Masters National Championships Media Guide

August 17-20, 2017 Melton Hill Lake, Oak Ridge, Tenn. Hosted by Oak Ridge Association and Oak Ridge Convention and Visitors Bureau

Press Contact On Site: Dan Brauchli, Communications (206) 450-0331 [email protected]

1 About the USRowing Masters National Championships

The 2017 USRowing Masters National Championships will take place on Melton Hill Lake, located in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

An estimated 1,300 participants in 1,491 boats will represent 130 clubs from 33 states and 5 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ countries, making this the largest USRowing Masters National Championships ever held. ​ Sponsored by Connect-A-Dock, and hosted by Oak Ridge Rowing Association and the Oak Ridge ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Convention and Visitors Bureau, the regatta is an opportunity for master rowers, age 21 and up ​ from across the country to compete.

Racing kicks off daily at 9:00 a.m. Medals and trophies will be awarded daily once final race times are marked “official,” beginning at 1:30 p.m. Finals will be live streamed each day on USRowing’s YouTube channel. ​ In addition, regatta photos will be available each day after racing at www.usrowing.photos. ​ ​ For more information including directions to the venue, entries and preliminary schedule, http://www.usrowing.org/event/2017-masters-national-championships/

Newly hired USRowing CEO, Patrick McNerney, will be on site and available for interviews on Thursday, August 17. Please contact Dan at [email protected] for any inquiries. ​ ​ List of participants available here. ​

About Connect-A-Dock

Connect-A-Dock provides state of the art docking systems to clients around the world, specializing in floating docks for rowing and all kinds of boating and complementary accessories. Entering its 15th season serving the rowing community, customers rate Connect-A-Dock’s modular dock systems as the best available, offering benefits of exceptional stability, ease of installation and removal. For more information on Connect-A-Dock and its products, please contact [email protected]. ​

2 About Masters Rowing A master is defined as a competitor who is 21 years of age or will turn 21 within the current calendar year. A masters crew must contain exclusively masters rowers except for the coxswain, who need not be a master.

Masters rowers will be split into 11 age categories: AA - 21-26 A - 27-35 B - 36-42 C - 43-49 D - 50-54 E - 55-59 F - 60-64 G - 65-69 H - 70-74 I - 75-79 J - 80+

The age category of a masters crew will be determined by the average age of the rowers (excluding coxswains) rounded down to the nearest whole number. A masters crew may compete in a younger age category but not a higher category. No handicaps in any event with more than one entry.

3 Schedule of Events (subject to change) ​

Thursday, August 17 Friday, August 18 Saturday, August 19 Sunday, August 20 Mixed B 4+ Mixed E 4+ Mixed B 2x Mixed G 2x Mixed D 2x Mixed C 2x Mixed D 4x Mixed E 8+ Mixed F 2x Mixed A 2x Mixed F 4x Mixed C 8+ Men’s Open A 1x Men’s Open I-J 2x Men’s Ltwt AA-A 1x Women’s Open AA 4+ Women’s Open AA 1x Women’s Open F 1x Women’s Open A 4+ Men’s Ltwt I-J 1x Men’s Open C 4+ Men’s Ltwt F 1x Men’s Open C 2x Women’s Club F-J 4+ Women’s Open C 8+ Women’s Open D 8+ Women’s Open C 1x Men’s Open F 2x Men’s Open E 1x Men’s Ltwt D 1x Men’s Open E 2x Women’s Open D 4+ Women’s Open E 2x Women’s Open B 2x Women’s Open E 8+ Men’s Open D 8+ Men’s Open G 2x Men’s Open B 4+ Men’s Open G 1x Women’s Club B 4+ Women’s Ltwt D-J 4x Women’s Ltwt A 4+ Women’s Ltwt D 4+ Men’s Open B 1x Women’s Club C 4x Men’s Ltwt A-C 4+ Men’s Club G-J 4+ Mixed A 4x Mixed F-J 8+ Mixed TA 2x Women’s Ltwt A-C 4x Mixed AS 2x Women’s Ltwt C 4+ Mixed LTA 4+ Men’s Open AA-A 4- Mixed Inclusive LTA 4+ Men’s Open AA 4+ Women’s Ltwt E-J 4+ Mixed A 8+ Mixed H-J 2x Men’s Open B 2- Men’s Club D 8+ Men’s Open B 8+ Men’s Club A-D 4x Women’s Ltwt B 1x Men’s Ltwt G 1x Women’s Open B 4x Men’s Ltwt G 2x Men’s Open D 2- Women’s Club E-J 4x Men’s Open D 4+ Women’s Open E 4x Women’s Club D 8+ Men’s Open E 4x Women’s Club D 4+ Men’s Ltwt E 2x Men’s Ltwt F 2x Women’s Club C 4+ Men’s Open F 4+ Women’s Ltwt C 1x Women’s Open F-J 4+ Men’s Club C 4+ Women’s Club E-J 8+ Men’s Ltwt C 1x Men’s Open H 2x Women's Open AA 2x Men’s Open H 1x Women’s Open A 8+ Women’s Open D-J 2- Men’s Open A 8+ Men’s Open C 2- Men’s Open AA-A 2- Mixed E 4x Women’s Club B 8+ Men’s Club A-B 8+ Women’s Open B 2- Men’s Ltwt A-C 4x Men’s Open B 4x Mixed G-J 4x Men’s Ltwt A 2x Women’s Open AA-B 4- Women’s Open D-J 4- Women’s Ltwt B 4+ Men’s Open B-C 4- Mixed D 8+ Men’s Club E 4+ Women’s Ltwt D 2x Men’s Open G-J 4- Men’s Club A 4+ Women’s Ltwt C 2x Men’s Open AA 1x Women’s Open C 4- Women’s Club A 4+ Men’s Ltwt H-J 2x Women’s Ltwt AA-A 1x Men’s Ltwt H 1x Men’s Open C 4x Women’s Ltwt F-J 1x Men’s Ltwt C 2x Women’s Open F-J 8+ Women’s Open C 4x Men’s Open F 2- Women's Club C 8+ Men’s Club F 4+ Men’s Open E 2- Women’s Ltwt D 1x Men’s Open E 8+ Women’s Open D 4x Women’s Ltwt E 1x Men’s Ltwt D 2x Women’s Club E 4+ Men’s Open D 4x Men’s Open F-J 8+ Women’s Ltwt B 2x Men’s Open G-J 2- Women’s Open B 1x Women’s Club B 4x Men’s Ltwt B 2x Men’s Ltwt D-J 4+ Men’s Club B 4+ Men’s AS 1x Women’s Open AA-A 2- Women’s Ltwt F-J 2x Men’s Club D 4+ Women’s AS 1x Men’s Open AA 2x Women’s Open C 2- Women’s Club A 4x Mixed LTA 2x Women’s Ltwt E 2x Men’s Club C 8+ Women’s Ltwt A 2x Men’s Ltwt D-J 4x Mixed F-J 4+ Men’s Open B 2x Women’s Club D 4x Men’s Open AA-A 4x Women’s Open G-J 1x Women’s Open B 4+ Men’s Open G-J 4+ Women’s Open AA-A 4x Men’s Open G-J 4x Men’s Open D 2x Women’s Open E 4+ Men’s Ltwt B 1x Women’s Open E 1x Women’s Open D 1x Men’s Open E 4+ Women’s Open B 8+ Men’s Ltwt E 1x Men’s Open F 4x Women’s Open C 2x Men’s Open D 1x Women’s Open C 4+ Women’s Open F-J 4x Men’s Open C 8+ Women’s Open D 2x Men’s Open C 1x Men’s Open J 1x Women’s Open A 1x Men’s Open F 1x Women’s Open A 2x Women’s Club A 8+ Men’s Open A 4+ Women’s Open F 2x Men’s Open A 2x Mixed C 4x Men’s Club E-J 4x Men’s Open I 1x Men’s Open E-F 4- Mixed E 2x Mixed D 4+ Mixed A 4+ Men’s Open D 4- Parent/Child M/D 2x Mixed B 4x Mixed C 4+ Mixed B 8+ Women’s Open G-J 2x Men’s Club E-J 8+ Parent/Child F/S 2x Parent Child, M/S, F/D 2x

4 About the Venue

Melton Hill Lake 697 Melton Lake Drive Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Hosting its first regatta in 1978, Melton Hill Lake is no stranger to prestigious rowing events. It has played host to a number of USRowing national championship regattas, including the 2014 USRowing Club National Championships, as well as NCAA and SIRA college events. In 2004 and 2007, Lake Melton hosted the USRowing Masters National Championships. In addition, it was the training venue of choice for the women and the Swiss team prior to the 1996 Olympic Games in , Ga.

The course is a 1,000-meter, 8-lane, fully-buoyed course with stake boats. The launching sites:

Primary Venue – Melton Hill Lake ​ ​ 697 Melton Hill Lake Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Media Opportunities: To shoot photos or videos from on the water, please contact Dan Brauchli at ​ [email protected] to secure a spot on a media launch. Photos can also be shot at the finish line. ​

Explore Oak Ridge The city of Oak Ridge is known for its rich history and life changing science. While in town, venture over to the American Museum of Science and Energy. The museum explains how life was here during the Manhattan Project and provides a bus tour to go behind the scenes in restricted areas. More information here. Explore Oak Ridge welcomes you to the ​ ​ ​ ​ City of Oak Ridge. If you’re looking for activities to do in between rowing, check out the website at www.exploreoakridge.com to learn about our museums, amazing greenways and ​ ​ ​ trails and shopping in Oak Ridge!

Masters Nationals Beer Garden Where: Near the Finish Line, on the regatta peninsula ​ When: 11:00am-8:00pm each racing day (Thursday-Sunday) ​ At this year’s Masters’ National Championship, Oak Ridge favorite “Crafter’s Brew” will be on-site to make a selection of local craft brews available for competitors and spectators.On Friday, August 18th, “The Gosh Darn’s” will be playing live and on Saturday, August 19th, Robie & James Lewis will perform. Music will start after racing for the day ends. With an ideal location along the water, right near the finish line, the Beer Garden will provide an ideal location to reminisce about your races, both past and present, and show off your medals.

5 About Oak Ridge,

Oak Ridge is a city in Anderson and Roane counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ about 25 miles west of Knoxville. Oak Ridge's population was 29,330 at the 2010 census. It is part of ​ ​ ​ ​ the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. Oak Ridge's nicknames include the Atomic City, the Secret City, the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Ridge, and the City Behind the Fence. ​ ​ Oak Ridge was established in 1942 as a production site for the Manhattan Project—the massive ​ ​ American, British, and Canadian operation that developed the atomic bomb. As it is still the site of ​ ​ Oak Ridge National Laboratory, scientific development still plays a crucial role in the city's economy ​ and culture in general.

According to exploreoakridge.com, five reasons rowing teams love Oak Ridge are: the great rowing ​ ​ venue, it’s a host to several renowned regattas, the number of hotels near the rowing venue, the great restaurants nearby, and there’s plenty of free-time activities. For exploring, dining, shopping, housing, and events check out the website: http://exploreoakridge.com ​

“Our racing venue on Melton Hill Lake has long been a favorite for competitive rowing, hosting high-profile, 1,000-meter and 2,000-meter events for nearly 40 years. We are delighted to welcome masters rowing back to East Tennessee.”

Jim Rogers, Oak Ridge Rowing Association Regatta Chairman

“Rowing is a strong part of Oak Ridge history and is associated with a lot of civic pride. I know that in addition to a fair and consistent racing venue, visiting rowers will find Oak Ridge to be an extremely welcoming community.” Marc DeRose, Executive Director of Explore Oak Ridge

6 Launching and Docking Traffic Pattern

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2016 USRowing Masters Nationals Highlights

Chinook Performance Racing took home both the 2016 Team Points Title and the Women’s Points ​ Title. Chinook won the overall points trophy with a total of 935 points for their 79 entries, scoring close to 200 points over the second place, Cambridge Boat Club. For the women, Chinook’s 51 entries earned them a total of 601 points, with the 16 gold medals. In the Men’s Points Title, Cambridge ​ Boat Club earned the most points over Potomac Boat Club. With the most men’s entries, Cambridge ​ was able to get a gold medal in nearly fifty percent of their events, earning 529 points.

The most gold medals were taken home by Cambridge Boat Club, who won 30 golds, 11 silvers and ​ ​ 11 bronzes.

In 2016, the Efficiency Trophy went to Station L Boat Club. Earned by the club who earns the most ​ ​ points per competitor, Station L’s four competitors went home with two gold and two silver medals, earning a total of 63 points and an efficiency score of 15.75. 2017 Competitors

The state of California will be the most represented state at 2017 Masters Nationals, with twelve clubs sending a total of 174 entries. Other states with a large presence at this year’s championships are Connecticut (166 entries) and Texas (152 entries).

Chinook Performance Racing (San Diego, Calif.) will be the most heavily represented club, sending ​ 108 entries. Texas Rowing Center (Austin, Texas) and Community Rowing, Inc. (Brighton, Mass.) ​ ​ ​ ​ are sending 79 and 61 entries, respectively. Rounding out the top five, Saugatuck Rowing Club, LLC ​ (Westport, Conn.) is sending 53 entries and Riverfront Recapture, Inc. (Hartford, Conn.) is sending ​ ​ 50.

The events with the most entries are the men’s single sculls (232), the women’s four with ​ ​ ​ coxswain (227) and the women’s double sculls (194). ​ ​ ​ Oldest man competing: Dean Smith - 91 ​ Oldest woman competing: Eve Green - 85 ​ Average Age (Men): 50.7 ​ Average Age (Women): 47.9 ​

Clubs Participating

8 612endurance Racing Genesee Waterways Center, Inc. Penn A.C. Rowing Association Alexandria Community Rowing Georgian Bay Rowing Club Girls’ Rowing Club Alliance Rowing Club of Illinois GMS Rowing Center Potomac Boat Club Ann Arbor Rowing Club Great Bay Rowing Rio Salado Rowing Club, Inc. Argonaut Rowing Club Greater Columbus Rowing Association Rivanna Rowing Club, Inc. Asheville Rowing Club, Inc. Greater Dayton Rowing Association Riverfront Recapture, Inc. Atlanta Rowing Club, Inc. Greater Houston Rowing Club Riverside Boat Club Atomic Rowing Greater Lawrence Rowing ROCCS, Rowing Organization Of Citrus Augusta Rowing Club, Inc. Greenwich Crew County Students Austin Rowing Club High Point Rowing Club Rock Creek Rowing, Inc. Avalon Rowing Club Hollywood Rowing Club Rocket City Rowing Crew, Inc. Baltimore Rowing Club Jacksonville Rowing Club, Inc. Rockford Crew Bay Area Rowing Club of Houston La Baie Verte Rowing Club, Inc. Rocky Mountain Rowing Club Beaver Creek Sculling Lake Casitas Rowing Association Rollins College Crew Berkeley Paddling & Rowing Club Lake Merritt Rowing Club RowAmerica Peachtree Boulder Community Rowing, Inc. Lincoln Park Boat Club Ruder-Club Bergedorf e.V. Cambridge Boat Club Litchfield Hills Rowing Club, Inc. S&M Rowing Capital Rowing Club Long Beach Rowing Association San Diego Rowing Club Carnegie Lake Rowing Association Lookout Rowing Club Sarasota Crew Carolina Masters Crew Club Maine Rowing Association Sarasota Rowing Center Cascadilla Boat Club, Ltd. Sarasota Scullers Catawba Yacht Club Marin Rowing Association Saugatuck Rowing Club, LLC CHAOS Rowing Maritime Rowing Club St. Catharines Rowing Club Chester River Rowing Club, Inc. Martha's Moms Rowing Club St. Louis Rowing Club Chicago Rowing Foundation Masters Coaching, LLC Swan Creek Rowing Club Chinook Performance Racing Miami Rowing Club Tallahassee Rowing Club, Inc. Cincinnati Rowing Club Mile High Rowing Club Texas Rowing Center Club España Minneapolis Rowing Club The Milwaukee Rowing Club ​ ​ Colorado Rowing Narragansett Boat Club Three Rivers Rowing Association Columbia Rowing Club Nashville Rowing Tulsa Rowing Club Community Rowing, Inc. Navesink River Rowing Unaffiliated (AND) D.C. Strokes Rowing Club New Haven Rowing Club Unaffiliated (USA) Dallas Rowing Club New Orleans Rowing Club, Ltd. Rowing Club New York Athletic Club Upper Valley Rowing Foundation Detroit Boat Club Newport Sea Base Rowing Vero Beach Rowing, Inc. Detroit Women's Rowing Noank Rowing Club Association Northern Virginia Rowing Club (NVRC) Virginia Boat Club Don Rowing Club OKC Riversport Washington Rowing School East Bay Rowing Club ORCA - Oxnard Rowing California Western Reserve Rowing Association Everett Rowing Association Orlando Rowing Club Westerville Rowing Club Fairmount Rowing Association Palm Beach Rowing Association, Inc. White Rock Boathouse, Inc. Farmington Valley Rowing Association Palo Alto Rowing Club Whitemarsh Boat Club Gainesville Area Rowing, Inc. Passaic River Rowing Association Winnipeg Rowing Club Genesee Rowing Club, Inc. Peachtree City Wyandotte Boat Club ZLAC Rowing Club, LTD

Course Map

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10 Venue Map

11 Viewer’s Guide

Sculling and Sweep Rowing Athletes with two oars – one in each hand – are scullers. There are three sculling events: the single – ​ ​ 1x (one person), the double – 2x (two) and the quad – 4x (four).

Athletes with only one oar are sweep rowers. Sweep boats may or may not carry a coxswain ​ ​ (pronounced cox- en) to steer and be the on-the-water coach. In boats without coxswains, one of the rowers steers by moving the rudder with his or her foot. Sweep rowers come in pairs with a coxswain (2+) and pairs without (2-), fours with a coxswain (4+) and fours without (4-) and the eight (8+), which always carries a coxswain. The eight is the fastest boat on the water. A world-level men’s eight is capable of moving almost 14 miles per hour.

The pairs and fours with coxswain are sometimes the hardest to recognize because of where the coxswain is sitting. Although the coxswain is almost always facing the rowers in an eight, in pairs and fours the coxswain may be facing the rowers in the stern or looking down the course, lying down in the bow, where he or she is difficult to see.

Athletes are identified by their seat in the boat. The athlete in the bow is seat No. 1. That’s the person who crosses the finish line first (which makes it easy to remember – first across the line is No. 1 seat). The person in front of the bow is No. 2, then No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6, No. 7 and No. 8 (known as the stroke). The stroke of the boat must be a strong rower with excellent technique, since the stroke sets the rhythm and number of strokes per minute the rest of the crew must follow.

Lightweight and Open Weight An athlete of any weight can enter the open categories, although the average woman in an open race will approach 6’ in height and an average open weight man 6’6”. Lightweight Men cannot weigh more ​ ​ than 160 pounds and the average weight of the entire boat cannot exceed 155 pounds. Lightweight ​ Women cannot weigh more than 130 pounds and the average weight of the entire boat cannot exceed ​ 125 pounds.

Lightweights row the same events as open weight athletes, except that other than the men’s lightweight eight, they do not carry coxswains, so there is no lightweight 2+ or 4+.

Race Details The stroke rate (the number of rowing strokes per minute that a crew is taking) is high at the start – ​ ​ maybe 45 to even 50 for an eight, 38 to 42 for a single scull. Then, the crew will “settle” into the body of the race and drop the rating back – 38 to 40 for an eight, 32 to 36 for a single. The coach and the way the race is going determine when the crew will sprint, but finishing stroke rates of 46+ in the last 200 meters aren’t unheard of. However, higher stroke rates are not always indicative of speed. A strong, technically talented crew may be able to cover more water faster than a less capable crew rowing a high stroke rate.

12 Unlike canoe/kayak competitions, rowers are allowed to leave their lanes without penalty, so long as they do not interfere with anyone else’s opportunity to win. An official follows the crews to ensure safety and fairness.

The Stroke The whole body is involved in moving a shell through the water. Although rowing tends to look like an upper body sport, the strength of the rowing stroke comes from the legs.

The stroke is made up of four parts: Catch, Drive, Finish and Recovery. As the stroke begins, the rower ​ ​ is coiled forward on the sliding seat, with knees bent and arms outstretched. At the catch, the athlete ​ ​ drops the oar blade vertically into the water.

At the beginning of the drive, the body position doesn’t change – all the work is done by the legs. As ​ ​ the upper body begins to uncoil, the arms begin their work, drawing the oar blades through the water. Continuing the drive, the rowers move their hands quickly into the body, which by this time is in a slight “layback” position, requiring strong abdominal muscles.

During the finish, the oar handle is moved down, drawing the oar blade out of the water. At the same ​ ​ time, the rower “feathers” the oar – turning the oar handle – so that the oar blade changes from a vertical position to a horizontal one. The oar remains out of the water as the rower begins recovery, ​ moving the hands away from the body and past the knees. The body follows the hands and the sliding seat moves forward until, knees bent, the rower is ready for the next catch.

The Equipment Oars Oars move the boat through the water and act as balancers. Sweep oars are longer than sculling oars and may have wooden handles instead of rubber grips. The shaft of the oar is made of extremely lightweight carbon fiber instead of the heavier wood used years ago.

The popular “hatchet” blade – named because of its cleaver-like shape – is about 20 percent larger than previous blades. Its larger surface area has made it the almost-universal choice among world-level rowers.

The Boats – Sculls and Shells All rowing boats can be called shells. Rowing boats with scullers in them (each person having two oars) are called sculls, e.g. single scull, double scull, quadruple scull. So, all sculls are shells but not vice ​ ​ versa. Originally made of wood, today’s boats – especially those used in competition – are made of honeycombed carbon fiber. They are light and appear fragile but are crafted to be strong and stiff in the water.

The smallest boat – the single scull – is approximately 27 feet long and as narrow as 10 inches across. At 58 feet, the eight is the longest boat on the water.

The oars are attached to the boat with riggers, which provide a fulcrum for the levering action of rowing. Generally, sweep rowers sit in configurations that have the oars alternating from side to side 13 along the boat. But sometimes, most typically in the 4- or 4+, the coach will rig the boat so that two consecutive rowers have their oars on the same side in order to equalize individual athlete power.

Race Watching

The crew that’s making it look easy is most likely the one doing the best job. While you’re watching, look for...

● Continuous, fluid motion of the rowers. The rowing motion shouldn’t have a discernable end or beginning. ● Synchronization. Rowers strive for perfect synchronization in the boat.

● Clean catches of the oar. If you see a lot of splash, the oars aren’t entering the water correctly. The catch should happen at the end of the recovery, when the hands are as far ahead of the rower as possible. Rowers who uncoil before they drop the oar are sacrificing speed and not getting a complete drive. ● Even oar blade feathering. When the blades are brought out of the water, they should all move horizontally close to the water and at the same height. It’s not easy, especially if the water is rough. ● The most consistent speed. Shells don’t move like a car – they’re slowest at the catch, quickest at the release. The good crews time the catch at just the right moment to maintain the speed of the shell. ● Rowing looks graceful, elegant and sometimes effortless when it’s done well. Don’t be fooled. Rowers haven’t been called the world’s most physically fit athletes for nothing. A 2,000-meter rowing race demands virtually everything a human being can physically bring to an athletic competition – aerobic ability, technical talent, exceptional mental discipline, ability to utilize oxygen efficiently and in huge amounts, balance, pain tolerance and the ability to continue to work when the body is demanding that you stop.

More Race Watching Tips ● Race times can vary considerably depending upon the course and weather conditions. Tailwinds will improve times, while headwinds and crosswinds will hamper them. ● If a crew “catches a crab,” it means the oar blade has entered the water at an angle instead of perpendicularly. The oar blade gets caught under the surface and will slow or even stop a shell. ● A “Power 10” is a call by the coxswain for 10 of the crew’s best, most powerful strokes. Good coxswains read the course to know how many strokes remain for their crew to count down to the finish. ● Crews are identified by their oar blade design. The USA blades are red on top and blue on the bottom, with a white triangle at the tip. ● It doesn’t matter whether you win an Olympic medal or don’t make the finals, each crew still carries their boat back to the rack.

Coxswains from first-place boats worldwide are thrown into the water by their crews. Coxswains don’t, and probably never did, yell “stroke! stroke!” Similar to a jockey, their job is to implement the 14 coach’s strategy during the race, in addition to steering and letting the rowers know where they stand in the race and what they need to do to win.

Rowing Quick Facts

● Rowing is one of the original sports in the modern Olympic Games. Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics, was a rower.

● Eight-oared shells are about 60-feet long, about 20 yards on a football field.

● Rowing was the first intercollegiate sport contested in the United States. The first rowing race was between Harvard University and Yale University in 1852.

● Physiologically, rowers are superb examples of physical conditioning. Cross-country skiers and long distance speed skaters are comparable in terms of the physical demands the sport places on the athletes.

● An eight, which carries more than three-quarters of a ton (1,750 pounds), may weigh as little as 200 pounds. The boats are made of fiberglass composite material.

● Singles may be as narrow as 10 inches across, weigh only 30.86 pounds, and stretch nearly 27-feet long.

● FISA, the international governing body of the sport, requires all eights used in international competition to be sectional, so that crews who must disassemble and ship their boats overseas in standard shipping containers will not be at a disadvantage.

● The first amateur sport organization was a rowing club, Philadelphia’s , founded in 1858.

● From 1920 through 1956, the United States won the gold medal in the men’s eight at every Olympic Games.

● The first national governing body for a sport in the United States was for rowing. Founded as the National Association for Amateur Oarsmen in 1872, it was changed in 1982 to the United States Rowing Association.

● Yale College founded the first collegiate boat club in the U.S. in 1843.

● FISA, the first international sports federation, was founded in 1892.

● Dr. Benjamin Spock, the famous doctor, was an Olympic rower in 1924 and won a gold medal in the eight. Gregory Peck rowed at the University of California in 1937.

15 ● Physiologists claim that rowing a 2,000-meter race – equivalent to 1.25 miles – is equal to playing back-to- back games. All Olympic events are contested over a 2,000-meter course with six lanes. In the 1976, 1980, and 1984 Olympics, women raced 1,000 meters.

● In 2013, the U.S. women’s eight set a new world best time (5:54.16) in its final at the World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland. The United States is the two-time defending Olympic champion in the event (2008, 2012).

● The world best time for the men’s eight is 5 minutes, 19.85 seconds or 13.98 miles per hour.

Glossary of Rowing Terms

● Bow: The forward section of the boat. The first part of the boat to cross the finish line. Also, ​ ​ the person in the seat closest to the bow, who crosses the finish line first. ● Button: A wide collar on the oar that keeps it from slipping through the oarlock. ​ ​ ● Coxswain: The person who steers the shell and is the on-the-water coach for the crew. ​ ​ ● Deck: The part of the shell at the bow and stern that is covered with fiberglass cloth or a thin ​ ​ plastic. ● Ergometer: Rowers call it an “erg.” It’s a rowing machine that closely approximates the actual ​ rowing motion. The rowers’ choice is the Concept2, which utilizes a flywheel and a digital readout so that the rower can measure his “strokes per minute” and the distance covered.

● FISA: Short for Federation Internationale des Societes d’Aviron. The international governing ​ ​ body for the sport of rowing, established in 1892. ● Gate: The bar across the oarlock that keeps the oar in place. ​ ​ ​ ● German rigging: A different way of setting up which side of the boat the oars are on in a ​ ​ ​ sweep boat. Instead of alternating from side to side all the way from bow to stern, in a German rigged boat, two consecutive rowers have oars on the same side. ● Lightweight: Refers to the rowers, not the boats; there is a maximum weight for each rower in ​ ​ a lightweight event as well as a boat average. ● Oar: Used to drive the boat forward; rowers do not use paddles. ​ ​ ● Port: The left side of the boat, while facing forward, in the direction of the movement. ​ ​ ● Power 10: A call for rowers to do 10 of their best, most powerful strokes. It’s a strategy used ​ ​ to pull ahead of a competitor. ● Repechage: The second-chance race, which ensures that everyone has two chances to advance ​ ​ from preliminary races since there is no seeding in the heats. ● Rigger: The triangular shaped metal device that is bolted onto the side of the boat and holds ​ ​ the oars. ● Run: The run is the distance the shell moves during one stroke. You can figure it by looking ​ for the distance between the puddles made by the same oar. ● Sculls: One of the two disciplines of rowing -- the one where scullers use two oars or sculls. ​ ​ ● Shell: Can be used interchangeably with boat. ​ ​ ● Slide: The set of runners for the wheels of each seat in the boat. ​ ​ ● Starboard: The right side of the boat, while facing forward, in the direction of movement. ​ ​ ● Stern: The rear of the boat; the direction the rowers are facing. ​ ​ 16 ● Straight: Refers to a shell without a coxswain, i.e. a straight four or straight pair. ​ ​ ● Stretcher or Foot stretcher: Where the rower’s feet go. The stretcher consists of two inclined ​ ​ footrests, which hold the rower’s shoes. The rower’s shoes are bolted into the footrests. ● Stroke: The rower who sits closest to the stern. The stroke sets the rhythm for the boat; others ​ ​ behind him must follow his cadence. ● Stroke Coach: A small electronic display that rowers attach in the boat to show the important ​ ​ race information like stroke rate and elapsed time. ● Sweep: One of the two disciplines of rowing, where rowers use only one oar. Pairs (for two ​ ​ people), fours (for four people) and the eight are sweep boats. Pairs and fours may or may not have a coxswain. Eights always have a coxswain. ● Swing: The hard-to-define feeling when near-perfect synchronization of motion occurs in the ​ ​ shell, enhancing the performance and speed.

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