Tuesday 31st August 2004
- One last Olympic impression - the team homecoming.
- Steve Redgrave gets a bit controversial - in his Olympic diary.
- A reminder of some useful French links - AvironFrance with everything up to date about French rowing - international and club etc.
- Plus La Grande Motte, a festival of sea rowing on 15th/16th October, also called the World Rowing Coastal Challenge.
- And Ar Rederien Mor a sea rowing club at Plougastel.
- Ewoud and Henning have conspired to get the AVI file of the Olympic men's eight final up online. Beware - 211 megabytes (that's huuuuuge) so don't download unless you have both broadband and a lot of time. Epic stuff, though.
- And either the Slug or Onstream (possibly a merger effort) have put a clip of the GBR M4- at their awards ceremony online too (similar warnings apply).
- Results for the Bideford WEARA regatta (MS Word download, 37kb, UK).
- And a poster for the South East Regional Indoor Rowing Championships (MS Word download, 43kb, UK). This year there is also an adaptive event at the championships.
Monday 30th August 2004
- Monmouth Autumn Head (UK) is on Sunday 26th September not 3rd October as in the current ARA calendar. Details on the club website.
- Monmouth RC are also celebrating their 75th anniversary with a dinner/dance on Saturday October 16th, and invite all MRC members, former members and people with club connections to join them on that date. Guest speaker is club member and CUBC coach Robin Williams, and there is live music. See the website for more and how to get tickets.
Friday 27th August 2004
- British team return flight (sorry, forgot to put this up last weekend). The British rowing team, along with other GB Olympians afaik, are returning on an especially chartered plane next Monday (30th August). It arrives at Gatwick South at (est) 15:00 hrs, having left Athens four hours before (13:00 hrs Greek time). Flight number thought to be CY1314. There is a problem with press conference-ing in the airport, so medallists at least are likely to be taken to a nearby airport hotel to speak to any press who turn up.
- More of Sir Steve Redgrave's Olympic diary.
- A very interesting idea for those who want to be safe to row almost anywhere at almost any time: the 5-metre, 28-kg ROCAT (pretty well does what it says on the tin). The inventors have put up a neat little development website which explains how it works. No prices yet, as they have not yet got to a production model, but it's coming. Very clever design, and I'd venture it might also be modified very easily for adaptive rowing too. There will be a ROCAT stand at the London Boat Show, and they hope to be able to demonstrate it there too.
- This year's Pairs Head of the River (UK) will be at 2pm on Saturday 9th October, from Chiswick to Hammersmith. New categories have been added, incl. mixed vet doubles - see the website, which allows online entry but not online payment.
Thursday 26th August 2004
- From the BBC, Matthew Pinsent has failed to be re-elected to the IOC Athletes' Commission. During Athens there was a regular re-election vote, and only the top four get re-elected. Matt told me in Aiguebelette before the Games that the athletes were not allowed to canvass during the Games, and he is now spending the week on IOC duty at the canoeing each morning. He didn't seem too concerned about whether or not he would be re-elected - I expect it is one of those popularity contests you can't do much about. All those competing at the Athens Games were able to vote. Four more Athletes' Commission members will be elected during the Paralympics, two at each of the Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics, and seven are appointed by the IOC President to ensure fair distribution of influence. If I've read it right, rower Roland Baar (GER) was also up for re-election, but did not succeed. Those elected were Franki Fredericks (NAM), Jan Zelezny (CZE), Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) and Rania Elwani (EGY).
- Back to the UK, the last Olympic Impressions piece up online.
- Olena Olefirenko, the three-girl of the Ukrainian women's quad, has tested positive for drugs (an unspecified stimulant) after the UKR W4x won bronze last Sunday at the Olympics, following the statutory medallists' testing. The Ukrainians' medal has been withdrawn and given to Australia. No mention yet of other sanctions, though unless there is a successful appeal, the FISA regulations would mean a 2-year ban (which may be increased if her NOC or national association has stricter rules).
- The Olympic photofinishes can be seen on the FISA website - for those not used to looking at them, they are not real photos but time-slices of a small vision field snapped every 0.01 seconds (see notches on the bottom time-line). The crews therefore look like disjointed spiders.
- This year marks the 10th anniversary of women's rowing at Vesta RC (UK). On Saturday 18th September Vesta are throwing a party to celebrate the occasion.
- The notice for the 2004 Northern Rowing Council (UK) Autumn Sculling Series is published, with rules and regulations also online.
- It may have gone now, but I've been told someone at Oxford City Royal Regatta (UK) at the weekend left a black Stelph scull at the Riverside centre (upstream from CORC beside Donnington Bridge). Can the owner please collect if they haven't already?
- If using NERN's website (UK) please go via the index page as the site is undergoing upgrades. Some old pages may move or be altered. Send Ken any corrections via his email (listed on the site).
- The ARA is starting an online entry system (UK) - details should be on the ARA website soon, as the system begins on Friday 27th August. For more, ask your club email representative - a lengthy communication should have been received by all clubs from ARA communications officer Sophie Mackley, yesterday.
- Results from Oxford City Royal Regatta (UK).
- And BigBlade has photos (UK).
Monday 23rd August 2004
- Latest Olympic Impressions online.
- Steve Redgrave's Olympic diary updated with his reactions to the weekend's excellent results.
- The Greek trireme 'Olympias' was actually back in action to carry the Olympic torch to the Pireus harbour (so not rotting in a wet-dock) - pictures on Anu's website.
- The busines Neaves Rowing Fittings (UK) is for sale. Anyone interested please contact by phone on 01929 450018, mobile 07748 804022, or by email.
- Results and photos from Kingston Regatta (UK) are up.
Poster for the Cambridge Autumn Regatta (UK) is out.
- All sorts of race analysis on Worldrowers.com from JamcoTimes.
- Results from Warwick Regatta (UK) - photos should go up some time today.
Saturday 21st August 2004
- Well, one big thing has gone wrong for me already, and it's only 7am British time. No trouble with the rowing, but I managed to let my mobile phone slip into the water when I was walking over the lake bridge. Damn.... Please a) would nobody try and text or phone me, and b) everyone who knows I have their number(s) send it/them again to me by email. Racing has just started and I have no chance to put this right until I get back to the UK..... Fortunately comms stuff seems to be more sorted out, so hopefully I can be contactable by email, but please remember I'm not on all the time.
Update - I've now replaced my phone but please would any friends reading this who didn't realise it was lost, send me their numbers again. Ta.
Friday 20th August 2004
- Olympic Impressions 7 - a bit late, but never mind - it's been a hell of a day. More on Saturday, I hope.
- Good luck all the British crews!!
Wednesday 18th August 2004
- Today's wibble (mostly rowing-related).
- Comms a bit difficult last night, but (whoopee!) I have a line in the stands now, so can do a bit more updating than before. Still not planning to do live commentary yet, but the wibbles may turn into that later. Anyway, for those who didn't see them on the links, here are Tuesday part 1 and Tuesday part 2 in the Olympic impressions series.
- The FISA racetracker and results archive from the Olympics is now working fine, so you can call up races which happened earlier at the regatta.
- The poster for this year's Durham Vets & Juniors Regatta (UK) is up.
- JamcoTimes' analysis of the fastest men's eights at the Olympics - makes interesting reading.
- Neil Wallace has really got the bit between his teeth - his online stroke cycles now include the GB and Romanian women's coxless pairs, Pinsent and Cracknell from an earlier crew incarnation, and (the real corker) Ginn and Tomkins. The only thing I could wish is that the clips show the blade-catch too - it's mostly out of shot, but moving boats is also about the technique of blade entry, not just body movement. Still, this is rather handy to show novices and keen oar-wielders how the top guys and girls do it - and seeing up close what bodies should be doing does help you work out how to do it yourself.
Monday 16th August 2004
- Another Olympic Impressions - no rowing this time.
- And more of Steve Redgrave's diary.
Sunday 15th August 2004
- The Science of Sprintology - Olympic updates as the USA break both the world record and Canada's men's eight in the last race of the day.
Saturday 14th August 2004
- From me in Athens, Olympic Impressions day 1, now updated with the evening wibble.
- And we are running Steve Redgrave's Olympic Diary on Sportsbite. Find out what life at the Games is like for a five-times champion and national icon.
Friday 13th August 2004
- Commentator and polyglot Paul Castle is writing an exclusive column for Canottaggio Vero called Il Giorno Prima di Domani (The Day Before Tomorrow). In Italian, with the original English at the bottom.
- A plaintive message from Glasgow RC (Scotland): "We lost a pair of Concept 2 sculling blades between the NatChamps and HIR regattas. They were left on a trailer (we are almost certain that it was the SARA trailer) at Nottingham which was parked on the finish tower side during that week. They were very distinctive in Glasgow RC colours (red, black and yellow), although the paint was a bit flaky, with the old style white collars . If anyone knows where they are, accidently took them or if, by chance, we did put them on the wrong trailer, could you please get in touch ASAP with me atea_warnock@hotmail.com. Thanks, Alastair."
- JAMCO's WorldRowers system is doing the usual biography service for the Athens Olympics. THeir 2004 competitor biogs are now out, and being updated. With this showing an at-a-glance listing for each event, and in very simple format (any browser) it nicely complements the RowingOne site produced by FISA, which has race splits and some bits of personal bio, but can be more complex to read.
- I've meant to put this up for something like two weeks now - Neil Wallace of Inverness RC has been creating stroke cycles of top rowers and scullers, which allow you to look at frame-by-frame of FISA footage without having to own a posh video or DVD player. Fascinating stuff, and if you want to discuss the results, the rec.sport.rowing newsgroup is full of chat about it.
Wednesday 11th August 2004
- Adaptive rower Tracey Brown has rowed a million metres on the erg in 58 days: more details on the Concept 2 UK website.
- Poster for Bradford Autumn Regatta is on the BRC website (UK).
Tuesday 10th August 2004
- The press release about Ken Mills of Sudbury RC (UK - see yesterday's news).
- Yesterday on rec.sport.rowing, the worldwide newsgroup, an interesting game was posted (and crossposted to a few other sports groups). Called the Olympic Rare Entries Contest, the quiz pits you against everyone else entering with some Olympic queries which each have more than one answer. Example: "Name a theatrical-release motion picture where the primary story involves in some way an athlete or group of athletes competing in the Olympic Games." The trick is to answer each question with the rarest possible answer (ie you hope nobody else uses the same answer) in order to accumulate the lowest score. Prize? None.
- The RowTV Henley Champions 2004 DVD is out - £24.00 for PAL and NTSC versions, via the HRR online shop, or direct from the publisher (see RowTV website). Separate arrangements can be made for participating crews, who can have their specific races included. Note that these are not full races, for obvious practical reasons, but large chunks of footage taken from near the Progress Boards or the Enclosures Grandstand.
- Draw for the FISA Masters in Hamburg 2nd-5th September are now out.
Monday 9th August 2004
- Ken Mills, Treasurer of Sudbury Rowing Club (UK), died of a sudden heart attack on Saturday during the Sudbury annual Regatta. There is a message to club members and those at the regatta on Sudbury's website. A fuller statement including memorial arrangements (yet tbc) will be issued soon.
- Information on the rescheduled Evesham Regatta (UK) - it now takes place on 4th (main) and 5th (sprint) September. Juniors are encouraged to check that they make the right entries, as junior category 'rowing ages' change with immediate effect from 1st September, so apply to Evesham.
- Apparently the rescued crew of the Atlantic Pink Lady may try again later.
Sunday 8th August 2004
- Sunday report and pictures from the Under-23's from CT and JG. Much thanks.
- A final medals list and table for the Under-23's, now that racing is finished.
- Saturday details from Poznan from CT and JG.
Saturday 7th August 2004
- From Poznan, Friday British-interest reports, including links to other commentary.
Friday 6th August 2004
- Tideway clubs (UK) who do go out rowing before the Thames in London is cleaned up are urgent to do a full risk assessment by the ARA, taking into account pollution. There is a section on water-borne diseases in the ARA safety notes which may be helpful.
- The World Under-23 Regatta (officially not yet a World Championship, though it has been proposed) starts today in Poznan, Poland. Results on the FISA racetracker and more information on the event's website. Old results, if you get to it after they finish, on the FISA page.
Thursday 5th August 2004
- The Romanian drugs-tested rower has been cleared (see Friday 30th July). It was Viorica Susanu, from the W2- and W8+, and she and track athlete Carmen Zamfir have tested negative on two more occasions after trace positives were obtained last month. This is why the 'B' sample is kept - the idea is to eliminate any possibility of error either in the test or through accidental sample contamination. Susanu has been cleared completely and will be competing in Athens, though Zamfir's case will be looked at again, because her 'B' sample tested positive at a level below WADA's limit (therefore potentially within experimental error). More in a piece from the Australian Courier-Mail.
- Centrebet in Australia has odds on rowing at the Olympics.
Wednesday 4th August 2004
- UK advice for Tideway clubs: For reasons of health and safety the Thames Regional rowing council, under guidance from the various water authorities, are advising members not to go rowing until further notice below Teddington Lock. This is because levels of sewerage in the Thames are very high after the storms on Tuesday. Report about it on the BBC website. The authorities are working to clean up the river and members are asked to listen to local radio for the latest advice.
- While we're at it, the TRRC website has a notice saying that they are looking for qualified instructors to design and deliver a trailer towing course (UK).
Monday 2nd August 2004
- New club Dayton Boat Club goes online, in the Ohio area (USA), with a plan to provide organized (sic) programs (sic x2, I'm a UK speller) for juniors and masters in the region.
- Parked trailers become on-street boathouses (Cambridge Evening News, UK). No prizes for working out which club it is....
- Rem Catalunya has digests of results from the Worlds, as well as pictures,
- Results of Henley Town & Visitors regatta (UK).
