Issue 100 - Centenary July 1997

Highs, Lows & Hopes

Highs

• To watch the spectacular racing by rowers at the Olympic regattas. The quality of the racing has significantly improved over these years. The racing on Lake Lanier was great.
• To work to assist rowers and coaches in the developing parts of the world take on rowing. One really has to see the conditions that the rowers in these countries are overcoming in order to practice and compete. One can't help but respect their work and their motivation to overcome these conditions. I am proud to have been a part of it.
• To attend my first Henley Royal Regatta last year. It is true that one has to experience this 'event' in person in order to fully appreciate it.

Lows

• I must say that a real low point was in 1987 when a women's quad stopped rowing in a World Championship final because they had been placed in a lane which was destroyed by wind. This was because television was the major source of finance for the championships and no cancellation insurance had not been purchased. This will not happen again.

Hopes

• My biggest hope is that rowing and our rowers can become appreciated by a bigger public than at present. Our rowers are much more interesting personalities than most of the other sports "stars". They deserve to be known, broadly appreciated and respected. As well, our sport is the noble sport. It should be more widely followed and appreciated as a 'true' sport. We will be working to make better promotion, publicity, and images of rowing, and strive to gather a regular audience for our best events.

© Copyright M. Smith, 1997.