Where will all these beginners end up? How many will still be in the sport at Christmas? How many at the end of the year? How many at the end of their time at University and how many will take it even further?
Today about 50 newcomers to the sport sat on ergs for the first time, as it happens it was our first coached session in a studio at the Mardyke Arena, a real step on from having to travel off campus to spin the flywheels. Today may have been the first and only time some of those that attended ever undertake a rowing session, but two events this Summer will not stop returning to my thoughts.
The most recent event was last month in Russia. Kazan to be more accurate, the capital of Tatarstan, several hundred miles east of Moscow and the self proclaimed Russian city of sport. The city hosted the World University Rowing Championships. Ireland sent a team of 10 athletes including Claire Lambe from UCD who performed brilliantly to win a Silver medal. Also traveling was a women's coxless four, all four girls are from Queens University, they travelled to Russia following a season that included wins at the Irish and British University Champs and wins at the Irish National Champs including the Senior Eight in a composite with Skibbereen. In the previous two seasons they have won numerous pots at various regattas in Ireland and by all accounts thoroughly enjoyed themselves in the process. Why am I rambling on about these girls? Because at this time three years ago not one of them had stepped in a boat. Their previous sporting background ranged from a fair bit of swimming to not much more than occasionaly going to the gym, none of them are 6 foot, or in fact anywhere near and all of them are doing time consuming courses such as Medicine and Nursing.
The second event of the Summer was in August at Dorney Lake, Eton, the venue of the Olympic Regatta. The race was the A Final of the Men's 4-. The expected front runners were Great Britain and Australia, just as it was four years earlier in Beijing, I race I watched from the depths of Molesey Boat Club. On that day in August Great Britain got out in front early and never let Australia back. A fourth successive gold in that boat class for Great Britain and a second gold for James, Reed and Hodge.
James learnt to row at Kings Chester, an established rowing school with a proud history in the sport. Reed and Hodge began their rowing careers at University and not recognised rowing outfits but the University of the West of England and Staffordshire University respectively.
I was lucky enough to be the Captain of Staff's Uni BC in the Autumn of 1998 when the 19 year old Hodge turned up looking for something a bit more structured than the Uni' Rugby. I was lucky enough to be motivated by his enthusiasm for two seasons at Staffs. I have since watched with ever increasing stunned amazement as the bloke I once caught stir frying chicken in water has won everything there is to win in the sport.
So there it is, now is the time of acorns. Some will not germinate, some will grow for a while and some become mighty, might oaks.
Today about 50 newcomers to the sport sat on ergs for the first time, as it happens it was our first coached session in a studio at the Mardyke Arena, a real step on from having to travel off campus to spin the flywheels. Today may have been the first and only time some of those that attended ever undertake a rowing session, but two events this Summer will not stop returning to my thoughts.
The most recent event was last month in Russia. Kazan to be more accurate, the capital of Tatarstan, several hundred miles east of Moscow and the self proclaimed Russian city of sport. The city hosted the World University Rowing Championships. Ireland sent a team of 10 athletes including Claire Lambe from UCD who performed brilliantly to win a Silver medal. Also traveling was a women's coxless four, all four girls are from Queens University, they travelled to Russia following a season that included wins at the Irish and British University Champs and wins at the Irish National Champs including the Senior Eight in a composite with Skibbereen. In the previous two seasons they have won numerous pots at various regattas in Ireland and by all accounts thoroughly enjoyed themselves in the process. Why am I rambling on about these girls? Because at this time three years ago not one of them had stepped in a boat. Their previous sporting background ranged from a fair bit of swimming to not much more than occasionaly going to the gym, none of them are 6 foot, or in fact anywhere near and all of them are doing time consuming courses such as Medicine and Nursing.
The second event of the Summer was in August at Dorney Lake, Eton, the venue of the Olympic Regatta. The race was the A Final of the Men's 4-. The expected front runners were Great Britain and Australia, just as it was four years earlier in Beijing, I race I watched from the depths of Molesey Boat Club. On that day in August Great Britain got out in front early and never let Australia back. A fourth successive gold in that boat class for Great Britain and a second gold for James, Reed and Hodge.
James learnt to row at Kings Chester, an established rowing school with a proud history in the sport. Reed and Hodge began their rowing careers at University and not recognised rowing outfits but the University of the West of England and Staffordshire University respectively.
I was lucky enough to be the Captain of Staff's Uni BC in the Autumn of 1998 when the 19 year old Hodge turned up looking for something a bit more structured than the Uni' Rugby. I was lucky enough to be motivated by his enthusiasm for two seasons at Staffs. I have since watched with ever increasing stunned amazement as the bloke I once caught stir frying chicken in water has won everything there is to win in the sport.
So there it is, now is the time of acorns. Some will not germinate, some will grow for a while and some become mighty, might oaks.
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