CM YK Template:SARATOGIAN_Master

Scholastic Rowing Association of America

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPSSPECIAL SUPPLEMENT OF THE SARATOGIAN FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2010

ENGINE ROOM

O ften overlooked, the middle four seats in atraditional eight boat are called the“engine room” or “power plant,” as they

supply the brawn to rocket a racing shell towardthe finish line.“You generally put people in there who are

skilled, but are also known as being strong onthe oar,” Saratoga Rowing Association girls var-sity coach Eric Catalano said. “All you wantthem to think about is pulling. You want to sim-plify it as much as possible.”“My favorite is racing in the middle of the

boat,” SRA engine room rower Thora Olsen said.“You feel the people moving in front of you andbehind you so it just feels like you’re going fast.”While not considered a specific “pair” in the

boat, the engine room has their own form ofbonding and relying on each other.“At practice, we joke about it because the mid-

dle never sits out (during rowing drills),” Brownsaid. “When someone isn’t here, we miss them,we miss the power, and you have a rhythm withthe eight girls.”

STROKE PAIR

The two rowers immediately in front ofthe coxswain are called the strokepair.

This is the rhythm section of a boat, set-ting the pace for how fast the crew will placeand remove their oars from the water. “They need to be dynamic,” Saratoga

Rowing Association girls varsity coach EricCatalano said. “Not just the catch and thefinish, but they need to know how to acceler-ate and how it will translate back throughthe boat.”“I like how we have a little more control

over the race,” SRA girls junior eight strokeseat rower Lizzy Fitzhenry said. “If every-one’s not together, it’s really, really hard.”The stroke pair helps dictate when a boat

needs to pass its competitors in adjacentlanes.“When you get your leg drives together it

just feels really strong and powerful,”Fitzhenry said. “You can feel the rhythmand it’s great.”Catalano looks for a type of rower to place

as a stroke pair.“You have to find a really good racer,”

Catalano said. “The racing is what counts.In the end though, you have to have all thepieces.“At the high school level you can have a

stroke seat help you win races,” Catalanosaid. “But in the Olympic final you need alleight to be like rock stars.”

BO W PAIR

The bow pair resides in the front of theracing shell, making them the first tocross through the finish line, but also

putting them in charge of keeping the boatin balance for its best performance.“I want them to be more technical,”

Saratoga Rowing Association girls varsitycoach Eric Catalano said. “There is a lot ofcontrol in the bow. How they carry theirhands can set the boat.”It’s also challenging to maintain balance

as the boat races up the water.“In general, the coach puts the two peo-

ple that he or she thinks would help set theboat most,” said Caroline Blackington, halfof the bow pair in the Saratoga RowingAssociation Girls’ Junior Eight boat. “Thebow pair is more technical, so most of thetime it’s up to us to hold down, rush, and setthe boat, balance it.”While challenging, it’s not impossible.“It’s not that hard,” Jill Perkins, the other

half of the bow pair, said. “Once you’verowed that long, you get used to it andwatch the person in front of you and every-one follows each other.”The bow pair also has a line on their com-

petitors, and any lead the boat may or maynot have.“You can see out of the corner of your eye

where they are and if you’re in front,”Perkins said. “That’s even better becauseyou don’t even have to look out to seethem.”But, to avoid distraction, the rowers are

taught only to look ahead. “You sort of go with the mentality of

blacking out, separating your mind fromyour body,” Blackington said. “Your mindblanks out and your body does all the work.”

Rowing for dummiesIt takes more than pulling on an oar to win a regatta. The Saratogian explains the components of an eight boat. Crews like this will contest the

Scholastic Rowing Association of America’s National Championships today and tomorrow at Fish Creek on Saratoga Lake.

Capsuls by Stan Hudy. Photo by Eric Jenks. Design by Andrew J. Bernstein and Erin McNamee.

RIGGING & OARS

The rigging and oars play an important rolewithin any racing shell; they move theboat forward and keep it upright. Without

oars, the shell’s contents — namely the rowers— will wind up in the water.“One of the major pieces of rigging is load and

angles; they are tied together,” Saratoga Row-ing Association girls varsity coach Eric Catalanosaid. “An oar acts like a lever — not like a see-saw, but more like a pry bar.“When you place a blade in the water you pull

on the handle and the boat actually moves pastthat point,” Catalano explained. “The shorteryour end (oar handle) the heavier and harder itis going to be to pull past that point.”He notes that the principle is the same as that

which means it’s easier to loosen a bolt with abigger wrench than a small one.According to Catalano, coaches will often use

a standard set of measurements for each classof rowers — with rowers of different ages usingdifferent length oars.

“It’s the safer thing to do,” Catalano said.“But, there is speed to be found in the rightarrangement for your crew.”

Oars

Oars range in length from 11.5 to 12.5 feet, andget attached to the rigging when on the water.Changing the rigging can make the rowers

more comfortable, and is done utilizing a specialsystem on each shell.“They can still obtain the same rating

(strokes per minute), but add a level of comfort,said coach Eric CatalanoIn addition, different sized and shaped blades

effect how the boat moves.“The more surface area on the blade, the

heavier the load, so you don’t need a longeroar,” Catalano said. “The length of the oar helpswith balance.” He said the balance is similar to a pole used

by a tight rope walker. “Without the oars the boats will flip, the same

with the tightrope walker,” Catalano said.

COXSWAIN

B oss, signal caller, and captain of the ship are allnames for a coxswain — the athlete who sits inthe racing shell and calls out rhythms, encour-

aging the rest of the crew to pull harder than theircompetitors.“A good coxswain is a coach whose most important

job is steering the boat,” Saratoga Rowing Associationgirls varsity coach Eric Catalano said. “Off the water,they are a center point for the boat. They get water forthe crew, look after the rowers, is their advocate and acoach’s eyes and ears.”Saratoga girls junior eight coxswain Isabel Price is

back with a headset after injuring her back over thewinter.“I miss an oar, but this is the second best thing,” she

said. “I motivate, correct the rowers during practiceand steer straight. I like motivating them and seeingthem win, just being part of the team.”“If I need to be relaxed and calm I can adjust my

voice for that. If I have to motivate it up I can do thattoo,” Price said. “I know what they like and what theydon’t like. Sometimes I mention things, more whatthey like, not what they don’t like.”But a coxswain is more than just a motivational

speaker.“They can multitask,” Catalano said. “They run all

these practices, get the teams on and off the water andtranslate what I say.”

OTHER TYPES OF SHELLS

W hile the long eight boats represent the highest level of coordi-nation among a crew, spectators on Fish Creek at SaratogaLake today and Saturday will also see athletes in four person

(quad), two-person (double), and single boats.While the eight boats use sweep oars, with each athletes pulling on

one oar, quads are set up with either sweep oars or sculling oars, inwhich each athlete pulls on two oars. Doubles and singles always use