83. Rowing - Women's Coxless Pair

Event: Rowing - Women's Coxless Pair 
Date: 9th September 2015
Location: Sudbury Rowing Club
Cost: No charge.
Rules: Women's rowing events were first included in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Races are held on rivers, canals or lakes over a distance on 2,000 metres. Races start under the supervision of an aligner and a starter, with umpires positioned along the course and at the finish line. The Coxless Pair category sees two rowers in the boat with one oar each.

The Event:

Results: 

London 2012 Olympic Gold Medal: Helen Glover and Heather Stanning, Great Britain.

Comments:  

Sarah: Our coach Tricia seemed quite nervous about this one; I think she was fairly sure she was going to go for a swim before the session was over. The boat definitely felt more flighty, but I much preferred just having one oar to focus on and can definitely see the attraction of this event. After some impressive manoeuvring by Tricia, I was relieved when we got back to the launch nice and dry. Huge thanks to Tricia for having the confidence in us to risk a river swim!

Ellie: This boat is far too unstable - there is no way that rowers are able to keep this upright and go at any speed... but of course, they do because they are much more able and skilled than I am! It felt a little bit like the Bumblebee paradox - technically and obeying the laws of physics they shouldn't be able to fly but they do. This boat didn't feel like it should stay upright but it did, thankfully.
I much prefer having 2 oars to keep me balanced though so I was pleased when we'd finished this trip and were back on dry land but look how fast our photographs make us look like we're traveling! 

 

82. Rowing - Women's Quadruple Sculls

Event: Rowing - Women's Quadruple Sculls
Date: 8th September 2015
Location: Sudbury Rowing Club
Cost: No charge
Rules: Women's rowing events were first included in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Races are held on rivers, canals or lakes over a distance of 2,000 metres. Races start under the supervision of an aligner and a starter, with umpires positioned along the course and at the finish line. The Quadruple Sculls category sees four rowers in each boat, rowing as fast as possible over the course. 

The Event:

Results:
London 2012 Winners: 6:35.93 Nataliya Dovgodko, Kateryna Tara Senko, Yana Dementyava, Anastasiia Kozhenkova; Ukraine

           

Comments:

Sarah: This was our first event after a busy summer and it was great to get back to the Challenge! We were a little ropey to begin with as it had been a few months since we'd last been on the river. I frantically tried to remember my Bow from my Stroke and which direction to hold the oars, but after a few practice lengths most things came flooding back (or I just copied those in front of me). Although we were wobbly, for a few glorious strokes the four of us were vaguely in time and we were gliding through the water. Then I got my oar caught and nearly tipped everyone in.

Ellie: Being quite naive, I thought I'd remember to row a lot easier than I did. It took some proper concentration and copying those in front, as Sarah says, to get back into the rhythm. I definitely hadn't forgotten how inelegant I am when getting in/out of the boat!
We were in a beautiful wooden boat for the Quadruple sculls and when Sarah was part of the two rowers getting into their stride I had time to dip my fingers into the water and relax in my beautiful surroundings. It was very pleasant!