Welcome to the spring season of the Ready, Row! USA podcast, as we continue weekly broadcasts featuring the best of US rowing news, gadgets & gear from our sources across the country.

Ready, Row! USA is part of the international RowingChat network. You can subscribe to receive notifications of upcoming shows, send in news tips, and join our community by visiting the website.

I am your host and producer, Charlotte Pierce.

With us today are correspondents Mark Wilson, of All American Rowing Camp in DeLand, Florida and Ellen Minzner, US Rowing Para High-Performance Director and coach at Community Rowing in Boston.

Artist and CRI sculler Nancy Diessner is our technical guru for this episode. Thanks, Nancy!

SPONSORS:

RowTours - international rowing adventures & activities for non-rowing spouses too!

JustStrong - stylish, technical athletic gear for women; use REBCAROE19 for 10% off.

PRODUCTION CREDITS:

Host/Producer: Charlotte Pierce, Pierce Press

Panelist: Mark Wilson, All American Rowing Camp

Panelist: Ellen Minzner, US Rowing Para HP Director and CRI Director of Inclusion & Advocacy

Stage Manager: Nancy Diessner, sculler & artist 

Executive Producer: Rebecca Caroe, Rowing Chat

Overheard at a regatta, courtesy of Masters Rowing International member Richard Stout:

Master's G: How old are you?

Master's AA: 25

Master's G: I have underwear older than that!

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Ellen Minzner:

Community Rowing, Boston (CRI) was named a US Para National Team Training Center last week. One of the first major events is a Paralympic Identification and Development Camp May 31-June 4.

Ellen Minzner was appointed US Rowing Para High-Performance Director, and Shelagh Donohoe was appointed coach of the US PR3 4+. Donohoe assisted the silver medal PR3 4+ crews of 2014, 2015, and 2016 and is currently the Head Coach at URI. She won a silver medal in the Barcelona Olympic Games in the Women’s 4- in 1992.

Mark Wilson:

Listener Poll (respond in comments):

What is your favorite race to be a participant and spectator?

What are your thoughts about 2K vs 1K for masters?

Dexter Reservoir Regatta, Eugene OR hosted 28 clubs and over 500 entries - 2000m for most and 1000m for masters. Do masters want 2K (see above)? See also Covered Bridge Regatta.

Never Too Old to Race:

The Boat Race 165th running for men and 74th for women was just held in Oxford/Cambridge, UK (since 1829). Heads up, masters: The oldest competitor was James Cracknell, age 46. Granted, he is a double Olympian, has rowed across the Atlantic and biked across the USA - not your normal 46-year-old!

Spring Training and Safety

Everyone wants to get out and get miles, but we need to live to row another day. Watch for flooding, cold temps, rusty skills, spring thunderstorms, newbie rowers, new hazards in the water. Be careful, in control, and aware of your surroundings.

Once training, pick some goal events. Think about which ones are the most important to you and how to train for those two or three events through early or less important races.

Fewer, quality miles are better than more mediocre miles. Vince Lombardi didn’t say “Practice makes perfect.” He did say, “Perfect Practice Makes Perfect!” Good words to live by.

Use your technology in a positive way. Not only to log total meters but also the number of strokes, the rate, time rowed, and time NOT rowing. Distance per stroke (DPS) is a good measure of where you stand this time of year.

CLUB & PROGRAM NEWS

ROWING NEWS SUBMISSION FORM

ELLEN MINZNER LINKS

US ROWING PARALYMPIC TRAINING CENTER

Community Rowing, Inc.

MARK WILSON LINKS:

ALL-AMERICAN ROWING CAMP

SHOW LINKS:

ROWING CHAT

ROWING NEWS SUBMISSION FORM

NE/MID-ATLANTIC MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS

US ROWING