A Day at CRASH-B's 2007
Posted: February 26th, 2007, 10:38 pm
At 6am the Black Thunderbird was fired up and roared down the highway to Boston. Was parked outside the Agannis Arena by 7am and went straight to the Volunteers room where I picked up a stunning orange volunteers t-shirt, got my hand stamped, and met Howard Schmuck of the CRASH-B's board of directors. Howard is the USA Roy Brook, or Roy is the UK Howard Schmuck. Later I was able to use the power of the orange t-shirt to go anywhere with impunity. ("Hey you! Get away from those radioactive isotopes and those nuclear launch codes!....Oh, wait....I hadn't noticed the orange t-shirt. Carry on.")
Wandered about the Arena as if I knew what I was doing, until spotting the band of brothers. Climbed into stands to renew acquaintances with Mike Caviston, Dennis Hastings, Roadrunner, Joan Van Blom, Mary Perrot, Tom Rawls and others. Parked my gear there and after while invaded the British section to gab with Rocket Roy, MicroMonkey and others. We speculated that at that very moment incredible SPI erging may or may not have been occurring in a certain Michigan basement. We all had a good laugh about it then got ready for the racing.
The first heat got underway at 9am and familiar names came booming out of the speakers. Anna Bailey by open water. Luanne Mills back on top, coxed by multiple-time champion Dennis Hastings.. Yvette Knight bringing a silver medal home to Maine. Too many good people in too many different places to see everyone, so decisions had to made about where to watch from.
Second heat meant checking out Dean Smith and Bob Spenger over on machines # 59 and #61, then dashing over to the front row to see Joan Van Blom and Mary Perrot. Solid wins by Carie Graves, Van Blom and Smith. A surpirsingly tight race in the 80+ lwts with Spenger getting pipped for the gold by 3 seconds. Bronze for the Hastings-coxed Perrot.
The pressure didn't ease a bit in the third heat. Watched a few hundred meters of Tim McTighe on #60 and Nelson Boyd on #61. Boyd is in the same division that I am and I've followed him in the rankings ever since I began, but this was the first time I'd seen him in person. I never did get to talk to him, but maybe some other time. Then it was over to the front row again. By then Roy Brook was well into the lead, coxed by Dennis Hastings (a trend is developing here). Neil Little was on Machine #16 beside the empty erg that I should have been on. I claimed a back injury for my shift from competitor to volunteer, but Roadrunner (who is a physical therapist and should know) diagnosed it as a yellow streak down my back. The empty erg gave the German coach more room to violently cox silver medalist Plitzner. Rocket Roy came home first by a large margin to add a world title to his European title from November. In the 55 heavies the betting was on Tore Foss, who had just moved up to the older category. But Robert Spousta grabbed himself another hammer with another strong showing to defeat the Norwegian Nightmare by a second. Jim Castellan handed a rare defeat to Paul Hendershott in the 60+ Hwt, with Tom Rawls a bit down the line after hitting his goal of sub-7:15. Brian Bailey of the GB squad took the 60+lwt.
The Rocket has landed
In the fourth heat Jon Bone (Navigation Hazard) requested my coxing skills to help him defend his 50+ Hwt crown. Bad Choice. He should have requested Hastings. I kept him on 1:36 pace through about 800-900m, but then I just didn't have what it takes. The splits crept up to 1:37, 1:38, and higher and I couldn't do a thing about it. At one point some 1:41s were showing before it was time to wind up for a big drive home at 300m to go. A strong kick brought the splits back down to 1:30-1:31, but Stan Vegar and Steve (Huge Man) Bainbridge were kicking even faster. The defending champ turned in a credible 6:28 but had to settle for 5th. Paul Flack (Canoeist) was a bit further back at 6:40, Fred Dickie at 6:59, and Jim Coggeshall (Coggs) getting a new PB at 7:02.
As usual the 40+ lwt race was a tight contest amongst three warriors, with Mike Caviston and Paul Siebach being joined this time by Per Hanson instead of Robert Meenk. The three flew down the racecourse trading places until Caviston seemed to edge ahead somewhere around halfway. Places held steady for a long stretch until with about 400-300m meters to go a chink showed in Caviston's armor and his split slowed, just as Siebach was finding a passing gear that launched him past first Hanson and then Caviston for a one second win. Will Haskell nipped under 7, although he had been aiming for better, and Mark Pukita shaved a few more tenths off his PB from last month in Cincinnati.
The posse reformed in the grandstands with Tim McTighe joining the usual suspects. Talk of splits and pacing and workouts filled the air. Comparisons of erging techniques were pointed out and discussed.
Tim McTighe, Mike Caviston, Roadrunner, Tom Rawls, Dennis Hastings (who Isn't fooling anyone with that beard--we all know who he is)
Racing continued. Christina Nugent-Lee, fresh off her WR in the 2500m, won the women's 40+ lwts. Ben Rea came within a second of his PB in the Juniors race. (That was me Ben, in the orange shirt, who came up a talked to you after your race). At High Noon Juliane Elander won the open women's lwt race despite a lamentable outfit. The fast time can stay, but the brown outfit with the pink bow has got to go. She must have been sliding off the back of the seat, as she several times made noticeable wriggles to get herself back in place. She overcame all though, to claim the hammer.
The first lightweight race-of-the-century went off at 12:30pm. The open race featured Henrik Stephensen, who could have rowed a younger category, and Eskild Ebbesen, who could have been in the 30+ race, (If you want to be the best, you've got to beat the best) flanked on either side by very fast Danes and Italians. Eskild and teammate Mads Rasmussen flew off the line in tandem, matching high spms. But the youngster got the jump on both. Henrik maintained a slight edge as 5 other guys jockeyed behind had stayed within striking distance. Down the stretch it was Mads putting on a big kick but coming a second short behind Stephensen, who had missed his own Junior record by one-tenth of a second.
At 2:30pm the 40+ Hwt Women lined up. Attention shifted between the dominant Tracy Axten and forumite Carla Stein (seat5). Carla was a massive bundle of nerves but was choosing to face the beast anyway. Axten powered along at sub-7 pace. Carla settled in at about 1:53-1:54 pace. She had mentioned a few days ago on the forum that 1:52s would be the goal. It was hoped that the difference wasn't spooking her. With 500m to go she lifted the pace. Down to 1:48s. Axten came home first by a huge margin. Carla increased it to 1:45 and then 1:43. she was kicking the snot out of it. I had to leave to do my volunteer duties, but I walked slowly out, watching the scoreboard and Carla until she crossed the line with a new PB by 5 seconds, winning a bronze medal, and screamed in pain. A few minutes later I had to pass though the warmup/cooldown area and saw her on an erg. She was beaming with a smile that was one of the best things I'd seen all day. I hope that today and after she can assess the ecstasy to be worth the agony. Kinley Gregg had a good race as well.
seat5 getting bronze, Tracy Axten (UK) the hammer, Marcia Garcia (Mexico) silver
At 3pm Nik "Big Bird" Fleming added to his hammer collection with one of his fastest times in a couple of years, well under 6 minutes. This time he stood alone atop the victory stand instead of sharing it in a three way tie.
The 40+Hwt boys got underway at 3:30pm and Ralph Eckhart of Germany blasted out at sub-6 pace, followed closely by Andreas Van Tonder of South Africa. Both kept steady paces, Eckhart averaging 1:29.4 and Van Tonder 1:31.5. In the final few hundred meters Ralph began slipping away instead of kicking. His pace went over 1:30, then up to 1:34, 1:36 and finally 1:40 just as the meters ran out. No problemo. The average pace stayed under 1:30 by the minimum amount and he had a sub-6 as well as the hammer. Andreas had another of his solid performance for the silver. (Andreas asked to pass on the message that he was sorry to not catch up with Paul Flack this year) Down the line Ernie Parizeau was pulling a 6:45 and Chad Goss getting his first sub-7.
The final featured National team members Mark Flickinger and Wyatt Allen taking on the world. Several very large men blasted out of the blocks with 1:24 and 1:25 splits, but when the adrenaline wore off and everyone was settled into their paces it was the two Americans in command. Flickinger's boat edged ahead and stayed there, although as Eckhart had proved earlier nothing should be taken for granted about holding a fast pace to the end. Roman Shor, the teenage sensation from the 2005 Copenhagen trip, was also competing, still only 18, but seemed to be having an off day. Both Mark and Wyatt did have significant kicks, but in matching each other maintained the gap to the end, Flickinger winning 5:46.6 to Allen's 5:47.5. Afterwards, while waiting for his hammer, Flickinger and I had a pleasant conversation about the energy drink GU-2-O and concurred that it is good (my volunteer work involved holding the hammers until they were awarded).
With the racing over the crowd filed out, and things got almost eerily quiet. I spotted Bob Spenger and went over and introduced myself to him and his daughter. It was good to do some face to face talking and put some voice and facial expressions to the words that are usually read on the forum. Interestingly enough he seemed exactly the same as I'd imagined him to be. He was mildly disappointed about winning, but pleased to have been in a tight competitive situation with a previous rival that was making a comeback in a new age group. Even world record holders can have it tough. Come back at him next year Bob! I hope that I'll be back into the fray too. After all, I'll be moving into the 60+ category.
Rick Bayko, cub reporter
Wandered about the Arena as if I knew what I was doing, until spotting the band of brothers. Climbed into stands to renew acquaintances with Mike Caviston, Dennis Hastings, Roadrunner, Joan Van Blom, Mary Perrot, Tom Rawls and others. Parked my gear there and after while invaded the British section to gab with Rocket Roy, MicroMonkey and others. We speculated that at that very moment incredible SPI erging may or may not have been occurring in a certain Michigan basement. We all had a good laugh about it then got ready for the racing.
The first heat got underway at 9am and familiar names came booming out of the speakers. Anna Bailey by open water. Luanne Mills back on top, coxed by multiple-time champion Dennis Hastings.. Yvette Knight bringing a silver medal home to Maine. Too many good people in too many different places to see everyone, so decisions had to made about where to watch from.
Second heat meant checking out Dean Smith and Bob Spenger over on machines # 59 and #61, then dashing over to the front row to see Joan Van Blom and Mary Perrot. Solid wins by Carie Graves, Van Blom and Smith. A surpirsingly tight race in the 80+ lwts with Spenger getting pipped for the gold by 3 seconds. Bronze for the Hastings-coxed Perrot.
The pressure didn't ease a bit in the third heat. Watched a few hundred meters of Tim McTighe on #60 and Nelson Boyd on #61. Boyd is in the same division that I am and I've followed him in the rankings ever since I began, but this was the first time I'd seen him in person. I never did get to talk to him, but maybe some other time. Then it was over to the front row again. By then Roy Brook was well into the lead, coxed by Dennis Hastings (a trend is developing here). Neil Little was on Machine #16 beside the empty erg that I should have been on. I claimed a back injury for my shift from competitor to volunteer, but Roadrunner (who is a physical therapist and should know) diagnosed it as a yellow streak down my back. The empty erg gave the German coach more room to violently cox silver medalist Plitzner. Rocket Roy came home first by a large margin to add a world title to his European title from November. In the 55 heavies the betting was on Tore Foss, who had just moved up to the older category. But Robert Spousta grabbed himself another hammer with another strong showing to defeat the Norwegian Nightmare by a second. Jim Castellan handed a rare defeat to Paul Hendershott in the 60+ Hwt, with Tom Rawls a bit down the line after hitting his goal of sub-7:15. Brian Bailey of the GB squad took the 60+lwt.
The Rocket has landed
In the fourth heat Jon Bone (Navigation Hazard) requested my coxing skills to help him defend his 50+ Hwt crown. Bad Choice. He should have requested Hastings. I kept him on 1:36 pace through about 800-900m, but then I just didn't have what it takes. The splits crept up to 1:37, 1:38, and higher and I couldn't do a thing about it. At one point some 1:41s were showing before it was time to wind up for a big drive home at 300m to go. A strong kick brought the splits back down to 1:30-1:31, but Stan Vegar and Steve (Huge Man) Bainbridge were kicking even faster. The defending champ turned in a credible 6:28 but had to settle for 5th. Paul Flack (Canoeist) was a bit further back at 6:40, Fred Dickie at 6:59, and Jim Coggeshall (Coggs) getting a new PB at 7:02.
As usual the 40+ lwt race was a tight contest amongst three warriors, with Mike Caviston and Paul Siebach being joined this time by Per Hanson instead of Robert Meenk. The three flew down the racecourse trading places until Caviston seemed to edge ahead somewhere around halfway. Places held steady for a long stretch until with about 400-300m meters to go a chink showed in Caviston's armor and his split slowed, just as Siebach was finding a passing gear that launched him past first Hanson and then Caviston for a one second win. Will Haskell nipped under 7, although he had been aiming for better, and Mark Pukita shaved a few more tenths off his PB from last month in Cincinnati.
The posse reformed in the grandstands with Tim McTighe joining the usual suspects. Talk of splits and pacing and workouts filled the air. Comparisons of erging techniques were pointed out and discussed.
Tim McTighe, Mike Caviston, Roadrunner, Tom Rawls, Dennis Hastings (who Isn't fooling anyone with that beard--we all know who he is)
Racing continued. Christina Nugent-Lee, fresh off her WR in the 2500m, won the women's 40+ lwts. Ben Rea came within a second of his PB in the Juniors race. (That was me Ben, in the orange shirt, who came up a talked to you after your race). At High Noon Juliane Elander won the open women's lwt race despite a lamentable outfit. The fast time can stay, but the brown outfit with the pink bow has got to go. She must have been sliding off the back of the seat, as she several times made noticeable wriggles to get herself back in place. She overcame all though, to claim the hammer.
The first lightweight race-of-the-century went off at 12:30pm. The open race featured Henrik Stephensen, who could have rowed a younger category, and Eskild Ebbesen, who could have been in the 30+ race, (If you want to be the best, you've got to beat the best) flanked on either side by very fast Danes and Italians. Eskild and teammate Mads Rasmussen flew off the line in tandem, matching high spms. But the youngster got the jump on both. Henrik maintained a slight edge as 5 other guys jockeyed behind had stayed within striking distance. Down the stretch it was Mads putting on a big kick but coming a second short behind Stephensen, who had missed his own Junior record by one-tenth of a second.
At 2:30pm the 40+ Hwt Women lined up. Attention shifted between the dominant Tracy Axten and forumite Carla Stein (seat5). Carla was a massive bundle of nerves but was choosing to face the beast anyway. Axten powered along at sub-7 pace. Carla settled in at about 1:53-1:54 pace. She had mentioned a few days ago on the forum that 1:52s would be the goal. It was hoped that the difference wasn't spooking her. With 500m to go she lifted the pace. Down to 1:48s. Axten came home first by a huge margin. Carla increased it to 1:45 and then 1:43. she was kicking the snot out of it. I had to leave to do my volunteer duties, but I walked slowly out, watching the scoreboard and Carla until she crossed the line with a new PB by 5 seconds, winning a bronze medal, and screamed in pain. A few minutes later I had to pass though the warmup/cooldown area and saw her on an erg. She was beaming with a smile that was one of the best things I'd seen all day. I hope that today and after she can assess the ecstasy to be worth the agony. Kinley Gregg had a good race as well.
seat5 getting bronze, Tracy Axten (UK) the hammer, Marcia Garcia (Mexico) silver
At 3pm Nik "Big Bird" Fleming added to his hammer collection with one of his fastest times in a couple of years, well under 6 minutes. This time he stood alone atop the victory stand instead of sharing it in a three way tie.
The 40+Hwt boys got underway at 3:30pm and Ralph Eckhart of Germany blasted out at sub-6 pace, followed closely by Andreas Van Tonder of South Africa. Both kept steady paces, Eckhart averaging 1:29.4 and Van Tonder 1:31.5. In the final few hundred meters Ralph began slipping away instead of kicking. His pace went over 1:30, then up to 1:34, 1:36 and finally 1:40 just as the meters ran out. No problemo. The average pace stayed under 1:30 by the minimum amount and he had a sub-6 as well as the hammer. Andreas had another of his solid performance for the silver. (Andreas asked to pass on the message that he was sorry to not catch up with Paul Flack this year) Down the line Ernie Parizeau was pulling a 6:45 and Chad Goss getting his first sub-7.
The final featured National team members Mark Flickinger and Wyatt Allen taking on the world. Several very large men blasted out of the blocks with 1:24 and 1:25 splits, but when the adrenaline wore off and everyone was settled into their paces it was the two Americans in command. Flickinger's boat edged ahead and stayed there, although as Eckhart had proved earlier nothing should be taken for granted about holding a fast pace to the end. Roman Shor, the teenage sensation from the 2005 Copenhagen trip, was also competing, still only 18, but seemed to be having an off day. Both Mark and Wyatt did have significant kicks, but in matching each other maintained the gap to the end, Flickinger winning 5:46.6 to Allen's 5:47.5. Afterwards, while waiting for his hammer, Flickinger and I had a pleasant conversation about the energy drink GU-2-O and concurred that it is good (my volunteer work involved holding the hammers until they were awarded).
With the racing over the crowd filed out, and things got almost eerily quiet. I spotted Bob Spenger and went over and introduced myself to him and his daughter. It was good to do some face to face talking and put some voice and facial expressions to the words that are usually read on the forum. Interestingly enough he seemed exactly the same as I'd imagined him to be. He was mildly disappointed about winning, but pleased to have been in a tight competitive situation with a previous rival that was making a comeback in a new age group. Even world record holders can have it tough. Come back at him next year Bob! I hope that I'll be back into the fray too. After all, I'll be moving into the 60+ category.
Rick Bayko, cub reporter
