CRASH-Bs 2024????

[Cyclist2]

I see that you are registered. Are you a lightweight? I don't see any way to register as a lightweight.

I'm a very light lightweight. You're right, there was no place on the Regatta Central registration page for ErgoMania to indicate that. I just rechecked my entries, and see that now under "registration form", there is a line for "additional Information and options" that includes lightweight. I updated my entries with that option checked "yes".

[eparizeau]

Crash-Bs cancelled after all...
---------------------------------------
Dear Competitor:

This year we had a very difficult time locking in a date and location for the CRASH-Bs. When we finally locked in a location, we thought even with the short time between announcing the date and the event, we would be able to put on a high level event.

After reviewing everything we needed to accomplish to meet our expectations, we realized how difficult this would be. Rather than force an event that was not up to our standards, we reluctantly decided our only choice was to cancel the event for 2024. We apologize for the inconvenience. We are truly disappointed as well. Your registration fees are being returned to you.

We WILL hold an event in 2025 that will be up to our high standards. CRASH-B Sprints The World Indoor Rowing Championships - A Truly World Class Event! See you in 2025. Train hard and enjoy!

The CRASH-B’s encourages you to take part in HOCR 4702. Dates for this are January 30th - February 4th. HOCR 4702 returns for its third winter training season! Join members of the HOCR community to row, bike, or ski through the winter with proceeds to benefit HOCR’s DEI partnerships, grants, and programming.

More Details may be found here: HOCR 4702.

Should you have any questions, please let us know.
Stay healthy;

The CRASH-B Board

[Yankeerunner]

Crash-Bs cancelled after all...
---------------------------------------
Dear Competitor:

This year we had a very difficult time locking in a date and location for the CRASH-Bs. When we finally locked in a location, we thought even with the short time between announcing the date and the event, we would be able to put on a high level event.

After reviewing everything we needed to accomplish to meet our expectations, we realized how difficult this would be. Rather than force an event that was not up to our standards, we reluctantly decided our only choice was to cancel the event for 2024. We apologize for the inconvenience. We are truly disappointed as well. Your registration fees are being returned to you.

We WILL hold an event in 2025 that will be up to our high standards. CRASH-B Sprints The World Indoor Rowing Championships - A Truly World Class Event! See you in 2025. Train hard and enjoy!

The CRASH-B’s encourages you to take part in HOCR 4702. Dates for this are January 30th - February 4th. HOCR 4702 returns for its third winter training season! Join members of the HOCR community to row, bike, or ski through the winter with proceeds to benefit HOCR’s DEI partnerships, grants, and programming.

More Details may be found here: HOCR 4702.

Should you have any questions, please let us know.
Stay healthy;

The CRASH-B Board

So sorry to hear this, and I hope that CRASH-Bs bounce back in fine fashion next year. I've done 22 of the past 24 and hope to do more yet.

I've noticed that the Canadian Championships, originally scheduled for February 3rd, have also been cancelled, but with a notice that they would return in 2025.

I miss the glory decade or more from about 2000 to 2016 or so when ergattas were big and getting bigger. Things have changed, not least because of the pandemic, but if smaller venues are the way forward that would be better than the sport drying up altogether.

I've got my fingers crossed for good luck.


P.S. Here is the link to HOCR 4702:
https://www.regattacentral.com/regatta/?job_id=8827

[Cyclist2]

I miss the glory decade or more from about 2000 to 2016 or so when ergattas were big and getting bigger. Things have changed, not least because of the pandemic, but if smaller venues are the way forward that would be better than the sport drying up altogether.

I agree, but I think also that by World Rowing formalizing it, it sort of ruined the "have a fun time with winter training" vibe. When CRASH-B was the informal World Championships, it was as much a reunion of sorts, and a fun, friendly competition with no pressure. Lots of the other regattas had the same feeling for the locals in their area.

Maybe the sport as it is now will dry up and we can regain the informality and fun regattas we used to have.

[rowtolive]

Does the CRASH-B or HOCR 4702 help with college recruiting? How can I help my sophomore son get on coaches radars? He wants to row in college and I am clueless.

Crash-Bs cancelled after all...
---------------------------------------
Dear Competitor:

This year we had a very difficult time locking in a date and location for the CRASH-Bs. When we finally locked in a location, we thought even with the short time between announcing the date and the event, we would be able to put on a high level event.

After reviewing everything we needed to accomplish to meet our expectations, we realized how difficult this would be. Rather than force an event that was not up to our standards, we reluctantly decided our only choice was to cancel the event for 2024. We apologize for the inconvenience. We are truly disappointed as well. Your registration fees are being returned to you.

We WILL hold an event in 2025 that will be up to our high standards. CRASH-B Sprints The World Indoor Rowing Championships - A Truly World Class Event! See you in 2025. Train hard and enjoy!

The CRASH-B’s encourages you to take part in HOCR 4702. Dates for this are January 30th - February 4th. HOCR 4702 returns for its third winter training season! Join members of the HOCR community to row, bike, or ski through the winter with proceeds to benefit HOCR’s DEI partnerships, grants, and programming.

More Details may be found here: HOCR 4702.

Should you have any questions, please let us know.
Stay healthy;

The CRASH-B Board

So sorry to hear this, and I hope that CRASH-Bs bounce back in fine fashion next year. I've done 22 of the past 24 and hope to do more yet.

I've noticed that the Canadian Championships, originally scheduled for February 3rd, have also been cancelled, but with a notice that they would return in 2025.

I miss the glory decade or more from about 2000 to 2016 or so when ergattas were big and getting bigger. Things have changed, not least because of the pandemic, but if smaller venues are the way forward that would be better than the sport drying up altogether.

I've got my fingers crossed for good luck.


P.S. Here is the link to HOCR 4702:
https://www.regattacentral.com/regatta/?job_id=8827

[Elizabeth]

Does the CRASH-B or HOCR 4702 help with college recruiting? How can I help my sophomore son get on coaches radars? He wants to row in college and I am clueless.

I got into rowing as a masters and am pretty clueless. I think that most folks you encounter here will be in the same boat. If it is at all helpful...

I think college coaches care more about the 2k score than if they were set at an in-person competition.

www.reddit.com/r/rowing seems to have a younger population that may be more in tune with college recruiting. There, as here, you will get advice from people without knowing anything about their background and if they know what they are talking about, so view advice with a critical lens.

Your kid's coach may also be a decent resource, or older teammates who went on to row in college.

[eparizeau]

I'm no expert, but I have been following rowing for a long time. My sense is that college coaches care about 2 numbers...an SAT score and a 2k score. Since a 2k score on any C2 erg produces a certification code, I suspect any coach will initially give a recruit the benefit of the doubt (i.e., believe the score), especially if there is a video of the recruit doing the piece. So I wouldn't worry too much about "an event". I'd just video my best 2k and then reach out to coaches at colleges that are of interest. That should get the conversation going if there is going to be interest...Again no expert, just an observation. Others here may be much more knowledgeable.

I agree that your child's current coach should be helpful in making introductions, verifying 2k score, etc.

Hope that helps.

[Yankeerunner]

Does the CRASH-B or HOCR 4702 help with college recruiting? How can I help my sophomore son get on coaches radars? He wants to row in college and I am clueless.

[/quote]


Keeping in mind that, as Elizabeth pointed out, you don't know anything of my background or if I know what I'm talking about, I'm going to suggest being more proactive about seeking out races and doing them.

So many on this forum seem to avoid racing at almost all costs. They want to know what would predict their 2K time if they did X number of 500s with Y rest at a particular pace. Heck, 1 X 2K predicts it exactly, but people fear it. Or they want to do an individual time trial in the comfort of their own home when they are having a good day and decide to go for it. If I were charged with putting together a crew I wouldn't be impressed. I'd want the guys or women who make the effort to show up at a scheduled race, and give their best at the race distance whether they are having their best day or not. That's what they will be facing as a member of a college crew.

I'd suggest going to any races that you can find and submit those results to coaches. If someone isn't willing to find races now and compete, how can a coach depend on them doing it in college? The coach might as well just look around the campus for potential walk-ons who are tall and look strong, like basketball players or soccer players who didn't make varsity. Having a history of performance in competition to go along with a good SAT score would be an edge that would most likely impress a coach.

Here are a couple of places to look:

https://www.regattacentral.com/regattas

https://www.row2k.com/calendar/

[Elizabeth]

While I understand YankeeRunner's point, if the kid is on a high school crew team, they would be having regular erg tests and regattas that happen regardless of whether he has a math test that week or feels like he got a good night's rest. I'm not sure how much value indoor erging competitions add to that.

Pittsburgh has one on January 27, Alexandria VA has one on Feb 3. I know Alexandria's is packed with high schoolers. So there are still some options if the kid wants them, but (from my ignorant perspective) I would imagine that 2k, SATs, GPA are probably the biggest factors.

[eparizeau]

Yankee makes good points. A college coach would be interested in how an athlete performs under pressure, so a great score at an indoor regatta might help get one recognized.

I rowed in college a long time ago (I'm 66) and have raced a lot since, both OTW (on the water) and indoors. I'm a sample size of 1, but my 2k times never vary much between my basement and a regatta. But they have lengthened substantially over the years! . I do believe a great 2k time done anywhere gets coaches' attention. So if a regatta doesn't work, I think a coach would value a video of an all out 2k. It will help him be honest with you if he is interested.

I love rowing for kids because it is a lifelong team & individual sport. Most of us will never reach the elite level but I have found it to be a wonderful community that offers challenge and accomplishment and friendship. Both in team boats and individual sculls/erg. An indoor regatta can be great fun and that would be a good reason alone to attend. And it could be a great parent/child adventure, especially if dad/mom jumps on an erg in his/her age group and shows how he/she is willing to "experience the pain". 2ks are daunting. Done well, I believe they are the most painful things I've done. So I think parents need to understand what it feels like especially if "college recruiting" is looming in the background.

BTW, I'm not an expert but it seems there is a lot of difference between types of schools and "recruiting". Ivy+ schools care about rowing recruiting, and their coaches have dedicated spots in each class. Elite liberal arts schools (Williams, Middlebury, Amherst, etc.) seem to treat rowing like a club sport. It's a nice extracurricular, but the coaches don't have much pull in the admissions decision. I have no idea how the hundreds of other colege that offer rowing value the sport. Worth asking the coaches when you talk to them.

There is a cool documentary on Youtube called "A Fine Balance" that follows the selection of the US 2000 Olympic crew. Mike Teti is the coach and you can get a sense of how elite coaches think. There are clips of erg tests at regattas and individually. It captures the challenge of a 2k. They are as nerveracking to me at 66 as they were at 20 (although the C2 erg didn't exist then...we used a monster of a machine called a Gamut Erg).

A Fine Balance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37gba4D ... l=ChadTeti

Hope that helps. My opinion is likely worth what you are paying for it. As my loving wife says, "Frequently wrong, seldom in doubt."

Ernie

[Mike Caviston]

So many on this forum seem to avoid racing at almost all costs. They want to know what would predict their 2K time if they did X number of 500s with Y rest at a particular pace. Heck, 1 X 2K predicts it exactly, but people fear it. Or they want to do an individual time trial in the comfort of their own home when they are having a good day and decide to go for it. If I were charged with putting together a crew I wouldn't be impressed. I'd want the guys or women who make the effort to show up at a scheduled race, and give their best at the race distance whether they are having their best day or not. That's what they will be facing as a member of a college crew.

Yeah, people who haven’t raced live at a venue have no idea how much additional stress is involved vice doing a time trial at home. I take all self-reported scores for any distance with a grain of salt if the person has never raced in public, but especially 2K. Even if the performance is legitimate (which is never certain – remember a certain person with initials D.A. from several years ago), it wasn’t completed under the same conditions as someone racing at a venue.

I understand there are plenty of challenges to racing in person, and it has been much harder since COVID. Races don’t announce their dates early enough to plan. Even if a date is set, a race-day schedule might not be provided till a day or two prior to racing. The race might be cancelled. For lightweights, weigh-in procedures can be vague or lightweights might not be recognized. The logistics of racing in another city or state can be challenging, getting from airport to hotel to boathouse and back. For these reasons and more, it looks like I won’t be racing again this year. But I have no illusions that what 2K I can do at home, or what my training indicates I could do, is the same as performing under pressure at a live race. From my years with college rowing, I know coaches are more impressed with scores from major indoor races like CRASH-B used to be. Again, what an athlete does in the relatively friendly confines of their team and coach is one thing, and what they do in the chaos of open competition is another.

[Elizabeth]

Rowtolive, I mentioned that it can be hard to know who you are talking to on the internet. Mike Caviston alluded to it, but he is a former college coach and likely in a better position than anyone else I can think of on this forum to speak to what coaches look for.

[Dangerscouse]

So many on this forum seem to avoid racing at almost all costs. They want to know what would predict their 2K time if they did X number of 500s with Y rest at a particular pace. Heck, 1 X 2K predicts it exactly, but people fear it. Or they want to do an individual time trial in the comfort of their own home when they are having a good day and decide to go for it.

This might be slightly off-topic for the OP, but it's bang on the money in other ways. I wholeheartedly endorse rowing at a competition, and I've rowed twice at BRIC, when I've either been recently ill or injured and knew I'd be off the pace, but I still turned up and gave it a go.

I've also rowed twice at other in person comps and more or less exactly equalled my 2k PB. I'm just not sure if that means I've underperformed at home, or I've managed to squeeze everything out on each occasion?

I'd also speculate if it's better to race at different competitions, as you don't know others' capabilities, and this can push you further outside your comfort zone? You might get a bit complacent due to winning too often, or possibly demoralised due to not placing highly enough

[Mike Caviston]

Mike Caviston alluded to it, but he is a former college coach and likely in a better position than anyone else I can think of on this forum to speak to what coaches look for.

I emphasized "former" because I haven't been plugged directly into the coaching network for a few years now and circumstances change, but I stand by the basic statement. Most coaches would be interested and willing to investigate further at even the rumor of a good erg score, but nothing beats the proven ability to perform under pressure. Even within a team, there are athletes who do very well on their daily workouts but can't produce a decent 2K on test day, which doesn't give a coach much confidence when boating them on race day.

[TomR]

I was never fast, but I was always faster at competitions. The combination of serious preparation, adrenaline, and (perhaps foolish) pride always carried me to my best times. There is no way I would have been foolish enough to push myself as hard at home as I did at the Crash-Bs.
I might even go so far to say: You can't be considered a genuine erger if you have never raced.