================================================================ INDOOR ROWING NEWSLETTER #138 ======================== 07-March-2006 ========================= _________________________________________________ C O N T E N T S 1. World IRC 2. Cartoon By Rog 3. Online Ranking Challenge Sponsored By Gaiam 4. Winter Team Relay League 5. Special Offers 6. Top Tips 7. Concept2 Training Camps 8. Ripley's Row 9. National Indoor Rowing Marathon Day 10. Forthcoming Races and Events **************************** Feedback Back Issues Subscription Information ________________________________________________________________ With Bells On ***************** For a glitzier, HTML version of our newsletter with pictures, cartoons and all the funny jokes (possibly), go to: http://www.concept2.co.uk/email/newsletter.htm. To receive the newsletter in HTML format, send an email to subscription@concept2.co.uk with HTML as the subject title. How To Write To Us ***************** Please don't reply directly to this email, 'cos we won't ever see it. Instead send your bouquets or brickbats to editor@concept2.co.uk. Indoor Rowing Glossary ***************** A guide to some of the more common terms used in indoor rowing can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/rowing/glossary.php ========================================================= 2006 World IRC Report ========================================================= The 25th World Indoor Rowing Championship took place at the sparkly brand new venue of the Agganis Arena in Boston on February 25th. Overall 77 members of the British team raced on the day, with a brilliant tally of nine golds, nine silvers and seven bronzes returning back across the Atlantic, including Graham Benton becoming the first British rower to win the Men's Open Hwt race since Sir Steve Redgrave back in 1991. You can find a full report, which was 'blogged' live on the day, as we believe the young people say, at http://www.concept2.co/uk/wirc/reports.php. Results and Race Analysis: http://www.concept2.co/uk/wirc/results.php British Results: http://www.concept2.co.uk/wirc/results_2006_british.php Race Replays: http://www.concept2.co/uk/wirc/replays.php Photographs: http://www.concept2.co/uk/wirc/photographs.php Web Cast Replay: http://www.concept2.com/sranking03/webcast/crashb2006_replay.asp ========================================================= Cartoon By Rog ========================================================= http://www.concept2.co.uk/email/images/cartoon138.jpg ========================================================= Online Ranking Challenge Sponsored By Gaiam ========================================================= Every month, Concept2 offers users of the Online World Ranking and Logbook (http://www.concept2.com/sranking03/) the chance to win some excellent prizes provided by Gaiam (http://www.gaiamdirect.co.uk). To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is row and log over 50,000 metres in the course of the month for adults, 20,000 metres for under 18s and 10,000 metres for under 15s, or complete the month's ranking challenge. The challenge for February was 2,500m, the old world championship distance, and the winners were: 2,500m Ranking Challenge Powerbreathe Sport Winners Fran Brennan, Falmouth Mike Jackson, Leeds Paul Thurling, Lowestoft Anand Vasudevan Gaiam Sports Conditioning Kit Winners Duncan Napier, Paisley David Schluter, London Andy Spry, Swindon Jim Williams, Winsford Distance Awards (Gaiam Stretching Starter Kits) Under 15s (10,000m+) Adam Cooper, Stockport Matthew Howard, Wirral Under 18s (20,000m+) Chris Scott, Godalming Matthew Wood, Birmingham Adults (50,000m+) Richard Underwood, Doncaster Kenny Wickens, Benson March's challenge is to row a 16 minute piece. The challenge sees its origin over 150 years ago as we take on the Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race with a 16 minute row. The Boat Race is one of the toughest challenges in sport requiring excellent physical conditioning plus determination and concentration. The record for the Boat Race is 16 minutes 19 seconds and the Boat Race Standard that oarsmen are expected to achieve on the Indoor Rower is 5,000m in under 16 minutes. How will you fare? ========================================================= Winter Team Relay League ========================================================= March 6th saw the close of the final round in the 2005/06 Winter Team Relay League. The Winter Team Relay League is a worldwide tournament in which rowers race as a team in relay format on one Concept 2 Indoor Rower. As well as overall standings, results are also available for the separate national leagues. With 343 teams taking part this year, the whole thing went really well, and we'll be looking to introduce some improvements in the website side of things by the time next year's tournament starts. The final leaderboard can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/8gp/leaderboard.php while full results are at http://www.concept2.co.uk/8gp/results.php ========================================================= Special Offers ========================================================= There's a couple of new special offers that have gone up on the site recently. If you buy any Heart Rate Monitor worth over 100 pounds in the month of March, such as the Suunto X3HR or Suunto t6, you'll get a PowerBar Selection pack worth £10 (containing 2 x Protein Bar, 2 x Fuel up Energy Bar, 2 x Power Gel, 2 x Performance 65 Bar and 2 x drink sachet) for free. Also, if you buy an Indoor Rower Cover and Indoor Floor Mat together, you'll now save ten pounds, well £9.98 to be precise, on the separate price. For a full list of all special offers and bundles, check out http://www.concept2.co.uk/shop/packages.php For a full list of available heart rate monitors: http://www.concept2.co.uk/shop/heart_rate_equipment.php ========================================================= Top Tips ========================================================= Mark Cramoysan, Head of Physics, Leeds Grammar School: "This is one for Sixth Form physics students. Set the machine up so that students row for 30 seconds at a time and the display is set to power in watts. Have the first student row at a power of about 50W. At the end of the time, the average power can be read and, if the display is swapped to distance, you can read the distance covered. Work out the speed by dividing distance by time (30 seconds). Repeat with the next student rowing at about 100W. Continue until the students are exhausted, making sure that the biggest, burliest student comes last. A graph of power required versus speed is an upwards curve. If you plot Power versus speed cubed, you get a straight line, as the laws of physics would suggest. Of course, it is all a con, since the machine 'knows' about the laws of physics, but the results are rather satisfying." ========================================================= Concept2 Training Camps ========================================================= As reported in a previous newsletter, there will be two training camps at Banyoles, Catalonia, Spain, during 2006. There will be a four day camp over the early May Public Holiday weekend and the more traditional week long camp early October. The shorter camp has been introduced because of requests for such a camp from regular camp attendees. Details of both camps but particularly the May camp will be available very soon. If you want to be on the mailing list, contact organiser Keith Lyon on jkeithlyon@aol.com. You can view some information concerning the venue for the camps at http://www.banyoles- agenda.com. Club Natacio Banyoles is a rowing/swimming club and multi-sports facility built for the hosting of the 1992 Olympic Rowing Regatta. Concept2 has again secured use all facilities for the 2006 camps. Accommodation will be at the usual venue of Hotel Mirallac, a four star Hotel just a ten minute lakeside walk from the rowing club. Prices for the camps will be available shortly but it is unlikely that any other training camp of its type, with such excellent training facilities and situated in such a beautiful area can be found at less cost. Note, leisure guests are also welcome, as are those who engage in other sports during the summer such as running and cycling. All the facilities used by Concept2 are also used by Rowing Federations from all over Europe as well as professional cycling teams, indicating just how good Banyoles and the surrounding area is for training. Concept2 camps, however, are for all abilities, not just those who aspire to greatness. It is the general ambience of these camps that make them the success they are. Good company, good relaxation and good training, the latter being tailored entirely to the individual, is what encourages people to return to Banyoles. ========================================================= Ripley's Row ========================================================= Andy Ripley won 24 rugby union caps with England in the 1970s, was a star of the BBC's Superstars series in the 1980s, and almost became the first 50-year-old to row in the Boat Race for Cambridge when he returned to university to complete a degree in the 1990s. Andy also set the 50-59 2000m WR of 6:07.7 which still stands to this day. He's also one of the nicest blokes to ever walk the planet. Last year, Andy was diagnosed with Prostrate Cancer and gave an in depth interview to The Sunday Times on Oct 23rd 2005 to help raise awareness of this illness that affects so many. You can read the article here: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2094-1838551,00.html Andy's friend Martyn Low decided he wanted to do something in Andy's name to help raise awareness of Andy's cause. The net result is the Ripley Relays that are taking place at the TCR Show (www.swimcyclerun.co.uk) Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey on March 25th & 26th. Saturday the 25th will have Martyn and nine friends begin a 24 hour Relay Row, which will finish Sunday lunchtime, while on the Sunday (26th) the 50k Relay Rows will begin. Teams are for up to ten people and no minimum standard is required to take part. The event is already being discussed on the Concept 2 message board. You can see what everyone has been saying about the event here: http://www.concept2.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10085 Entry into the 50k Relay is simple and no minimum standard is required. Simply visit http://www.justgiving.com/rippersrow where a donation (£5 minimum per person) will enter you into the 50k. All money goes directly to The Prostrate Cancer Charity. Apart from the Relay events at the TCR show there is also a Row Bike Run challenge going on so if you fancy taking part in this then bring your trainers and try the row bike run challenge and have a chance of winning a great Giant racing bike or top Precor treadmill - both prizes will be won via a raffle system, not for the fastest time. Full details at www.netfit.co.uk/rbr.htm ========================================================= National Indoor Rowing Marathon Day ========================================================= The fifth National Indoor Rowing Marathon day takes place on Sunday, April the 23rd, the same day as the London Marathon. Never ones to be accused of over-originality in the naming department, National Marathon day is when everybody's encouraged to have a crack at either the 42,195 metre marathon or its little brother the 21,097 metre half marathon. If you've never done a marathon before, you can find training programmes and tips at http://www.concept2.co.uk/marathon/training.php. Once you've done your marathon, make sure you enter your time either online on the Online Ranking and Logbook or fill in a Ranking Entry Form at http://www.concept2.co.uk/marathon/entry.php so that we can compile a list of all the times. Results for previous years can be found here: http://www.concept2.co.uk/marathon/results.php. As well as the chance to chalk off another Ranking distance, the marathon is often used by people to raise funds for charity. If you do so, or if there's anything else out of the ordinary about your effort, make sure you drop us a line at editor@concept2.co.uk so we can feature you here. Bonus marks for anybody who does it while wearing one of those "riding an ostrich " outfits, or dressed up as Jimmy Saville. ========================================================= Forthcoming Races And Events ========================================================= Name: Cornish IRC Date 12/03/06 Venue: Phoenix Leisure Centre, Launceston Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Martin Williams T: 01566 772551 Other: Entry Form available from http://www.concept2.co.uk/racing/calendar_uk.php?id=179 Name South London IRC Date: 18/03/06 Venue: TBC Distance: Bleep Test (includes Kings/Queens of Sprints), 1000m Handicap, Pairs 1000m Relays Organisers: Phil Morris and Neil Ridge E: thepirate@teammorris.fsnet.co.uk E: neil@ridge1966.wanadoo.co.uk Name: Southern IRC Date 01/04/06 Venue: Bellemoor School, Southampton Distance: 2,000m, team race and junior categories Organiser: Gus Mckechnie T: 07921 906007 W: www.teammac.co.uk Other: Entry Form available from http://www.concept2.co.uk/racing/calendar_uk.php?id=181 ____________________________________________________FEEDBACK You like? 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