============================================================ INDOOR ROWING NEWSLETTER #69 ======================= 04-October-2002 ======================= _________________________________________________ C O N T E N T S 1. Blast It All 2. AXA PPP healthcare British Indoor Rowing Championship 3. Tel's Tales 4. Indoor Rowing Grand Prix Series 5. Head Start For Happiness 6. Genoa IRC 7. The 25 Million Metre Man 8. Upcoming Races and Events **************************** Feedback Back Issues Subscription Information ________________________________________________________________ ========================================================= Blast It All ========================================================= The hi-tech system of gaffer tape, string and trained hamsters that keeps our mail server running fell down (again) last week. Which means, unfortunately, that not only is this copy of the Indoor Rowing News a week late (yeah, yeah) but also if you sent us any e-mail (Tel's Tales, BIRC queries, complaints) between the 24th of September and the 3rd of October then it won't have got through to us. After promising to double the amount of hamster feed, we reckon things are OK again, so anything you resend now should get through to us. ========================================================= AXA PPP healthcare British Indoor Rowing Championship ========================================================= Hurry Hurry Hurry --------------------- This year's championship takes place on November 17th at the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham; which also means that the deadline for entries is OCTOBER 25th. This year's championship is, we promise, going to be by far and away the best one yet. It'll be three, maybe four times better than last year and we've taken on board all your comments from last time with regards to layout, medal ceremony presentation, arena temperature and the mustard on the hot dogs. For more information and entry gubbins, go to http://www.concept2.co.uk/birc/ ARA Start --------------------- A couple of people have been wondering why this year's entry form has questions relating to height, weight and wingspan. Rather than an early spot of coffin-measuring in case anybody karks it, this is in fact part of the Amateur Rowing Association's World Class Start and Potential project, funded by Sport England, which has the task of identifying and developing new champions. The aim of the survey is to try and find out what makes a good rower and to snaffle up future champions early doors in a kind of Eastern European stylee. The ARA will be having a booth at the championships where you can find out more about the programme as well as have yourself measured up with the latest hi-tech rulers and scales. Team USA --------------------- Recently and enthrallingly, The Belfry in Birmingham revealed that Europe's pudgy tank-top wearers can whack balls with metal sticks better than America's pudgy tank-top wearers. Who'd have thought it? The question is, how would America fare if they came to Birmingham to take part in a proper sporting contest? [rule of thumb: it's not a sport if you do it in knitwear]. All will become clear on November 17th. After holding a series of trials, Concept 2 USA have sponsored a twenty strong team of athletes, with a number of others also expected to come under their own steam. Looking at it, the Yanqui contingent seems pretty darn strong. In the Men's Open Heavyweight they're bringing over Jamie Schroeder, the reigning World champion, and Dave Simon, currently the fastest U.S. Collegian and the man who pulled 5:41.0 two years ago at the World IRC. In the Men's Open Lightweight race Steve Warner and Gabe Winkler, two of the US lightweight four, will both be hoping to go under 6:08. Other notables include Lisa Schlenker, a two-times world champion and the fastest lightweight woman in history; Eric Mueller, who won a silver medal in the quad in the Atlanta Olympics and Jim McGoldrick, who as well as being a former international discus thrower is a five-times Highland Games Caber Champion. You can find a full list of American competitors on the News section of the BIRC website: at http://www.concept2.com/rowing/racing/usirteam.asp The American's aren't the only foreigners coming to our shores seeking to plunder gold. If the rumour mill is correct, we may be seeing all four world open champions competing, along with more stars than ITV's An Audience With Bob Carolgees. Nothing's been confirmed yet, but we'll try and bring you more details in the next newsletter. ========================================================= Tel's Tales ========================================================= No Tel's Tales this week as Terry's been away for the last couple of weeks running this year's Indoor Rowing Training Camps. We're going to try and force him to answer a bumper batch next time to make up for it, however, so if you've got a question you'd like answered, send it to tels- tales@concept2.co.uk. ========================================================= Indoor Rowing Grand Prix Series ========================================================= Yeah, yeah, we know we've been banging on about the forthcoming Grand Prix Series, which starts in Portsmouth on October 20th fact fans, for a while now, but that's because it's going to be brillig and we don't want you to miss out. I mean, it's only the Lord High Chief Super Mayor of Portsmouth himself who's going to present the prizes along with, potentially, some rather super athletic guest stars. Anyway, you've been fully warned, and if you need a bit more warning, you can check out http://www.concept2.co.uk/gp, which has entry forms and everything. The deadline for entries has been extended until Tuesday October 8th but there's still not much time to spare. If you're running it near to the wire and want to check you're still OK, you can contact the race organiser, Ben Adcock, on 07887 770019 ========================================================= Head Start for Happiness ========================================================= Last newsletter we introduced Chris Shambrook, the man who gives you help flogging your noggin to get the best out your tobogganing. And other sports, such as indoor rowing, that don't Plan: Getting Psyched for Sport" and a couple of you have asked us where you can get hold of it. If you don't fancy having a punt on the quite help out the rhyme scheme. Chris Shambrook is one of the authors of "The Mental Game all good bookshops routine, you can buy it from Amazon.co.uk (click here for a direct link: http://shorterlink.com/?D02XT2) ========================================================= Genoa Indoor Rowing Championship ========================================================= The Italian Rowing Federation recently challenged us to a duel in Genoa on October 12th. A straightforward bosh-up between eight of us and eight of them (two heavyweight men and women, two lightweight men and women) the team who will be upholding the honour of the Union Jack will be: Nik Fleming, John Dixon, Richard Wilder, Tim Donovan, Tracy Axten, Emma-Jane Curtis, Chantal Shaloub and Suzanne Hutchings. There's a chance there could be more international fixtures in the future so, if you fancy yourself as quick enough, and you're able to take time off at relatively short notice, then contact Alex Dunne on alexdunne@vermonthouse.co.uk ========================================================= The 25 Million Metre Man ========================================================= Think you're pretty hard, huh? Maybe you took part in Row The World recently for Sport Relief and chugged up some distance? Maybe you've got your 5 million metre certificate positioned above the piano to make a handy talking point at dinner parties? Well let me tell you something sonny, you ain't hard. Especially the above-the-piano boys. Now Harry Welsh, he's hard. A veteran of the indoor rowing scene and former 70-79 Lwt world champion, Harry's just racked up 25 million metres which, as far as we know, is further than anybody else in the Milky Way. Harry's aim is to row the equatorial circumference of the world, which he reckons gives him another 15 million metres to do. As he's currently doing 140,000 metres a week, unless Old Father Time bowls him a googly, he estimates he should be hitting the mark sometime in his eightieth year. One of the coolest things about indoor rowing is the sheer number of older people who take part and compete; indeed, early on in the day the British IRC tends to resemble the end of Cocoon. Harry's written an article on "Ageing and Performance", which outlines the physiological changes taking place due to the ageing process that have an effect on performance, and he's promised to send us a copy. With any luck then, we'll be serialising this over the next couple of newsletters or bang it up somewhere on the web site. ========================================================= Upcoming Races and Events ========================================================= If you've got an event you'd like adding to the Event Calendar, the full version of which can be seen at http://www.concept2.co.uk/v4/calendar.htm, then e-mail webmaster@concept2.co.uk. Name: Rower's Revenge Triathlon Date: 06/10/02 Location: Higginson Park, Marlow Distance: 4k (Concept2) Row, 25k Cycle and 7.5k Run Organiser: Mike Spencer-Jones Contact: E: race@rowersrevenge.co.uk W: http://www.rowersrevenge.co.uk Name: Nottinghamshire IRC Date: 12/10/02 Location: Newark RC Distance: 2,000m – Ages 13+, 1,000m – Ages 13+, One minute – Ages 3-12 Organiser: Graham Price Contact: T: 07970 136054, E: gprice@keymax.co.uk Name: Portsmouth Grand Prix Date: 20/10/02 Location: Mountbatten Centre, Portsmouth Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Ben Adcock Contact: T: 07887 770019 E: ben@homesport.freeserve.co.uk Other: First race in 2002/03 Grand Prix series. http://www.concept2.co.uk/gp Name: BluRed IRC Date: 10/11/02 Location: Edgehill College Sports Hall, Bideford, North Devon Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Nigel Cann Contact: T: (W) 01237 428667 (H) 01237 473805 E: ncann@tycoelectronics.com Other: In its sixth year. Name: British IRC Date: 17/11/02 Location: National Indoor Arena, Birmingham Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Concept 2 Contact: T: 0115 945 5522 E: birc@concept2.co.uk W: http://www.concept2.co.uk/birc Other: World's biggest indoor rowing race. Name: Irish IRC Date: 01/12/02 Location: University College Dublin Distance: 2,000m Organiser: John Holland Contact: T: +353 087 259 2755 E: iirc@eircom.net Name: Cardiff Grand Prix Date: 14/12/02 Location: Sophia Gardens, Cardiff Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Michael Hnatiw Contact: T: 029 2021 0233 (home) 029 2078 8146 (work) E: mhnatiw@cardiff.gov.uk Other: Second race in 20002/03 Grand Prix series. http://www.concept2.co.uk/gp Name: 6th Amstel Ergo Indoor Head Date: 19/01/03 Location: University Sports Centre, Amsterdam Distance 6 kilometres Organiser: Rowing Club De Amstel, Amsterdam Contact: Fred Hollander, E: allaround@planet.nl Name: North of England IRC Date: 02/02/03 Location: Manchester Velodrome Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Rebecca Caygill Contact: T: 07815 788 215 E: mrmatt103@hotmail.com Other: Third race in 20002/03 Grand Prix series. http://www.concept2.co.uk/gp Name: World IRC Date: 23/02/03 Location: Reggie Lewis Center, Boston, USA Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Concept 2 Contact: T: 0115 945 5454 E: wirc@concept2.co.uk Other: More information can be found at http://www.concept2.co.uk/wirc Name: Nottingham Grand Prix Date: 9/03/03 Location: Nottingham University Distance: 2,000m Organiser: Nigel Mayglothling Contact: T: 0115 951 5516 E: nigel.mayglothling@nottingham.ac.uk Other: Last race in 20002/03 Grand Prix series. http://www.concept2.co.uk/gp ____________________________________________________FEEDBACK You like? 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