We had one guy, Scott Frandsen who raced in the four last year, that stepped up his game and showed the potential to make the eight go faster and replacing one of the current World Champions. The coach gave him the opportunity to challenge our bowman Kevin Light.
Just a quick history lesson here, these two guys didn't just meet or anything and Scott didn't come out of nowhere. He is an accomplished oarsman in his own right and was a member of the 2004 Athens Olympic Eight, has won an Under-23 World Championship in the Eight, two NCAA Championships at the University of California and also won the famous boat race between Oxford/Cambridge in England brining the win home for Oxford.
That being said Kevin is a 3 time World Champion in the Eight, a member of the Athens Eight and in 2006 won a bronze medal in the pair at the World Championships.
These guys are both very accomplished rowers and both deserve success in Beijing but only one could go in the Eight. The coach decided that it would be settled over two pieces of work. We would go out with Kevin and race a 1250m piece and a 750m piece. We come into the dock and do the same with Scott. Add the times of each guy and the fastest one wins.
Kevin was faster by 2.5 seconds overall.
This was not an easy task for us in the Eight as we are good friends with both guys and have a good history with both guys. We all felt that we gave it everything we had for both guys and it was a fair fight.
As the coach has told us many times....we aren't here to row with our friends. Friends come and go but a medal last forever.
From here we keep on training and put the pedal down as the Lucerne World Cup is drawing closer. We fly out on May 18!! The regatta starts June 1.
Below is the link to the write-up by the Toronto Star. I also put it in the links along the side of this blog. (April 17)
http://www.thestar.com/article/414946
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