Having settled in to the Hotel Continental we had a couple of days getting over stomach upsets post -Munich, and so rowed just the quad, while David Crawshay and Dan Noonan recovered. James Gatti was not 100% either, so we kept the intensity out of the training.
From memory we had good water on Tuesday last, but since then the wind that has bedevilled most of Southern Europe has been with us, producing white-capped surf on the normally glass-like lake forcing modification to the training schedule. Nobody can recall ever having conditions here like this here for days on end as we are experiencing
Problems naturally arose with a team of around 40 athletes trying to use the club gym, so we got creative with a body circuit and running, and a staggered roster for the ergs in the club. Most have been running back to the hotel every day, adding 35 minutes to the workload each time.
The other unfortunate problem that arose with the difficult water conditions was that when crews could get out on the water, they naturally hugged the lee shoreline, and with each coach looking after at least two crews, one was almost invariably ahead of the other, and it was thus that a prang occurred between two of our boats- the lightweight double and a women’s pair, neither being able to hear the coaches frantic calls against the roaring headwind. Jo Lutz copped an oar across her back, resulting in a snapped blade, and some bruising, and damage to both boats, and a wake up call to us all, with already two other athletes with injuries.
This year for the first time, Rowing Australia decided to select squads rather than specific crews, with the idea of racing combinations in the first World Cup in Munich, and then testing some changes in the 2nd in Poland. This week a conference call was held involving Richo, Noel, myself and the selectors re the crews for Poland. Consequently the quad for the next regatta is David Crawshay, Craig Jones, Peter Hardcastle and Chris Morgan, with Dan Noonan and James Gatti moving from bow and stroke in the quad to the same seats in the double.
Although Peter and David won the double at the selection regatta and might have expected to get the gig for Poland, Peter is doing a very good job in the quad, where we wanted to leave him, and Dan and James finished a close second in the double at the selections.
With only 3 weeks between the World Cups, it has a been a bit tough trying to bed in the new combinations with the weather conditions, but if we can get a good handle on the strength of the double scull field, a sound decision can be made re the crews for Eton.
Thor Nielsen - the FISA guru who has been head coach of his native Norway as well as Italy, Spain, Greece and Ireland, has been with us all week, out in the speedboats with the crews, and meeting with us coaches, and has been good value all round, with his comments on everything from the hotel nutrition to technique, and training programs.
It was ergo training yesterday morning, as the wind hadn’t abated and the lake was un-rowable, and although we tried later for an afternoon row, it was even worse, so we hiked up the local mountains for several hours. See the photo of Campo di Fiori as our start point. Some truly magnificent estates on the mountain, including, on the way there, the Pirelli family spread
The boys had this morning - Sunday- off, and so after the hike last night we went out to Gavirate to a pizza restaurant, who’s chef has won the world pizza championship several times, and then it was around the corner to the best gelati house anywhere. They look after us very well, understandably, as we bring 40 regular customers to them for weeks at a time.
Steve Williams and his son Luke called down to the club yesterday, probably hoping to get out on the water, but too rough, and I had a surprise visit from Jono Fievez- ex WA, who won the national surf title a few weeks ago with some other still water rowers that I used to coach. Jono has moved to Italy, and is working just up the road from Varese. Must try to get him rowing down here. It was good to see some faces from home.
Some threshold work this week preparatory for the standard team workouts on Friday and Saturday, and then boat loading Monday next prior to the drive to Poland- not sure how I got that job.
Hoping for no wind tomorrow, with CNN on the TV awaiting the weather forecast, although we keep reminding ourselves that it is good training for Eton, where last year in the Wold Cup it blew dogs off chains.
All the best,
See the more photos at the gallery page.
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