World Championship Regatta

What an amazing experience this has all been.  I have been trying to keep things on the down-low in the last few weeks of preparation.  I've had so much focus on training, fundraising, and plans for after the season that there just has not been time to add an update.  So here we go.

We did it.  We fucking did it.  The first time we haven't been last in this event since 2009.  Not only that, but we beat out last year's silver and bronze medalists to earn ourselves a bronze medal.  Only 1.49 seconds off of the winner, Germany.  Only .27 seconds off of the silver medalists and host nation, France.  Beating out 3-time Olympian Elia Luini, of Italy, who raced my coach at the Athens Games and who has won more medals at the World Championships than anyone in the event.

The race itself was surreal.  We were focused on coming off the line with more grace than we had in the heat.  We had been sloppy then and knew that we could pick up 2 seconds just by relaxing and letting the easy speed come.  That was the big call for me from Jack - "easy speed".  It was about be as non-disruptive as possible and trusting in the adrenaline and experience that the power would be there.  And it was there!  We were still the slowest off of the line, but this time we stayed in contact with the lead crews.  And more importantly, as soon as we shifted into our base rhythm, we took off!  We were understroking the field by 2-3 strokes per minute, minimum, and just pushing away.  Italy took off the line hard, rowing into the mid-40s.  All other crews were rowing at 39-41 strokes per minute.  But we just stuck it at a 37-38.  Our power was huge, and our length carried us through the field.  We had the fastest middle thousand, allowing us to stay with France and gain on Italy (Turkey was left behind).  Germany grabbed several seats and held onto them.  France surged about 4 seats in the last 500 meters, while Italy began to fade from their early attack.  All of my focus was on Matt and Dave ahead of me; on Jack's voice.  I knew nothing of what was going on outside the boat.  As Jack made his final calls for the sprint, he called for something extra and special in the last 150 meters as France crawled away and we sat bowball-to-bowball with Italy.  We crossed through the finish line, too close to see the result right away.  We stared up at the results board, waiting as they announced first place: Germany.  Second place: France.  We waited.  Third place: USA.  Our boat exploded in joy.  Dave stood up and promptly collapsed into my arms.  Everyone was flailing in the water with their arms and legs, hugging and grabbing each other with affection and celebration.

The award ceremony was a blast, and the moments following the race were like a dream.  I almost still cannot believe we did it.  But our coaches believed in us, we believed in us.  We rowed within 10 seconds of the world record on flat water.

Now I am off to travel France and celebrate with my girlfriend.  I will start to think about what lies ahead in my rowing career.  But my primary focus for the next week will be rest and recovery.  #bubblelife.

Oh yes, and we will be at Head of the Charles in the lightweight men's 8+...

Celebration on the medal stand.