Jack Sholl, of Philadelphia and Erich Heblich, of Kiel, Germany, have raced together at every FISA Masters since 2002 – and won at every one. They came to rowing in very different ways – Sholl, 81, began rowing at the University of Washington in 1946, and 40 years later was a charter member of the legendary Golden Eight, a crew of eight 60-year-old men who began racing together in 1985 and proceeded to win four consecutive gold medals. They were subsequently dubbed "The Golden Eight" by USRowing, and the group has continued to race in every configuration imaginable since. Sholl has since rowed in 20 FISA Masters regattas; this year he rowed in a coxed four with four members of the original Golden Eight: Dr. Charles Eugster, 87, Dave Challinor, 86, and John Kieffer, 86. Despite their 85-year-old average age, the crew had to race in the 75-79 year old "J" category, as there is no official age bracket for crews averaging over 80.
Sholl served in the Army from 1943 to 1946, and upon being discharged in March of 1946, joined the Penn Athletic Club on Boathouse Row in Philadelphia, just a short walk from where he grew up. He then rowed lightweight crew at the U. of Washington, graduated in 1953 and spent 29 years with IBM. "Wherever IBM transferred me, I rowed, if the location had a rowing club," Sholl recalled. "So, I've been rowing for about 60 years. "For the past 22 years, I've been a member of the 'Golden Eight. Frank Shepherdson was the ninth member of the Golden Eight to pass away. So, we are struggling to keep that tradition alive, but it is difficult." Shepherdson passed away during this year's FISA Masters regatta. "Like all rowing people, he was a class individual and a great oarsman, father, and patriot," Sholl said a week later after attending a memorial for Shepherdson at Malta Boat Club. Sholl is a formidable and enthusiastic historian for the crew. "When I think about the Golden Eight and the men who rowed in it, I get carried away. Even Erich, a German rower, wanted to be a Golden Eight crew member. He and Lilo are wonderful people."
Heblich, 80, did not start rowing until the age of 56, when, after trailing his two sons to regattas during their youth and college rowing careers, was finally convinced to pick up an oar at a local club. He took to the sport quickly, and has arguably eclipsed the rowing careers of his sons. One room of the family home is teeming with medals and trophies, almost all of them Erich's.
"They have families and professional careers, and I have kept competing," Heblich said with the translation assistance of his wife Lilo, who accompanies him on most of his rowing trips, and whose very solid English transmits the family's enthusiasm for the sport and the people in it powerfully.
On Saturday, the two faced off in the men's 75-year-old eight, where "his German crew beat us in a very close race," Sholl said. Then on Sunday, the two joined forces in two mixed events, the mixed 75 year old Quad and mixed 75 year old eight. According to Sholl, "Because of our age, we medaled in both events. We rowed together in the same two events last year in Scotland where we also medaled.
"Our mixed eight had two German oarsman, an American (me) and a Swiss doctor. It had a Russian woman, from Moscow, and three American women (one was my wife, Joan). Joan is the only American woman to have been selected to be a rowing umpire in two Olympic Games.......Seoul, Korea in 1988 and Atlanta in 1996."
The two oarsmen already have an eye on the 2007 FISA World Masters in Zagreb, Croatia. "Yes, we are already trying to form masters' boats for Zagreb, Croatia," Sholl said. "Planning now gives us something to focus on and establishes a goal to achieve. Moreover, it is a beautiful part of the world." And odds are good that Sholl and Heblich should also plan to make room for new additions to their trophy cases yet again.
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