The cold floor of the Agganis Arena on Boston University's campus could have had something to do with the hockey rink under the floorboards, but being "on ice" was a fitting metaphor for the seasonal nature of rowing - waiting for the spring season to get going, whether or not your local body of water is solid.

Cranking on an erg is a great way to make use of downtime in the winter, and it seems that more than 1000 practical folks were doing just that. To celebrate their good choice, they all showed up at the CRASH-B's in Boston, MA for the ultimate 2k challenge: The World Indoor Rowing Championships.

It was looking like a calm start until a duel between Anne Bailey, the favored winner in the 55-59 Women's category from Old Wrecks Rowing Club of England, and Susan Hooten, rowing unaffiliated, got the crowd going. Hooten ended up with not only the gold for the event, but a World Record of 7:23.7, just over a second ahead of Bailey. Bailey, who had won the British champs two years ago, said, "I'm really delighted with my time." She admitted to a "fraught two or three years where I had lost my will and enthusiasm," and part of those years included 'physiotherapy' for a broken wrist. She hopes to come back to give Hooten a challenge for the World record, as she seems to have regained her motivation.

In the lightweights of the same category, Joan Van Blom of Long Beach, California, in her first year in the age group and current world record holder, was just one tenth of a second off her WR pace and a full 12 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor at 7:33.5. Fellow Californian Stan Vegar, 52, from San Diego, won the Masters 50-54 category, very pleased with his result, as he PR'd by 3 seconds on the day thanks to a crushing last 500. A sprint guy, he holds a WR in the 1000 meters.

World records continued to topple through the day. Henrik Stephansen, 19 year old Danish sculling phenom, bested the lightweight men's World Record by 4 tenths of a second, at 6:02.2. He was Danish Rower of the year on 2006, and won the World Junior doubles event in 2006 with partner Nils Henrik Stene. (Video of his last few strokes and celebration will post as soon as we can get it online.)

Felicidades to the Spanish women lightweights, who took both the Junior and Open divisions. Junior Virginia Diaz made it an interesting drama by collapsing to the floor after her effort; she was refreshed and ebullient by the time she reached the award stand, wearing a Spanish flag over her shoulders. The elder Spanish winner Sonia Boubeta was more stoic in her victory.

The master's categories (which include the seniors and veterans here) were a hot spot for fast racing?often besting younger categories that were missing the International athletes in pre-Olympic mode. Peter Ording of C2 Team Germany cranked out a steady, impressive race with German coach Bjoern Loetsch encouraging him in the 30-39 LW men. Ording last competed as a German Lightweight National team member in 2004. He topped off his competitive career (thanks to a nod from Loetsch) by winning the LW singles in the World Championships in 2004. He has since retired to a life as an engineer, but beats many current team members with his erg time of 6:14.1. Loescht, who along with fellow coach Boris Orlovski, were the most animated coaches on the competition floor. As each rower approached the finish, they were encouraged with a "Jawohl" (English= YES!), intimately, and loudly, in their ear. When asked about his tactic, Loetsch said: "I have to, it's my job, it's my passion." Second in the event was current Greek National team member Vasileiros Polyneros, who finished two seconds back. Vasileros, incidentally, completed his effort then changed seats to the cox/coach folding chair to encourage (very calmly) fellow Greek lightweight team member Chryssi Biskitzi to her victory in the LW masters' 30-39 category.

There was a concert of German exclamations when four C2 Team Germany athletes were in the fastest grouping for the 40-49 Heavyweight Division. Taking the lead and never letting it go was 6'9" (that would be "six cubits and a span" to put it in David and Goliath terms) masters ubermensch Ralph Eckhart, who set the World Record for the event in December in Dresden. "I thought it was very possible to beat it here," he said later, and so he did, posting a 5:57.8. He admits he didn't feel well in the morning, and almost didn't race. Everyone should wake up feeling so horrible. An expert at understatement, Eckhart says he rows for fitness and the outdoors (he is a water guy too) and that "it is very meditative."

His nearest opponent, a rather soft spoken and average-sized erg fitness enthusiast Andrew Benko from Dubuque, Iowa, was just 3.5 seconds back. Benko, who wore loose cotton gear (no unisuits or slick trou here), and had no one to yell Jawohl, mind you, was proud but somewhat awestruck by the entire experience. The 40-year-old John Deere rep (he is not a farmer, he notes, but is in the construction division), focuses his training on the erg, which he "picked up at the YMCA about 10 years ago." Benko rowed one year as a novice in college, but is an erg-only guy now. The victory in his eyes is that he was rowing in third for most of the race, but pulled past C2 Team Germany rower Arnd Schneider in the last 400, and he notes, "I don't normally have a very good sprint."

Brit Nik Fleming won the 30-39 heavyweight category with a time of 5:53.4 that in this CRASH-B's would have been 2nd in the Open category. "This is awesome, just brilliant," he stated just minutes after his finish. "In the last 500 you start to question, but I heard my coach Eddie Fletcher and I pulled it off." At 39, he is primed to head in to the next category, which may give German Eckhart something to think about.

It was a good day to be named Tess(a) in the Agganis Arena Sunday, as two 6'1' Tess's took their categories with a happiness that belied the discomfort they may have encountered along the way. Tess Gerrand, who is a member of the Yale Women's crew that won the 2007 NCAA championships, actually smiled at around 700 meters remaining, when Yale coxswain Emily Cleveland said something? Not sure, but she the powerful Aussie held a grin for at least a power-20. The sophomore finished in 6:43.2, winning the Open Women category, off the World Record of 6:28.5 set my Sophie Balmary of France, but largely untrained for this event since peaking for collegiate crews is still months off and on water.

Gerrard said, "I am a strong girl," (no bragging here, this was a comment on her genetics) "I didn't worry too much about fitness or results." Last year's 7 seat in the varsity boat will likely be in contention for the varsity boat in 2008 season, says Coach Will Porter. The Bulldogs pulled a sweep of the medals in the Open/Collegiate division, with Jamie Redman second in 6:49, Taylor Ritzel third with 6:52. "They were excited about their scores," said Porter after he spoke to his athletes back at school the next day. "It was the first 2k for them for the season, and I think they were just trying to do their best." He notes that the "CRASH-B's have no relevance in the spring racing season, it is an erg race," and that the challenge (for all coaches and rowers) is to turn that power into boat speed.

"I'm so excited!" said the other Tess; actually Tessa is the given name, after winning the Junior Heavyweight division with a time of 6:56.5. Tessa Gobbo from Northfield Mount Hermon in Massachusetts was in a battle with German Carina Bar for the entire race. Their nearest competitor was about 13 seconds back, Bar always within about one second. Gobbo looked composed for her years, and the 17-year-old port rower held off the competition. She credits Coach Vicky Jenkins at NMH, and also the coaches at CRI where she rowed over the summer. She hopes to row in college (reckon she will find a coach interested?), but in the mean time, the junior says that she loves erging. She wishes her entire team had so much fun on the machine!

The Men's Open division was significantly off World Record pace of 5:37.0, but a battle none the less. Slovakian rower Anton Grassl pulled out from the start, but it was Paolo Loriato's longer stroke and steady pace that got him the win in the end. Roman Shor, a University of Pennsylvania rower, earned the silver; Grassl ended up hurt by that early sprint, and finished third. Loriato got the "W" in a time of 5:52.4, but it was team mate Bruno Rosetti who earned attention after the race when he shed his shirt, exposing a large tattoo "hold my own" on his back. He did just that, finishing 6th overall.

So, for all of those who held their own in Boston, here's to another year!