The year always starts with a whole lotta chain-yanking. Here's what we spotted on the indoor circuit this year.

Look Who's Yelling Now

As you can see from the pic above, and these shots, coxing the coxswain is a full team effort:

At the Main Line Slide

and the Mercer Indoor Challenge

Coxswains can dish it out, of course, and there is this one chance a year to dish it back, so folks sure get loud. As they say: sound on!

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Speaking of Erg 'Encouragement'

During the rower 2ks, we caught some epic erg shouting by coxswains, coaches, teammates, and even a few parents--swipe through to see our top picks from this year's yellers:

Too Real Award?

Ghost-ed...

Twins Erg, Too

We got a lucky twin-spotting break when the pair from Ridgewood got to race on adjacent ergs.

(Not this duo's first Recap either: we caught them on the water last fall...in a double, naturally)

Forgot Your Glasses, Coach?

Or does squinting make the splits look faster?

Hey, anything's worth a try...

Strong Sock Game at Erg Sprints

Best 'pair' of the indoor season, no question:

Pez and pretzels, for the win

And, Meet the Short King(s)

Definitely some DunKings vibes on these shirts, and lots of glitter:

All proof that the Moorestown girls sure love their Coach (the Short King, apparently) who inspired these shirts. The whole squad showed up in them at the Haddon Hammer, and instantly won row2k's unofficial 'best shirts' contest.

We Have Alignment!

The surfers next to the Ocean City Pier had it all lined up during the South Jersey Indoors.

Pretty good for a floating start

Most Killer Relay Tactic?

Who pulled off the 'hold the feet trick' best here:

The All Hands On approach?

Main Line Slide

The Strap Hanger play?

Pittsburgh Indoors

Or the Full Arm Reach-Around?

Erg Sprints

And Don't Forget the Relay Selfie

PWRC Invitational

But, Umm, Maybe Skip the Go-Pro?

Definitely the first time we've seen this one:

Footage of every last stroke in Atlanta

Also a first? The guy we spotted at this same race peeping splits through a pair of binoculars--now that's a devoted crew dad.

Ergzilla, King of the Trophies

Hard to beat a points trophy with teeth...and claws--and the fastest team gets a mini-Ergzilla to take home.

Naming your race The Ergzilla also makes for some cool posters, like this one where Godzilla bites an erg in two or this one where he hits one with his fire-breath--and that's a graphic the winners took home on their medals.

Shushing Is Back

We've seen this move on the water, but apparently shushing is also an indoor thing, now:

So Fast, We Gotta Wear Shades

Wearing your sunglasses inside? Sure, if they make you speedy.

Commitment to this bit went all the way to the podium for the for the Georgia Tech folks in Atlanta and Ergzilla's aviator guy.

And Lastly, Tell Us It's an Erg Race...

Without telling us it's an erg race:

Stack of puke pails should do the trick, and kudos to that one coxswain we saw hold a bucket in front of her athlete the whole last 750.

That coxswain deserves to win one of those "everybody scream at me" 500s, for sure.