Being in Bled is spectacular. Megan Kalmoe has done a great job of describing the water, the hills, and the forest views, and I won’t bore you by repeating it. I will add that there is also magnificent architecture scattered along the course. At 250m, the white steeple of the local church rises high above the trees at the water’s edge. Then, on top of a sharp cliff face at about the 500m mark, a large white castle with a bright red roof towers above the rowers. Lastly, at 500m to go, Lake Bled’s island houses a wooden church, partially hidden by the trees sheltering it. Its bells ring the time throughout practice.

The course itself is a wonderfully wide nine lanes. FISA designates different boat classes to different lanes for practice with the slower boats nearer the center and the eights and quads in the outside lanes. Having four lanes in each direction makes life as a single much easier because there is less risk of a fast double charging up the lane behind me. And, if a double does choose to use one of the slower boat lanes, there is room for me to move one lane over. 

More teams (Canadians, Germans and GB) arrived yesterday (Wednesday) evening, and things will continue to get more crowded during practice. Luckily, the temperature is supposed to cool down, allowing a wider range of rowable hours during the day. The past two days, it has been so hot (95F yesterday) that most teams choose to avoid rowing in the middle of the day.

I had the morning off today so got to put on real clothes (a sundress!) and take my time eating crepes at breakfast. However, I don’t feel too relaxed as I am doing pieces this afternoon and then tomorrow will do my final speed work before racing.  The start of the regatta is quickly approaching, and the draw comes out tomorrow!