Olympics, IRA and Irish Lightweights: row2k's most-read Regatta Features of 2021

row2k Features

January 4, 2022
row2k

The Olympics regatta was one highlight of 2021

Once again in 2021, row2k covered dozens of regattas around the US and the world. Read on for our ten most-read regatta dispatches from the past year!

A lockdown Olympics

Olympics
1: USA Rowing 202One Olympics: How Bad Was It? Notes on USA Rowing performance from the stands of a nearly empty beach volleyball venue

July 31, 2021

“What is the saying - America doesn't win medals, Americans do - and if we are going to ask these young people, their coaches, their supporters, and their families to produce better results, we are going to have to do a better job ourselves.”

What if, last Thursday, we had acknowledged that this US team might be the youngest and greenest we have ever sent? Read more

Olympics
2: USRowing Announces Camp-Selected Boats for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

June 4, 2021

USRowing announce the athletes who have been selected to represent the US at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in the women's quadruple sculls, men's four, women's four, men's eight, and women's eight. Read more

Ireland's Fintan McCarthy and Paul O'Donovan

Olympics
3: Interview: Irish Lightweight Double--What's up with that Grip? and more

July 29, 2021

“I try and hold it up sometimes. It doesn't work out, so I started ignoring the coach then eventually because I was just happier doing it.”
Paul O'Donovan

After the final of the Men's Lightweight Double, row2k caught up with the Irish combination of Paul O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy to ask about the highly unusual oar handle gripping style that dozens of alert row2k readers and viewers have noticed during the regatta. Read more

IRA Regatta
4: IRA 2021: A Bittersweet Triumph

May 29, 2021

“Since 2019 and ?20 we were really preaching that we have to take more moments to look around and enjoy the day-to-day of it - not just one data point at the championship at the end of the year and decide if we had a good year or bad year.”
UW's Mike Callahan

There was a lot going on just to get to this weekend, as well as to navigate weather and conditions to get to the finals, and it seemed that many teams appreciate and celebrated that fact. Read more

Erik Hallenbeck approaches the finish line after flipping earlier in the race

Olympics
8: Erik Hallenbeck on Flipping at Olympic Trials

February 24, 2021

“Imagine a walrus getting out of a pool, that might be a good visual.”
Erik Hallenbeck

We spoke with Erik Hallenbeck about his experience flipping at the Olympic Trials - which is not as unusual as you might think Read more

Reunited in Boston, indeed

Head of the Charles
6: HOCR Sunday: Juniors Bring the Joy, Stanford and Washington the Heat

October 24, 2021

“The kids really stepped up and they all they all love racing each other and they love cheering each other on.”
Greenwich's Heidi Hunsberger

Sunday's racing at the Head of the Charles took place under sunny skies, a light headwind, and the explosion of fun and chaos that is junior, collegiate and open big boat racing. Read more

Canada's Women's Eight

Olympics
7: Tokyo202One and Done: Eights Golds Come From Reps, Twigg Finally Triumphant, Greek Men's 1x Stuns

July 30, 2021

“When we heard thunder, when we were sitting on the starting line, we knew: 'That's Kathleen [Heddle]'”
Canada's Kirsten Kit (W8+)

A weird, wild, emotional week (take or leave a few unplanned days off in the middle) of Olympic rowing concluded in Tokyo today with the Men's & Women's Singles and Eights, a bevy of crushing upsets, and a raft of new Olympic champions. Read more

Maggie Fellows won the Women's Champ Single from bow #20

Head of the Charles
8: HOCR Saturday: Heavy Hitters, Back-of-the-Packers & Alumni Magic

October 23, 2021

“Just go out there and do the best of everything you can and the results will figure themselves out.”
Maggies Fellows (Champ W1x)

Saturday at Head of the Charles is truly an XL regatta day, with 33 events covering almost 8 hours. Read more

Michelle Sechser and Molly Reckford took their time trial by the biggest margin of the day

Olympics
9: Olympic Trials I - Monday: Bumps, Buoys and Burnouts

February 22, 2021

“Being back out there on the start line was amazing, it felt like coming home.”
Michelle Sechser, LW2x

A mix of seasoned veterans, strong newcomers, and just plain Olympic hopefuls contested the time trials on the first day of racing at the Rowing Olympic Trials I. Read more

The regatta is the first opportunity for athletes to make the US Olympic team

Olympics
10: Olympic Trials I - A Complicated Regatta in a Complicated Year

February 21, 2021

“At the end of the day, the racing should look the same, even though nothing was the same in putting the event together as anything we've done before.”
Matt Imes, USRowing

The 2021 US Olympic trials are a complicated regatta in an already complicated year. Read more

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