USA Para rowing has seen an increase in breadth and depth over the past decade or so, but the range of accomplishment has never really been on show as it was this past weekend, as the USA PR3 Four that finished second in Tokyo in 2021 faced off, intact, against this year's World Championships PR3 Four, which finished second at the Worlds in September.
Additionally, four out of the five rowers in this year's para crew raced with their college crews; stroke Ben Washburne, who just graduated, raced in the Men's Alumni Fours with Williams, three seat Alex Flynn raced in the Men's Club Eight with Tufts, two seat Saige Harper raced in the Women's Club Eight with Sacred Heart University, and coxswain Emelie Eldracher raced in the Men's Collegiate Eight with MIT.
The "new" Para four took the Saturday race by 35 seconds ahead of the Paralympics crew. row2k caught up with the crew (minus bow seat Skyler Dahl) on Sunday.
row2k: Starting with the race yesterday, where you guys got to row the row against the Tokyo boat. That was kind of an all-star para race, what was that like?
Ben Washburne: It was fun. It was a very competitive race, we really wanted to get after it with the water flattened. We wanted to give everything we had, it was nice and tight in the beginning, and we were able to pull away at the end, but it's just super fun to have two great boats.
row2k: You guys put in so many miles here over the summer. Do you ever get sick of going up and down the Charles and going through the turns?
Washburne: I mean, you would definitely be better if it was straight! [laughter from everyone] It's kind of just kind of how it is, the corners make it. We definitely had a lot of practice, which helped us out yesterday.
row2k: How about for the coxswain? You do your college rowing here as well, do you ever wish you could drive somewhere different or?
Emelie Eldracher: Well the Charles is famed for being a coxswain course of course! So it's an honor to be at home with this incredible boat and teammates that inspire me every day.
Washburne: Emily had a great line yesterday.
Harper: It was an amazing line, I watched it back this morning and I was like 'Yeah!'
row2k: Most of you did the twofer, you raced with your college or alumni teams. It's a sign of how young this this group is and how we're starting to get a real nice representation at the undergraduate level for the para teams Can you guys talk a little bit about that opportunity?
Washburne: It was awesome. It was a tight turnaround running from CRI [where the Williams alums boated] to Weld [where the para team rowed]. We got it done, and it was kind of fun.
Saige Harper: I had about 45 minutes in between my races by the time we got back here, but it was it was a lot of fun to go out with my college team and have a good race and then come join Team USA and represent everybody.
row2k: Are those are different feelings, going from your college friends and then the national team, which is some some of the elite athletes have described that as more of a job. Is it is it hard to balance that or is it pretty cool?
Harper: I would say it's pretty cool. I love that I can have two teams, and be part of this group of people here. We we understand each other a little bit differently, it's different relationship, but it's all fun.
row2k: What's next for you in terms of getting ready for the Paris Paralympics?
Alex Flynn: We have training, on our own or at your college if you're still in school until January, then selection camp, then go back to your own training until June, then we all come together.
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