Arriving at the race course
To be in a VFC - very foreign city -enjoying the inexplicable culture, language, food - your sensibilities wobble between fun/exciting and frustrating /maddening.
But then, the race course beckons. Today: Day 1 - heats for seven events. The taxi slows and the driver turns into the unloading area. Out of the car, you feel the anticipation-vibe cutting through the iffy-air. Pay the driver, say 'shi-shi- (thanks supposedly - god only knows), pass through the metal detectors, and you-re in.
As you enter the course, it feels like coming home. The Rower's Way is evident. It's a good way. Reassuring. An oasis in this big odd place.
Thirty-three scullers showed up for the men's 1X. USA's Ken Jurkowski, in heat #5, had to finish in the top four in order to proceed to the quarterfinals. (Finish worse than 4th and you cannot get to the big show.) Starting time 3:30 pm - prime hot and humid time, to say the least.
Instead of going straight from the launching dock to the starting line - the most direct path - all rowers must take a more circuitous path to the start. They leave the dock, go hard to port, row 300 meters and then pass under a low bridge and into a warm-up/warm-down zone, basically a 2000 meter back channel that leads to the starting line. (This low bridge is an excellent vantage point from which to watch the rowers.)
The crowd thins considerably by the time the competitors get to starting area. In fact, only a few FISA officials, a few support people and a few photographers are allowed in this area. This makes for a remarkably peaceful setting.
The scullers pass under another low bridge to enter the race course. This second bridge is the competitive equivalent of passing through the looking glass. Any and all worldly concerns MUST NOT be allowed to pass with you as you cross under the bridge. Focus is key. Focus all your energy on the task at hand. Do not let anything enter your psyche that will not help you attain your goal: to qualify for the next round.
A medium strong cross-headwind had picked up by the time of Ken's race. Each boat was instructed by the race umpire to move over two lanes, in order to minimize the advantage of the more sheltered lanes.
Each sculler was then asked if he wanted a diver to check his fin for weeds. All the scullers requested this service. (No wetsuit needed by the divers - the water is bathtub warm. Also, the divers have been instructed by FISA on how to remove errant weeds - or more accurately, how to remove these weeds without damaging fragile fin.)
Ken blasted off the starting line and took the lead against several top notch scullers - Alan Campbell of Great Britain and Peter Hardcastle of Australia - not too shabby. Ken crossed the500 meter mark ahead by 2/10s of a second. By the 1000, the top four boats crossed together, with Uzbekistan sculler lengths behind. Ken backed off a bit at this point, cruising the last 1000. He qualified 4th for the quarterfinal.
I said earlier that thirty-three scullers showed up for the men's 1X. Actually, thirty-three scullers were supposed to show up for the men's 1X.
Every rower knows the sinking feeling of having shown up late for their race. Specifically, showing up so late that the race begins without their shining presence. And as the other races sprint past you know that there's not a damn thing you can do about it.
Usually this disastrous event happens in a somewhat more modest regatta than the Olympics. Not today. The single sculler from China, Zhang Liang, was late for his race. Way late. Note even within hailing distance of the start late. And with the sound of the starting horn, the other racers in his heat sprinted off the line - and he paddled straight into hell. But he didn-t go alone. Zhang Liang took his double scull partner with him. In a somewhat complex transaction, Zhang had to race in the single in order to be allowed to race in the double. He knew the rules ahead of time, and thus both scullers are in for a long series of long sleepless nights. So much for home court advantage.
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