Justin Best graduated from Drexel in 2019 and is currently set to race 2-seat in the United States M8+ at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
1. What inspired you to go to your first rowing practice; was there anything memorable about it?
I was trying different sports in my 8th grade year as I had gotten a concussion in football and no longer wanted to play. My parents were watching the film "The Social Network" and they saw the rowing scenes with the Winklevoss twins. They knew very little about the sport but saw Armie Hammer had broad shoulders and defined arms. They figured I had a relatively similar build and googled rowing camps near us. I was signed up for my first summer rowing camp that night. The only memorable thing about the first practice of that summer camp was the quality acting portrayed in the USRowing Safety video that we had to watch.
2. Was there a practice, race or other event when you fell in love with the sport, or when you knew you might not be too bad at rowing? When you thought you could make the national team?
The moment I fell in love with the sport was actually during a practice my freshman year of high school. Up until that point, rowing had been just a fun activity I would do on the Christina River in Delaware. I would usually just go up and down the slide and never really apply much force to the oar handle, I just liked being out on the water and I got to meet new people . For whatever reason, that day in particular I was upset and generally angry at the world as most moody 14 year olds are. We would row a mixed novice 8+ by 6's, doing drills and pauses. I put every last ounce of energy I had into the oar on every single stroke I took that practice because I was so angry. The 90 minute practice was over and I was absolutely exhausted having spent 70 of those minutes in a teenaged rage. My novice coach at the time pulled me aside and told me that was awesome to see that kind of effort, and it had a positive impact on the boat speed. (Barring the technical inefficiencies of a novice rower.) That practice made me realize that I could put any negativity into a session and actually have a net positive outcome and is why I fell in love with the sport.
3. Best race/practice, worst race/practice?
Best race had to be the BM8+ at the 2018 U23 World Rowing Championships. We came through the 1000 meter mark in just about 2:38, and I remember Rielly Milne telling us "This is going to be a fast f-ing race boys." I still remember how good I felt knowing there were less than 1000 meters left at that point. We won and set a new world's best time for a U23 8+.
Worst practice had to have been in the summer of 2020 on the Oakland Estuary. The workout was in singles,30 minutes, rate 24, with a bungee cord on the stern, against an outgoing tide. Oh and the kicker was Ben Davison was starting a few boats behind me. So it wasn't a matter of if he was going to pass me during the piece but how long into the piece before he did. Then we spun, popped the bungee off, and did a 20' piece and a 10' piece 2 beats higher in the opposite direction. Physically exhausting and mentally a tough one to keep fighting in.
4. Best/Anything you've done in the sport no one knows about?
I've been stung by a bee 2 times in my rowing career while in a boat. Both times happened on the Schuylkill river. It can't bee a coincidence.
5. Any/Most important advice for young rowers?
There are hundreds of hours of high quality racing footage on World Rowing's website. Watch them all, and slow parts of the videos down. Don't only watch the videos of the races in the boat class you participate in but watch ones you wouldn't normally. Listen to what the commentators are talking about in terms of technique. Look at what ways the winners are moving the boat. Compare video footage of yourself rowing to these videos and see if you can take away anything you may be able to use in your next practice/race.
Hometown: Kennett Square, Pa.
Current Residence: Oakland, CA
Club Affiliation: Oakland TC
Began Rowing: 2010
Date of Birth: August 17, 1997
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 190
High School: Unionville High School
Undergraduate Education: Drexel University, 2019
Training Location: Oakland, CA
Current Coach: Mike Teti
National Teams: Four - Junior, 2015; Under 23, 2018-2019; Olympic, 2020
International Results: Finished second in the eight at the 2019 World Rowing Under 23 Championships...Finished seventh in the eight at the 2019 World Rowing Cup III...Won gold in the eight at the 2018 World Rowing Under 23 Championships...Finished fourth in the eight at the 2018 World Rowing Cup III...Won gold in the under 23 eight at the 2017 Canadian Henley...Won silver in the eight at the 2015 World Rowing Junior Championships. National Results: Won the varsity eight at the 2017 Dad Vail Regatta.
National Results: Won the varsity eight at the 2017 Dad Vail Regatta...Finished eighth in the single sculls at the 2015 USRowing Youth National Championships...Finished eighth in the lightweight four at the 2013 USRowing Youth National Championships.
Personal: Best was born on 8/17/1997 and attended Unionville High School. His parents watched "The Social Network" and thought since the actors who portrayed the Winklevoss twins had big upper bodies, he would be perfect for the sport. They signed him up for a summer camp the next day. Best likes reading, video games, exercising, and watching movies.
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