How have you prepared differently for this quadrennial than previous cycles?
First off, this is my first Olympic cycle where I have been completely focused on rowing all four (in this case five!) years. My previous two quadrenniums were broken up by my undergraduate studies at Cal. Secondly, I began this cycle with my sights set on the single. After reflecting on my failure to make the 2016 Rio team I decided to try and race in the single, whereas leading up to London and Rio I was training as part of the big boat camp in Princeton, NJ. I spent the first year and a half of this cycle training at California Rowing Club in Oakland, CA with Bernhard Stomporowski and Peter Mansfeld. In 2017, I did not achieve my goal of winning the single by placing 2nd to Felice Mueller at trials. This result landed me back in big boat selection where I ended up making the quad that year. While that was a great experience, especially after falling short of making a team for 3 straight years, I knew I still had a lot to improve on in the single so I returned to that goal. Upon CRCs demise in the Fall of 2017 I trained on my own for a few months alongside teammate Scott Del Vecchio before deciding to take my pursuit of the single to the Princeton Training Center. Since then, I have trained primarily in Princeton alongside the women's sweep/sculling team and coach Laurel Korholz.
Did anything completely unexpected happen, or do you have any memorable or unusual stories from your previous Olympiad?
I made my first Olympic Team in 2012 after rowing just shy of 3 years. When I watched the 2008 Olympics on TV rowing was not on my radar. If you would have asked me to describe it kayaking would have come to mind. At that time, I was focused on finishing out my high school swimming career and getting a swimming scholarship.
Fast forward to joining the National Team in 2011...
My first race in a quad was at Henley Royal Regatta in 2011. I raced with Caryn Davies, Elle Logan, and Esther Lofgren after getting in the boat for the first time just a few weeks prior. My sculling experience up to that point consisted of a handful of experimental single rows at Cal. There was a lot to learn in a very short amount of time. I remember coach Tom Terhaar telling me that it would be a great opportunity to practice what the Olympics would be like in terms of distraction. He told me that I would need to put the blinders on to block out the chaos on the shore line.
We were far from the perfect crew at that regatta and despite the many air strokes I took during each start sequence we managed to harness our watts effectively enough to win the race. It was a great lesson in taking things race by race, stroke by stroke!
Fast forward to watching the 2016 Olympics from home...
As disappointing as that experience was, I think sitting on the sidelines for that Olympic Games offered some invaluable perspective and deepened my appreciation for the athletes that did go. Without that perspective, I believe I would not have made it this far in the single.
Any/Most important advice for first time Olympians?
Enjoy every moment while also staying focused on your goal. Remember why you set out on this Olympic journey. Share your experience with others, especially the next generation. Meeting Olympic athletes when I was younger inspired me to be where I am today. I hope a future Olympic athlete can say I did the same!
What was your state of mind like sitting in the starting block of your first Olympic race?
So many nerves. I was so scared of letting my teammates down. At times it felt unreal that I was competing at the Olympic Games. I am so thankful for my boat mates Adrienne Martelli, Megan Kalmoe, and Natalie Dell along with our coach Laurel Korholz for being such incredible leaders and making our bronze medal possible.
What's different this time around/what will you do differently at this Olympics?
I am far more confident in my skill. Many many many more hours have been spent preparing for this Olympics than my last one in London. There have also been more hurdles to get to this Olympic Games than London making me feel far more appreciative of every part of the road that led me here.
Do you feel older/better/wiser/stronger/other?
All of the above. Older in a good way. While I have trained these past five years with more intensity and focus than I ever have before I am able to relax and enjoy training far more than I did before London or Rio.
Does the phrase "the Olympics" ring differently the next time around?
Yes, it rings a bit differently. It has been a long road (nine years) to make my second Olympic team. A lot more blood, sweat, and many tears have been poured into this Olympic campaign making it feel extra special.
As far as regattas go, comparing the Olympics to different races (worlds, lucerne), is it a better or different regatta, or just higher stakes?
The pressure is definitely on another level. You want to have your absolute best race on the day of your Olympic final. It is easy to become a nervous wreck but if you have prepared yourself mentally and physically to the best of your ability - take some deep breaths, remember what an honor it is to be at the Olympics and trust that you know what to do when it matters most.
Hometown: Clayton, Calif.
Club Affiliation: Princeton TC
Date of Birth: January 20, 1991 Height: 6'2"
Weight: 175
Education: University of California, Berkeley, 2014
Training Location: Oakland, Calif., Princeton, N.J.
Current Coach: Laurel Korholz
National Teams: Nine - Under 23, 2010; Senior, 2011, 13, 2017-19; Olympic, 2012, 2020
International Results: Finished second in the single sculls at the 2021 World Rowing Cup II...Finished third in the the single at the 2019 World Rowing Championships...Finished fourth in the single sculls at the 2019 World Rowing Cup II...Finished fourth in the single sculls at the 2018 World Rowing Championships...Finished fourth in the single sculls at the 2018 World Rowing Cup III and seventh at the 2018 World Rowing Cup I...Finished fifth in the quadruple sculls at the 2017 World Rowing Championships...Finished sixth in the pair at the 2014 World Rowing Cup 1...Finished fifth in the quadruple sculls at the 2013 World Rowing Championships...Finished sixth in the quadruple sculls at the 2013 World Rowing Cup III...Won bronze in the quadruple sculls at the 2012 Olympic Games...Finished eighth in the quadruple sculls at 2012 World Rowing Cup II...Finished fourth in the quadruple sculls at the 2012 World Rowing Cup I...Won gold in the four at the 2011 World Rowing Championships...Won gold in the eight at the 2011 World Rowing Cup III...Won the Princess Grace Challenge Cup at the 2011 Henley Royal Regatta...Won gold in the eight at the 2010 World Rowing Under 23 Championships.
National Results: Won the single sculls at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Rowing #1...Finished second in the 2019 Gold Challenge Cup...Won the 2019 U.S. Lotman Challenge...Won the single sculls at the 2019 Senior World Championships Trials I...Finished fourth in the 2018 Gold Challenge Cup...Finished second in the 2018 U.S. Lotman Challenge...Won the single sculls at the 2018 National Selection Regatta I...Finished second in the 2017 U.S. Lotman Challenge...Finished second in the single sculls at the 2017 Senior World Championships Trials...Finished fifth in the pair at the 2016 National Selection Regatta I...Finished 10th in the pair at the 2015 National Selection Regatta I...Finished third in the varsity eight at the 2014 NCAA Championships...Won the varsity eight at the 2013 NCAA Championships...Won the Championship Eight at the 2012 Head of the Charles Regatta...Won the four at the 2011 World Rowing Championships Trials...Won the four at the 2011 Senior World Championships Trials...Finished fourth in the varsity eight at the 2011 NCAA Championships...Finished fourth in the varsity eight at the 2010 NCAA Championships...Won the varsity eight at the 2010 Pac-10 Championships.
Personal: Kara was born on 1/20/1991 and attended Clayton Valley High School. She was a competitive swimmer throughout high school. During Kara's senior year of high school, she was encouraged by a family friend to look into rowing collegiately, which led her down the path to becoming a recruited walk-on at UC Berkeley. Kara was named the Pac-10 Conference Newcomer of the Year in 2010 and won Cal's Most Promising Freshman Award. She was a four-time All-American. Kara was named USRowing's Female Athlete of the Year in 2019. Her hobbies include adventures with her dog, Luna. She also enjoys camping, swimming, road biking, and cooking. Kara lists the late Cal coxswain Jill Costello as her personal hero and her parents as most influential.
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