[Interviewer]: (begins mid-sentence) Teodora Gidoiu's first gold was in Junior World Championships and that's back in 2004. And now we go from a quite a new face to a very well known face in rowing and especially in the Women's A. That's Leslie Thompson-Willie from Canada. She has, it's only a short part of CV that I will give you, otherwise we will go on for ages. Seven World Championship medals, she's a member of the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame. Last year she was second at the World Championships. She was also at the Olympics at the fourth place but it was not her only Olympic, she has been on seven Olympic teams. One gold in '92, two silver in '84 and '96, and one bronze that was in 2000. Then she took a break to work as a coach for the Under Twenty-three. And she rejoined the national team in 2006.
Now we go to the GB crew and we have two people representing them. We have Jessica Eddie; she's an Olympic finalist in 2008 and also in 2010 at the World Championships. She's a world bronze medalist in 2007, she represented GB at all levels from junior through U23 to Senior, and she has two bronze for instance in the U23, and she is in the senior since 2004. She also has a twin sister. I see quite a lot of twins in rowing.
Caroline O'Connor - she's also the 2010 world finalist, they were together in the boat. Her first GB vest, she owned it in 2005. And she has coxed since in the women's eight at each World Championship. The best result is in 2007, in Munich, and that's also where they could get their Olympic qualification. She learned to cox at Oxford Brooks University in 2001.
And then we have the Netherlands with Anne Schellekens. She was fifth in the World Championships in 2010, third in 2009 and there's something funny; She first wanted to row but then she quickly found out with her form, coxing might be better so that's how she's here now. So, ladies and gentlemen please, as yesterday, first introduce yourselves and ask your question. Thank you.
Question: Jonathan, BBC Radio. A question for Caroline and Jess. How much of a lift has it been when team members score medals like Britain did today with two silvers and a gold? How much does that help you, lift you, and challenge you?
Jessica Eddie: It's brilliant really. It's amazing being a part of such a good team. We have a brilliant structure and training base at Caversham. It's massive lift seeing the team perform well because we train every day and we compare times against each other just so we know how well we are against other crews. So, yes, it's a great resource definitely.
Caroline O'Connor: Pretty similar to Jess really. Like she said, we train all the time together and we've been doing pieces together all throughout the summer now in both of our training camps. So to see them do well is really positive for us too because we've been up there with them. So we really excited about how well they've been doing.
[Interviewer]: Next question. Shall I then ask one? It's exactly the same finalist last year if I'm not misleaded. Did you check this? Is this something that's in your mind? I will start with Leslie.
Leslie Thompson-Willie: I don't think so. I think all of us are prepared to race whoever is in the final. Obviously we're starting to see each other on the starting line quite a bit, between the World Cups and some of the other regattas that we've been to. But we have a healthy respect for, I think, for each other and when we get out there on the line and nobody's expecting anyone to do anything but their best and have a good race. So no surprises in the Women's Eight right now.
Jessica Eddie: I've just said that, yeah, I think we've got a really strong field and it shows that we've got the same crews in the event this year. We get to know each other quite well I think and we have a mutual respect each other definitely. And for Leslie's words and its great fun to race each other to be honest and I look forward to tomorrow a lot.
Anne Schellekens: I totally agree actually, there's a lot of respect. Well, for instance, the coxswains, we meet at weigh in and, yeah, it's the same persons all over again. But it's actually nice to know each other a little bit, to know who you're competing against at the start line.
Teodora Gidoiu: Yes I think it's better because it's good because in each year we are much stronger. And to see each other to the same races it's very good because this year maybe she's better but maybe next year I will be the better.
[Interviewer]: And actually Romania has a long tradition in the Women's Eight. Do you sometimes have the possibility to talk with the older ones?
Teodora Gidoiu: Yes. I was calling room with Inanna Georgeskoo. Maybe Leslie knows her because she is the older one. And she really learned me very lots of things because I think, for me, she was better.
Male questioner: For the coxswains maybe? Have you studied the wind conditions here in Bled? Would that be a problem for you?
Leslie Thompson-Willie: Outdoor sport, wind is always a factor. I think most of us train in places or go to training camps where we have varied wind conditions. Obviously, we would all like to see a flat course or a little bit of a tailwind so we could have world best times. But, I know for us, we're prepared for any wind that we happen to see tomorrow. I can't speak for the others but I would assume that it would be the same.
Caroline O'Connor: We're actually quite confident to race in any conditions. One of the things we've tried to do quite a lot this year is not just go for the tailwind conditions when we train. Sometimes we might switch round our normal pattern on the course so we can race into the headwind or if there's crosswinds and things like that. Just so we're really putting ourselves under the pressure of having to perform in different conditions. And, so far, I think it's actually been pretty good out here, especially for both the heat and the repechage. I haven't heard any complaint about the conditions.
Anne Schellekens: Yeah, we've actually done the same thing, so we've been preparing for various wind conditions and it has been working out really well lately so we're prepared for everything tomorrow.
Teodora Gidoiu: We also are prepared for all kind of weather and I don't think it's a problem. We are trying to do the best and the weather doesn't matter. The team matter.
Caroline O'Connor: That's well said.
[Interviewer]: Next question.
Melissa Bray: It's Melissa Bray From FISA. I'm going to ask this because the US team didn't show up, maybe they're a bit nervous. When you're doing a really hard piece, are you targeting the US team?
Jessica Eddie:: I'll start. Not really. We target many people within our own teams to be honest because we've got quite a successful team. So we do a lot of stuff with other boats that are comparable in time so we've got to race against them and it's quite a friendly rivalry within the British team. So that's a really good place to start for us.
Anne Schellekens: Well no, not especially. I mean, we can see that they are doing a good job, but then again we can see that everybody's doing a good job so we're not especially focusing on the Americans. Just trying to make sure we'll do our best ourselves and then we'll see what the others do.
Caroline O'Connor: My answer is quite similar to Jess's. We're lucky enough to be in a team that is very, very successful. So every time that we go out and train we have these crews that are winning gold and silver medals that are training with us. So it's a really good marker to see how we are performing. And I think that's the most important thing. You can only control how well you are going rather than worrying about what other people are doing.
Leslie Thompson-Willie: I think it's a bit of a dangerous game to say "okay, we want to beat this crew or that crew" and then someone comes from behind you and then beats you. So I think, again, if we go back to that we all respect each other and that we've all shown speed at various times in the races. So at various times we've been at different speeds at different parts of the season. So to sit there and say "okay we want to beat this crew or that crew and only that crew," and forget about others is really, I think, an unwise position to put yourself in. But obviously the United States has been very fast, and I think the rest of the crews are also very fast.
Teodora Gidoiu: I think everyone likes to be improve his country and we are trying to be better year and year. And we know that we can be the best and we were sometime the best. And we'll see what will happen.
Ed Hewitt: Ed Hewitt from Row2K. To refer back to one of the earlier questions about the same folks showing up in the final. Do you try to devise, change race plans or devise surprises so that it's not the same thing every year? How do you, because you know start to know each others profiles so well, how do you keep it from being the same thing over?
[Interviewer]: Who wants to start? Maybe the most experienced one?
Leslie Thompson-Willie: Again, you can make assumptions that this crew will go out fast and this crew will have a strong finish, but I think the mark of a good crew is a crew that will do different things in different races. The crew personnel often changes as well so that can sometimes change your tactics. I think, again, I think if you start to think one thing will happen, then usually it's something else that happens. So as far as we're concerned in the Eight, we know what we're going to do that day. You have your race plan. You obviously react to what's going on around you. But as far as targeting one crew and saying they'll do this or they'll do that, I know we don't slip into that and say that this crew can't come back or this crew went out to fast. We wouldn't do that. We have too much respect for our competition.
Jessica Eddie: I'd say we're in a very fast event and we're probably not as tactical as small boats. It's much more we go out and sprint and if you look across and everyone's going as hard as they can go. I guess our event pretty more where we're all out there going as fast as we can to the line whereas maybe the singles or pairs may have a bit more tactic going on. But not the Eight definitely.
Caroline O'Connor: It may be the same countries this year, but I often find that with a change of personnel or in the crew you get a very different tactics and different ways different countries race. So you may get one country last year perhaps having a really good start and then more of a level pace. And then they turn up next year and it's totally the other way around. So to try and guess or try and pigeon hole a country into a certain technique I don't necessarily feel is a wise thing to do. I think its way more important to make sure you're very clear with what you want to do with your crew. Because you can't control anything else that's going on around you. You can only control what you're doing and what your crew is doing. So I think that's the most important thing and I'm sure that's what every single boat is thinking once they're on that start line.
Anne Schellekens: Yeah and that's true for us as well because we base our race plan on our tactics, our quality, and not on assumptions made out of what other crews are going to do. So I agree with my colleague.
Teodora Gidoiu: Yes we have also our tactic. But all the races are different so it depends. If you are in front we've got one technique and if you are back we've got another technique. Fast is the race.
Jessica Eddie: That's very true.
[Interviewer]: Anybody else? I would just ask one to you because Canada and USA went through directly. The others had to go through the Repechages. Does that make a difference? Because sometimes you have the impression that for some it is better to row Repechages and to have one more race, for others that want to go through immediately. How is it for you?
Leslie Thompson-Willie: Everyone always thinks it's a long wait between the heat and the final when you've won your heat. This time around we're a little bit shorter than we have been when we've won the heat before because of the new schedule. Your training is designed for pieces etcetera, that if you haven't raced the Rep. It depends where you are in you development as a crew. The coaches are pretty wise and they'll tailor your workouts to what's best for you. Often at this point it's a mental state. If you think you're going to get something out of the Rep no one wants to, if you can get into a final right away then you're going to do it. Especially this year, being Olympic qualification. Although I do know for us in the Eight with only five Eights qualifying, it will be the only event where the crews haven't yet qualified. And we still have the finals so for us the stakes are a little bit higher. So no, I think it doesn't matter if you have to wait or if you have to row the Rep. Everyone's fit.
Jessica Eddie: I always think it's much better to have to row the Repechages, obviously, since we came through ours yesterday. Yeah, I kind of agree with Leslie. It depends on your crew, it depends on your racing, it depends on where you are.
Caroline O'Connor: I think all the crews that sit on the start line tomorrow are more than experienced enough to handle either situation, whether you go straight through from your heat or whether you have to do the Repechages. I think the most important thing we're focusing on now is to make sure that we do as well as we can. And obviously we're in the top five for the Olympic qualification adds quite a lot of extra spice to the Woman's Eight final compared to the other finals. And we're really looking forward to that.
Anne Schellekens: Yeah, well, I agree the Repechages is much better (laughs). No but, to be honest, I think it doesn't really matter. You are prepared for both. And actually I can say for my crew, we really used the Repechages really well to take it to an extra advantage for tomorrow.
Teodora Gidoiu: And we, because we are a very young team, the Repechage was very good for us. Because to the final we have to do the best, and the Repechages it was just fine.
Melissa: This one's for Romania. You have set a very strong past in the Women's Eight, especially with athletes like Elisabeta Lipa. How many of them are mentors for you? Are they still involved in rowing?
Teodora Gidoiu: Yes of course. For example, Elisabeta Lipa is also the president of our federation, and everyday and every week when we need advice or something, she is there. And she told us how to do the things better, to be better because we are younger and we've got a future, and she's there to learn us to be like her. And also, Doina Ignat and Georgeta Damian-Andrunache, they are there.
[Male 1]: Just to pick up on your point about the Olympic qualification. How do you manage that? It could be double celebration or it could be double gloom. How do you approach the race? A wise head first?
Leslie Thompson-Willie: I think it's going to be like any other World Championship race. I mean you obviously want to make sure that you come in the top five. Having finished sixth in 2007 and having to go through the qualifier had its positives. And definitely going through the qualifier motivated us through the winter. But obviously again, you want to go as fast as possible and have your qualification taken care of.
Jessica Eddie: I think it's tough, it's really tough. You know we're the only A final where everyone's not qualified automatically. Caroline and I, four years ago, went into an A final in the Woman's Eight not ranked in the top five, I'd say probably, from the heats. But we came home with a bronze medal. It's gonna be tight and people are racing there to get qualified for London. So we know it's gonna be tight, and it's gonna be the crews that battle the hardest that are gonna get those slots I think.
Caroline O'Connor: Of course at the top five it's very, very tough but I was watching the B final of the Men's Eight's today where only the winner goes through. And that's very, very tough. You know, that was a very ferocious race. But it did inspire me and I think it's so important for all of us sitting out there on that start line. But no one sits there thinking "oh as long as I don't come last." You know, we have higher ambitions than that. We all want to be successful and we all want to win medals. And I believe that if you row your own race and you're fast enough then not worrying about not coming last, you're just trying to put yourself in the best position to get as high as possible position you can achieve on that day.
Anne Schellekens: Yeah, I think it's going to be an exciting race and it's not different from any other World Championship race. Just this point, you know that you don't want to come in last. But then again I agree with Caroline. You try your best to come in the highest position you can so. You're not racing for fifth place, you're racing for first place.
Teodora Gidoiu: It will be very hard because I think all of us are very strong and each other we trying the best. And I think if we've got a medal we've got the qualification, and we will do what we can and we will do the best to, because we have a tradition and we don't want to disappoint anybody.
[Interviewer]: Thank you. Anybody a second thought? A last question? No? So, I want to thank you and I wish you all the best tomorrow and I'm sure you will give us an exciting race as usual. Thank you, ladies.
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