The one and pretty much only complaint heard about the course at Aiguebelette is that the warmup is really bouncy. Theories about the issue range from it being caused by the record number of entries overall by some, to finger pointing to the large number of eights entries in particular.
Sitting along the lake's edge taking pictures, as well as standing on docks doing the same, it was clear that it was actually pretty bouncy out there; keeping crews framed with a big lens was a little harder than usual as the docks rocked around.
But anyone who has trained for the IRA or the NCAAs, or has practiced on the Charles the night before the Head, or rowed on the Schuylkill pretty much ever, would laugh at the notion that having less than a couple dozen eights out would create really bouncy conditions.
I have been thinking on the topic since we arrived, and came up with a theory while talking with Dan Roock, who previously coached at Cornell. During the summer, Dan took us out on the lake for a boat ride, and when I jumped off the boat, I learned first-hand how stark the temperature change can be when there is a very thin thermocline. When you are out on one of the Finger Lakes in summer, you can put your foot into the top water and think, sure, it will be great to jump in.
And then you jump, and the very thin thermocline give way to much, much colder water just several inches below the surface. I can remember looking up through the clear water from down below and thinking, cripes, get me out of here.
Talking to Dan about the wakes, we recalled that situation, and my theory was that this lake may have a very narrow and shallow thermocline, and as such the turbulence caused by the boats bounces off the colder, denser water below to make the surface water much more turbulent.
The searches I did about the lake all pointed to documents in French, and my scientific French is not so good (my 'ordering breakfast' French is not much better), so I couldn't say if this is exactly the case; anyone know?
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09/01/2015 8:19:30 PM
More molecules pulled, larger wakes.
I would guess that a boat wake in March is larger than in August (assuming same speed), so the same would hold true for the thermocline.
I also speak french and rowing (and english obviously) so I'd be happy to look at those links...