I wonder whether Alan will reciprocate by making a special guest appearance
in a K2? :-)
--
David Biddulph
Rowing web pages at
http://www.biddulph.org.uk/
I heard (was it here?) that Tim Brabants can do a 6.00 2k erg. Pretty
handy.
Kit
This has got to be some kind of wind-up, does it not? Secret cameras
watching people taking it seriously?
I don't deny for a microsecond that Brabants is a fine athlete, and 6:00
for 2K is impressive (though how many other top-class athletes could do
it if they were suitably instructed?) but to learn the technique in
thirty days? Nah.
(I'm assuming that he wants to do something better than just get from
one end of the course to the other; that he could plainly do, and
possibly not last with Campbell in the other seat).
--
Henry Law Manchester, England
According to the BBC website, he and Campbell had a chat about it at
Beijing. They're only doing it for a bit of a laugh so just getting
from one end to the other may well be all they want.
Kit
If Brabants was a big strong cyclist or even a swimmer I'd agree with
you. However he is olympic champion in a kayak which is as close to
rowing/sculling as you can get without actually doing it. Though a
different technique, racing kayaks seem to have a high level of
technique as rowining requires. Given the athletic aptitude of the guy
and that he's already very familiar with boats I think he'll do well
(as long as they actually do some practice). You have some of the best
physiology and competitive ability in the world here so I'd say
they'll beat most other crews.
Not much leg work in a kayak...
I used to train with an ex-OG kayaker, much stronger then me in any
activity, following with K1 me in the single, much stronger on the erg
too, probably around 6:00 6:05 and it was around 2000, that is 8 years
Barcelona '92
He was around 110kg or more, and able to run faster and longer then
me.
He is really a friend, has 5 children and is simply very strong, it's
people like him that teached me the lesson that no matter how much I
train, I can't become that strong, it's genetics
Get a video of any kayak race on youtube. You'll see that there is a
lot of leg work.
Anyone pulling 6min for 2k erg is likely to have at least reasonable
leg power endurance.
No reason that with a decent partner someone powerful wouldnt do well
as a novice in a double.
Its not a given though. We also had a gb swimmer and triathlete down
who again was around 6 minutes on the ergo. He really couldnt get the
concept of not pulling without being locked on and just couldnt
control his power such that eventually everyone including him gave up.
Regards
Donal
Though technique may be different, locking on and connection are just
as important in canoing as in rowing which is why I am more confident
of TBs ability to get to grips with rowing than I would be with a
transferree from any other discipline. He's bound to have a very
strong in built feel for the water and an oar/paddle.
Strange the swimmer didn't get it though, again connecting is
necessary in any swim stroke and trashing your arms hard won't get you
anywhere very quickly.
Hmm, I hope that Brabants and Campbell do the business now I've talked
him up
Although I wish them the best I will be surprised if they do very
well. When Greg Searle decided to start sculling, already with an
Olympic rowing gold in his possession, I was quicker than him in both
2x and 1x for a good year as he was learning the finer points. And he
was an ergo world record holder at around that time too, to boot,
whereas my own 2k at the time would've been around 6:20-25.
I'll be watching with interest...
They start number 9 in the order.
An article in The Times
(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4916384.ece),
includes this wonderful paragraph:
"Yet the incentive to win a third title is perhaps more pressing than ever
thanks to a side bet struck in China with the Australia women's pair. "If we
win, they have said they will wash my boat at the first World Cup \ next
year wearing bikinis," Campbell said. "But if we don't win, then I have to
wash their boat wearing a 'mankini' - the thing Borat wears - in front of
the rest of the rowing world. I could get huge kudos for this or look a
complete prat." "
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,6029335,00.jpg
http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2007/06/04/cook_wideweb__470x324,0.jpg
http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/82228159.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF19368FFB0B613D6DEB01EE3015A6340F4A45A5397277B4DC33E
Thanks, but sadly, I think it will be more likely we'll be seeing Alan
in his mankini.
Kit
Yes, probably (all right, I'll commit: regretfully).