2012 Coastweeks Regatta

Today was the 21st Annual Coastweeks Regatta in Mystic, Connecticut. It was a sunny, but somewhat blustery day at certain spots both on land and on the water, and some rowers had problems maneuvering their boats. Here are some pictures I took....

For one of the earliest head races of the season in New England, slightly more than 160 rowers came to compete on the Mystic River, which is a little less than last year. It was still crowded to get down to the dock to launch your boat...

You had to watch out so you did not get bonked on the head by a rigger or an oar..

And then, when you were out on the water, you had to watch out for other boats which also were on their way to the start...

 Wonderful to see a very young crew of oarsmen rowing to start, taking it very seriously...

Another crew of boys in a bow-coxed boat. The cox is sitting up to get a better look, which is good because in front of them a young lady has just capsized in her single scull...

 however, she is not panicking, she is taking it easy and slow to be able to adjust her sculls and shell...

then she slides up, trying to keep her balance...

and she is quickly back in her boat again, sitting up-right, putting her feet in the foot-stretcher...

so when the motor launch arrives, she is already correcting her course, going up to the start - well done!

Here is a little trick question: which set of blades are placed the correct way? Well, your answer might depend upon which country you are from. For years and years, I was taught that the blades were supposed to point up. Then the Swedish Olympian oarsman Hasse Svensson told our club coach that he always put his blades down, so the rubber handles would not get gravel and small rocks inside. Since that day, we were also putting blades down and handles up.... After all, it was an Olympian who gave the advice and he ought to know what he was talking about.... No?

The 2012 Coastweeks Regatta results are here.