RACICE REPORT MARK MEATES- MANAGER OF THE JUNIOR TEAM’’Racice – Czech Republic HEATS Thursday 5^th August

Well everything very quiet overnight. I took a late trip to Litomerice to get some more paint to touch up the last few blades. The oars all look great with new paint and new stickers.

The lake looked beautiful this morning with a bit of mist coming off it. We were not the first crews on the water but most of our crews were on the water at 7:00 or just after then in for a bit of breakfast. I was in the line behind our friends from Filippi.

The coxed four are looking at the ultra violet insect executioning system, two of which have been installed in the dining area. There are a lot of wasps around  but many of them meet a grim end at the hands of these machines which I guess are a bit like an “electric chair” as far as the wasps are concerned.

Today is race day, finally some might say but the last week has gone by really quickly. At one stage we had a week to go to racing, now all of a sudden it is here. I was talking to one of the German coaches, they like us just do not know how they will go and are really looking forward to finding out.

Gary had a bit of a timing clash this morning, the time between his two boats having to be on the water was limited so I helped the W4- onto the water while he raced up to the start to watch the M2x. By the time I got to watch the race, just about the 1000m mark I was pleasantly surprised to see the double leading the field and very pleased to see them not only maintain their lead but extend over the next 400 m to over two lengths and to easily hold on till the finish.

Great start to the day boys. This crew has been improving all the time since we arrived and today’s result was a good reward for all the hard work they have been putting in.

The boys, not surprisingly, were very happy with the row. They were selected to have their boat check weighed after the race which marginally delayed their warm down. The boat was over the minimum weight, Gary and the boys had checked it the day before. So all good.

No sooner was their oat on the rack then I was off to the start to watch the girls W4-. They had started by the time I got up the course.

Through the 1000 m mark our girls were just sitting behind the USA, as you can see above, by about half a length.

 The USA had lead out from the start and we just looked to be hauling them in through this middle part of the race. 750 metres later (at the 1750 mark) our girls had pulled through the USA and away from them although they did come back a bit at the end. Another great performance by the Team in Black.

Next was the M4+ boys coxed four. All of these boys are at this regatta for the first time and we could not predict how they would go. By the time I joined the race, just before the 1000m mark, they were leading and leading well. Note the USA team back in 5^th.

  Our guys were still leading through the 500m and looking strong and the USA were making ground up. By the finish the USA were really flying and we had fought off the challengers for second, finishing less than a length off the USA and about ¾ of a length ahead of Croatia. Another fine row and the biggest positive was that the boys now believe they can win and believing you can is half way to getting you there.

Thursday, while a beautiful day, had given us some problems. Last night the women’s quad had one rower under the weather, namely Ester who was struggling to shake off the bot she had picked up. Overnight both Olivia and Louise got the bug and a long night of vomiting and diarrohea ensued. At breakfast Georgia was the only one feeling good. We had caught up with Ted, the USA doctor and he had given us something to stop the diarrohea. Janey took the girls to see the FISA doctor to advise of their situation and he gave them some anti-nausea medicine. By race time all four were under a cloud. There was no way they were going to last the distance so they gave the start a bit if a go but realised they did not have the energy for any type of challenge at all, let alone a serious one.

This is quite a serious problem but we are down playing it and just advising everyone to get on with the job. There is nothing else to be done. After all the work the girls have put in, it is such a shame to end up in this predicament however they will never have this chance again so they just have to do what they can. They will race a repechage tomorrow which will be very tough with only two crews to go through. We are doing everything we can. The diarrhoea has stopped now it is “nausea from eating” vs “fuel intake”, to get something in the tank before tomorrow’s race.

The girls started quite well and were only two lengths behind the main bunch at the 1000m mark, despite rating only 28/30. If we can get them feeling okay they still have a chance.

 This race was closely followed by the boys quad, M4x,  but we were in heat 3 of 4, which gave some time to get back to the start. The Italians easily won the first heat. Not sure about the second heat. But no doubt about the winners of the third heat. The Team in Black were always near the front in the first 750m, sitting just behind Poland?, I think (but seemed like orange in their uniform not red). Then the boys put on a burst and lead through the 1,000 m by about a length. That was pretty much the ball game and they just kept going away over the last 500 m’s to win by a comfortable margin. It was first three through but they obviously wanted a good blowout because they took it right to the end. What a great row.

And then to the last race of the day. There were repechages for the M1x and M2x to come, but due to the steller effort in the morning our M2x had the afternoon off. The M8+ were in the first heat. They had Great Britain, Italy, Romania, Czech Republic and the Ukraine to contend with.

We were thereabouts after the start but it was not a great start by the Team in Black. It was hard work and just seemed to get harder down the track.

We were quite well back going through the 1000m with the Italians looking the sharpest in first and the Brits in second. We fought back to be much closer to Romania, who got third, at the finish. A bit of soul searching to do this evening. Tomorrow’s repechage is the same as the women’s quad, just two to go through.

No easy rows now for anyone. What we can say after today is that the team is well prepared. The programme they have been on in Karapiro has worked, so a big thank-you to all those involved in that programme, in no particular order, Brett Smith, the weight trainer, psychologist and dietician, Judith, Alan and Lisa at Rowing NZ and last but not least Michelle and Steve. Plus anyone I’ve missed. We still have some work to do but we are ready.

Janey has gone off to Litomerice to get some more medicine for nausea off Ted. The stuff from the FISA doctor does not seem to be working. The aim is to get something significant into them for dinner, a good night’s rest, some brekkie and then into it.All in all it has been a good day. Now we start the knock out stuff. I will keep you informed when I can.Take care,Mark.