by Daniel K. Schoolcraft

After a rambunctious, exciting spring break that many rowers deemed the best in years, the rowers of Grand Valley are ready to hit the 2010 racing season after a successful scrimmage against Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt.

Spring break concluded in Panama City Friday with a final, race preparation practice and the team’s traditional ‘boat gathering’ photo shoot, even as ominous weather threatened to ruin the photo and make for a mediocre final day. Though the high winds that had plagued the last half of spring break remained, the sun did prevail, allowing the Lakers to make the most of their final afternoon in the spring break capital of the world.

Many rowers were enthusiastic about this spring break’s creature comforts and more ‘authentic’ spring break feel, as opposed to locations such as Oak Ridge, Tennessee or even last year’s Canal 54 in Fellsmere, Florida. The team’s boats were literally right outside the door from their hotel rooms, with the lagoon in which the team rowed just a few steps further. This stood in sharp contrast to the nearly half-hour drive to Canal 54 in 2009, for example. This arrangement allowed for much more downtime for rowers, even with several new practice features such as daily pair time trials.

Sophomore Marco Benedetti said regarding spring break, “I [liked] that the pair races were short enough that they didn’t waste a lot of time, so we got to go out in the big boats, but we still were forced to be good in the small boats, and it kept us on our toes.”

Team president and men’s captain Mike Stoll added, “Logistics were a lot better this year, with the boats right there, which made rowing easier; there was enough water to row on, and it was fun to navigate through the bridge into the almost-ocean. People had a lot more fun this year. You could go to the beach at any time, and it was more of an actual spring break than other spring breaks.”

Considering that the famed Panama City Beach was almost literally across the street from the team’s hotel, as was a massive go-kart and mini-golf facility and many nightclubs, beach stores, and restaurants, there may have been some truth to that notion.

Seeing people other than team members or other rowers helped. “I liked that there were other college students there, so you didn’t feel as sequestered,” senior Jeff Slater said.

This spring break also featured a returning Michiel Bartman as guest coach. Though he only was a guest through Wednesday, he was also highly appreciated by the entire team, with many rowers praising his charm, his sense of humor, and especially his coaching ability; both on the water and demonstrating on an ergometer before practice.
Early Saturday morning the Lakers departed Panama City for the historic Olympic race course at Lake Lanier, Georgia, arriving in the afternoon.

Though the ominous weather that threatened Panama City on Friday would again appear, soaking rowers and blowing around equipment in a freak squall, the weather would quiet down much as it had in Florida, only this time with a tremendously bright double rainbow as a final spring break memory.

The men’s varsity eight fought a competitive battle with Georgia Tech, decisively winning three out of the five pieces, losing one and drawing a tie on another. The varsity eight finished three seats above Georgia Tech on the first piece, four seats behind Tech on the second, tied the third, won the fourth by a half boat-length, and won bow-to-stern with Tech for the final piece.

“It was pretty good,” Stoll said, regarding the scrimmages. “We won three pieces to their two, though one was kind of a tie, we did well, the second piece we fell off, but we finished the fourth and fifth pieces with solid wins”

“It would have been nice to have rowed the eight a little more,” Benedetti added, “but we were used to [the approximately 1250 meter] distance, so we were able to extend our energy well, and once our strength faded we were able to adjust to the conditions well.

Both women’s varsity eights performed exceptionally well. The women’s varsity eight defeated their opponents with open water, finishing almost ten seconds faster than Georgia Tech or Vanderbilt on their pieces; the second varsity eight also finished ahead of the other two schools in all races, losing only to the varsity eight.

Of two men’s varsity fours, who switched lineups for two of the races, the first four still managed to win over Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt with open water on every piece, with an average race time of around 3:40.

Grand Valley also raced a women’s varsity four, and men and women’s novice eights and fours.

Head coach John Bancheri was satisfied with the team’s progress over the break, noting “[The coaches] are very pleased with the whole training camp, and the races today showed what the team’s capable of, being able to row clean and long at a 32 or 34, it really made us happy as coaches. The telling moment was with the men’s varsity eight, they were up a couple seats on Georgia Tech, and they made a move, building to three-quarters length, they maintained their length, and the rate came up maybe a beat. What was important was that they were able to make that move, and maintain it.

“We called this a rebuilding year, obviously it’s not. It’s going to be a competitive year for the men. As for the women, it’s a little tougher when they are markedly faster than the competition; they were racing a handicap, and themselves, and their times got faster throughout the day, as did the men’s, but with the women we could really see improvements. I was really happy with both varsities, both novice boats, men and women’s, and that varsity men’s four, showed that we have some competition left in the varsity men’s level, with the 9, 10, 11 12 guys, pushing the top eight. Overall, there’s a nice depth with this year’s program, we’re excited about it, and I think it’s going to lead to a top five contention at the Dad Vail this year.”

by Kathyrn Phelan

The Grand Valley rowing team was more than ready for Florida sunshine after the 2000m erg test that concluded winter training in Allendale. They drove south and were met with the enthusiastic spirit of spring break, mostly from college students who flocked to Panama City with a notably different agenda. Excitement and energy permeate the city, but the rowers have kept their focus, tackling daily time trials in pairs and posting long rows on a lagoon that hosts jelly fish, pelicans, and dolphins.

Temperatures have hung in the high 60s so far this week, which means that the long spandex has remained buried in suitcases and the rowers have been able to take full advantage of their surroundings. The beach is only a five minute walk from the hotel, so the rowers have swum, played Frisbee, attempted the Army’s obstacle course, and enjoyed being the only sober people within a twenty-mile radius.

The team is staying at The Inn at St. Thomas Square, which provides them with comfortable rooms for which they have an ongoing appreciation, since naps are often an inevitable part of the day. Each room has its own kitchen and bathroom, and the inn also boasts a swimming pool, sauna, and tennis courts. The team spends their off time enjoying these amenities, as well as exploring, nursing blisters, and lounging around at the resort with teammates. Many athletes have taken the initiative to head out on extra runs or technical rows on their own.

On the water, lineups are constantly changing to keep pairings fresh and practices competitive. Men and women’s boats work together during both technical workouts and sprint pieces in order to learn from each other’s technique and challenge each other’s speed. The variety of the workouts, rotation of coaches, and teamwork between the men and women’s crews have created a fun, dynamic rowing environment in which coaches are already seeing improvement.

Coach Michiel Bartman, a three-time Olympic medalist and the head coach for Vesper Boat Club, has joined the coaching crew this week, delivering daily technical talks from the seat of an erg, demonstrating as he speaks. His experience, sense of humor, and calm, relaxed demeanor are an invaluable component to the training.

The rowers are working hard, but are still energetic and excited to be out on the water (and for now, off of the ergs). They are proud of the dedication that has brought them this far, and ready for the work that will take them the rest of the way.