I swear, I haven't forgotten about my blog!!!

Yes, it has been a while since I've updated my blog...sorry about that!  But things have been progressing.  Lots of strokes are being taken, day by day as we prepare for our next adventure:  Trials in New Jersey at the end of September, to try and qualify the LW4x for New Zealand!  If we win trials, I will be doubling up, that is, racing two events at worlds.  Should be fun!

Other news, is that Ursula and I have been busy launching our "Project."  She has created a great website, and we now have a joint blog:  http://rowstarproject.blogspot.com/
Our website is:  www.rowstarproject.com

More soon...I swear!  :)

Ergin' with a view...

While Ursula sped down the course in Holland, I drove a rowing machine to my parents' house in the Tetons, where I've been rowing every morning in front of a mountain backdrop and enjoying some time at home.  Soon to head back to Seattle to get back on the water for the beginning of the long training stretch through to New Zealand!


For the latest USRowing Press release:
Click here


Much thanks to my new rowing clothing sponsor, JL!  Click here to subscribe to their newsletter and see pictures of me and Ursula's newest unis.  Fear the white uni no longer!

Video update

This is a video with MUCH better commentary!  Our race is the second race to come one, right after the women's openweight double, at 9min30sec.  click here

Home Sweet Home

Well, the whilrlwind of the awesome Bled World Cup endeavor has come to a close, and I'm back home and SO happy to be reunited with my wonderful Seattle family of friends!  It feels so good to have accomplished what we set out to do, and to still have the experience fresh in my memory as well as a gold medal and yellow jersey to remind myself it all actually happened!  

Racing in the semis...rough water, but we finally  found a good rhythm, indicative of more great races to come in the future as we develop our boat!

I must say, I greatly prefer watching the reps, instead of racing in them!

On the medal stand, with Great Britain (silver), and Greece (bronze).  A video of our medal ceremony can be found at the end of the LM2x video clip:  click here

My friend J.S. Bach was excited to watch some races.  He took an unfortunate tumble over the fence, however, and I had to get special permission from the skeptical security guard to retrieve him.  Poor Bach.  (Luckily he was not "Baroque-n", but did experience Air on a G-String... hehe)

As with any experience centered around competition, especially on an international level, honestly I must say that "fun" isn't the best word to use when recapping.  Intense...stressful...thrilling...incredible...I think those might be more appropriate adjectives!  All-in-all, an AWESOME experience and I'm still overwhelmed and excited about how things came together so quickly and what it all means.  Ursula and I will be racing at the World Championships in New Zealand in November!!  

So, if you've been waiting for an excuse to take a trip to New Zealand, here ya go!  :)

So now, back in the Northwest, we are training once again, with a long five months ahead of us until Worlds.  As a new double, time is on our side, and the experience of succeeding in Bled I know will continue to spur us on through the summer and into the fall as we prepare for Worlds.  I'm really looking forward to working hard with Ursula, and continuing to learn from each other and get stronger everyday.

Thanks, as always, for all your support!!

Gold!

Watch our race here.

other articles:
http://www.worldrowing.com/display/modules/news/dspNews.php?newid=324850

http://www.usrowing.org/News_Media/PressReleases/detail.aspx?nws_lKey=842

Thanks to everyone for your cheering and wonderful support!
More soon!

racing continues...

Just a quick update to let you know that all is going well over here in Slovenia.  We are learning a lot each race and are spending every moment as focused as possible.  Won the heat yesterday, won our semi today, and tomorrow is the final.  Hard work and more fast rowing ahead!
I will post some pictures and another update after tomorrow's race....for now, more focusing!  :)
We race at 9:55am** tomorrow morning. (**They just moved our race two hours earlier, previously 11:55)


Go USA!!!


...and a favorite start line quote from yesterday's starting announcer, as a swan leisurely made its way across lane 6...5....4......3...2...1...just as one of the afternoon's LW2x rep got locked in:  "Don't worry girls, we wait.  Swan passing by."

Chop and chocolate

Feels already that we've been here for longer than just three full days!  Everything is going well and it is always fun to see all the rowers from other countries arrive as racing approaches.  The wind has been impressive, though.  Total glass in the morning, but then by around 12pm the wind picks up and for the last three days there have been white caps by 2pm!  Above is a picture of the start this afternoon...not white caps yet, but we're still hoping we don't have to start our race in that chop.


For us lightweights, the food is perfect.  Lots of fresh salad and fruits! However, we do have to walk by this beautiful chocolate sculpture every time we go to meals.  :)


Not much more to report yet!  Just keep sending fast thoughts our way as our first race approaches on Friday.  23 boats in our event, and the draw for heats should happen by tomorrow evening, as we prepare to dive into three days of intense racing!


We got a mention in World Rowing News...(LW2x)
http://www.worldrowing.com/display/modules/news/dspNews.php?newid=324842


I'll post more when racing gets underway!

This picture is from the web, but it's even more gorgeous in person!

Here we go!!!

Thanks for checking out my blog!  Maybe this time I'll actually make myself get into the habit of keeping it updated!  :)

Spring racing has begun in full force, and after only a week of solid training in Princeton after winning NSR2, (National Selection Regatta), I've found myself in the incredibly gorgeous town of Bled, Slovenia.  I'm here to represent the USA and race in a World Cup with my awesome double's partner, Ursula Grobler.  This is a very important race for us, because if we place in the top four, we will officially earn a spot on the 2010 US National Team, as well as an entry to row in the World Championships in New Zealand in November!

We're up against some heavy competition, including all last year's medalists as well as the Chinese who are always very fast.  There are 23 boats in our race...but we say the more the merrier!  This is a great opportunity to see where our speed is at currently, where we can improve, and how to go about the rest of the Summer.  

We're settling in quickly, thanks to careful planning (waking up VERY early while in Princeton so the time change wouldn't be such a shock), and a gigantic "feed bag" for the plane full of fruits and veggies.  The hotel is right on the water and the entire team has bikes that we use to ride to and from the boathouse.  I need to come up with a good name for mine, and I think "Clunker" could be suitable.  Let's just say, going uphill is not an option, and that there is no need to lock it up.

The boat's rigged, we've figured out oars (found out last-minute that our oars couldn't go on the plane!), and now the rest of the week is all about staying calm, focused, rested, and professional as we prepare for our first race on Friday.

Follow news and results at:

www.worldrowing.com