|
SLAM! Sports '99 Rowing Worlds INTERACTIVE ALSO ON SLAM!  |
Monday, August 30, 1999Coxswains earn respect
"Everybody asks that question," Heather McDermid of Calgary said after the Canadian women's heavyweight eight finished third yesterday, the final day of the world rowing championships. "Some people think she just sits there yelling, 'stroke, stroke, stroke.' But the coxswain is probably the most important person in the crew." But despite 20 years on the national team and nine world and Olympic medals, Thompson, 39, must earn her job again if she is help Canada beat gold medallist Romania in Sydney next year. "Let's say she's the overwhelming favourite," said women's coach Al Morrow. Morrow likens Thompson to an auto-racing pit crew, responsible for the setup of the car and implementing race strategy. "She also looks after steering and she is an assistant coach." The 5-foot-3, 110-pound Thompson sees "credibility with the crew" as her stock in trade. "You build credibility over years and you can blow it in a flash," she said. "You make decisions in practices and races and you have to be right. I have full authority to deviate from the race plan." Is she an athlete in a traditional sense? "I have to run a lot and make the (50-kilogram) weight restriction," she said. "And if you're not strong, you get tossed about." Yesterday, in consultation with Morrow, Thompson made setup and strategy adjustments to account for a strong headwind and choppy water. "Wind makes the race longer," Morrow said. "Lesley must ensure the crew burns its fuel as efficiently as possible and hits the line on empty fuel tanks. And humans don't come with any easy-to-read gauges." Buffy Alexander, 22, of St. Catharines, the youngest member of the eight, lauded Thompson's ability to keep the crew relaxed. "She was almost laughing (before the race). We knew we had to row clean in the headwind. But she had to say 'clean, clean, clean,' until we were clean. And then we flew." PERSEVERANCE PAYS OFF Laryssa Biesenthal of Walkerton, Ont., said Morrow told them it was "the type of wind that whoever can persevere longest would win." Romania, which Canada hasn't beaten since winning at the 1992 Olympics, won for the fourth year in a row, with the U.S. second. Biesenthal said part of the reason the Canadian crew -- which includes pairs champs Theresa Luke and Emma Robinson, Alison Korn, Dorota Urbaniak and Kubet Weston -- finished 5.53 seconds back of the winners is that pairs selection took so long after Korn was sidelined for the early part of the summer with a back injury. "We didn't row together enough," she said. "We won't have that problem next year." 
|
