RowingRelated

The RowingRelated Top 30 (Photo: Al Ubrickson, courtesy of the Ulbrickson Family Collection) It's time for the second part of our 3-part series on the best of the best in the rowing coaching ranks. Selecting and ranking these outstanding examples of leadership in the launch is no small task, and, as we said last week, it's not a perfect system—yet. But the hope is that the following may serve to educate and spark discussion, as both an appreciation of history and of the coaching craft. Also note: As we stated in Part 1 of this series, there are few women in this list, but that is a reflection of a general underrepresentation of women in the head coaching ranks in our sport—and indeed (as has been well documented ) a growing number of NCAA sports in the United States. 20. Al Ulbrickson The man, the myth, the legend, who guided The Boys in the Boat to Olympic glory in Berlin at the 1936 Games. Ulbrickson was a special kind of talent, in that he understood—and us...

This week, we're taking a look back to 1979 and the wisdom of Harry Parker , through this training film. The first 45 minutes of the above are shot in Hanover, New Hampshire. Interviewer Bill Stowe —an Olympic champion himself, having rowed on the 1964 Vesper crew that won in Tokyo, and 2011 USRowing Jack Kelly Award winner —spends an afternoon with Parker, during the preliminary phase of training for the U.S. men's eight that summer. Stowe asks thoughtful questions, and Parker gives typically thoughtful answers, as the two discuss workouts and rowing technique, as compared to previous U.S. crews as well as other rowing federations. It also includes raw audio from the launch. The crew shown, from bow to stern, is Bill Purdy, John Biglow, Charlie Altekruse, Mike Hess, Tom Woodman, Otto Stekle, Chip Lubsen, and Bruce Ibbetson, with coxswain Bob Jaugstetter. The last nine minutes of the video come from Parker's 1983 sculling camp on the Charles, with athletes Bruce Beall,...

Newell Boathouse (Photo: B. Kitch) The 50th Head Of The Charles Regatta is just a few days away. I find I can't think of that without thinking of Harry Parker , who coached for more than half a century on that very river, and whose name became virtually synonymous with Harvard Crew. Going through some archives recently, I ran across this short audio interview that I did with Parker, when still a very green reporter, just after the 2011 Head Of The Charles—the beginning of his 50th year at the helm. It followed a morning training session on the launch with him, and I was keen to learn more about his experience of change in the sport over his long and decorated career. Listening to it again, I found that it continues to be revelatory and inspiring. I hope you feel the same way, too.

Without a doubt one of the most influential coaches in the history of our sport, Harry Parker was honored in the most fitting way in August, when members of Crimson crews ranging from the 1960s to the 2000s came together in Boston for the Harry Parker Memorial Row . Olympians like Charlie Hamlin , Tiff Wood , Adam Holland , and Malcolm Howard (among many others) were on hand, spread out among the roughly 50 crews that promenaded down the Charles past Newell Boathouse, where a banner that read simply, "Thank You, Harry," stretched across the building's crimson façade above the boat bay doors. While it marked a sad occasion, the event itself was a tremendous tribute to a legend in his own time, and one whose coaching resume may never be equalled. Our pick for No. 2 moment in rowing this year is coming up tomorrow! You can read more about the Harry Parker Memorial Row and further tributes to the legendary Harvard coach via the official website of the Crimson . -RR

We're on to the next level of the 2013 RoRys, and there's a great deal to celebrate from the world of intercollegiate rowing this season. It was a season characterized by dynasties further adding to their incredible legacies, as well as of newcomers making a name for themselves at the highest level. And so, after much deliberation, and without further ado, the winners of the 2013 RoRys at the intercollegiate level are... RoRys for Programs of the year University of Washington Men Despite losing one of the best coaches in the collegiate ranks—newly appointed USRowing men's coach Luke McGee—in the middle of the season, the Huskies of Washington showed that they were by no means ready to loosen their vise-grip on the Ten Eyck Trophy. Head coach Mike Callahan and assistant coach Rick Gherst not only stayed the course and pushed their athletes to achieve at the highest level, but also they did it while training new Husky coaches, who stepped up in the absence of McGee. Hav...

Saturday morning marked the Harry Parker Memorial Row in Boston, with crews from the 1960s on through to the 2000s, and names like 1968 Olympian Charlie Hamlin , the ' Rude and Smooth ' crews of the 1970s (for some footage of this group at Red Top in 1971, see this video ), the legendary Tiff Wood , further Olympians Adam Holland , Chris Swan , and Peter Sharis (whose daughter, Elizabeth , has been making quite a name for herself in the junior rowing ranks over the last few years, including back-to-back silver medal finishes at youth nationals in the JW1x), double Olympian Pat Todd , 2005 world champion Michael Blomquist , double Olympic medalist Malcolm Howard , and many, many others worthy of mention.

The final day of this year's Henley Royal Regatta featured some outstanding match-ups, as well as blistering times, as some of the best crews in the world laid it all on the line for those coveted little red boxes. And, as is the case every year at Henley-on-Thames, there were a number of extremely close contests—tremendous battles that saw crews hang on to narrow margins, or walk through early leaders to edge opponents at the line. Let's take a look, shall we? As we expected, the final of the women's single pitted defending Olympic champion Mirka Knapkova against standout Kiwi sculler Emma Twigg . This time, Knapkova, who finished fourth just back of Twigg at the Holland Beker Regatta the previous weekend, walked away to victory—the Czech sculler equaled the course record for the event, despite winning by the verdict, 'Easily.' Quite an impressive result for Knapkova, and one that will no doubt get the attention of Holland Beker champion Kim Crow of Australia...

Coaching in the rain, October 2011 The above photo is a screenshot from an as yet unpublished short film I've been planning to edit for some time. It comes from a cold, rainy morning in Boston, following the Head Of The Charles in 2011, when Harry Parker and Bill Manning were gracious enough to allow me to ride in the launch during their training sessions. A rain drop obscures the crew in the middle ground, just in front of the port pontoon of the launch. In many ways, this image speaks volumes about the man, and the legend. Already battling illness, Parker was unflinching and, to my eye, seemingly completely unaffected by the cold temperatures and wet weather. Not only that, but the joy that he took in coaching and helping athletes to refine and perfect their craft was, as ever, evident, even on a slow, steady state day recovering from the excitement of the previous weekend. I didn't know Harry Parker well. In fact, I hesitate even to say that I knew him. I might have ...

This week's video comes to us from the U.S. version of the Thames River, which, fittingly, is host to the Harvard-Yale Regatta —America's most venerable intercollegiate competition. The Crimson lead the series by a significant margin, with 95 wins to Yale's 54 in the varsity eight event, and, most notably, Harvard's Harry Parker has been at the helm for some 45 of those victories (his personal record being 44-7 in the event, including victories in 13 of the last 14 seasons). The video includes a bit of history, as commentators Charlie Hamlin (Harvard alum & Olympian in the men's four in 1968) and Andy Card (Yale's varsity lightweight men's coach) provide some background on the coaching and the event. If history's not your thing, you can skip forward to the beginning of the four-mile race at roughly 12:45. Things have been quite hectic over the past few days, with article deadlines to meet for ROWING Magazine —look for a lengthy upcoming featur...

This week's video features four legends in our sport, sharing their thoughts and reflections on the nature of rowing, the team dynamic, coaching, and the competitive experience. Though brief, the film gives us a glimpse into the minds of George Pocock , Harry Parker , Ted Nash , and Hart Perry , with an impressive amount of on-the-water footage of crews, including the Crimson training and racing on the Charles. I'd go on, but this video speaks for itself. Want to suggest the next 'Video of the Week?' Shoot us an email at rowingrelated [at] gmail [dot] com, or send us your suggestion via Twitter ( twitter.com/rowingrelated ). -RR

Fantastic racing across the board at the IRA this past weekend despite less than ideal conditions, especially in the heats and semifinals. As was the case last year, there was some drama regarding the shuffling of line assignments. This caused quite a stir, and had many coaches wishing there were a better way. Despite some controversy through the rounds, we think it all sorted itself out in the end, and, as Cal Head Coach Mike Teti put it, "the best team won." In the varsity eight, we saw some phenomenal racing and an impressive showcase of talent from athletes and coaches alike. After letting Harvard row through them in the Semifinal, the Washington varsity eight asserted themselves in the final, refusing to let anyone beat them when it matter most. A length behind Washington was a very tight battle between Harvard, Cal and Wisconsin for the final two medal spots. Harvard proved to be the best of the rest on the day, winning the silver medal .1 seconds ahead...

Lined up at the start on the Cooper River (Photo: H. Kitch) Steve Gladstone made a big move earlier this year, leaving his position at the California Rowing Club to take on the role of head coach at Yale . This left CRC without a head coach, as assistant Joel Scrogin accompanied Gladstone, and led to widespread speculation as to the reasons behind the move. The rivalry between Harvard's Harry Parker and Gladstone, perhaps one of the most intense and important in U.S. collegiate rowing's history, is widely considered to be the main reason for the change of venue. Yale has been far behind the curve for quite a while, but I believe their new chief is going to turn all that on its head. Each program that Gladstone has touched has turned to gold, and, unlike Parker, who has been at Harvard his entire coaching career (though he has coached crews representing the U.S. at the world championships and the Olympics, in addition to his duties at Harvard), Gladstone has moved aro...