RowingRelated

This week, we're throwing it back to 1989. (No, not because of Taylor Swift.) The 1989 Lucerne International Regatta (predated the World Cup) saw more than a few legends involved in the final of the men's pair with coxswain, not least of which the famed Abbagnale brothers of Italy—the most decorated pair-with combination ever—and rowing's most successful athlete, five-time Olympic champion Sir Steve Redgrave of Great Britain. While the Abbagnale brothers characteristically led through much of the body of the race, the field caught up to them in the final 100 meters, and, as the video shows, the difference between first and fifth place was just six tenths of a second, with just 0.10 seconds separating first through fourth place. When the dust settled, the Abbagnale brothers had to tip their caps to Yugoslavia and East Germany (here listed as RDA instead of GDR because it's an Italian broadcast), while Redgrave and crew found themselves an unlucky fourth—truly a rem...

The Thames has been the 'centre' of attention of late, but more for what's been going on in the water than on it. David Walliams completed an amazing 140 swim down the Thames, and raising roughly £1 million for charity in the process. Sir Steve Redgrave was in attendance for the celebration along the banks of the river, and, unlucky for him, the boys from Imperial College Boat Club caught up with him during the festivities (see above). More on David Walliams' feat from The Guardian . In other news, the 2011 E.ON Hanse Canal Cup took place over the weekend, and saw four international crews taking part in the 12.7k race in Rendsburg, Germany. Crews from the Dutch , Australian , German and USA rowing federations raced over the lengthy course on the Kiel Canal, with many of the same athletes from the recent World Rowing Championships taking part in the competition. The USA men's eight featured seven of the eight that placed eighth in Bled, with the one switch be...