Training for that Pinnacle Regatta

At this time of year, coaches and athletes are putting the finishing touches on their plans for the upcoming on-water season. Already, the first and most important decision should have been made: What’s the goal this season? Which regatta is the pinnacle, where crews will give their all?

For high schools, universities, and clubs, this is probably the regional or national championship. For masters, it may be a regatta close to home or at an exciting destination.

Whatever the case, this ultimate race becomes the benchmark toward which the team must work. Whether the goal is to win the regatta, reach the final, or achieve a respectable place, it’s possible to calculate accurately the kind of  performance required, on and off the water, to achieve it.

To be a successful coach, you need to know the level of performance necessary to succeed on the racecourse where your crew will compete. This means knowing the speed at which teams in the past have rowed to achieve your target finish, which then determines training speeds. You should take into account the particular characteristics and conditions of the regatta course and compare them with your home waters.

Next, evaluate the rowing skills and physiological performance of previous teams in the target regatta. Watch race videos to assess the technical proficiency of the crews and get the ergometer scores of teams that have participated in the past.

Evaluate your team’s performance objectively and provide accurate feedback so your rowers are realistic about what’s possible. It’s folly to dream of gold medals if training results show the team isn’t ready.

Explain your findings in an understandable way and chart the next steps. Do your rowers need to focus on technique or should they boost their stamina by adding another training session?

If your team is progressing better than expected, consider elevating the goal. Instead of just reaching the final, maybe they should aim for the podium—if they improve their start or begin their final sprint 100 meters earlier.

Volker Nolte, an internationally recognized expert on the biomechanics of rowing, is the author of Rowing Science, Rowing Faster, and Masters Rowing. He’s a retired professor of biomechanics at the University of Western Ontario, where he coached the men’s rowing team to three Canadian national titles.

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