So Sports Fans, here is the second installment of Worlds Coverage. Fun and games aside, we went to race and it was indeed a challenge. Micah and I had a special challenge since the arrival in Japan marked another two weeks until we actually raced. Unlike many of the other events with plenty of entries, we had final only. One shot.

Here are some shots from around the regatta site, things to see everywhere.

With that, enjoy!

This is how we spent most of our training days... waiting for things to happen. It was muggy, usually hot in some form of the word but the environment was great. For those of you who did not know, Chase suffers from Spinal Biffada, a debilitative disease. He usually has crutches, but in Japan there was usually too much ground to cover.

All of our lunches were eaten at the regatta site. Here is Brett, Micah, Matt Schnobrich, Patrick O’dunne and Myself all eating our last lunch. This is also post athlete trading mayhem. I am sporting an Italian team polo, Brett the Bearing Point sponsor shirt, Micah is wearing his Twins hat he was banned from racing in and Schnobrich has his German rain jacket.

Trackbites! Caused by the placement of the seat tracks. “Small boats” usually give you some good ones, and mine were a personal favorite of the trainers for their breadth and depth!

Micah’s hands were another form of entertainment. Snakes could only be so lucky.

Here we are immediate post race, or post ceremony. No one looks happy. You never quite know how to feel when you fail to perform in the race you spend 12 months preparing for, dreaming about and hurting for. No one ever writes that story. Choking is a hard thing to accept, even if you learn from it. It was by far our worst race ever, Micah and I both realized 30 strokes in that there was nothing we could do. Still, getting to the medal stands is an honor to be remembered. I just hope next time it’s a little more enjoyable.

Here, US coach Cameron gives us a wave at the 250 meter to go mark. The grandstands continue up a the course another 150 meters. The amazing part is not that the grandstands are full the whole 400 meters, but they are that full on the morning of Semi finals, this is not even finals.

Before any of you ladies think to get jealous about the fact that we get massages at the course and hotel… just hold off. These are Japanese butterfly with happy endings, these are massage and stretch routines that bruise. Sweedish would be gentle. Here, Michelle Guerrette (W1x, Bronze) gets a leg flush post race. She’s not holding her head, she’s holding the table and gritting her teeth. Its helpful and worthwhile… but this is not vacation.

The first stroke of the women’s lwt 2x final. These two ladies went on to grab a silver medal. Julie Nichols in stroke and Renee Hykel in bow, coached by Ted Nash.

The US mens 4+, on the far side is trying to hold on for dear life. After leading the whole race, France put a sprint on that was undeniable. The US boat held on for a silver from the challenging Germans and Canadians.



A final look at Wyatt Allen Adavnce to the B final from his Semi. Here is my goal for the next year, if I can get this fast I should be able to make the US National Team in ’06 as a sculler and do some damage. That means lots of time by myself… but no coxswains!

Cheers to all, talk to you soon!