Paul Rosenquist

Can’t really help to be really taken by what is happening at the other side of the world. While I am just training mostly easy long distance stuff, Lassi probably is skiing through the forest, Olaf Tufte is skiing in the Alps, and probably everybody else is also doing like that, the main man, Mahe Drysdale (3x World champ) is suddenly up to his neck in a cat fight for his so much desired spot in the singles in Bejing. Don’t really know why I find this so interesting. Must be a combination of things. Firts, Mahe, is a extremely friendly dude, really easy and good fun to have to be around with. I admire his qualities as a rower.
Now three years in a row he has shown the world how to build up an awesome rowing season. Being more or less unbeatable at the World Champs now three years in a row. Than there is Rob Waddell. A guys that allready had stopped rowing long before I started. But I was always curious about this guy since I read about his ergo meter scores, his physiological parameters etc etc. He had started sailing which to me felt like ‘retired’. … how hard can it be grinding up 2000kgs of sail every 10th minute?

He wanted a shot at the Olympics in Bejing and started training in single scull again. Why? Maybe he checked Mahe out when he handed him the Halberg Award February 2007 and thought…I can beat this guy…. Who knows…. ok well, Rob does.

Than I am inspired by the way he has came back to the absolute top level…physically (dropping 20kg of weight) and technically (I believe he is rowing better than ever).

It is a cool thing with rowing…that anyone can take the spot for the qualified boat. The fastest guys at the final trials get the spot. But in Mahe’s case I really feel it sucks a bit. It is just to odd of an situation I guess. That the two best single scullers (ever?) from the same small country far away under ‘down under’ are fighting it out. NZ rowing has made it official that it will come down to a 3 race trial in March. Both of these guys will need to perform at Gold medal standard I guess to win that. Mahe says that it will disrupt the otherwise up to December flawless buildup to Bejing. He wants to peak high and hard, and only once. I hope that he will pull this off…and by having done that He mentally must have become the strongest athlete ever! My opinion.
Having said that, it is a mountain to climb. I have looked a bit at the first two races they have raced against eachother. Mahe rowed offensive in the last race. But a leightweight was leading the pack at 1000m. Perhaps Mahe and Rob were not going full out yet? Than Mahe took the lead and a huge gap appeared to the fast light weight. Rob just kept in contact with Mahe and it seems he made an extreme gear change at the 1500m. Mahe reacted late and clawed back again. To me it showed, coolness by both, fighting spirit by Mahe, amazing speed reserves for Rob.
Next weekend an other race, and than a 2 week buildup to their Nationals followed by the trials. The eyes of the rowing world are all pointing way down under I guess! At least mine are.
A good mind set for training: Train as if you are Mahe.

On the otherhand, these guys have not got a lot to lose…there is an army of just ever so slightly less amazing rowers behind them and it is just a matter of filling all the seats in the single, double, quad and what ever….
Say, if I suddenly came up with a 5.50 erg score and started screwing up old Lassi’s game plan what would his looming alternative be than…right.. the sofa in front of the TV…watching me row his boat on that Chinese lake.

I’ll keep his spot warm for the time being on that sofa

Cheers

RACE 1 (DECEMBER)

RACE 2 (JANUARY)

Is’nt it cool that our little sport is pulling headlines suddenly in some countries!?