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Tip #1: Dress
warmly, but be prepared to shed clothing as the morning progresses.
Most races start early in the morning (when the water is most
still), and early mornings by the water can be bone-chillingly cold.
Sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses should also be in your race bag. A
folding chair is a good idea for those periods between races.
Tip #2: Invest
in a good pair of binoculars, without them you're just guessing
which boat your rower is in. Even with them, there'll be times that
you'll find yourself cheering for the wrong boat.
Tip #3: Get a
race schedule before the race. These are available on the web-site a
few days before the race, or they are usually posted at the race venue
also. Remember that the printed race schedule is the best guide, but
races do get cancelled or switched sometimes based on equipment or
personnel issues. Sometimes race schedules are altered.
Tip #4:
Respect the rowers' food tables. In the early morning the primary
purpose of the food tables is to provide nourishment for the rowers.
Food table supervisors are authorized to chase away all others until
the rowers' food and liquid needs have been satisfied. Have
breakfast before the race, so that you're not tempted to pilfer a
banana when the table supervisor isn't looking. |
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Tip #5: Before
the race day, ask your rower what their seat number is in the boat.
Note that the rowers sit with their backs to the direction of the
boat, and that the front of the boat is known as the bow. The rower
sitting closest to the bow is called the bow-man or 1-seat. The
numbering system runs from bow to stern (1 thru 8) with the 8-seat
also being referred to as the stroke. The stroke faces the coxswain
who sits in the stern. The coxswain faces the bow.
Tip #6: The
races during the spring season are approximately 1,500 meters long.
The races take approximately5- 6 minutes. For the first 5 1/2
minutes of the race parents stand near the finish line asking each
other whether the race has started. The final 30 seconds are filled
with the parents debating which boat is in the lead, and
second-guessing the coach's line-up. After you've viewed a few races
you become qualified to say such things as:
a.)
"They’ re late on their catch"
b.) "The rate looks about 35 strokes a minute"
c.)
"They meant to hit the course marker" (This statement is
reserved for parents of coxswains only)
d.) "Why's the guy in 5-seat not rowing?"
e.)
"Who's son is the one with the blue hair?"
Tip # 7: Don’t
stand in front of the air-horn at the finish line. You may find
that your coffee from earlier in the morning has exited unexpectedly |
