Digg
Facebook
Twitter
Photo Credit: Carlos Dinares
In the Lightweight Women's Double Sculls, Greece is the reigning World Champion. And at the Rowing World Cup I in Bled, Slovenia they would have one of their world champions boating with a new partner. The rowing team from Britain, bronze medalists last year, were also considered one of the favorites. The British pair are in the second year of their partnership.
Representing the United States, Abby Broughton and Ursula Grobler had been together for three weeks....
But it didn't seem to matter as Abby & Ursula rowed to victory in each of their preliminary heats and semis. This placed them in the Finals where they would face both the Greek and British teams. Unfazed, Abby and Ursula took an early lead that they never relinquished, finishing more than five seconds ahead of the runner-up British.
Coach Carlos has Abby and Ursula using the Shuttle MVP to develop power through momentum. It's a momentum that a rower has to feel, Carlos states. And he believes the MVP has the unique ability to help a rower develop that feel. In his words, the MVP "is the closest you can get to the real leg drive of rowing on the water: elastic, dynamic and explosive. The plyometric motion of landing and taking off is amazing. I've been wondering for years how to simulate the leg drive acceleration on the rowing stroke and the MVP is the answer. Coordinated power in a dynamic elastic motion is the future of efficient rowing," he states.
It's that efficient rowing that is helping power Abby and Ursula's success.
"We had a great race," said Grobler. "You always have to react to what's going on around you, but we stayed on top of it."
Staying on top of it was an understatement. Speculating on the rowing prospects for Abby & Ursula's in the future, one of the British race commentators summed it up nicely: "They can only do what they're doing now...which is demolish the competition!"
See the complete video of the Lightweight Women’s Double Scull Finals over at World Rowing Live.
