Landlocked rowers dig deep to cross Atlantic (virtually) during lockdown
WHILE New Ross Boat Club has been closed since March 12 due to Covid-19 restrictions, that that hasn’t stopped its members from continuing their training with some preparing to cross the Atlantic (virtually) in an intercontinental challenge.
To keep them motivated, coach Janet Walsh has already set them the challenge of completing a virtual row around Ireland, visiting a number of rowing clubs along the way. It wasn’t long before some parents and coaches also got involved and the metres started to clock up.
Using Concept2 logbook, members were able to log their daily training sessions on their ergometors/rowing machines and, in total, club members covered 2,542km in less than four weeks. The club has been keeping members and followers updated on the progress, as well as making virtual visits to 35 rowing clubs that gave great encouragement. This included words of encouragement from current world champion and Olympian Sanita Puspure, who virtually welcomed the club members to the National Rowing Centre. Janet said: ‘ These athletes are used to training six days a week, so it was about keeping them in a routine that they are used to in such a challenging time. The challenge has given them focus to keep up their training. While they have had to adapt their training programme, they are all coping very well and the hope for everyone is that we will be back on the water towards the end of the summer with a modified Irish championships proposed for September.’
Other clubs have been coming up with ways to keep the rowing community together while staying apart. Olderfleet rowing club in Belfast ran an online virtual regatta, which New Ross coaches Geraldine Moorey and Janet Walsh took part in. The women rowed 4km at home and had to submit their scores which were averaged out this saw the women take third place in the Womens open 2x category. ‘While the Irish regatta season has been suspended, it is great that, with technology and a bit of re-thinking, we can continue to monitor our athletes progress and allow them to still compete against other clubs. In the back of our minds of course is the reality that the season my not re-start but until that decision is made this group will continue to train and be ready to compete when the time comes,’ Janet said.
For club members who don’t have access to rowing machines at home, coaches have come up with weekly family challenges which have included circuits, yoga poses and Olympic games.
The club’s next big lockdown virtual challenge will see the local rowers attempting to virtually cross the Atlantic to a rowing club in Newfoundland, Canada – a total of 3,250km.