Dynamic Mommies

One late morning, after a little erg testing myself, two new mommies from Lake Union Crew got on the C2 dynamics behind me and starting to get back into rowing. The new additions to their lives would still enthrall them as every stroke was not without a glace down to see how the little hands and feet where moving. I'm a big fan of dynamic ergs and this was very special to see that in all walks of life, you can feel the floating of a rowing boat.

JLRacing’s trusted fabric of corporate social responsibility

Through their leadership at JL, owners Joline and Ken have been able to align their two passions--performance and sustainability. Though only a small manufacturer, social and environmental issues are always considered foremost in the decisions. The dollar never overshadows human cost. Two great examples of this come in their recycled fabric line and their business portfolio.

It matters where fabrics come from.

Ken and Joline source as close to the factory as possible, choosing US-milled recycled fabrics when possible. When they do go overseas, they buy from companies that follow strict environmental and social standards.

Over the last two decades, JL has steadily been replacing their virgin polyesters with 50-80%

recycled fibers made by Uni, a global leader in sustainable textiles. Behind every mound of

post-consumer waste is a mountain of pre-consumer waste. (The waste created by manufacturers

when they make products for consumers.) Both are used to make Repreve® polyester offsetting

the need to use new crude oil.

Joline enjoying the solar panels at the California factory

On average, every pound of Repreve® yarn conserves the equivalent of half a gallon of gasoline. Additionally, an increasing percentage of JL's fabrics come from Bluesign® certified mills. BlueSign® facilities must prove that every step of their supply chain, and their own operation, are sustainable and non-polluting. The BlueSign® standard is based on five principles: resource productivity, consumer safety, air emission, water emission and occupational health and safety.

LUC designed JLRacing gear

As athletes seek to be the best they can be, JLRacing’s business is committed to do the same.

After all the mission/vision media-hype talk, it comes down to who crosses the finish line first,

right? This is the actual doing that is reflected in JL’s case as character, attitude, intention and

community. In this JL delievers with an 100% American made factory that even has solar

panels on their roof. All workers have fully paid health and dental insurance, retirement and

profit sharing benets. The employees repay JL's committment to them with consistant, quality

work.

“Dedication with honesty and hard work--no shortcuts.” is stated on the JL website. As testament

to their continuum of seamless performance--quality is not compromised by doing

good. The gear continues to be at the cutting edge while aligning to corporate social responsibility.

In 2010 Joline and Ken meet with Ursula Grobler, and offered to help her make her

rowing sustainable. Joline made it clear that the gear be passed on to others from Ursula. “I

remember my first USA JL Uni passed on from Sarah Jones, how special I felt wearing it and

Abby Broughton shown wearing the JL Uni given to Amina

what it meant. I still have that uni!” Ursula says. In 2012 at the Holland Beker Ursula passed

on some JL gear with the signature neon yellow fabric to Amina Rouba from Algeria. For

Amina, being a female full time athlete in her country is tough. This gift created a bond on

many levels. It will be about what is given and what is given back — reflectively.

JUST OUT: released 2013 Rowing Meanderings

2013 CALENDAR:
I have just finished compiling a fabulous rowing calendar, packed with amazing photos of great rowing venues all over the world! International regatta venues include Bosbaan | Netherlands, Roodeplaat Dam | South Africa, The Rotsee, Switzerland | Seville, Spain and tons more. Includes the Regatta Calendar for FISA and other local events such as Head of the Gorge in Canada and San Diego Crew Classic.
Pay on paypal and I'll get this in the mail to you right away! 

12 in (30cm) square 12 month calendar
Starting in January 2012

USD $37.00

Just Sayen... VOTE!

Today, good friend and supporter Greg Williams re-sent me an old email. Funny how all things are connected. I have in hand, ready to mail, my first ever US citizen voting ballot!

Head of the Charles 2012

This was my return to the Charles after my 2009 win. I was excited to come with the focus of less-race-result pressure (aka party), but still go a little faster than party speed! I really enjoyed being in a venue with so many people all doing the same thing. Walking with oars and riggers seemed as standard on Soldier's Field Rd as people walking with Trader Joe's shopping bags.

Thanks to Lake Union Crew (Lee, Martha...) who drove the trailer out early meant that on Thursday I got to have a great row from CRI, to Hudson's private dock (which was super cool) and then up and down the course. The buoys weren't up yet so when they finally were in place on Friday early afternoon, I had put a different course idea in mind that needed tweaking.

Weather was barely holding. Pictures were coming in of rain covered window-shields on Saturday morning. For my race that afternoon, 4:10pm, it was actually quite warm and the rain cleared. At about 1pm, the nerves set in. "Why nervous Ursh?" I said. "Supposed to be relaxed." But winning is really fun. So the anxiety was building.

We drove down to FALS, winding through the street of Needham to avoid the mass pike  (Boston traffic) with my special hosts, Mary Jane and George. Mary Jane helped get my number on and get me launched. Thank you! I was honoured to see Kim Crow and Mirka Knapková getting ready to race.

As I row down to the start, and got warmed up, I decide to take my long-sleeve tech shirt off. I got to wear super cool JLRacing gear that Ray from JL and I designed for the WAC. As I pull the shirt over my head, off comes my alice band*. Plop into the water it sinks. "Okay, now my hair is in my face. Can I row like this?" A few strokes, and I decide my sunglasses can be propped up as an alice band. A few more strokes like this, turning around to face the direction I will be looking while, and I know the sun is too bright. Not being able to clearly see the course would be worse. Looking out over my oars, I see the Hammer Nutrition stickers I stuck on my oars. Maybe those can be used to stick my hair bits in place. And that I did. So I was the crazy person, down the course with stickers in my hair.

The start seemed to take forever. Something to do with being seeded bow 14. I was disappointed with being so far down. Still not sure the seeding is as clear as the organization writes about. Politics. Say no more. A little bumpy from the basin wind but once I got pressure on, it was super fun. I cut the first turn a little too close to the shore. Didn't go over the buoys but didn't quite set up my rhythm. That's from training on Thursday without the buoys set up yet. Got used to being too close to the shore. Then through the powerhouse and stretch and I started to encounter my first passing who was not yielding as graciously as my 2009 competitors. I think that's why it is better to be way down the line, or in the very top seedings, if you are 'mis'seeded. Then you get to pass people quickly, or have the course open. In the middle, you have some guys with some speed and also guys who want to hold their position and line all too well. We started to come to the Weeks turn, and my competitor held her course through the bridge. I was passing, but pushed out. A classic- bad Weeks course! Cut back hard to get the diagonal for the next arch. "Okay"- good going from there onwards. Perfect course around the big bend. Then another unyielding competitor. She came at me also wanting to cut the course fine, heading towards the Belmont/Windsor docks. She almost sent me crashing into the dock. I have never yelled out in racing. Ever. But this was my first, as I firmly voiced : YIELD! Mary Jane and George were at that dock. They saw the spectical. Can't wait for them to send me their photos to see it from a spectator point of view. That's what the Charles is about right - bumper boats with carbon-fiber! There's and oxymoron. Anyway, so now you have just the last part of the race, close to the bushes and push to the end. A little gust of head wind was a little unwelcomed, but it makes for a gutsy finish. 4 Row2k Pics here >

Had to head back to the dock quickly to make my flight back to Seattle. Had two early back-to-back Netball matches the next day!

Wanted to add, a big thank you to Hudson Boat Works, Glen, Craig, Ruud and the team for being so cool! #shakeandbake is right! I wanted to thank Dick and Pat from Concept 2 for my oars. They were stationed right next to Hudson. Must be a good sign of a good combination! Thank you to all the people who cheered my name as I came through the course. I heard you, and smiled! Thank you Kim Kelley for helping me and being my friend!

I also got to chat to the people/businesses who have contributed to my path in the past. To Brendan Cotty from Wintech, and Maas from Shimano, Ed with Bat Logics. Thank you very much for all your support!

So that's a wrap. Hope to be there next year. Further up the seeing? One more highlight: On Friday afternoon as rain poured down and we sheltered ourselves under the Hudson tent, the US Women's Charles eight-team was getting ready to out. It seemed a member was delayed. Taylor Ritzel asked me to row with them. I looked down, in disbelief and loss of words. I had no business being their boat. Suddenly a flashback to the last time I was in an eight, which was the second time I had ever been in an eight. In 2009 racing for Club Natació Banyoles. I had no idea which way my legs had to go with this one oar coming through. And both hands participated in squaring and feathering, even though I have since read only one hand is suppose to do that. As a complete novice, I declined Taylor's request. (Who says no the the US Women's eight?!) Right time, right place is right! Anyway, being asked will go down as a highlight for me! Interesting though, the Romanian woman who holds the LW1x record went on to the next olympics to win gold in the Romanian W8-... 

*It's an SA colloquial term: Horseshoe-shaped headbands are sometimes called Alice bands after the headbands that Alice is often depicted wearing in Through the Looking-Glass.

Head of the Charles Draw is Up

I'm a little disappointed with the draw being so far down. Not sure why this is. Feel like its all about who you know...  Event 30: Women's Championship Singles

Bow/Lane	Blade		Team/Club	Short Name	Abbreviation	Rank	Line-up	Avg Age
1			Cambridge Boat Club	Cambridge	CBC		G. Stone	27
2			VK Slavia Praha	VK Slavia Praha	VKSP		M. Knapkova	32
3			Melbourne University Boat Club	MUBC	MUBC		K. Crow	27
4			Union Boat Club	Union BC	Union		M. Gay	30
5			Undine Barge Club	Undine	Undine		K. McFetridge	23
6			Riverside Boat Club	Riverside	RBC		E. Huelskamp	25
7			Unaffiliated (USA)	Unaffiliated (USA)	Unaff.		O. Coffey	23
8			Potomac Boat Club	Potomac BC	PBC		S. Kozuszek	26
9			Riverside Boat Club	Riverside	RBC		L. Schmetterling	24
10			Craftsbury Green Racing Project	Green Racing Project	GRP		E. Dreissigacker	24
11			Leander Club	Leander	LC		D. Flood	32
12			Unaffiliated (USA)	Unaffiliated (USA)	Unaff.		K. Walling	22
13			Sydney Rowing Club	Sydney	SRC		T. Gerand	24
14			Lake Union Crew	Lake Union	LUC		U. Grobler	32
15			Wassersportverein Ottensheim	WSV Ottensheim	WSV		L. Farthofer	21
16			Norrtälje Roddförening	Norrtälje	NRF		A. Svennung	28
17			Oklahoma City High Performance Center	OKA HP Center	OCHPC		K. Bertko	29
18			USRowing Training Center	USRowing Training Ctr	USTC		M. OLeary	28
19			California Rowing Club	California	CRC		I. Penney	38
20			Penn A.C. Rowing Association	Penn AC	PENNAC		E. Jorgensen	24