The roar of 80 rowing machines

They come from around the world to do it and this year, at the 30th annual CRASH-B’s, over 2000 competitors gave it a go.

Racing categories ranged from age groups – going all the way to 93 year old Paul Randall and down to a 14 year old junior – to adaptive events to the much anticipated open category.

The open men’s race was dominated by American university rowers. Finishing first was Conlin McCabe, a Canadian currently rowing at the University of Washington. McCabe, 20, finished in a time of 5:48 ahead of fellow Washington rower, Hans Struzyna. McCabe raced last year for Canada in their top boat, the men’s eight while Struzyna was on the US under-23 team.

McCabe completed a hat trick by also being the fastest under 23 and fastest US college athlete at the event. This is the first time at CRASH B’s that one person has made a clean sweep of all three classes.

Estonia’s Kaisa Pajusalu is an erg racing regular and for good reason. Pajusalu won the open women’s section in 6:41 with Russia’s Julia Levina finishing four seconds back in second. Jenny van Dobben de Bruijn of the Netherlands was third.
Pajusalu impressed the large crowd, of about 3000 spectators, by taking a couple of easy strokes at the end of her race then walking away looking remarkably fresh. This was in contrast to a junior rower who prepared for the post-race aftershock to his body by bringing a pillow to fall on when he finished.

Team Denmark took out the first two spots in the lightweight open men’s event. First by three seconds in a time of 6:01.9 was lightweight World Record holder, Henrik Stephansen who beat his Danish teammate Stefen Jensen. Hungary’s Tamas Varga was third.

Denmark was also successful in the lightweight open women’s event. Sarah Jurgensen finished in 7:11 with American Hillary Saeger taking second. Julia Ost of Germany was third.

Entered in the men’s masters 30 – 39 age group race was 1997 World Champion in the single, Jamie Koven (USA). Koven last raced internationally in 2001 and, at 37 years old, Koven has decided to make a US team comeback for another shot at the Olympics. Koven is currently training with the national team and at CRASH B’s he finished first in his age group. Koven’s time was 5:57. Brazil’s Leandro Tozzo was second with Jens Raab of Germany third.

The adaptive events had double the number of participants from their inaugural year in 2010. This year 68 competitors raced in events ranging from visually impaired to arms and shoulders only to intellectually disabled. World Rowing’s February Athlete of the Month, Josiane Lima of Brazil raced in the trunk and arms category winning the 1000m race in a time of 3:53.

In a generational twist, the Sleigh family had a daughter, father and grandfather three generation entry. Claire raced as a junior woman, father Stephen in the 55 – 59 age group and grandfather Robert competed in the lightweight veteran men’s 75 – 79 age group.