Learnings at youth coaches conference

A large group of over 80 participants from 15 countries attended this year’s World Rowing  Youth Coaches Conference with the theme of rowing equipment taking centre stage for the weekend in Naples, Italy.

The main speakers included former FISA materials commission chair Klaus Filter with a number of presentations by engineers from Italy’s Filippi boat builders as well as Italy’s new women’s head coach Josy Verdonkschot. Verdonkschot, who has formally coached Dutch women’s lightweight Olympic Champions, focused his presentation on how coaches view rowing technology.

Speaking from a rower’s perspective, Italian national team member and Olympian Gabriella Bascelli talked about the need to be at the front of technology, but Bascelli also emphasised the need to let the coach control the use of the technology.

Filippi representatives demonstrated how new computer software could create theoretically faster boats but said it then comes back to a compromise between the theory and a boat that is easily rowable. Filter noted that he had already struck this problem back in the 1960s. The new software is also able to facilitate the boat design in terms of stiffness and durability.

Youth commission member Axel Mueller concluded, “A new boat or innovation needs a period of time for adaptation and it depends on the technical ability of the crew if it can take the best out of a new design. Not every boat works for every crew.”

Mueller said the discussion on repairing boats and oars did not demonstrate any big changes in method but Mueller noted the importance of using the correct materials to avoid bigger damage or potential for the repairs to fail. “Most coaches can do urgent repairs, but for any bigger damage, it is recommended that the boat is returned to the boat builder to be repaired by the specialists who know how it’s made and designed,” said Mueller.

Italian team doctor Jon Cory attracted the most questions from the audience. Cory’s discussion on brain training amongst the Italian rowing team stimulated the many questions.

This year’s youth conference is the fourteenth time it has been held and plans are under way for choosing the 2010 venue.

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