Rowing finds itself in the Caribbean

Over the past year, the national federation was able to identify a training location, receive donations of boats and ergs and begin to set up a training programme.

Support to make rowing happen got going when FISA asked Canada if they would be willing to help develop the sport of rowing in the Caribbean. Responding to this request, Rowing Canada’s Executive Director Donna Atkinson and High Performance Director Peter Cookson named Canadian coach Michelle Darvill to act as a FISA expert in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Kris Grudt of the FISA Umpires Commission and US Rowing had already made an initial site visit in the spring of 2014.

Canadian boat builder Hudson Boatworks also became involved, donating a fleet of seven boats (six singles and one double/pair) to the young federation. Further equipment was donated by Rowing Canada Aviron (four sets of Concept 2 sculling oars) and FISA (two indoor rowing machines). The current level of equipment allows two athletes to train on the ergs and four in boats.

Last December, Darvill and Stephen Ross from Hudson Boatworks travelled to St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) for a four-day training camp. The federation had recruited 14 athletes, aged between 17 and 25, to participate in the ergometer and rowing sessions. All were new to the sport of rowing.

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The first row on the water with new boats at St. Vincent and Grenadines. ©FISA

The camp’s aim, Darvill explains, was to introduce rowing and rigging fundamentals as well as provide safety education. “By the end of the camp most felt comfortable in the single and all could row assisted in the double,” she says.

The majority of the rowing sessions focused on technique (balance, basic hand skills and movement). “Most athletes had good coordination and an athletic build,” says Darvill. The first of the two ergometer sessions included video feedback. Athletes also completed a short training workout to test their power and endurance as well as establish an initial ranking that they could benchmark themselves against.

Ross provided instruction on working parts of the boat, simple rigging, maintenance and minimal repair work. Attention to washing boats with freshwater was also given, as this is an essential routine to ensure equipment longevity especially when rowing in sea water.

The federation’s shorter and longer-term plans are to select a few athletes to train towards and compete in some small regattas in Canada this summer, says Darvill. Early January the SVG Rowing Association held the first ever National Indoor Rowing Championships and hope that by next year they will qualify athletes for the Crash B Championships.

The immediate focus is to develop the athletes as well as the coaches. On-going discussion and education via e-mail as well as the sharing of video analysis is aiding in the process.

Developing coastal rowing in conjunction with the Olympic rowing programme is also seen as a means to enable athletes to train on both sides of the island in all conditions as coastal boats do provide a more stable platform for beginner rowers.

From here fundraising will be necessary to support athletes and keep the national federation viable and there is every intention to keep the sport moving forward.