CRASH-B's

Rowing is known for quirky traditions and the World Indoor Rowing Championships in the United States, otherwise known as CRASH-B’s, is no exception. Last weekend in Boston at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Centre the sound of sprinters was replaced by the sound of spinning fly-wheels.

This year over 2,300 people from more than 21 countries competed in elite, lightweight and age group categories over the 2,000 metre Olympic rowing distance.

The pace in the age groups continued to be challenged with five new World Records set including, Eskild Ebbesen of Denmark’s World Champion lightweight four. Ebbesen set the standard in the 30 – 39 year lightweight men’s category at 6.06.

Joan Van Blom, USA
© Kirk Bargerhuff

Records also fell in the women’s lightweight 50 – 59 and 60 – 69 year age groups, won by Joan Van Blom and Luanne Mills respectively. Barbara Pike broke the 60 – 69 heavyweight record setting the standard at 7.47 while United States erg king, Paul Hendershott broke the 60 – 69 year age group with a time of 6.23.

The open women’s category attracted the most entries when 350 women competed for the coveted winners hammer. This included a majority of United States collegiate rowers and was won by Yale University rower, Maria Stevens. 

Pavel Shurmei of Belarus won the open men’s category. Shurmei is a member of Belarus’s men’s quad that qualified for the Athens Olympics at last year’s World Championships. This will be his second Olympic Games.

Charles River All Star Has-Beens, or the CRASH-B’s, tradition goes back to a group of United States national team members who trained on Boston’s Charles River in the late-1970’s. They used the competition to break the monotony of winter training.

“It began as a rather tongue-in-cheek approach to winter training,” says CRASH-B coordinator Maura Conron who has noted the rise in non-water rowers that compete.

John Hodgson
© Kirk Bargerhuff

 
The biggest overseas contingent came from Great Britain with more than 80 competitors in a range of age groups traveling to Boston for the event including the competitions’ oldest member, 93 year old John Hodgson. Team Captain, Sir Steve Redgrave said it was the strongest contingent they had sent.

The event was held at Boston’s indoor track and each winner received a genuine engraved carpenter’s hammer. One spectator marveled, “and all these people paid money to take an erg test?!”

For a complete list of results visit: www.crash-b.org