Americans Rowing Overseas—Indoors (NAPSA)—Aninspiration to exercisers everywhere, America’s gold-medal winning indoor rowing team has been on the road again. At the 2003 European Indoor Rowing Championships in Paris, the 12 member U.S. Team took eight gold and three silver medals. For 2004, the Concept2 U.S. Team competed in Amsterdam, Holland. The rowers were selected based on their 2000-metertrial qualifying times and led by U.S. Olympic Rowing Team coach Tom Terhaar. “I am very excited about the opportunity to work with such dedicated athletes,” Terhaar said. “We have many returning champions and some new members who have achieved close to world record times.” Among those whoreturned is Olympic medalist Joan Van Blom, who competed on the 1976, 1980 and 1984 Olympic teams. She won a silver in the single scull in ’76 and a silver in the women’s Quad in ’84. The U.S. contingent competed against some 1,500 athletes representing 20 countries. The athletes raced on Concept2 Indoor Rowers (or ergs) in an individual 2000-meter sprint format based on age, sex and weight. Adds Terhaar: “It looks like a great team andI believe that they will represent our country well.” On the 2004 team: Christopher Pomer 16, Sacramento, CA.; Mike Caviston 438, Ann Arbor, MI.; Robert Meenk 42, Olympia, WA.; Paul Hendershott 61, Elkhart, IN.; Dean Smith 78, Oak Brooks, IL.; Don Alden 85, Carmichael, CA. on the Men’s Team; and Gina Klean 37, Elroy, WI.; Joan Van Blom 52, Long Beach, CA.; Barbara Pike 68, Concord, MA.; Jeannie Watson 60, Weston, MA.; Luanne Mills 65, Seattle, WA.; 4 a. : The U.S. Indoor Rowing Team competedin the European Indoor Championships in Amsterdam. and Sarah Keel 75, Prior Lake, MN., on the Women’s. Indoor rowing, as these and many other athletes have discovered, is really a very natural motion. Most people pick it up quickly. Here are hints to help you do so too: When youfirst get started, don’t pull hard until you are comfortable with the technique. It may feel too easy at first but once you get used to the rowing motion, you will feel moreresistance. Wor kout with a partner. It can make workouts more fun and help you stick to your routine. Stretch before and after your workouts. Warm up for five minutes by rowing easily, with a few 10 to 15 stroke spurts of harder rowing. Keep a training calendar, spreadsheet or logbook. You can get one online from Concept2, the company that makes the machines. Record every meter so you can join the Million Meter Club when you get that far. The U.S. Indoor Rowing Team competed in the European Indoor Championships in Amsterdam on December 18, 2004. You can learn more online at www.concept2.com.
