KMRC @ 2005 World Masters Games

July 22-25, 2005

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

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The World Masters Games opens Friday, July 22nd, in Edmonton, Alberta Province, Canada. Over 23,000 masters athletes (age 27 and older) have registered to compete in more than 25 different sports. The Kent Mitchell Rowing Club from the San Francisco Bay Area is competing in its third consecutive World Masters regatta. KMRC has entered its 23 member competitors (ranging from age 27 to 68) in 23 men's rowing events over the 4 days of competition beginning Friday morning, July 22nd, and ending Monday evening, July 25th.

Today's report is below.

Day 4 - KMRC Preview

Day 4 Previews

B4X

KMRC starts the last day of its WMG competition with the quadruple sculls in the 36+ age category, with the same boat that won in the younger 27+ category on Friday. This should be a gold medal boat.

E8+

KMRC then continues its last day of competition on Monday morning in the E8+ (eights with coxswain, average age 55+) which it won in the World Masters Games in Melbourne 3 years ago. This will be a hotly contested event with two heats, top four in each heat to the afternoon final. KMRC boat will include Mike Still, Craig Webster, Greg Springer, Larry Hough, Skip Spiering, Dick Lyon, Dick Draeger and Tony Johnson.

C4-

KMRC's UK contingent from the Crabtree Boat Club, which won the C4+ for 43+ age group normally would be favored to win the gold in this event also. However, as second KMRC C4- entry will challenge them, as will 12 other crews.

B2-

Mike Still and Craig Webster will take KMRC into pair oared events, trying to win the 36+ age category in the coxless pairs, against 10 other boats.

F2-

Larry Hough and Tony Johnson, World Champions in the coxless pair in 1967 and 1969 and Olympic silver medalists in that event in the 1968 Mexico Olympics, will attempt to bring the gold home for KMRC in this 60+ age group coxless pairs event.

A8+

A strong young contingent of UK and US rowers with KMRC will take on several crews in the 27+ eight oared finals to round out the regular Monday program.

When the regular program ends, those races that were blown out by wind conditions on Saturday will be completed.

Those involving KMRC crews include the B4+, coxed fours for 36+ age group (KMRC has two such crews entered), and the C8+, coxed eights for 43+ age group, so there are a total of 8 more events before KMRC finishes its 4 days of WMG competition tomorrow night.

KMRC - Day 4 Results

Course Photos

Click on photos for larger images

Boat storage area

View towards the start line

Boat launching area

Thunderstorms send rowers fleeing for shelter during brief suspension of racing.

Italian team members KMRC crews raced often.

Our qualifying heats all went well this morning with all KMRC boats moving on to this afternoon's finals. We did scratch the B4+ to keep our people fresh for the C8+. We are gearing up for a strong finish this afternoon and tonight, I hope.

Monday Night Update: Day 4 Results

B4X (Quadruple Sculls, Average age 36+)

Left to right: Kieran Clifford, Brian Jamison, Tim Young, Jason Gailes.

This was a blow out start of the quad finals which put KMRC's boat in control of the race by the end of the first minute of this 3:07 race. The crew to beat was Kiwis from Christchurch, New Zealand, which placed second. This was the second gold medal for this quad crew.

E8+ (Eights with coxswain, Average age 55+)

Left to right: Greg Springer, Mike Still, Skip Spiering, Dick Lyon, Andy Kerr,Dick Draeger...missing.

The final in this E8+ event (eights with coxswain, average age 55+) quickly became a 3 boat race between Occoquan Boat Club as the leader, Mosman of Australia in a close second, and KMRC in third, about a third length behind Mosman with 500 meters to go. At that point KMRC took a 15-stroke push and pulled within 8 feet of tying Mosman, with just 250 meters to go. KMRC then went to its closing sprint, overtook Mosman with 100 meters to go, and won the silver medal behind Occoquan.

F2- (Pair without Coxswain, Average age 60+)

Left to right: Tony Johnson, Larry Hough, 2 time World Champions and Olympic silver medalists.

This KMRC pair of Larry Hough and Tony Johnson went off the line against 7 other pairs, leading the field for the first 30 strokes of this 110-stroke race. At that point the field recovered and moved steadily through to the finish line, which Australia reached first for the gold, and the KMRC crew finished fourth.

B4+ (Fours with Coxswain, Average age 36+)

This crew of Sean Gorvy, Neil West, Matt Parish and James Baker, with cox Andrew Probert, led the Russians and Marin Rowing Association for the first third of the race, but lost the lead to both who placed first and second, resulting in the bronze medal for the KMRC crew, rowing under their UK Club, Crabtree Rowing Club.

C4- (Four without coxswain, average age 43+)

With Russian gold medalists. Far left James Baker, far right Matt Parish and Sean Gorvy from UK

Good start for the US crew, even with the Russians and the New Zealand Kiwis, who eventually placed first and second, with the KMRC (qua Crabtree Rowing Club) winning its second bronze medal of the day.

A8+ (Eights with coxswain, average age 27+)

Left to right: James Baker, Tim Young, Brian Jamison, Kent Mitchell (cox), Mike McGinty, Jason Gailes, Matt McKnight and Kieran Clifford.

This was a three boat race between the local crew from Canada led by Andrew Hoskins, a member of Canada's Olympic eight at the recent Olympic Games in Athens. The other crew was the composite crew rowing under the moniker Palm Beach Rowing Club that had beaten the KMRC crew at the San Diego Crew Classic last April. The Canadian crew took off at a furious pace, leading the field from wire to wire, but KMRC held on, and moved quickly ahead of Palm Beach, until with less than 100 meters to go, KMRC was almost 2/3rds of a length ahead of Palm Beach, and only a length and a half down on Canada, which is the way the crews finished. KMRC was awarded the silver medal.

Scratches: In order to preserve themselves for the target events, KMRC scratched one of its entries in the B4+, scratched the B2- (pair oared without coxswain), and scratched its entry in the D4+ (fours with coxswain, average age 50+).

C8+ (Eights with coxswain, average age 43+)

Although KMRC was one of the favorites in this event, it was the last race of the regatta, after several delays and rescheduling due to a prevalence of lightning storms, and probably just one race too many for KMRC after a long four days of racing. KMRC was in third place with a few hundred meters to go, but fell out of contention for the medals in the last 200 meters, finishing officially in 6th place with 4th, 5th and 6th places all within one second.

Closing Summary

KMRC entered and actually raced in 18 events, won 6 gold medals, 6 silver medals and 3 bronze medals, with 2 fourth places and one sixth place.

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