Update Spring05
Update Spring05
WHY WE ROW
We receive countless testimonials from our customers telling us why they row. Some write long, thoughtful letters
and others, just a few sentences. In either case, the letters always amaze, inspire, humor or humble us. At this year’s
C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints World Indoor Rowing Championships in Boston we decided to ask several of the competitors to
tell us, in as few words as possible, why they row. Here is just a small sampling of the reasons why people row day after
day. To read the complete “Why Do You Row?” collection visit [Link] then ask yourself “Why do I row?”
Tracey Brown
Midlothian, Scotland
Q: Why do you row? A: “Because I can.”
Q: What does rowing mean to you? A: “It means that I’m just like everyone else.”
Q: What do you get out of rowing? A: “Freedom, and a sense of achievement.”
Tracey Brown has Friedreich’s Ataxia which limits her mobility. Since taking up rowing in 2002, Tracey has
rowed both a full marathon (42,195 meters) and half marathon (21,097 meters). She successfully rowed
1 million meters in 8 weeks and 2 days! She and her husband Wullie are frequent competitors at indoor
rowing races in Europe.
Diane Cotting
Newton, MA
Q: Why do you row? A: “It saved my life.”
Q: What does rowing mean to you?
A: “I am a breast cancer survivor and rowing with
my team brought me through and beyond cancer.
Q: What do you get out of rowing? A: “The pride of being part of a team.
A thrill during a race. Satisfaction during hard practice.
And serenity as the sun is rising in the morning.”
Q: How long do you row?
A: “90 minutes three times a week on the water.”
Diane Cotting is a cancer survivor, a Boston-based Masters
rower and film producer. Her non-profit organization,
Cotting Connection, provides resources to cancer survivors.
Diane produced the rowing film, “One in Nine.”
Saiya Remmler-Sudduth
Lexington, MA
Q: Why do you row? A: “Role Model.”
Q: What does rowing mean to you? A: “Freedom, fun, challenge.”
Q: What do you get out of rowing? A: “Enjoyment.”
The mother of two girls, Dr. Saiya Remmler-Sudduth rowed for the U.S. National Team at the World
Championships in 1992 and 1993, winning a silver medal in the Lightweight Women’s Double Scull in 1992.
A psychiatrist specializing in child psychiatry, she rows for the Cambridge Boat Club in Cambridge, MA.
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Paul Hendershott
Elkhart, IN
Q: Why do you row? A: “Physical fitness.”
Q: What does rowing mean to you? A: “It has given me some opportunities
for travel that I could not have imagined would ever happen.”
Q: What do you get out of rowing? A: “Keep my weight under control.
Sense of well-being and good physical fitness. Sense of
accomplishment from the competition.”
Paul Hendershott is the current world record holder for 2000 meters in the 60-64 Heavy-
weight Men’s event. He has competed in England, France and Holland as a member of the
U.S. Indoor Rowing Team, winning a gold medal at each event.
Geoffrey Knight
Harrogate, England
Q: Why do you row? A: “Competition.”
Q: What does rowing mean to you? A: “Friendship, competition, fitness.”
Q: What do you get out of rowing?
A: “The ability to keep doing the things I enjoy doing.”
Geoffrey Knight is a long-time runner from England who turned to rowing to give his knees a
rest. He has won a gold or silver medal at each British Indoor Rowing Championship since 1992.
At this year’s C.R.A.S.H.-B. he set a new world record of 7:13.4 in the men’s 70-74 age group.
Tom Donald
Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Q: Why do you row? A: “Passion.”
Q: What does rowing mean to you? A: “It’s a lifestyle to me.
You perform out of the boat the way you do in the boat.”
Q: What do you get out of rowing? A: “I get a drive to push
myself in every aspect of life.”
18-year-old Tom Donald flew all the way from Australia to compete in the
C.R.A.S.H.-B.s where he rowed a 6:27.5.
For more stories and photos, visit [Link]. Photos by David Foster Photography
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[Link]
Over 4000 people successfully completed this year’s Holiday Challenge by rowing either 100,000 meters or 200,000
meters between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This number of participants is up about 14% from last year! Men
continue to outnumber women 3 to 1. Attention women! Next year, get a friend to do the challenge with you. Let’s
see if we can promote gender equality!
The statistics are interesting but correspondence from participants tells the real story. Here are excerpts from two of
our favorites. For the complete version of their stories visit [Link].
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LOOKING AHEAD
TO SUMMER
JOY TO THE ERG
By Elizabeth Burke
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[Link]
*STRETCHING
Emphasize stretches for the following areas: hamstrings, calves, Achilles tendons and shoulders. For suggested stretches you can download
our Training Guide at [Link] or ask for a free copy by e-mailing us at rowing@[Link].
**DESCRIPTION OF EXERCISES:
Ab curls: Lie on floor with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Curl your upper body off the floor. Feel the work in your abdomen.
Superman lift: Lie on your stomach and outstretch your arms to the sides. Arch your back to lift your outstretched arms and legs slightly
off the floor—as if you were flying like Superman! Hold briefly, relax, repeat.
Ab bicycles: Lie on your back. Keep both legs off the floor and alternately bring your left knee to your right elbow, and then your right
knee to your left elbow.
Squat: Simply ease yourself down into a squatting position with feet comfortably spaced. Try to keep your heels flat on the floor.
Hold this position for a while. Gently rock front to back if you wish.
Arm circles: Outstretch your arms and swing them gently and slowly in big circles, almost as if you were swimming. First forward,
alternating arms, then backwards.
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NEW ONLINE TRAINING PM3 SOFTWARE
PARTNER SYSTEM DESIGN CONTEST
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[Link]
By Robert Brody
As every veteran indoor rower knows, there is a big difference between what you
can row at age 50 and what you can row at age 59. How many fifty-something
heavyweight men have been eagerly awaiting the aging of Paul Hendershott?
How many sixty-something heavyweight women will be overjoyed when Barbara
Pike moves to a different age bracket? Well, wait no more you aging boomers! At
the 2005 World Indoor Rowing Championships (a.k.a. The C.R.A.S.H-B. Sprints)
the Veteran categories, age 50 and up, were changed from 10 year divisions to 5
year divisions; i.e. 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, and so on. This necessitated a little fancy
footwork to research all known databases and come up with some new world
record times for these previously uncharted age categories. The full list of world
record times can be viewed at the C2 web site at [Link]. The coveted hammer and medals.
Roy Brook of the U.K. and Dennis Hastings of the U.S. battling it out. Dick Dreissigacker and John Van Blom congratulate each other
after their race.
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Notable record-setting achievements rowed this past race season
Luanne Mills U.S.A. 65-69 Lightweight Women 2000 meter time: 8:00.0
Barbara Pike U.S.A. 60-64 Heavyweight Women 2000 meter time: 7:44.6
Sarah Keel U.S.A. 70-74 Lightweight Women 2000 meter time: 8:52.9
Mavis Sturbridge U.K. 75-79 Lightweight Women 2000 meter time: 9:21.7
Graham Watt NZ 50-54 Lightweight Men 2000 meter time: 6:25.8
Andy Ripley U.K. 55-59 Heavyweight Men 2000 meter time: 6:21.3 Luanne Mills, 3-time U.S.I.R.T.
member, accepts her gold medal.
Geoffrey Knight U.K. 70-74 Lightweight Men 2000 meter time: 7:13.4
For those of you who are thinking about next year, we will have a total of sixteen
new age/weight/gender categories under which you can qualify for a free trip to
the C.R.A.S.H.-B.s in Boston in February, 2006. It doesn’t get much better than
that! So, keep up your cross training this summer and hop back on that erg in
the fall. You’ll never know until you try!
All photos taken by Suzanne Hudson at the 2005 C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints World Indoor Geoffrey Knight accepting the gold
Rowing Championships, Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center, Boston, MA. medal for his world record time of
7:13.4 in the men’s 70-74 age group.
Olympian and former U.S.I.R.T. member The big screen at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center. Stephen Rounds on the medals podium.
Michelle Guerette.
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[Link]
Since 1991, Concept2’s Row Together program has been offered to elementary and middle schools in the U.S. and
Canada. This program was created as a way to introduce young children to the fun and fitness benefits of rowing.
Here’s how it works: Concept2 loans selected schools up to two Indoor Rowers for the course of the school year in
exchange for simple student testing. The twice-per-year testing involves recording the number of meters the child
rows in a four-minute period as well as the number of watts produced. These test scores are collected and tabulated
by Dr. Fritz Hagerman of Ohio University to aid in the creation of fitness standards for children. The schools are also
expected to use the Indoor Rowers in creative ways, such as incorporating them into science, math or geography
curriculum.
Since its inception, thousands of students across the U.S. and Canada have taken part in the program. For more
information, or to request a Row Together application, contact Terry Laskey at terryl@[Link].
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DON’T HAVE AN INDOOR ROWER?
THAT’S OK!
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[Link]
ON THE WATER
Oar Innovation at C2: Every Second Counts Rowing on the Water
As with many sports, every second counts in a rowing Indoor rowing has a lot of advantages over on-
race. Olympic medals are won and lost by fractions of water rowing: You can do it any time of day or
a second. As oar designers and manufacturers, we are night, there’s no risk of tipping over, you don’t
constantly looking for ways to help our customers save have to turn your head to see where you’re
precious seconds. Indeed, over the last 15 years, Concept2 going, and you don’t need to live near water.
has been responsible for innovations that have shaved But we’re the first to admit that on-water
multiple seconds off 2000 meter race times for oarsmen rowing is even better. Envision yourself on a
and oarswomen around the world. lake or river in a narrow, streamlined boat that
Our most recent innovations include the following: surges through the water with every stroke
you take.
• ”Fat” SMOOTHIE Vortex Sweep and Scull
Blades: Who would guess As summer approaches we thought you
that a few centimeters of should know about some opportunities for
additional blade width in learning to row on the water:
the right places would be • National Learn to Row Day, June 11, 2005:
so important? Indeed, on- Rowing clubs throughout the U.S. will be
water testing last summer offering free instruction and information
showed that speed could about rowing on the water. Visit [Link]
improve by about 2% with our new “Fat” SMOOTHIES. to find a list of participating clubs.
• Low Inertia (Low-i) Sculls: Overall weight is • Summer Rowing Camps: It could be the
always a consideration in perfect healthy summer vacation for the
rowing. Why carry more load whole family! There are also camps just for
than you have to? Our new women, teenagers or masters rowers. For a list
Low-i scull shafts are made of summer rowing camps, visit [Link].
using both high-strength and high-modulus carbon fiber
resulting in an overall weight of approximately five ounces
less per scull than our standard ultralight construction
shafts. The swing weight is reduced by 18% as compared
with our standard ultralight sculls.
• Adjustable Grip System for Sculls: Adjustable
length oars were first
introduced in 1996. Last
summer we introduced
an improved system of
adjustability for our sweep
oars. This spring we introduced a version for sculls. The
new system is easier to use and eliminates wear and Craftsbury, Vermont. Photo copyright Clemens Reinke.
movement at the shaft/handle connection.
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EMPLOYEE PROFILE 2005 SUMMER
ROWING TOUR
Suzanne Hudson
In July 2004, a group of
By Will Spalding
Concept2 friends and family
rowed a tour boat for ten
Suzanne Hudson joined days down the Connecticut
the staff at Concept2 in River from Vermont to
March 1995 as a member of the Long Island Sound.
the customer service and After writing about our
shipping teams. trip in the fall Update, we
With the introduction of our received many requests
third generation Model C to join our next tour. This
Indoor Rower in the summer summer, we’ve partnered
of 1995 the C2 marketing with WinTech Racing
team was in the throes of (manufacturers of a
producing a huge volume of lightweight efficient tour
documentation for the machine. Suzanne’s sharp boat) and the Masters
eyes (and red pencil) enabled her to assume the Rowing Association and
role of chief proofreader for C2 literature. She has will be back on the river for the “You Can’t Flip a Tour
continued with the marketing team where she now Boat Tour,” July 14 - 17. There will be a nominal fee
spends all of her time. Today, Suzanne manages the to participate which covers the cost of insurance,
production schedule for all marketing materials, gas, lunches and a big barbecue at the end. If you are
working with the C2 engineering, sales, and interested in joining the tour, visit [Link] for
customer service teams, as well as out-of-house more tour information. We hope to see you on the water!
photographers, printers, and magazine publishers
to keep projects on task (including the publication
you are reading at this very moment). NEW C2 T-SHIRT
Suzanne has been a key member of the team at
C2 that has planned the United States Indoor If it’s spring it must be time
Rowing Team’s participation at the British and for a new Concept2 t-shirt!
European Indoor Rowing Championships. As Introducing our latest
team photographer she traveled to Birmingham, lightweight, 100% combed
England in 2002; to Paris in 2003; and in 2004 to cotton T-shirt in a warm,
Amsterdam. goldenrod yellow. It’s not as
bulky as your typical T-shirt
When she is not on the job Suzanne stays busy
so it’s comfortable either
with friends, enjoys traveling, and keeps fit by
tucked in or worn over your
cycling, hiking, kayaking, and x-c sking. She
rowing shorts. The lighter
has participated in several cycling fundraisers
weight makes it perfect for
including a 5-day ride from Montreal to Portland,
a workout or any summertime activity. It’s sized a bit
Maine, to raise money for AIDS vaccine research.
smaller so order up a size if you like a looser fitting
Suzanne and her fiance Dick live in Morrisville.
T-shirt.
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[Link]
» C2 LOGO T-SHIRT
Black 100% Cotton. Unisex Sizes: S-XXL
PN C2TBK
» ROWING SHORTS
Padded seat. 8 1/2” inseam, elastic waist, drawstring.
Made by Regatta Sport. Black
XS(26-28), S(29-30), M(31-33), L(34-36), XL(37-39),
XXL(40-44) » OPTION 2
C2 DryTech® - 83% DryTech™/17% Lycra®. View your heart rate on the PM2 or PM3.
PN DTSHORT Includes POLAR WEARLINK CHEST
C2 Cotton/Lycra - 90% cotton/10% Lycra® BELT TRANSMITTER & CONCEPT2
PN S RECEIVER & CABLE.
To order motivational materials and more accessories for your Indoor Rower including: Caster Wheels, AC adapter, Flexfoot
Retrofit Kit for Models A & B, Indoor Rower Cover, LogCard and Footstraps, contact your Concept2 authorized distributor.
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» CONCEPT2 MODEL D INDOOR ROWER
The Model D features an ergonomically designed handle, a
softer sound and the powerful PM3 Performance Monitor!
Rowing provides superb total-body cardiovascular
conditioning in a smooth impact-free exercise. It promotes
flexibility by putting the major muscle
groups through a wide range of motion.
It is suitable for all ages and levels of
conditioning, from hard-core to rehab.
A great investment, this high-quality
machine is virtually maintenance-free.
PN 1900-US
» CONCEPT2 SLIDE
If you are using the Indoor Rower to train for on-water rowing or you simply
want to feel the sensation of floating on the Rower, the Slide will provide a
great new dimension to your indoor rowing workout. Available as pairs or
singles, one pair is required to float a single Rower. Link two Indoor Rowers
together with a pair and a spare to simulate a “double” for great team
training.
PN 1800 for a pair
PN 1800S for a spare
NOTE: Indoor Rower not included.
» DREISSIGACKER OARS
The oars were our first product back in 1976 when the company was founded. We make both sweeps and sculls of
fiberglass and carbon fiber so they are light in weight but strong and stiff. Our oars are made to customer specifications.
Please call us to place an order or visit our web site for more information. Oars cannot be ordered online.
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The Concept2 Model D Indoor Rower
was chosen as the winner of the
“Most Innovative” category
of Health magazine’s
“Best of Fitness 2005” awards.