Friday racing

If you've been following the race tracker and listening to the broadcast online you already know most of what there is to know. The commentators are excellent and have a keen eye for rowing and racing. The conditions today were much better. A bit of a tailwind early, but periods of really good water.

Overall I think the team is doing a great job. The kids are focused, the coaches are on their game. No drama, no issues. Very professional. We're definitely still putting some of the pieces together with some of the crews, but progress is being made.

The boys' coxed four had a good, strong piece. They made some nice adjustments and they went after it aggressively. They didn't have the juice to break through into the A final, but Coach Houston was proud of their race. If they continue to charge at it they should have a great race in their final.

The girls' pair hasn't had their best piece yet- there are elements that still haven't come together. That's exciting because they still managed to grab a spot in the A final. When they line those ducks up in a row- watch out.

The boys' pair wasn't first off the line, but they were first at the finish, and watching their transformation from "are we gonna?" to "yeah we are!" over the second 500m was inspiring. They found their groove- loving the tailwind- and stomped on it. Got some momentum going now...

The boys' double gave it a good shot, but found the closing meters too tough to handle. I didn't get a chance to talk to the guys, but I'm sure they are looking ahead to the racing and the challenge that Croatia, Ukraine and Norway will present. Their final will be a big test and could be very satisfying if they are able to get their best strokes in.

What a great race in the boys' quad! Nail biter to the end. The Poles were trying to crank these enormous long strokes while the US just sat up and attacked with with the quick legs. A great, great job by the guys. Outstanding racing under extreme pressure.
They were stoked and so were their coaches. Producing a champion performance right when you need to is very satisfying.

I didn't get to talk to Sophie, but I think that Ryan's row was a little flat. That's disappointing, but when you see some of these scullers you realize how deep this field is. Its great to see countries like Zimbabwe and Azerbaijan fielding these top scullers it is exciting for our sport. At our very best the US can compete at this event. If we're even a bit off on the day it gets pretty hard to make an impression. Hopefully the kids are gearing up for tomorrow and a new shot at it.

The boys in the eight- as I thought- are figuring it out. Two of the three second margin the Germans had at the finish was earned in the first 500m. So the US has found a competitive groove for the body of the race. Now they have one more shot to sharpen up that start. And then all bets are off. Keep sending the good vibes their way!

I think there were some nerves in the boys' straight four today. We were cautioned after a false start and the race was called back. If the crew was even a little tight it will have been very difficult to get an effective rhythm going. The guys are bummed they couldn't do better today, but a top-ten in the World place is still on the line, so hopefully they'll rebound.

Another fantastic piece in the girls' quad. Great, great, great. So cool to see the girls racing successfully against the traditional powerhouses of Germany and Italy. US sculling is coming up, no doubt at all. Can't wait for the final.

Please note: FISA has changed the racing schedule. Now there are some C&D finals tomorrow afternoon. There is a big storm coming on Sunday and it is possible that the A&B finals will be moved earlier in the morning. Keep checking the schedule for updates and changes. And bring an umbrella!

Go USA!