VOTWs: Sculling Technique with Zac Purchase



This weeks' VOTWs (yes, technically 'VsOTW,' but does anyone really say 'RsBI' in baseball?) come to us courtesy of Zac Purchase, and set the tone for winter training as we look to expand our capillary development at low stroke rates, building a base for the power to come as the weather warms up once again in the spring. The videos exhibit not only the precision with which Purchase (former holder of the world's best time in the LM1x, set in 2006 at Eton-Dorney–Jeremie Azou of France now holds the record from the 2011 U23 world championships of 6:46.93) executes the technique, but also the discipline that it takes to repeat each movement again and again, ingraining the proper muscle memory while expanding his aerobic base.



While there is much to learn from watching Purchase in the above videos, Zac was not in action at GB Rowing Trials over the weekend in Boston, Lincolnshire. There were, however, some very interesting results at the 5k time trial event. In the M2-, Andy Triggs Hodge raced with Alex Partridge (Pete Reed did not race), taking first overall ahead of Moe Sbihi and Alex Gregory, with the young 'pair to watch' Constantine Louloudis and George Nash edging Greg Searle and Cameron Nichol into fourth place. This puts Sbihi and Gregory into serious contention for the M4-, and Louloudis and Nash into the mix for the M8+. In the LM1x, Richard Chambers edged his brother, Peter (who subbed into the LM4- at this year's Lucerne World Cup, where the GB crew took first place), by just under three tenths of a second for first place in a time of 18:20.64, with Rob Wlliams of London RC in third place roughly one second back of first, and defending Olympic and World Champ Mark Hunter fourth in a time of 18:22.94–very close at the top end of British lightweight rowing these days!

For a recap and complete results, please visit the official site of GB Rowing.

Thanks to Theo for sending along the video(s)! Want to suggest the next 'Video of the Week?' Shoot us an email at rowingrelated [at] gmail [dot] com, or send us your suggestion via Twitter (twitter.com/rowingrelated).

-RR

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