April 8, 2005

Throughout the season, members of the UNC rowing team will provide TarHeelBlue.com readers with an inside look at the Carolina program and the experience of being a varsity athlete at UNC. This installment, the 15th of the 2004-05 school year, is by Adriann Spinks, a sophomore from Francisco, N.C.

What a great time to be in Chapel Hill! The weather has been incredible these last few days, Roy Williams and the men's basketball team brought home a little old thing known as the NCAA Championship, and every afternoon we have been hard at work rowing on University Lake. Sometimes, probably more so when the weather is nice, it just hits you while you are out on the water, a rush, an exciting calm, all at once an awe-filled recognition of just how amazing it is to be a rower. It can only last a few seconds, enough time to take in a deep breath, feel the boat glide through the water, and then it is back to the intensity, focusing on the back in front of you, and training for more and more speed.

This past Friday we scrimmaged and found great competition against Williams College, which took third place at the 2004 NCAA Division III Rowing Championships. They were on the way home from their spring break training in Myrtle Beach and stopped by for some 1,000-meter race pieces. Fears of thunderstorms turned to overcast skies, with a light drizzle at times but made for flat water. A nice crowd of family and friends gathered on the dock and shore, some with posters in hand, to cheer us on. Thanks to all that came out to support us.

The great thing about multiple race pieces is the ability to learn and work off of the previous one. The V8 raced better from piece to piece as we tried slight variations on our start sequence and continued to finish each piece with strong, solid offensive moves against Williams' first boat. At one point, between pieces Williams' coach provided strong motivation by reminding his crews that they would be headed home to harsh conditions and frozen water. Ironically, his strong suggestions that they make the most of the racing opportunity motivated more than just his own team. Carolina came out on top, taking first in all three race pieces albeit by very small margins.

Friday's competition was a solid step in the right direction. This weekend we will compete on our home 2K race course at the Carolina Invitational on Lake Wheeler. We are prepared to show our speed in both morning and early afternoon races against Cincinnati, Delaware, Eastern Michigan, Navy, Saint Joseph's and Southern Methodist. Hope to see and hear you there.

From Five Seat,

Adriann Spinks