They've got that 'swing'
DEVIN HEILMAN/Press Lark Hadsell, 16, left, puts her hands on her head after crossing the finish line with Ali Forster, 16, Saturday during the Fernan Frenzy regatta on Fernan Lake. The Hayden teens and their Coeur d’Alene Junior Rowing teammates raced against teams from Washington and Canada. Also pictured (in the other boat): Catherine Mack, 16, of Dalton Gardens, left, and Grace Hamilton, 16, of Hayden.
COEUR d’ALENE — Three boats sped across Fernan Lake, their rowers pushing oars against the water with all their might.
"Time!" assistant coach and crew dad Tom Hamilton yelled as soon as the first boat's nose edged over the finish line.
The slight breeze made navigating shells (race boats for rowing) on the lake somewhat challenging, but Saturday was an otherwise perfect day for a friendly rowing competition.
The Fernan Frenzy junior rowing regatta, hosted by the Coeur d'Alene Rowing Association, featured teams from Coeur d'Alene, Washington and Canada who raced across Fernan in timed heats to show off rowing skills and earn some bragging rights.
“It’s definitely gotten me into better shape than I was," said Coeur d'Alene Junior Rowing member Lark Hadsell, 16, of Hayden. "I was in track, but I would walk up a flight of stairs and be tired. Now I run up stairs. It sounds silly but it’s true. It definitely works out your legs. A lot of people think it’s just the arms, but it’s mostly your legs."
About 30 youths participated in the regatta, which included races for singles, doubles, quads and eights. This was the 12th year for the Fernan Frenzy.
"You have to be thinking about how your technique is. I’m not a super strong rower, but I’m really good with technique,” said team captain Ali Forster, 16, of Hayden, who won the women’s singles race. “That’s my secret for how I beat people in races. They’ll push really hard and tire themselves out but I’ll keep it steady."
The Coeur d'Alene Rowing Association is a nonprofit rowing club that got its start about 30 years ago. It includes a junior program for those age 13-18 and a master's program for older participants.
Hamilton said rowing is a physically demanding sport that requires a teamwork mindset.
"There's a nirvana state in a boat they call 'swing,'" he said. "'Swing' is a condition in a boat where every heart beats the same. That’s nirvana. It happens rarely, but it's when every action in the boat is synchronized and that boat can’t be beat."
While the Coeur d'Alene Junior Rowing team has quite the chops in the water, its members also make a splash on land. Through its Rent-A-Rower fundraising program, the team gets to help local residents with chores and other projects while earning funds for equipment and other expenses. The team recently worked 100 hours to make life a little easier for those in need.
"We had an individual donate $1,000 but asked that our kids go and do community service," Hamilton said. "It's just one of those life lessons, but what a gift to be able to help people."
The Coeur d'Alene Rowing Association also teaches "learn to row" classes for juniors and masters (19 and older).
"I love rowing. It’s just an amazing sport and I think more people should be doing it,” Ali said. "It’s a good way of working out and having fun with friends."
Info: www.cdarowing.org
Regatta Results
Junior Women’s Quads — Coeur d’Alene Junior Rowing, coxed by Nicole Bridge, 4 minutes, 35 seconds
Junior Men’s Quads — Coeur d’Alene Junior Rowing, coxed by Grace Hamilton, 3:59
Men’s Eight — Coeur d’Alene Junior Rowing, coxed by Dalton Cone, 3:48
Women’s Eight — Coeur d’Alene Junior Rowing, coxed by Nicole Bridge, 3:55
Women’s Doubles — Rocky’s Rowing, Cranbrook, British Columbia, 4:25
Men’s Doubles — Coeur d’Alene Junior Rowing, 3:49
Women’s Singles — Ali Forster, Coeur d’Alene Junior Rowing, 5:01
Men’s Singles — Lucian Thurgood, Coeur d’Alene Junior Rowing, 4:28