Ursula & Abby lw2x for USA

[iwantmorepies]

That has to be some seriously awkward hotel room arrangements, when they all travel!

[bloomp]

Read the intro to this article. The author seems to be under the impression that Ursula backed out of trials for three events because she wanted to give other people a chance...

http://outsideonline.com/adventure/trav ... 56172.html

Maybe it's because she realized she'd lose? Or there was no way she could race 2-3 events at Karapiro?

[ltwtsculler91]

Read the intro to this article. The author seems to be under the impression that Ursula backed out of trials for three events because she wanted to give other people a chance...

http://outsideonline.com/adventure/trav ... 56172.html

Maybe it's because she realized she'd lose? Or there was no way she could race 2-3 events at Karapiro?

kinda funny but keep in mind she backed out after losing to nichols. its not like she won the finals ten declined the bid. the way its framed is a bit off

[bulldog]

They will pick their current coach, John Parker.

sweet. now he can do for the lightweight women what he did for the lightweight men...

[Stewie Griffin Should Cox]

There were many more moving parts influencing that performanc at trials.

There were plenty of excuses that Ursula, despite opportunities, has decline to present. Frankly, the fact she even sat on the start is a demonstration of he physical ability.

This year she is in a different place. The pressure for performance at the wrong time of year has been removed. No world records on an erg that means nothing. Abby wisely rebuilt her enthusiasm and desire that had been stripped. Let me tell you that post worlds and post and underperformance in the athletes own eyes is a tough place to be.

If they win this week, there is masses more upside to come because of the torque they can produce. But with luck the boat will be tweaked to a high in bled and not fried so they peak in May. I am confident its in a different place.

[The Dude]

There were many more moving parts influencing that performanc at trials.

There were plenty of excuses that Ursula, despite opportunities, has decline to present. Frankly, the fact she even sat on the start is a demonstration of he physical ability.

This year she is in a different place. The pressure for performance at the wrong time of year has been removed. No world records on an erg that means nothing. Abby wisely rebuilt her enthusiasm and desire that had been stripped. Let me tell you that post worlds and post and underperformance in the athletes own eyes is a tough place to be.

If they win this week, there is masses more upside to come because of the torque they can produce. But with luck the boat will be tweaked to a high in bled and not fried so they peak in May. I am confident its in a different place.

I disagree. I mean yes, she is in a different place, but her new coach is no better equipped to prepare her to go fast than her old one. As bulldog said, he can do for light women what he has done for the light men--Nothing.

[SamG]

interesting semi results at NSR 2, with A and U first by a 5 second gap while 3 seconds faster than the other semi. on form they look the goods for the final.

[Stewie Griffin Should Cox]

The key question USA should be asking is, whoever wins, is it really the fastest boat possible. The Trials system does not care about that answer, the worlds result does because the margins between placings are so small.

[Bucky]

The Young and the Restless was fun to watch.
Trying to give a $h!t about this racing group but but more attuned to the athletes making boats go fast in fully fielded events.

[crewu]

There were many more moving parts influencing that performanc at trials.

There were plenty of excuses that Ursula, despite opportunities, has decline to present. Frankly, the fact she even sat on the start is a demonstration of he physical ability.

This year she is in a different place. The pressure for performance at the wrong time of year has been removed. No world records on an erg that means nothing. Abby wisely rebuilt her enthusiasm and desire that had been stripped. Let me tell you that post worlds and post and underperformance in the athletes own eyes is a tough place to be.

If they win this week, there is masses more upside to come because of the torque they can produce. But with luck the boat will be tweaked to a high in bled and not fried so they peak in May. I am confident its in a different place.

I disagree. I mean yes, she is in a different place, but her new coach is no better equipped to prepare her to go fast than her old one. As bulldog said, he can do for light women what he has done for the light men--Nothing.

She is certainly in a different place - she is losing.

[mtngrl]

It should be noted that all 4 of the LW Carlos coached last summer were in the A final today. Instead of bashing him for peaking the 2x at the wrong time last yr (which is, of course, just speculation), perhaps he deserves credit for assisting the development of all these athletes. He did, after all, put that 4x together, coach them for free and get them to worlds!

[ltwtsculler91]

It should be noted that all 4 of the LW Carlos coached last summer were in the A final today. Instead of bashing him for peaking the 2x at the wrong time last yr (which is, of course, just speculation), perhaps he deserves credit for assisting the development of all these athletes. He did, after all, put that 4x together, coach them for free and get them to worlds!

keep in mind nearly all of them would've been in the A-Final anyway and had been without him

[crewu]

It should be noted that all 4 of the LW Carlos coached last summer were in the A final today. Instead of bashing him for peaking the 2x at the wrong time last yr (which is, of course, just speculation), perhaps he deserves credit for assisting the development of all these athletes. He did, after all, put that 4x together, coach them for free and get them to worlds!

Agreed!

Furthermore, let's consider the alternative in our less than perfect world for a moment. In the situation without trials where the USRowing lightweight coach selects the crew we would have had a most ugly circumstance where one oarswoman in particular who did not win today would have no doubt been receiving an unfair advantage. Imagine the lawsuits!

In light of the way NSRs are currently set up - I say make them race in a public forum at a scheduled time and place. I do think there is a better alternative though.

[bulldog]

I doubt Ursula will make the USA lw2X this year. We will likely see her at worlds in either the single or the lw4X. Probably a decent medal chance in either boat.

zzzZZZZZ.

well, after 47 pages, we finally have some significant data to digest. With respect to the hvy women, Ursula was the hottest thing happening in USrowing last year (don't bother arguing, just count the hits) -- An impressive physical specimen who burst on the scene with wins in the hotc, nat'l selection regatta, world cup, and world record on the erg despite being relatively new to the sport. Many, however, thought her talents were being wasted by her quirky coach and the guy was single-handedly blowing a chance for olympic glory. Don't dispute that assertion now. You guys were that specific.... A couple of us were equally vocal about the nat'l team's various failures and that she was better off with the guy who took her so far, so fast.

For our purposes, we got the rare chance for empirical evidence when Ursula left Carlos for a state-of-the training center stocked with every amenity americans whine about never getting and, of course, an official US coaching staff notorious for doing little with their athletes and facilities and a recent DFL in quite possibly the least competitive event -- the lw8.

I take no pleasure in Ursula's defeat. Her story reminds me of what once made America so great - namely, immigrants who came here and, through hard work and talent, kicked a$$ on the world stage in everything from athletics to manufacturing to medical cures to warfare. But as much as it makes some stomachs churn, we should all tip our caps to caustic and especially CrewU. After a season in the USRowing fold, Ursula was exploited by her training center coach who was fired for miring her in personal scandals that likely shatted multiple families. Meanwhile her competition passed her and if Hedstrom/Nichols qualify in the world cup, as the lw2x did so easily last year, ursula will be staying home or racing a non-olympic event at best. This is an indisputable step backward. Maybe she'll somehow go from there to the olympic medal stand in 1 year. but now months removed from Carlos, realisitically it looks further away for her than ever.

Kudos to others but particularly CrewU, who truly held the line on your opinions regarding her extraordinary progress under Carlos versus those who claimed she was just an unparallelled potential underutilized by a madman. How she has been handled in 2011 is truly a new low for the USRowing brass. I've never seen, nor will likely see again, a cleaner, stronger vindication of anyone in forums like this.

[gdoyle]

1. There is NEVER, EVER a reason to tip your hat to caustic. Not one. Ever.

2. What you have written is no more or less bloviating than any other opinion written on this topic. Like so many before, you have not proven causation or correlation for any "fact" or claim. "Sh!t happens" would be a better analysis than what you have put forth.

3. Personal choices are subjective and lack any objective utility for policy purposes or strategy. However, good policy and strategy can provide healthier frameworks for better personal choices.