2009 World Outgames – Day 6
The weather doesn’t look good. In fact it looks dismal. There’s no way we can race in 80 kph (48 mph) winds and the chance of rain is 80%. Wait, the forecast has improved. Now the winds are forecast for 50 kph (30 mph). Ugghh, it’s pouring rain at 10:30h Thursday morning. There goes the race. Wait, the sun is coming out and the wind is less at 12:00h. Okay, we better head down to the boathouse and hear them cancel the race. Walking, biking, riding the train – the sun is out and it actually looks pretty good. There are still strong winds but at least it isn’t raining. This was the 18-hour outlook that preceded the Inrigger 6km Head of the Harbor race.
We all begin to gather for the coaches and coxies meeting at 14:30h at the SAS Roklub in the downtown Copenhagen Harbor. The nearest metro stop is islands brygge . After an extended roll call with stragglers arriving from all points of the city, the race brief is underway. The race organizers seem confident that the races will go off in a timely manner but many of us wonder how they can marshal this armada of large inrigger boats to the starting line on time. Okay, it’s official: a flying start. The course is explained in great detail because there are multiple opportunities to veer off course and end up in a blind channel off of the main harbour. The 6km course is actually a stake boat race in theory, down the course for 3km with a slight dog leg to the left (American cliché for a slight left turn in the course – we had to explain this to our Danish coxie Kirsten), around a buoy and back up the course for another 3km. At least the blowing head winds will be at our tails on the return portion of the race. See the pics at the GLRF flickr page .
In a miraculous dance of large and ungainly trailers, people, ramps, and large boats, we all launch with amazing grace and efficiency. The race is underway and boats are being called to the flying start in rapid succession. Wow, this must be how all of Danish National Rowing Federation runs their regattas! Exactly how do you plan a headrace in an inrigger boat? Some crews hit the high rating engine immediately, which seemed crazy since they were heading into gusting winds. Other boats turned to slow and steady but as the crews behind began to gain ground, up went the rating. With the high free water line, the huge white caps and waves are not such a challenge as the crews’ oars skim across the tops of the waves. Wait, what is the Danish crew doing? They just switched out their crew in mid-race: coxie to port, port to starboard, and starboard to coxie. Now they’re gaining ground and passing boats as if they have an external motor launch. Amazing! In the end, they changed positions 4 or 5 times.
The turn around the buoy in an inrigger boat is not graceful. The boats don’t turn at all and a river turn barely makes a dent in the rotation. In the end, it was a combination of standing on top of the buried oar, power strokes to starboard, and a heavy lean to port in the boat. The Danes must have a trick for the maneuver. On the return trip, boats struggled to regain speed but found it easier to increase the rating with the strong tailwinds pushing the boats along. Suddenly the horns blow and the boats row under the bridge to the recovery area.
Exhausted but satisfied, the crews row another 2km back to the SAS Roklub for the boat recovery but drinks and foods greet the tired rowers. The medals ceremony is hosted outside the Outgames friendship booth on the harbor canal waterfront, very picturesque with the blazing afternoon sun (what rain?). Then it’s off to dinner, drinks at Oscar Cafe (the designated watering hole for all Outgames athletes), and then about half of the rowers have plans for the SML party [read leather].
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