THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT Joan’s force curve is Schubschlag, but it is not completely smooth. The initial effort is very strong and the heave of the back reaches a crescendo at mid-drive. Rowing a double with Joan Lind is an unforgettable experience. The rhythm is high and hard. No paddles. No ratio. Strokes come in a flurry, like an egg-beater that never lets up down the course. And what a motor! Montréal Lind: “In the heat I had the East German girl [again!], who the year before had beaten me by fifteen seconds. I knew I was faster than that, but I didn’t think I was faster than her. I was four seconds back in the heat. I really pushed the first 500, but when I saw she was ahead, I don’t think I really went after it. It was one to qualify for the final, so maybe I should have. 1 GDR 2 USA 3 NED 4 FRG 5 NOR 3:36.09 3:40.67 3:49.29 3:50.42 3:59.99 “I can’t remember everyone who was in the repêchage, but I won it pretty easily in a headwind. I rowed pretty hard, but I didn’t kill myself – I wanted to build up my confidence. 1 USA 2 HUN 3 FRA 4 NOR final.”5862 1976 Olympic Final A cross-headwind was blowing hard (3.1 mps, 6.9 mph) from Lane 1 as the 5862 Interview: Joan Lind, op. cit., p. 20 5863 Ibid. 5864 Ibid. 5865 Peter Lippett, Women’s Rowing, The Oarsman, July/August 1976, p. 22 4:03.87 4:10.20 4:14.00 4:26.19 “Then I had two days before the starting judge gave the command, “Partez!” The Soviet Elena Antonova, representing Trud Moskva, and Scheiblich had drawn the protected Lanes 1 and 2. Joan was on the rough side of the course in Lane 6. Again the Lind luck. Ingrid Munneke of Aegir Gronigen, Netherlands, jumped the start and moved out to a half length lead after 30 strokes rowing at 37. At the 250, Scheiblich and Antonova were tied for second, with Lind and the Hungarian, Mariann Ambrus, three feet further back. Lind: “It was a strong headwind, and I was in back for the beginning of the race – I think I was probably fifth until about the 500 when things were getting more spread out.”5863 During the second 250 meters, the leader Munneke remained at 36, while both Scheiblich and Antonova settled to 32 and started moving up. Lind at 36 moved with Scheiblich, but half a length down, as Ambrus faded out of contention. Scheiblich and Antonova soon caught the Dutch leader, but Christine kept going with Joan still keeping pace half a length down. Lind: “The East German girl and I were out ahead. I thought she had about a length then. I really didn’t realize that I was well in contact with her. I was going as hard as I could, but I really wasn’t looking for her that much. It was weird.”5864 Soon the race was between just the two of them. Later Joan said that she was having trouble clearing her blades in the choppy water and had no real awareness of her relative position in the race.5865 1641
