THE LESSONS OF 200 YEARS mum effort with a hyperkinetic pulse is the equivalent of trying to lift dead weight. A crisp catch with a forceful draw, followed by a strong pullthrough seems to make a better case for efficiency, but I ain’t no scien- tist.”8755 Zenon Babraj, University of Southern California, 2000s: “Maintain the pressure until you send the boat. You can’t break the water, and you can’t interrupt the accelera- tion, or the send is lost.8756 The international techniques that arose in Europe, the United States and elsewhere during the mid-20th Century were also based on the middle ground. Eric Craies, New Zealand, 1950s-60s: “The aim is [pulling] through on a horizon- tal plane faster and finishing fastest as the blade is released. The carry should not only retain the grip on the [water] block but press faster and faster and faster as the blade ac- celerates, making pace all the way. On no account is the work in the water cut short or hurried to enable the extraction of the blade. Each carry is completed as if it is the last stroke of the race.”8757 Karl Adam, Ratzeburger Ruderclub, 1950s-60s: “Power at the catch should be great, but not so great that more power can’t be added. It is important to avoid power peaks in the stroke or in the power curve. The object is to increase the area beneath the curve, and power peaks have the effect of decreasing this area.”8758 Allen Rosenberg, Vesper Boat Club, 1960s: “The intent is to reach peak effort quickly and then keep pressure on the blade to maintain boatspeed.”8759 8755 Shealy, personal conversation, 2005 8756 Babraj, USRA Clinic, Chula Vista, CA, Sept 11-2, 2004 8757 Eric Craies, Some Notes on Blade Work, team handout, January 1, 1950, p. 3 8758 Ratzeburg Clinic, p. 4 8759 Rosenberg, personal correspondence, 1989 8760 Körner, qtd. by Klavora, Rowing 3, pp. 31-2 8761 Roaf & Klavora, Rowing 2, p. 14 8762 Redgrave, p. 66 8763 Interview with Martin McElroy, www.irow.com Theo Körner, DHfK, 1978: “[The ideal oarsman] begins the stroke with a steadily increasing boat speed which builds during the central phase until the finish when it shows a very strong increase. This profile represents the optimal utilization of force through the central phase and results in con- tinuously increasing boat speed during the drive.”8760 Alan Roaf & Peter Klavora, 1970s, describing GDR crews: “What impresses one most is how hard the oarsmen are pull- ing with their back and arms. One can al- most feel how intensely they are giving the boat that final push that will send it so far between strokes. “A photograph confirms that the speed of the East German boats is produced as much by their phenomenal arm-pull as by their perfectly coordinated leg and body work. Their kind of arm work imparts that final acceleration that moves the boat just those few inches further each stroke of the race.”8761 Steve Redgrave, Leander Club, 1990s: “The acceleration of the leg drive carves a hole in the water behind the spoon, and de- velops a mound of water in front of the spoon. As long as the acceleration of the blade is maintained to the finish, this hole and mound will remain. The neater the hole, the more efficient the work output.”8762 The success of the 2000 Olympic Champion British Men’s Eight was based on the middle ground. Martin McElroy: “The power must come on in a sustainable fashion. [my emphasis]”8763 The success of the 2002, 2003, 2007 and 2008 World and Olympic Champion Canadian Men’s Eights is based on the 2465