THE ERA OF POLARIZATION agonizing third Olympics for him without rowing a single stroke in competition. Tiff told Harry he was quitting the Camp immediately and called Brad Lewis. Tiff was finally ready to try their double. With Brad committed to Paul, Tiff’s second call was to Jim Dietz. Dietz agreed. It was Tuesday night. The Doubles Trials began on Friday morning. Dietz: “Tiff and I had only a few days to get a boat, get it reasonably rigged and get ready for the race. We had to borrow a boat because Harry would not allow us to race in one of the Camp doubles that he controlled. “Sportsmanship!”7333 Wood: “Rowing the double with Jim was a desperate act at that point, for both of us, less than a week before the Trials. Harry was pissed at me for leaving the Camp, but I had nothing to lose.”7334 Really! You couldn’t make stuff like this up. Olympic Doubles Trials Altekruse: “The problem was that we got sent to Europe, and then we came back, and it was sort of a double-jeopardy thing. We didn’t have anything to win and everything to lose. Also, I was suffering from bronchitis and on prescription antibiotics. I was on the mend, but I know I was not 100%.”7335 Seventeen doubles entered the Trials in Princeton. Three heats Friday morning with one to qualify, followed by three repêchages Friday afternoon with one to quality. Final on Sunday. Lewis / Enquist won their heat. Altekruse / Bouscaren and Wood / Dietz also made it through to the final. 7333 Dietz, personal correspondence, 2009 7334 Wood, personal conversation, 2009 7335 Altekruse, personal conversation, 2009 Enquist: “Our speed on the first day back together after the Camp had been just a shadow of what it became right before the Trials. We had had time to heal both physically and mentally from the stress of the Camp, and time to learn how to row together. “The Lewis / Enquist Double that showed up at the starting line of the Trials was nothing like the one that had rowed at the Camp.”7336 The atmosphere was tense as the boats lined up for the final. Lewis: “Charlie Altekruse, in the next lane over, turned to us and said, ‘Good luck, guys.’ “Neither Paul nor I responded in any way.”7337 Their focus was unwavering after weeks of shadow rowing and Mike Livingston’s tape. Halberstam: “Brad Lewis had found the perfect role for himself, the outsider spurned by authorities, the challenger versus the favorite who had been given all the advantages. He was absolutely comfortable, absolutely ready.”7338 Casey Baker and Dan Brisson from New York A.C. led early with Lewis and Enquist a solid second. Brad and Paul made their move at 750 gone, overtook the leaders at the 1,000 and never looked back. Dietz and Wood moved into second with a final sprint, but they were well over a length of open water behind the winners. 1 Lewis/Enquist 2 Wood/Dietz 3 Baker/Brisson 4 Bouscaren/Altekruse 5 Ruane/Van Dusen 6 Spousta/Meyers 6:35.50 6:41.13 6:43.00 6:43.10 6:52.28 7:07.74 7336 Enquist, personal correspondence, 2009 7337 Lewis, op. cit., p. 122 7338 Halberstam, p. 187 2045
