THE ERA OF POLARIZATION “Instead of constant racing and pressure of being ranked in a point system, Mr. Parker should have established a greater aerobic base with more emphasis on technique. At no time did he ever identify the style he wanted.”7216 For twenty years, Harry had been known as a coach of few words who selected his crews through relentless intramural competition, especially seat racing, and who seemed to rely on the athletes themselves to resolve issues of technique. Purdy: “Following the winter training session in Tampa, I moved to Long Beach, California to train for the rest of the winter. While there, I made frequent trips to Newport Beach, where I trained with Curtis Fleming. Curtis was a class guy, an accomplished sculler and a great friend. Out of everyone in the Olympic Quad that later beat us in the Trials, I was happiest for him.”7217 Charlie Altekruse: “I felt like I was a pretty good quad sculler but not as comfortable in a single. After Harry had challenged me to take my training more seriously,7218 I was determined to become a top-tier sculler, and I also wanted an adventure worthy of postponing my education and career. So, after our team trip to Tampa, I went to Switzerland from roughly mid-January to mid-April. planned to return in time to acclimate for the U.S. Singles Trials. “I trained amidst the steam boats on the big lake at Luzern and on Lago di Lugano in the Ticino (Italian) part of Switzerland. I trained mostly by myself, though sometimes with the Swiss national sculler, who I consistently beat, and a few times a week with Fredy Bachmann. 7216 Dietz, memorandum to Men’s Olympic Rowing Committee, September, 1984 7217 Purdy, op. cit. 7218 See Chapter 140. “Fredy is perhaps one of the greatest rowers ever. A natural lightweight at 5’11” [180cm] and 154lb. [70kg], Fredy rowed heavyweights his whole life. “After barely losing the 1972 Swiss Olympic Singles Trials to European and World Doubles Champion Melch Bürgin,7219 Fredy was relegated to the sculling spare position. During training in St. Moritz before the Games, Fredy consistently beat Melch in pieces. Just before the Munich Games, the stroke of the Swiss Straight-Pair was hit by a car and couldn’t row. Someone suggested the bow rower move to stroke and Fredy jump into the bow seat. Fredy says from the beginning the boat flew – mostly because of his incredible technique, honed from years in sculling boats (as is the European way). A week or two later, they won the Silver Medal very unexpectedly. “Fredy Bachman rows like Joe I Bouscaren. He glides in the boat and does nothing to check its forward movement. Huge emphasis on getting hands and back extended quickly on the recovery and leaving the seat behind. Also, emphasis on preparing for the catch, blades arching for the water and placed in before the catch. The catch is a gradual pickup rather than a hard attack, like they do in eights [Schubschlag instead of Kernschlag]. “I trained about twelve times a week, including a very little bit of land workouts. For the twelve weeks, I averaged over 100 miles [160 km] a week, which works out to almost 16 miles [23 km] a day. “A typical morning workout for Fredy and me would be to row a 5-mile piece, either from the small town of Agnuzzo to the little statue in Morcote on Lago di Lugano or from the city center in Luzern to Küssnacht on the Vierwaldstättersee, at full power at about 28-30. Thirty minutes right 7219 See Chapter 87. 2015
