Welcome to the first email in Michael Toon's Advanced Racing Tips for Aspiring Coxswains email series. The series was written by Michael Toon for Coxmate Electronics.
Today we have Part 1 of Before Boating in which Michael explains what you should be doing on race day and how to prepare for the race. Over to you Michael...
On Race Day
In this series of discussions I hope to outline my approach to racing, both in terms of practical considerations and a broader philosophy behind coxing on these occasions, starting with arriving at the Regatta.
The end goal for competitive coxing, like most team endeavours, is to impact positively on the outcome of your race. This starts from the minute you arrive and is a useful thought to consider during all your activities at a regatta venue.
This positive impact will manifest itself in one of two ways. Either something you say or do, an active initiative on your behalf, can prove a decisive factor in the outcome. More commonly however, the inconspicuous and unheralded performance of your tasks meticulously can allow your crew to row to their potential and succeed in a way that may have been inhibited but for your presence.
Thinking about this latter point and consistently facilitating your crew’s finest abilities is vital to long-term success as an elite coxswain.
I often tell other coxes, and I learnt this from my own failed attempts to impose myself in situations, that you should think of yourself as the roadie at a band performance and let the rowers be the rock stars, even though you are the one with the microphone. Far from being an unsung hero, your consistent attention to more mundane tasks and pride in details will, in the long run, be recognized for the indispensable role it plays and in no small way earn you the most vital of all coxing attributes, respect and authority.
Preparation
Your preparation actually begins the night before, especially with the common occurrence of early starts on a Saturday in the dark drive to far away courses. Check your bag, that your coxmate is on charge (I charge it IN the bag so I don’t grab the bag and leave the coxmate) and you have your racing uniform, hat, tools, wet weather gear, and a change of clothes. Lastly, set 2 alarms, away from the bedside.
Always try to arrive at a Regatta venue first, or better yet, arrange a lift with your coach so you can’t be late and can have some uninterrupted time to discuss the race. Make your first task to ensure that the boat and other equipment has arrived safely and that a plan is in place to rig and ready the ship. The next thing I do is to take a walk around the judge’s tower and see if the regatta is on time (or expected to start on time) and to check the conditions. Check the traffic pattern, especially in unfamiliar venues. A glance down the course and a check of any flags will alert you early to any prevailing winds that may influence your approach and preparation for the day. Adjusting the inboard on the oars to suit the conditions is better done before the early warm-up row as you are putting the boat on the water to race. I usually say Hi to the judges at the tower and ask them nicely if there are any concerns or delays for the day. Apart from the information you may receive they may recognize you later as a sensible, polite and diligent coxswain that deserves a break in the event of a ruling they have to make against your crew in unforeseen circumstances…
Report back to the coach at this stage and advise them of the conditions and check the plan for the day. Rounding up the athletes is next and reiterating with them the plan from the coach.
That's all for today folks. Same time, same place (your inbox) tomorrow for Part 2 of Before Boating.
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