Όταν ο προπονητής σας ζητάει να κάνετε κάτι, δοκιμάστε να το κάνετε, δουλέψτε το και εξετάστε το, και μπορείτε να διαπιστώσετε μόνοι σας αν είναι σωστό ή λάθος και να αποφασίσετε αν θα ήταν καλό ή κακό να κάνετε αυτό που σας είπε ο προπονητής.
Ποτέ μην εγκαταλείπετε τις πρωτοβουλίες σας.
Η τέχνη της προπονητικής δεν είναι να μιλάτε σε μεμονωμένα άτομα του πληρώματος- απλώς δώστε στο πλήρωμα κάτι να κάνει ως πλήρωμα. Αυτό το κάτι θα πρέπει πάντα να είναι η παρότρυνση του πληρώματος να προωθήσει το σκάφος πιο γρήγορα. Αυτό μπορεί να το κάνει με πολλούς και διάφορους τρόπους, όπως "να την πετάξει", "να την πετάξει", "να περάσει τις κουτάλες κατευθείαν μέσα", "να επιπλεύσει", "να την αφήσει να τρέξει" κ.λπ. κ.λπ.
Αν ο προπονητής θέλει να διορθώσει κάποιο σφάλμα σε ένα άτομο, ας τον πάρει σε μια "μπανιέρα" και ας εφαρμόσει την αρχή που ο κωπηλάτης παραβιάζει, αλλά ποτέ μην του πει ότι έχει σφάλμα. Η μόνη φορά που ο προπονητής πρέπει να μιλάει στο άτομο είναι όταν το βλέπει να βελτιώνεται. Τότε θα κάνει πολύ καλό στον κωπηλάτη λέγοντάς του ότι κωπηλατεί καλύτερα. Ποτέ μην λέτε σε ένα πλήρωμα ή σε άτομα ότι κωπηλατούν καλύτερα, εκτός αν είναι αλήθεια.
Πιστεύω πολύ στην τηλεπάθεια- η σκέψη του προπονητή θα περάσει στο πλήρωμα. Μπορώ να δω το καλύτερο που μπορεί να πετύχει ένας κωπηλάτης και είναι θαυμάσιο το πώς ανταποκρίνεται και φτάνει σε αυτό το καλύτερο. Πάντα ελπίζω και πιστεύω σε αυτή την καλύτερη προσέγγιση και συμβουλεύω τους προπονητές να διατηρούν αυτή τη σκέψη.
Για άλλη μια φορά λοιπόν, "όλα πρέπει να βγαίνουν από μέσα σας, παιδιά".
DON’T FOLLOW THE COACH SLAVISHLY
When the coach asks you to do something, try and do it, work at it, and examine it, and you can find out for yourself whether it is right or wrong, and make up your mind as to whether it would be good or bad to do what the coach has said. Never surrender your
initiative. The art of coaching is never to talk to individuals in the crew; simply give the crew something to do as a crew. That something should always be urging the crew to propel the boat faster. He can do that in many various ways such as: “spring at her,” “throw her away,” “drive the blades right through,” “float out,” “let her run,” etc., etc. If the coach wants to correct some fault in an individual, let him take him in a tub, and apply the principle that the oarsman is breaking, but never tell him he has a fault. The only time the coach should talk to the individual is when he sees him improving. Then he will do the oarsman a lot of good by telling him he is rowing better. Never tell a crew or individuals that they are rowing better unless it is true. I am a great believer in telepathy; the coach’s thought will pass to the crew. I can see the best an oarsman can come to, and it is wonderful how he responds and comes to that best. I always hope for and believe in that best arriving, and I advise coaches to hold that thought. So once more, “it has all got to come from inside you, laddies.”
Πολλοί νέοι κωπηλάτες, διαβάζοντας τα παραπάνω, θα αναρωτηθούν τι πρέπει να προσέξουν για τον προπονητή. Δεν πρέπει να βγει τίποτα από μέσα του; Ναι, δώστε μια ευκαιρία σε ό,τι λέει ο προπονητής, αλλά μην τον ακολουθείτε δουλικά και μην παραδίδετε την πρωτοβουλία σας σε αυτόν. Ο προπονητής έχει μια πολύ δύσκολη θέση- φυσικά θέλει να βλέπει τον καθένα να κωπηλατεί σαν το τέλειο κουπί, και το δέλεαρ της επιδεικτικής κίνησης είναι ικανό να προσελκύσει την προπόνησή του. Έτσι, μπορεί να μην προτείνει το σωστό για εσάς, ακόμη και αν ήταν για το μέσο κουπί, καθώς οι σωματικές σας αδυναμίες μπορεί να σας εμποδίζουν να κάνετε τις κινήσεις που επιθυμεί.
THE ART OF COACHING
Many young oarsmen, on reading the foregoing, will wonder what notice are they to take of the coach. Isn’t anything to come from inside him? Yes, give everything the coach says a chance, but do not slavishly follow it and resign your initiative to him. The coach has a very hard position; naturally he wants to see everyone row like the perfect oar, and the lure of showy movement is apt to attract his coaching. So he may not be suggesting the right thing for you, even if he were for the average oar, as your physical infirmities may preclude you from making the movements he wishes.
Key to terms: DNA=Data Not Available DNF=Did Not Finish DNS=Did Not Start DSQ=Disqualified
ΜΠΡΑΒΟ ΣΑΣ
Result World Cup World_Rowing_Championships_2009,_Poznan - Race 167: M2- Final A
Rank
Boat
500 m
1000 m
1500 m
Finish
Lane
1
NZL
1:30.46 (1)
3:04.11 (1)
4:40.71 (1)
6:15.93
4
Eric MURRAY, Hamish BOND
2
GBR
1:32.51 (3)
3:07.05 (2)
4:42.11 (2)
6:17.45
3
Peter REED, Andrew TRIGGS HODGE
3
GRE
1:31.08 (2)
3:08.15 (3)
4:45.47 (3)
6:23.01
2
Nikolaos GKOUNTOULAS, Apostolos GKOUNTOULAS
4
FRA
1:32.60 (4)
3:10.15 (4)
4:49.23 (4)
6:24.69
5
Germain CHARDIN, Dorian MORTELETTE
5
USA
1:34.30 (6)
3:12.71 (6)
4:52.77 (5)
6:33.16
6
David BANKS, Charles COLE
6
RSA
1:34.08 (5)
3:11.78 (5)
4:52.85 (6)
6:38.06
1
Shaun KEELING, Ramon DI CLEMENTE
MEN’S PAIR (M2-) – Final
Greece decided if they were going to pull this off they had to do it at the start. Belting out at the beginning, they settled to a 38 stroke rate from a 46 stroke start. Greece’s Nikolaos and Apostolos Gkountoulas have been waiting in the wings, improving their speed and aiming for the top. Today they wanted gold.
This initial burst by Greece did not faze the New Zealanders. Eric Murray and Hamish Bond must have known the pace was unsustainable. The British, Andrew Triggs Hodge and Peter Reed also looked unconcerned. There was still a lot of water to go. With half the race gone, Murray and Bond had moved into the position they know so well, first. Triggs Hodge and Reed had moved into the position that they are getting to know well, second. And with that these two mighty crews went clear away from the rest of the field.
Despite their fast start the Gkountoulas brothers were able to hold their pace and remain in third, with France doing their best to attack. Greece held them off, although only just. Murray and Bond become World Champions for the second time, but first time in the pair. Their outstanding unbeaten season ends with a race just one second outside of the World Best Time set nine years ago by the incredible Pinsent and Cracknell.
Δώστε τον καλύτερό σας εαυτό σε κάθε κουπιά-μια αδιάφορη κουπιά αντανακλάται στο πλήρωμα και κάνει κακό- μια αδιάφορη κουπιά κάνει κακό σε εσάς και το πλήρωμά σας και στον σύλλογο και το κολέγιο σας.
Η ζημιά αδιάφορης, χαλαρης, απρόσεκτης κουπιάς θα αντανακλάται μέσα στους αιώνες, κάνοντας κακό, όπως ακριβώς θα κάνει μια καλή κουπιά, κάνοντας καλό.
Απολαύστε κάθε κουπιά - μόνο με συγκέντρωση και κάνοντας το καλύτερο δυνατό.
NO CARELESS STROKES
Do your best every stroke; a careless stroke reflects through the crew and does harm; a careless stroke does harm to you and your crew and your club and college. The harm of a careless stroke will reflect through the ages, doing harm, just as a good stroke will, doing good. Enjoy every stroke — only done by concentration and doing your best.
Οι υπερβολές είναι αυτό που σκοτώνει την προπόνηση και την κωπηλασία. Και πάλι, το να εργάζεσαι μόνο για ένα σημείο είναι επίσης ικανό να σκοτώσει την κωπηλασία. Γνωρίζω ένα σωματείο που διδάχθηκε να κωπηλατεί με τα χέρια σε ευθεία. Το αποτέλεσμα ήταν ότι οι αρθρώσεις των αγκώνων ήταν κλειδωμένες και υπήρχε απλώς μια ώθηση με τα πόδια, καθώς η διατήρηση των χεριών σε ευθεία γραμμή κατέστρεφε το τράβηγμα. Οι μύες στην πλάτη δεν ήταν
για να μεταφέρουν το χτύπημα στο σπίτι και να κρατήσουν το βάρος κρεμασμένο. Οι περισσότεροι από το σύλλογο μπορούσαν να πετύχουν ένα υπέροχο πιάσιμο, αλλά όχι ένα διαρκές Draw. Ήταν ένα αξιοθρήνητο θέαμα. Μπορούσαν να κωπηλατούν σαράντα πέντε το λεπτό και η βάρκα μόλις και μετά βίας κινούνταν.
Η κύρια διαφορά μεταξύ του στυλ των πληρωμάτων που προπονώ και της παλιάς διδασκαλίας ήταν ότι το γλυστρημα του καρελου των πληρωμάτων μου κινούνταν πολύ πιο γρήγορα στο Πιάσιμο , οι πλάτες τους οδηγούνταν πιο στρογγυλά, τα χέρια τους λύγιζαν ελαστικά και πιο γρήγορα από τα πληρώματα του παλιού στυλ.
Αλλά θα ήταν τρέλα να διδάξουμε "να οδηγούμε το slide γρήγορα", "να στρογγυλεύουμε την πλάτη περισσότερο" ή "να λυγίζουμε τα χέρια πιο γρήγορα". Περιοριστείτε απλώς στο να μαθαίνετε να δουλεύετε το κουπί για να μετακινείτε το σκάφος, και ποτέ μη δαγκώνετε περισσότερα από όσα μπορείτε να μασήσετε.
Η προπόνησή μου συνίσταται στο να δουλεύω γύρω από τα παραπάνω, και γράφω αυτές τις σημειώσεις ως μια σειρά από συζητήσεις που δουλεύουν γύρω από αυτά τα σημεία, ακριβώς όπως συνήθιζα να προπονώ.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
NO EXAGGERATIONS
Exaggerations are what kill coaching and rowing. Again, working for one point only is also apt to kill rowing. I know a club that was taught to row with the arms straight. The result was that the elbow joints were locked, and there was merely a push with the legs, as keeping the arms straight destroyed the Draw. The muscles down the back were not
used to carry the stroke home and keep the weight hanging on. Most of the club could get a splendid catch but no sustained Draw. It was a pitiful sight. They could row forty-five a minute, and the boat barely moved. The main difference between the style of crews that I coach and the old teaching was that my crews’ slides moved very much faster at the Catch, their backs were driven out rounder, their arms bent elastically, and quicker than the old style crews. But it would be madness to teach “drive the slide fast;” “round the back more;” or “bend the arms quicker.” Keep merely to learning to work the oar to move the boat, and never bite off more than you can chew.
My coaching consists of working round the foregoing, and I am writing these notes as a series of chats working round these points, just as I used to coach.
Αυτό είναι το θεμέλιο της προπόνησής μου. Ο προπονητής έχει μια δύσκολη θέση να καλύψει, και το δέλεαρ των επιδεικτικών κινήσεων με μορφή σώματος είναι πολύ πιθανό να τον προσελκύσει. Είναι λανθασμένες αν και επιδεικτικές. Όσο καλύτερα κωπηλατεί ένας κωπηλάτης, τόσο λιγότερο θα φαίνονται οι κινήσεις του σώματος. Η όλη ιστορία είναι ότι ένας κωπηλάτης είναι μια μηχανή για την προώθηση ενός σκάφους. Η ικανότητά του ως προωθητή διέπεται από την καλή φυσική κατάσταση των μυών του κωπηλάτη, συν την ικανότητά του να κάνει σωστά τις στροφές προς και από την κουτάλα και γενικά να δουλεύει σωστά το κουπί του. Εκτός από τις στροφές της κουτάλας, οι οποίες είναι κινήσεις ταχυδακτυλουργίας, ο κωπηλάτης πρέπει να μάθει ότι η λαβή του κουπιού κινείται στο τόξο ενός κύκλου- και επίσης το ξενέρωμα και η μεταφορά της προς τα εμπρός, με τη λεπίδα ισορροπημένη ψηλά, με το κουπί σταθερά στο βραχιόλι του σκαρμου, και η κινηση της κουτάλας στο νερό είναι στρογγυλές κινήσεις. Αυτό το ονομάζω "στροφή του μαγκλίσματος της μητέρας" [Στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες, ένα "wringer", δύο κύλινδροι που κινούνται με χειροκίνητη μανιβέλα και χρησιμοποιούνται για το στύψιμο του νερού από τα βρεγμένα ρούχα. - Π.Μ.]. Η κίνηση είναι σαν να περιστρέφεται ένας τροχός με μια λαβή. Έτσι, μάθετε όλες αυτές τις στρογγυλεμένες κινήσεις και στη συνέχεια πολλές και μεγάλες σκληρές κωπηλατικές κινήσεις είναι η αρχή και το τέλος της κωπηλασίας. Αποκτήστε τις στρογγυλεμένες κινήσεις του "γυρίσματος της μαγκούρας της μητέρας" για το χτύπημα της λεπίδας πάνω και κάτω από την ισορροπία στα άκρα του τραβήγματος,και να ταλαντεύει το σώμα και το κουπί εμπρός και πίσω σαν να ταλαντεύεται σε μια πόρτα, αρθρωμένη σε ένα στύλο.
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NECESSITY OF LEARNING
THE ROUNDED MOVEMENT
That is the foundation of my coaching. The coach has a hard position to fill, and the lure of showy body-form movements is very apt to attract him. They are incorrect though showy. The better an oarsman rows, the less will the body movements show. The whole story is that an oarsman is a machine for propelling a boat. His capacity as a propeller is governed by the fitness of his rowing muscles, plus his ability to make the turns on to and off the feather correctly, and generally to work his oar correctly. Besides the turns on to and off the feather, which are sleight-of-hand movements, the oarsman must learn that the handle of the oar moves in the arc of a circle; and also striking the blade into the air at the finish and carrying it forward, blade balanced high, with the oar firmly on the sill of the rowlock, and rowing the blade into the water are rounded movements. I call this “turning mother’s mangle” [In the United States, a “wringer”, two rollers powered by a hand crank used to wring water from wet laundry. – P.M.]. The movement is like turning a wheel with a handle. So learn all these rounded movements and then plenty of long hard rows is the beginning and the end of rowing. Get the rounded movements of “turning mother’s mangle” for striking the blade on to and from the balance at the ends of the stroke,and swing body and oar forward and back as if swinging on a door, hinged to a post.
Ο ΥΠΟΚΕΙΜΕΝΙΚΌΣ ΝΟΥΣ (ΥΠΟΣΥΝΕΙΔΗΤΟ) ΕΛΈΓΧΕΙ ΤΟ ΣΏΜΑ
Όλα τα πληρώματά μου παίρνουν τις ίδιες θέσεις και έχουν τις ίδιες κινήσεις, στο βαθμό που το επιτρέπουν τα σωματικά ελαττώματα, και αυτές οι κινήσεις είναι όλες ίδιες με τις κινήσεις του τελειωμένου κωπηλάτη πρώτης κατηγορίας, αλλά σε πιο ακατέργαστη κατάσταση στην αρχή. Αλλά "έρχονται ". Δεν διδάσκω καμία θέση. Πάντα μου ήταν πολύ αξιοσημείωτο ότι όλοι οι κωπηλάτες πρώτης κατηγορίας εγκατέλειψαν το "κρατήστε το γλίστρημα", "κρατήστε την πλάτη ίσια" κ.λπ. και δούλεψαν στις φυσικές κινήσεις που έχουν τα πληρώματά μου. Την ίδια δράση μπορεί να δει κανείς στον Σερπεντίν στο Χάιντ Παρκ να εκτελείται από αρχάριους σε μια ακόμα πιο χονδροειδή μορφή. Το γεγονός είναι ότι ο Υποκειμενικός Νους [Ο Υποκειμενικός Νους ενεργεί εντελώς ασυνείδητα, και πάντα έλεγχε τις κινήσεις του σώματος όλων. - I.F.] ["Ο άνθρωπος έχει δύο μυαλά: τον Αντικειμενικό Νου (συνειδητό) και τον
Υποκειμενικό Νου (υποσυνείδητο)". Αυτός ήταν ο πρώτος από τους τρεις νόμους των ψυχικών φαινομένων που έθεσε το 1893 ο Thomson Jay Hudson, 1834-1903. - Π.Μ.], και κανένας άλλος εκτός από τον Υποκειμενικό Νου, δεν γνωρίζει πώς να κινεί το σώμα με το καλύτερο δυνατό όφελος, και οι αρχάριοι διαφέρουν από την τελειότητα στην άμεση αναλογία τριών πραγμάτων: πρώτον, την ικανότητά τους να κάνουν σωστά τις στροφές της κουτάλας το κουπιού και γενικά την ικανότητά τους να χειρίζονται σωστά τα κουπιά τους- δεύτερον, την κατάσταση των κωπηλατικών μυών τους- και τρίτον, τα σωματικά τους ελαττώματα.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
THE SUBJECTIVE MIND CONTROLS THE BODY
My crews all come to the same positions and have the same movements as far as physical defects will allow, and these movements are all the same as the movements of the finished first-class oarsman, but in a more crude state at first. But they “come to.” I do not teach any positions. It has always been very noticeable to me that all first-class oarsmen gave up the “hold the slide,” “keep the back straight,” etc., and worked into the natural actions that my crews have. The same action can be seen on the Serpentine in Hyde Park being carried out by beginners in a still cruder form. The fact is that the Subjective Mind [The Subjective Mind acts entirely unconsciously, and has always controlled everyone's body movements. – I.F.] [“Man has two minds: the Objective Mind (conscious) and the
Subjective Mind (subconscious).” This was the first of three laws of psychic phenomena posited in 1893 by Thomson Jay Hudson, 1834-1903. – P.M.], and no one but the Subjective Mind, knows how to move the body to the best advantage, and beginners vary from perfection in the direct ratio of three things: one, their capacity to make the turns on to and off the feather correctly and generally their capacity to handle their oars correctly; two, the condition of their rowing muscles; and three, their physical defects.
Ο επικεφαλής της ομοσπονδίας Ντάινιους Παβιλιόνις είδε έκπληκτος μια φωτογραφία της ρωσικής ομάδας κωπηλασίας στο Facebook.
Εκεί, μια ομάδα Ρώσων αθλητών εργάζεται με τους προπονητές και πολύ πίσω τους βρίσκεται ο Μ. Μασιλιώνης, ντυμένος με την πράσινη φανέλα της λιθουανικής ομάδας.
Η ιστοσελίδα της Ρωσικής Ομοσπονδίας Κωπηλασίας ανακοίνωσε ότι η ομάδα της χώρας τους ξεκινάει καμπ στην Τουρκία, με επικεφαλής τους Giovanni Postiglione και M. Masilionio.
Ο ρόλος του 31χρονου Λιθουανού εξέπληξε τον επικεφαλής της Λιθουανικής Ομοσπονδίας Κωπηλασίας, Dainiai Pavilionis.
"Ήταν ένα δυσάρεστο κλείσιμο του ματιού για μένα", δήλωσε. Πύλη 15 λεπτών.
Πέρασα διακοπές αλλά είδα στην Τουρκία
Ο Μ. Μασιλιώνης άρχισε να εργάζεται ως προπονητής το 2012, όταν αποφάσισε να τερματίσει την καριέρα του στην κωπηλασία.
Ο νεαρός ειδικός συνεργάστηκε με τον G. Postiglione, έναν έμπειρο σύμβουλο από την Ιταλία που προσέλαβε η Λιθουανική Ομοσπονδία Κωπηλασίας.
Το 2016, όταν το λιθουανικό διπλό ανδρών (Mindaugas Griškonis και Saulius Ritteris) κατέκτησε το ασημένιο μετάλλιο στους Ολυμπιακούς Αγώνες και το διπλό γυναικών (Milda Valčiukaitė και Donata Vištartaitė-Karalienė) κατέκτησε το χάλκινο μετάλλιο, ο M. Masilionis ψηφίστηκε ως ο καλύτερος προπονητής της χρονιάς του λιθουανικού αθλητικού αυτοκινήτου.
Μετά τους Ολυμπιακούς Αγώνες στο Ρίο ντε Τζανέιρο, η χρονιά επιτυχιών του νεαρού προπονητή συνεχίστηκε, καθώς το 2017 το διπλό ανδρών τα κέρδισε όλα: χρυσό στο παγκόσμιο και ευρωπαϊκό πρωτάθλημα.
"Όμως πέρυσι οι άνδρες δεν ήταν ικανοποιημένοι από τα αποτελέσματα του παγκόσμιου πρωταθλήματος, όταν ακόμα δούλευαν στον Ποστιλιόνε και τον Μίκολας Μασιλιώνης, και ήθελαν να αλλάξουν προπονητή. Μετά από μακρές συζητήσεις, αποφασίστηκε να οριστεί ο Kęstutis Keblis ως προπονητής του τετραπλού ανδρών", δήλωσε ο Δ. Παυλιώνης.
M. Masilionis συνέχισε να εργάζεται με τους αθλητές των λιθουανικών ομάδων νέων και γυναικών.
Σύμφωνα με τον D. Pavilionis, στις 5 Νοεμβρίου, μετά τη συνάντηση, ο M. Masilionis έγραψε αίτημα για άδεια.
"Συμφωνήσαμε, ειδικά επειδή η μαθήτριά της Milda Valčiukaitė θεραπεύεται μετά από έναν τραυματισμό, η Ieva Adomavičiūtė προπονείται λιγότερο συχνά και η ίδια η Mykolas μεγαλώνει δύο παιδιά", δήλωσε ο D. Pavilionis. - Το ότι βρέθηκε στην Τουρκία και ότι προπονεί τη ρωσική ομάδα μαζί με τον G. Postiglione - εξεπλάγην.
Από αυτό που τον κάλεσα, δεν απάντησε στο τηλέφωνο, δεν επιβεβαίωσε ούτε διέψευσε το γεγονός.
Αλλά γνωρίζω τους Ρώσους προπονητές. Ο προπονητής της ομάδας νέων μου εξήγησε ότι πράγματι εργάζονται εκεί. Η δουλειά του κ. Postiglione με τους Ρώσους δεν ήταν είδηση, διότι ο πρόεδρος της Ρωσικής Ομοσπονδίας Κωπηλασίας μου είπε στο Ευρωπαϊκό Πρωτάθλημα ότι έχουν συμβόλαιο με τον κ. Postiglione.
Το συμβόλαιό μας με τον Giovanni έληξε στις 30 Ιουνίου, δεν παρεμβαίνει σε κανέναν. Αλλά ο Μ. Μασιλιώνης αν προπονήσει τη ρωσική ομάδα ...
Απ' όσο γνωρίζω, υπάρχουν δύο δάσκαλοι της κωπηλασίας εκεί, καμία από τις ομάδες τους στο διπλό ή στο τετράκωπο δεν έχει μπει ακόμα στους Ολυμπιακούς Αγώνες, οπότε η ρωσική τετράκωπος είναι άμεσος ανταγωνιστής της δικής μας τετράκωπου.
Βλέπετε, δεν είναι τζέντλεμαν. Να ξέρεις τα υπέρ, τα κατά, να πας να προπονήσεις τους ανταγωνιστές, δεν είναι ωραίο. "
Νικητής των Ολυμπιακών Αγώνων: "Έχει διαφωνίες με την ομοσπονδία"
15 λεπτά Ο M. Masilionis, με τον οποίο προπονείται στην Τουρκία και η σύζυγός του, μέλος της λιθουανικής ομάδας κωπηλασίας Lina Šaltytė-Masilionė, δεν έχει επικοινωνήσει ακόμη.
Αλλά άλλοι κωπηλάτες, μεταξύ των οποίων και ο M. Valčiukaitė, επικοινωνούν τακτικά με τον προπονητή.
Ο Ολυμπιονίκης του 2016, ο οποίος αναρρώνει από χειρουργική επέμβαση στη σπονδυλική στήλη, δήλωσε ότι συντονίζει την αποκατάσταση σύμφωνα με τις συμβουλές του προπονητή.
"Από ό,τι καταλαβαίνω, έχει δοκιμαστική περίοδο στην Τουρκία. Τον Δεκέμβριο θα πρέπει να πει την τελική του απόφαση", δήλωσε ο M. Valčiukaitė.
Vidmantas Balkūnas / 15min photo / 15min studio - οι παγκόσμιες πρωταθλήτριες κωπηλασίας Milda Valčiukaitė και Ieva Adomavičiūtė.
Vidmantas Balkūnas / 15min photo / 15min studio - παγκόσμιες πρωταθλήτριες κωπηλασίας Milda Valčiukaitė και Ieva Adomavičiūtė.
Είπε ότι θα ήθελε ο Μ. Μασιλιώνης, ο οποίος αντικατέστησε τον Kęstutis Keblis ως προπονητής του διπλού γυναικών μετά τους Ολυμπιακούς Αγώνες της Βραζιλίας, να συνεχίσουν να συνεργάζονται.
"Θέλω πραγματικά ο Μιχάλης να είναι ο προπονητής μου. Αλλά έχει διαφωνίες με την ομοσπονδία, οι συνθήκες εργασίας του δεν είναι ικανοποιητικές. Άρχισε να ψάχνει για άλλες συνθήκες", δήλωσε η Μ. Valčiukaitė.
Ο αθλητισμός είναι σαν τον πόλεμο, υπάρχουν και μυστικά
Ωστόσο, ο πρόεδρος της Λιθουανικής Ομοσπονδίας Κωπηλασίας, D. Pavilionis, δήλωσε ότι, σε κάθε περίπτωση, ο M. Masilionis έπρεπε να αναφέρει τους ελιγμούς του στην ομοσπονδία.
"Μόλις τότε υπέπεσε στην αντίληψή μας. Είναι σύνηθες για τους προπονητές να ανοίγουν τους τετραετείς Ολυμπιακούς κύκλους. Κερδίζεις, δίνεις τα χέρια και συνεχίζεις να εργάζεσαι ή ακολουθείς το δικό σου δρόμο - οι προπονητές είναι ελεύθεροι να επιλέξουν, δεν είναι σκλάβοι, - δήλωσε ο Δ. Παυλιώνης - Για εμάς όμως θα ήταν μεγάλη απώλεια.
Αυτόν τον άνθρωπο τον πήραν από το καράβι, δεν ήταν καν προπονητής. Το 2012-2013 τον εμπιστευτήκαμε πολύ, προσλάβαμε σύμβουλο τον Γ. Ποστιλιόνε, ο Μ. Μασιλιώνης ήταν βοηθός του. Τον θεωρώ προπονητή που μεγάλωσε στην ομοσπονδία.
Τώρα δεν μπορούμε να πάρουμε αποφάσεις γιατί δεν έχουμε πολλές γνώσεις, δεν επικοινωνεί μαζί μας. Οπότε είναι ακόμα δύσκολο να κρίνουμε. Οι απαντήσεις σας θα πρέπει να περιμένουν. Μήπως πήγε στην Τουρκία με τη γυναίκα του και συνάντησε τυχαία μια ρωσική ομάδα που διέδωσε φήμες ότι την προπονεί;
Σαφώς, είναι θέμα συνείδησης σε αυτή την περίπτωση. Έχεις ένα συμβόλαιο, δουλεύεις για εμάς, σε μεγαλώνουμε, υπάρχουν ανατροπές στη ζωή, αλλά μετά έρχεσαι και λες: δεν είναι κατάλληλο, δεν θα δουλέψω άλλο, έχω καλύτερες συνθήκες. Και τώρα θα πάτε διακοπές για να εκπαιδεύσετε τους ανταγωνιστές;
Θα ήταν ιπποτικό αν κάποιος ομολογούσε τι κάνει. "
Στο παρελθόν, η G. Postiglione συνδύαζε το συμβουλευτικό έργο στην εθνική ομάδα της Λιθουανίας με τα επίσημα καθήκοντα του προπονητή της στην ελληνική ομάδα κωπηλασίας. Όμως, σύμφωνα με τον D. Pavilionis, τώρα οι καταστάσεις είναι διαφορετικές.
"Ο Postiglione ήταν ένας ελεύθερος επαγγελματίας που ήταν σύμβουλος και λάβαμε κάποια τιμολόγια από αυτόν. Κάτι άλλο όταν είχε και άλλες αρμοδιότητες ήταν αυτή του προέδρου της Λιθουανικής Ομοσπονδίας Κωπηλασίας. - Δεν μπορείς να είσαι στρατηγός του λιθουανικού στρατού και του ρωσικού στρατού ταυτόχρονα.
Δεν πρόκειται για πόλεμο, αλλά υπάρχει ανταγωνισμός στον αθλητισμό, όπως υπάρχουν ορισμένα μυστικά σε άλλα αθλήματα. Το να πηγαίνεις να δουλέψεις αλλού αποκαλύπτει μυστικά. Αυτό δεν είναι σωστό. "
Αρκετές φορές κατά τη διάρκεια του βιβλίου, ο συγγραφέας έχει εξηγήσει τη σωστή χρήση των
αλλά ίσως είναι καλό να συνοψίσουμε τα λόγια του εδώ. Το βιβλίο είναι γραμμένο με τη μορφή
συνομιλιών όπως αυτές που έχει ο Steve, σχεδόν καθημερινά, με τους πιο άμεσους μαθητές του. Κατά συνέπεια
υπάρχει πολλή σκόπιμη επανάληψη, διότι τα αξιώματα της κωπηλασίας είναι δύσκολο να κατανοηθούν
σε βάθος. Οι συνομιλίες μπορούν να διαβαστούν συνεχώς ή ξεχωριστά, αλλά πρέπει να είναι διεξοδικά
ότι η αφηρημένη ανάγνωσή τους είναι άχρηστη. Έχουν γραφτεί για να διεγείρουν την
αναγνώστη να σκέφτεται και να σκέφτεται πολύ και σκληρά για την κωπηλασία του, και να τον καθοδηγούν στην
εξάσκηση στην μπανιέρα. Είναι γραμμένα με το διασκεδαστικό ύφος του Steve, με αποτέλεσμα να
ο αναγνώστης μπορεί να αισθανθεί αυτό το πνεύμα της αληθινής κωπηλασίας που έχει φέρει την επιτυχία σε τόσους πολλούς από τους
το πνεύμα της σκληρής, αληθινής και ειλικρινούς κωπηλασίας, σε συνδυασμό με την ευφυή
συγκέντρωση και πλούσια απόλαυση. Ο αναγνώστης προτρέπεται να μην το διαβάσει μία φορά ή ίσως
δύο φορές, αλλά να το κρατήσει δίπλα του ως σύντροφο και καθοδηγητή- να μην το θεωρήσει τις απόψεις του για την
στυλ ενός γνωστού κωπηλάτη, αλλά την ειλικρινή προσπάθεια ενός θαυμάσιου δασκάλου να
να προσφέρει απόλαυση και επιτυχία στην κωπηλασία σε όσο το δυνατόν μεγαλύτερο αριθμό ατόμων.
Ο συγγραφέας επέλεξε τις φωτογραφίες που απεικονίζουν τις κινήσεις δύο κωπηλατών
οι οποίοι είναι πολύ σωστοί στη δράση τους. Δείχνουν πώς τα σώματα πρέπει να κινούνται με ευκολία και
ελαστικότητα και χωρίς άκαμπτες ή επιδεικτικές κινήσεις.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
ON THE CORRECT USE OF THESE CHATS
Several times during the course of the book, the author has explained the correct use of
it, but it may be well to summarise his words here. The book is written in the form of
chats such as Steve has, almost daily, with his more immediate pupils. Consequently
there is much purposeful repetition, for the maxims of rowing are difficult to grasp
thoroughly. The Chats can be read continuously or separately, but it must be thoroughly
understood that abstract reading of them is worthless. They are written to stimulate the
reader to thinking and thinking long and hard about his rowing, and to guide him in his
practise in the tub. They are written in Steve’s conversational style, with the result that
the reader can sense that spirit of true rowing which has brought success to so many of
his crews — the spirit of hard, true and honest rowing, coupled with intelligent
concentration and rich enjoyment. The reader is exhorted not to read it once or perhaps
twice but to keep it by him as a companion and mentor; not to consider it the views on
style of a well-known oarsman, but the sincere endeavour of a wonderful teacher to
bring enjoyment and success in rowing to the greatest possible number.
The author has chosen the photographs as illustrating the movements of two oarsmen
who are very correct in their action. They show how bodies should move with ease and
elasticity and with no stiff or showy movements.
ΜΗΝ ΥΠΕΡΒΆΛΛΕΤΕ ΓΙΑ ΝΑ ΚΩΠΗΛΑΤΕΊΤΕ ΜΕΓΑΛΥΤΕΡΗ ΚΟΥΠΙΑ
Οι προπονητές και οι κωπηλάτες έχουν την τάση να προσπαθούν να υπερβάλλουν. Το μήκος είναι το κύριο πράγμα στην κουπιά έτσι, οι προπονητές και οι κωπηλάτες έχουν την τάση να προσπαθούν να την κάνουν μακρύτερη.
Η κωπηλασία είναι μια ατελείωτη αλυσιδωτή κίνηση. Η διάμετρος αυτής της κίνησης ποικίλλει ανάλογα με την ικανότητα και τη φυσική κατάσταση του κωπηλάτη. Την ονομάζω διάμετρο για να τονίσω και ενδεχομένως να υπερτονίσω τη σημασία των κυκλικών κινήσεων. Το μήκος της ατελείωτης αλυσιδωτής κίνησης του κωπηλάτη είναι αυτό που ονομάζω κωπηλασία στο δυνατό του σημείο. Η αληθινή κωπηλασία είναι ο μόνος τρόπος για να μάθει κανείς, και για να το κάνει αυτό ο κωπηλάτης πρέπει να δουλεύει σωστά το κουπί και να κωπηλατεί μόνο στο δυνατό του σημείο. Αυτό είναι το σημείο από το οποίο μπορεί να κωπηλατήσει το κουπί του με ελαστικό τράβηγμα, χωρίς να αισθάνεται βαρύτητα ή προσπάθεια.
Ο Υποκειμενικός Νους του γνωρίζει πού είναι το δυνατό του σημείο, και καθώς κωπηλατεί το κουπί πραγματικά από το δυνατό του σημείο, έτσι το δυνατό του σημείο θα γίνεται μακρύτερο σημείο, ώσπου τελικά το δυνατό του σημείο θα είναι το μακρύτερο σημείο στο οποίο μπορεί να φτάσει.
Η προσπάθεια να κωπηλατήσετε σε ένα μακρύτερο σημείο - που είναι αγαπητό από τους προπονητές και τους κωπηλάτες - σκοτώνει την ατελείωτη αλυσιδωτή κίνηση, σκοτώνει τον ρυθμό ή την αρμονία. Το βάρος πέφτει, η έκρηξη και η ορμή πεθαίνουν, το κουπί σέρνεται με σπασμούς και το τράβηγμα είναι νεκρό και βαρύ.
Γι' αυτό, κωπηλάτη, κωπηλατήστε στο δυνατό σας σημείο, ποτέ μη δαγκώνετε περισσότερα από όσα μπορείτε να μασήσετε, και η κωπηλασία σας θα βελτιωθεί γρήγορα.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
DO NOT EXAGGERATE IN ORDER TO ROW LONGER
Coaches and oarsmen are very apt to try and exaggerate. Length is the main thing in rowing; so coaches and oarsmen are apt to try and get longer. Rowing is an endless chain movement. The diameter of that movement varies according to the oarsman’s proficiency and fitness. I call it diameter to accentuate and possibly exaggerate the importance of the circular movements. The length of the oarsman’s endless chain movement is what I call rowing to his strong point. Rowing true is the only way to learn, and to do this the oarsman must work the oar correctly and only row to his strong point. That is the point from which he can row his blade through with a springing hit, and elastic draw, without feeling any heaviness or effort. His Subjective Mind knows where his strong point is, and as he rows the blade through truly from his strong point, thus his strong point will become a longer point, till at last his strong point will be the longest point to which he can reach. Trying to row to a longer point — beloved by coaches and oarsmen — kills the endless chain movement, kills the rhythm or harmony. The weight comes off; the spring and momentum die; the oar is lugged through in jerks, and the stroke is dead and heavy. So, oarsman, row to your strong point, never bite off more than you can chew, and your rowing will improve quickly.
HTBS editor Göran R Buckhorn continues his review of Chris Dodd’s Thor Nilsen: Rowing’s Global Coach. In this part, Göran writes about Thor Nilsen in Sweden, where he interacted with Thor and came to play a part in the Norwegian’s quest to become the head of the Swedish Rowing Association.
In the 1960s, both Norway and Sweden were small rowing nations. It had been the custom in many countries that it was club crews that represented the country at the European Championships and the Olympics. Consequently, Thor Nilsen met great resistance from the Norwegian clubs when he began preaching that by combining the best rowers from different clubs more medals would be won at international championships.
The rowing association and the clubs in Sweden had the same view as their Norwegian friends. Although twice in the history of Swedish rowing two foreign coaches had neglected to follow this ‘rule’.
The Swedish crew from Roddklubben af 1912 which came second in the coxed inrigger four at the Olympic rowing. The man in the London Rowing Club cap is the coach, James ‘Jack’ Farrell.
For the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, the Swedish Olympic Rowing Committee had hired an Englishman to coach the Swedes. Jack Farrell, of London RC, selected the best oarsmen he could find to row in the coxed inrigger four and the eight. Farrell and the rowers formed a new club for the Olympics, Roddklubben af 1912, to be able to row as a ‘club’. Farrell’s Swedish eight was beaten by New College in the quarterfinal, while the Swedes took a silver medal in the inrigger. After the games, Roddklubben af 1912 was dissolved. Some of the rowers joined Malmö Roddklubb, which had had the best oarsman in the inrigger and the eight. Trained by Farrell, the club took several Swedish Championships and Nordic Championships in the eight in the 1910s. Nordic experts predicted that the Malmö eight would have reached the final in the Grand at Henley had they gone to England. This was never tested due to the outbreak of the First World War.
After the Second World War, the Swedes approached the American boat builder George Pocock at the 1948 Olympic rowing at Henley to ask him if he could recommend a coach for Sweden’s national team. Pocock gave them a name – Gösta ‘Gus’ Eriksen, whose parents came from Åland, a Finnish island in the Baltic Sea that is Swedish speaking. Eriksen had rowed at University of Washington for Al Ulbrickson. Eriksen was one of the boys who tried but never made it to the 1936 ‘Boys in the Boat’ crew. At the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, the Swedes made direct contact with Eriksen, who was in Finland to watch the rowing and visit relatives. He took a break from his coaching job at Syracuse University in 1953 to inspect the rowers in Sweden. ‘[Eriksen] soon realised that Sweden had some good oarsmen but no good crews,’ Chris Dodd writes in Thor Nilsen: Rowing’s Global Coach.
Eriksen solved the problem by picking the best rowers from three clubs: Kungälvs Roddklubb, Strömstads Roddklubb and Trollhättans Roddsällskap to form some brilliant crews. Eriksen came back the following year to continue to train the crews, and in 1955, they founded the new club, RK Three Towns (official club in 1956). The crews from Three Towns took two silver medals in the coxed four and eight at the 1955 European Championships. The eight reached but lost the final in the Grand at Henley in 1956. At the Olympic rowing at Ballarat, the Swedish four took the silver medal; two hours later, the four formed half of the eight who finished in fourth place in the final. Eriksen’s eight was the only European crew in the final.
Despite RK Three Towns and Eriksen’s success, the Swedish rowing establishment was not pleased: combining rowers from different clubs, however successful the crews turned out to be, was not how you did it in Sweden in the 1950s.
Rowing at regattas in Scandinavia at this time, Thor must have come across or at least heard of Eriksen and his Three Towners. At the end of the 1960s, Thor was finally successful at combining crews with rowers from different clubs in Norway.
Already as a junior rower in Sweden in the 1970s, I became aware of Thor. Not that I had anything to do with him then, nor had he with me. He was pointed out to us juniors at regattas in Sweden or Denmark as The Coach. We boys – there were no girls or women at my club when I was a junior – knew that if you were trained by Thor, then you were going somewhere in the rowing world, far beyond the borders of Sweden and Scandinavia. At regattas, we got a glimpse of Thor, together with Alf and Frank and Karppinen (why did we never call him Pertti?) and ‘Hasse’, the Swedish sculling star Hans Svensson, who always came in second if Karppinen was in the same race.
Pertti Karppinen, 1976
It was first in the 1990s I came to interact with Thor, mostly because of my role as co-editor of the Swedish rowing magazine Svensk Rodd, an editorship I shared with my good friend, Per Ekström. In 1993, I resigned as the president of my club to concentrate on my writing for the magazine and for what I hoped would be a time of well-needed rest. It was not to be. I was immediately elected to the election committee of the board of the Swedish Rowing Association together with Per. Of all the positions I had had in the Swedish rowing community throughout the years, this proved to be one of the toughest. It seemed no one wanted to be involved in rowing in Sweden on the highest level.
A suggestion for a new president of the association came from the rowing club in Strömstad, a town close to the Norwegian border where the Nilsens, after a short stint in Switzerland, had settled after moving from Piediluco. With the Nilsens in Strömstad, the town had suddenly become a hub for the international rowing elite. In the streets of Strömstad, you could hear Danish, Norwegian and some funny Swedish dialects spoken, together with English that had a South African or Irish twang to it.
We in the election committee – besides Per and me, Lars-Åke Pejder, a nice fellow who rowed in church boats up in the province of Dalarna (Dalecarlia) – believed that Thor was a splendid name as the association’s new chairman. Hopefully, Thor, with all his global contacts, would push Swedish rowing into the international spotlight and allow the Swedish rowers to play on the same waters as the world’s best.
Many of the clubs in Sweden, however, did not agree.
Sending our suggestion of Thor as the new chairman to the clubs and districts, almost immediately, Lars-Åke, Per and I were named the worst election committee the Swedish Rowing Association had ever had. Nevertheless, we stuck with our candidate.
In December 1994, the Swedish Rowing Association was holding its annual meeting at the newly built Strömstads Gymnaisum, which was a day and boarding secondary school/high school in Strömstad. Thor had been involved in creating a special rowing programme at the school for pupils who were junior rowers. The programme was run by one of Sweden’s best rowers, Fredrik Hultén, a member of the local rowing club. At the meeting, which was poorly attended, Thor was elected chairman of the association for the year of 1995.
Thor had big plans for Swedish rowing, which he expressed in Svensk Rodd. Many of the clubs – most of which had not been at the annual meeting in Strömstad to oppose the election of Thor as chairman – were still unhappy with the Norwegian at the top.
Being 1995, the year before the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Sweden’s best female rower, Maria Brandin, became world champion in the single sculls, the first Swede to take a gold medal at the worlds. Things were looking good for an Olympic medal for Brandin on Lake Lanier. There were also medal hopes for Henrik Nilsson, Fredrik Hultén, Pontus Ek and Johan Flodin, who were competing in the Swedish quad, coached by Thor, and for Mattias Tichy and Anders Christensson in the lightweight double sculls.
Sadly, Brandin ended up fourth in the single sculls final and the quad and double finished sixth in their respective Olympic A-finals.
‘It would have been nice with a medal’ – “Svensk Rodd”, August 1996.
Though having three crews in Olympic finals was the best result Swedish rowing had had for many years, it was a disappointment, also for Thor, who had been elected chairman for a second year. ‘We are pleased, but it would have been nice with a medal,’ Thor told me in an interview for Svensk Rodd.
But it did not end there. Thor, who was at the Olympics, was heavily criticised in the Swedish press for not spending more time with the Swedish rowers at Lake Lanier. He explained that he had been at the Olympic rowing as a representative of FISA to consult and help 18 smaller rowing nations, not as chairman of the Swedish Rowing Association.
Fredrik Ludl, Maria Brandin’s Norwegian coach – and boyfriend – was the loudest of critics. He voiced his opinion in interviews in the Swedish media that Thor should immediately leave as chairman. Of course, Thor ignored Ludl’s demand and said that Ludl was the last person with whom he would discuss a resignation.
It must be explained that the duo Brandin/Ludl had for a very long time been at odds with the entire Rowing Sweden. And when it came to Thor, Ludl whispered very loudly, his countryman had been involved in a robbery when he was a young man. Very few people in the Swedish rowing community believed or cared if that was the case. After all, it was Ludl who spread the rumours.
But, in the end, Fredrik Ludl was proven to be right. Thor did not go for a third year as chairman. Thor realised that ‘the Swedish way was not his way,’ as Chris states in Thor Nilsen. With the Norwegian’s exit, the three members of the election committee for the board of the association made their retreat, and very happily so. Then, what happened next?
The next chairman elected for the year 1997 was a colonel in the Swedish Air Force with no experience in rowing. With Thor’s help, I ended up at the FISA headquarters in Lausanne for a week to help produce the two last issues of FISA Coach, which were later followed by another publication, Chris Dodd’s World Rowing magazine. I spent a fabulous week in Lausanne. A Swedish friend of mine had some months earlier moved to a small village outside Lausanne, and in the late afternoons and evenings, she showed me around town. During a working lunch with Matt Smith who, one year earlier, had been appointed new executive director of FISA after John Boultbee went back to his native Australia, I interviewed him for Svensk Rodd.
My one and a half-page piece appeared in the June issue of the Swedish rowing magazine, sharing space with the sad news that Fredrik Hultén, age 30, had died after his car had collided with a moose. Henrik Nilsson went to study at Oxford University in the autumn of 1997 and became the first Swede to row in the Boat Race, in 1998 and 1999.
Matt Smith interviewed in “Svensk Rodd” – June 1997.
A third member of the Swedish 1996 Olympic quad, Johan Flodin – who will go down in Swedish rowing history as being a member of the first Swedish crew to win at Henley (1992 Queen Mother Challenge Cup) – would make a mark as an eminent coach. Johan came to coach a 16-year-old who had enrolled at Strömstads Gymnasium. Her name was Frida Svensson, and while Johan was her more ‘hands-on coach, […] Thor was always on the side, filling in when Johan was away,’ Chris writes. Their hard work paid off well – Frida won the world title in the single sculls in Karapiro, New Zealand, in 2010. Johan Flodin is now Norway’s national coach and acknowledge in Chris’s book Thor’s influence on his coaching philosophy.
Johan Flodin and Frida Svensson
Maria Brandin was back on the medal podium at the 1997 worlds when she took a bronze medal in the single sculls. A bronze also went to Sweden’s Kristina Knejp in the lightweight single.
Chapter 9 in Thor Nilsen, ”The European Theatre”, shows Thor’s enormous impact on rowing in Europe. Some of the smaller rowing nations, like Greece, Ireland and Norway, still see the ‘Thor effect’ today. Chris writes that even if Thor met a lot of critique in Sweden in the mid-1990s, ‘he opened some eyes and doors during his short sojourn as joint president of the federation and director of its rowing,’ Chris writes. And this is true.
Writing this chapter about Thor in Sweden, Chris was in contact with me, and that is why I am a footnote of a footnote in Thor’s life in Scandinavia. Why did the Norwegian coach – one of the best ones in the world – meet such resistance and, to a degree, failed in his attempt to lift Swedish rowing out of its slumber? In Thor Nilsen, I suggest that Jantelagen (the ‘Law of Jante’) is partly to be blamed. Jantelagen is a mythical law, a cultural norm that can be found in the Scandinavian countries. This code of conduct comes from the fictious town of Jante in the ironic novel A Fugitive Crosses His Tracks (En flyktning krysser sitt spor, 1933) by the Danish-Norwegian author Aksel Sanemose. Jantelagen means not seeing yourself as above anyone else, not feeling special and not bragging about your accomplishments. Sanemose had 10 rules written down in his novel. Although fictional, Jantelagen is still embedded in the Scandinavian culture and life of today. (In November 2018, Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård explained the Law of Jante on American TV in The Late Show with host Stephen Colbert, see here.)
Aksel Sanemose’s 10 rules of Jante – ‘You’re not to think you are….’
It can also be added that my American wife, Mrs B., unrewardingly has tried to beat Jante out of me for more than 20 years.
In “The Universe After Thor”, the last chapter of Chris Dodd’s biography, the subject receives accolades from all the corners of the rowing world. Thor is called the ‘Great God’ and the ‘Coaches’ Coach par excellence’. About the Norwegian, Oswaldo Borchi says: ‘Rowing has two periods, BT and AT. Before Thor, there was nothing. Thor is the Big Teacher.’
Here are some other voices on Thor:
‘He emphasised that all negative work needs to be left out. All in all, rowing at its best is beautiful harmonious and continuous movement.’ – Pertti Kappinen.
‘He took the lead in the development programme and used Piediluco as its centre. Within the council, he was very forceful and didn’t like anyone who would stand up to him, but he was very strong and fair.’ – John Boultbee.
‘Speaking in depth and breadth, he was completely open and generous about sharing his knowledge.’ – Tricia Smith.
‘Whatever he thought, whatever he was or was not interested in, Thor gave help to anyone who asked for it.’ – Penny Chuter.
‘We are where we are because he is one of the chief builders […] The development programme was, is, and will remain a key priority, because it is essential that we develop and grow our community.’ – Jean-Christophe Rolland.
‘Trust is the catalyst that makes the development programme work. You must share everything and pass on what you learn. Thor has a strong compass of teamwork, of giving something back, which he takes to extremes.’ – Sheila Stephens.
Chris wraps up his book about the Norwegian by writing: ‘[Thor] never forgets why he first became involved in rowing and what it was that attracted him. He never forgets how to tell it to the world.’
Thor Nilsen retires from FISA, World Rowing, 2016. Photo: FISA.
Chris Dodd has done it again, written another brilliant tale about rowing, a rower and a coach. Thor Nilsen is well-written and entertaining and fills its purpose of shining light on a man who deserves to be in the spotlight. It can be said that never have so many in the rowing world had so much to thank one man for. However, I would like to tip my rowing cap in two directions: thank you, Thor and Chris!
HTBS editor Göran R Buckhorn dives into Chris Dodd’s latest biography, Thor Nilsen: Rowing’s Global Coach. The book shows that the international rowing community at large has Thor Nilsen to thank for almost everything.
I have admired Chris Dodd’s writing on rowing for many years. I followed his writing about the sport in The Guardian and then his stint at The Independent. For many years, I subscribed to ARA’s magazine Regatta, which was founded by Chris and had him as its editor, and his World Rowing magazine, published by FISA (now called World Rowing). I have read almost all his brilliant books, from the first one, Henley Royal Regatta (1981) to his and Hugh Matheson’s More Power: The Story of Jurgen Grobler, The Most Successful Olympic Coach of All Time published 2018. I’m delighted, to say the least, that Chris has been a regular contributor to HTBS since December 2015.
Chris Dodd. Photo: Tim Koch
In his many books Chris has covered everything in the sport, from ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman rowing, the 1800s and 1900s amateurs and professionals, to the Blues’ Boat Races and the races at Henley Royal. In 2012, Chris published Pieces of Eight: Bob Janousek and his Olympians about the Czech coach Bohumil ‘Bob’ Janoušek, who gave the British rowers a well-needed push towards the medal podium at the world’s rowing arenas in the beginning of the 1970s. Chris, himself, called Pieces of Eight ‘a memoir’, pointing out that the book was not a ‘history’, nor, I would add, a traditional biography on Janoušek. This book about the Czech coach and British rowing’s rise from obscurity is as good as Daniel James Brown’s The Boys in the Boat. You don’t believe me? Buy Pieces of Eight and see for yourself…
The rowing biography More Power by Matheson, who was one of Janoušek’s boys in the boat, and Chris is about Jurgen Grobler and his involvement in the sport: the coaching skills he practiced in East Germany (DDR) and Great Britain, starting out in the latter country at the Pink Palace then moving on to the GB national team.
Chris’s latest book, which was published last autumn, Thor Nilsen: Rowing’s Global Coach, does not disappoint. It is also a rowing biography, but about a man who shared his knowledge and skills as a coach with whichever rower or country was interested in listening to him and taking his words to heart – and there were many. The famous Norwegian Thor Nilsen, 88, is still involved in the sport, now from his apartment overlooking the Oslofjorden. Nilsen’s road and mine crossed in Sweden in the 1990s, but more about that in Part II of this article.
Chris has divided up the 228-page Thor Nilsen in 10 chapters, or as some chapters are called ‘periods’ or ‘theatres’. The saga started in Bærum, west of Oslo, Norway, on 9 May 1945 when 13-year-old Thor Sverre Nilsen together with his countrymen and women woke up to the news that Nazi Germany had surrendered. During the German occupation of Norway, both Thor’s parents, Leif and Karen, coming from working class backgrounds, were involved in producing underground newspapers for the Resistance. Young Thor was the delivery boy.
At age 14, Thor left school and became an apprentice at a print shop in Oslo. He was mad about sports and a year later he started rowing at the local rowing club in Bærum. His first success as an oarsman came during his first season when he became club champion in the inrigger. For the next 25 years, Thor would compete at national and international regattas, including the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, where he and his crew were kicked out in the semi-finals in the coxed four. Six years later, he represented Norway in the coxless four at the European Championships in Poznan.
Thor Nilsen stroking an inrigger four. Photo from “Thor Nilsen: Rowing’s Global Coach”.
In between these regattas in Finland and Poland, Thor’s business and private life took a turn for the worse. He had left the printing trade to start selling German swimming pools for children, which sounded like an honest way to make money. Nonetheless, the director of the company in Norway lacked money for the business, so he suggested to Thor that one way to make easy cash was to rob a post office. This was a tremendously stupid idea, but suddenly Thor found himself, together with his boss, inside the post office in Stabekk, close to Bærum, with an unloaded gun. Of course, the police solved the case right away as the third member of the gang, sitting in the getaway car, had squealed to his brother, who was a member of the local police force.
Needless to say, the big Oslo paper Aftenposten splashed out the news that an Olympic rower was on his way to the clink for two and a half years. Not only was Thor now a robber, he was also accused of being a Soviet spy. It took the authorities six months to understand that the spy allegations were pure fantasy. Thor’s prison sentence was cut down to a year and a half for good behaviour. A fellow prisoner asked Thor to contact his girlfriend. She was beautiful, so soon Thor and the young woman, Anne-Lise, were a couple. This didn’t go down well with the former boyfriend/jailbird, who broke out of prison to set out to get them. He was eventually arrested by the police. Thor and Anne-Lise got married and their daughter Aina was born in 1959. The year after, Thor was working two jobs while also training for the Rome Olympics. He gave up the Olympic dream after he collapsed at a qualifying regatta in Copenhagen.
Have megaphone, will travel – Thor Nilsen during his younger coaching days. Photo from “Thor Nilsen: Rowing’s Global Coach”.
Whilst Thor might have given up going to the Olympics, he didn’t give up rowing. He started to coach both Swedish and Norwegian crews, something he had done already in the mid-1950s. By 1964, his and Anne-Lise’s marriage had broken down and he was living in Gothenburg, Sweden. In 1967, Thor met Ingmarie, a single mother with a 3-year-old boy, Steve. At the end of the 1960s, they all three moved to Strömstad, Sweden, close to the Norwegian border, where Thor continued his coaching.
Thor’s passion for coaching really began to blossom when he came across two talented Norwegian teenage brothers, Frank and Alf Hansen. The Hansens became world champions in the double sculls in 1975 and won the Olympic gold in the boat class the year after. By then, Thor had decided to give up his full-time job and concentrate on coaching rowing for a living.
1976: Frank and Alf Hansen – Olympic gold medallists in the double sculls.
With an Olympic rowing gold as a coach under his belt, Thor soon got offers to coach crews. In 1976, at age 45, he took a leap and landed in Spain where the German ‘Dick’ Pieper and the Cuban Pedro Abreu had set up a rowing centre in Banyoles, 150 km north-east of Barcelona. The rowing training and academic school was run by Thor, Pieper was looking after the equipment and administration, and Abreu was running the school and being the contact person with Federación Española de Remo and providing financial backing.
Lake Banyoles. Photo: Wikipedia.
The centre started to flourish and crews came from all over the world, including Scandinavians and British rowers and coaches. Even the mighty sculling champion Finn Pertti Karppinen showed up to try the water on Lake Banyoles. Thor, who had an exceptional ability to give advice on technique, helped Karppinen to polish his sculling technique. This aided the Finn to take his second Olympic gold medal in the single sculls, at the Moscow Games, and later his third one in Los Angles – a triple sculling Olympic gold was a feat only the great Vyachslav Ivanov had mastered before.
One of the English rowers who came to Thor’s camp was Hugh Matheson – Chris’s later to be co-author of their Grobler book – who not only came with his sculling coach Richard Wait, but also his girlfriend. Bringing his girlfriend came with a special request to Thor – despite his 1.96 metre height, Matheson was not interested in an extra-long bed, but an extra-wide one, Dodd writes.
Banyoles proved to be an ideal spot for rowing. Though, due to its geographical location, in Catalonia, it was a political hot spot at the time. In September 1980, Abreu was kidnapped by members of the Basque nationalist and separatist organisation ETA. He spent 46 days in a tiny cell below a remote farmhouse. The Cuban was released after his family had paid US$2m in ransom. The kidnappers demanded more than money: Abreu was to conduct no further sport activity or social work in Spain. He told Pieper to close the rowing centre and the academy and sell the boats and equipment. Soon thereafter, Abreu and his family moved to Switzerland.
Pieper sold the boats and equipment to the Catalan government for a fraction of what it was worth but managed to keep the centre open. When it became clear that Barcelona was going to host the 1992 Olympic Games, the President of FISA Thomi Keller managed to secure that the Olympic rowing was to be held on Lake Banyoles. There were two official reasons and one unofficial reason why Keller wanted the rowing at Banyoles: the conditions were excellent, and the costs were low – the third reason was that he wanted to have some distance between himself and the IOC’s president, Juan Antonio Samaranch. David Owen unfolds their many disputes in his wonderful biography of the FISA President, Thomi Keller: A Life in Sport(2018).
With the kidnapping of Abreu, Thor and Ingmarie’s ‘Catalonian Period’ ended abruptly. However, in 1981, the Nilsens set course for Italy, when the Italian rowing federation’s President Paulo d’Aloja hired Thor to run Centro Nazionale di Canottaggio on Lago di Piediluco in Umbria, in the central part of Italy. As the new technical director for the rowing centre, Thor set up a laboratory, gym and conference room. Thor was also allowed to use the facilities at Piediluco as a centre for his FISA development programme, which was still in its infancy.
Lago di Piediluco. Photo: Wikipedia.
Thor noticed that the Italian way of coaching was not the way he had coached the Nordic crews or the rowers who came to Banyoles. Many of the Italian coaches seemed to have an attitude from the 1930s: they never cooperated with each other and their rowers had no say. It was obvious that the old guard were ignorant of the new rowing technique and physiology. While Thor managed to change some of the coaches’ mindsets, others stayed as stubborn as before. The Norwegian encouraged curiosity among the younger coaches both in the clubs and at Piediluco.
In Piediluco was a college for talented junior rowers – school in the morning and rowing in the afternoon. The college was run by Gianni Postiglione and his wife Teresa, both of whom Thor had hired. Soon, the students showed good results, as did some lightweights coached by Gianni. At the 1982 World Championships for Juniors, held in Piediluco, all the Postigliones ‘kids’ won medals. The same year, the lightweight four coached by Gianni took a gold medal at the World Championships in Lucerne – the first for an Italian lightweight four.
Thor had a knack of finding the right people for different positions. He invited Beppe De Capua to be the coach for the Italian scullers despite that De Capua, who had been the Italian team manager, had no coaching experience. Thor explained that he was looking for a person with team spirit, knowledge of the sport, a good personality and the potential to be a top coach, which was what De Cupa had, the Norwegian thought. And, as Thor said to De Capua, ‘I’ll be there to help you.’
As in Banyoles, rowers and coaches from around the world found their way to Thor in Piediluco. One was the Pole Kris Korzeniowski, who had coached the U.S. women’s squad since 1977 and was coach at Princeton and ex-coach for Canada’s national team. Thor had met Korzeniowski at the World Championships in 1981 and invited him to work in Italy. When Korzeniowski showed up in Piediluco, Thor gave him the coaching ‘Bible’, Chats on Rowing by Steve Fairbairn, to read. Korzeniowski regarded himself a little as a coaching genius, but he was soon brought down to Earth from what he saw and heard. ‘He thought how lucky the Italians were to be taught the correct way from the beginning,’ Dodd writes.
Thor Nilsen’s Bible. Photo from “Thor Nilsen: Rowing’s Global Coach”.
The rowers who came for a shorter or longer stay were the world’s best: the Hansen brothers; Pertti Karppinen; Steve Redgrave and Chris Baillieu from Britain; Ricardo Ibarra from Argentina; Tricia Smith and Betsy Craig of Canada; and many more. Loads of future coaching stars also stopped by in Piediluco, as did a few up-and-coming FISA bigwigs.
Whilst Thor was soft in his approach towards the rowers, he was very demanding. The days were long and hard, and everyone lived and breathed rowing almost all hours around the clock. His wife Ingmarie, who was running the laboratory, mentions in Thor Nilsen that it was not always fun for her to have her husband as the boss. ‘He treated me with a bit harder hands,’ she says. When Thor was holding a course away from Piediluco, everyone would relax and slack when he was not around. ‘All of us went to dinner in the evenings, […]. Because we were all foreigners even the Italians came from distant Napoli, Milano and Bari, we ended up talking our own language, called Piedilucish. It was a little bit from Norwegian, a little bit from Swedish, from Napoli, Padua, from American, English, Polish…”, Ingmarie says.
Ingmarie and Thor Nilsen with Glocky in Labro, overlooking the lake at Piediluco. Photo from “Thor Nilsen: Rowing’s Global Coach”.
In late 1983, Korzeniowski left Piediluco when he was appointed head coach for the U.S. men’s team for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. ‘But the appointment was not without controversy and bitterness,’ Dodd writes. Many of the American rowers believed that the coaching position should have gone to Harvard’s coach, Harry Parker, and so thought Parker himself. The Harvard coach had geared up a very strong men’s team for the previous Olympics, but they were all denied going to Moscow when President Carter put a ban on the U.S. athletes to travel. A retaliation boycott came from the Kremlin for the 1984 games when the Soviets and Eastern Bloc countries stayed home.
Parker got revenge when he was picked to coach the U.S. women’s eight, which won gold on Lake Casitas.
The chapter about Thor in Piediluco, “The Roman Period”, is where the book really shines, offering us readers plentiful of anecdotes, something we expect in a book by Chris Dodd.
The time in Piediluco was exciting, Ingmarie says, it was the best time in Thor’s life. But happiness can be fleeting. In 1990, Thor and the new incoming Italian president, Gian Antonio Romanini, clashed. For the 1990 World Championships, the Italian federation’s council wanted to change Thor’s selection of rowers and coaches, which up to this point had been up to the Norwegian’s discretion. Thor refused to alter his selection, and he told Ingmarie to pack their bags and get ready to leave Piediluco.
Kris Korzeniowski mentions what an exceptional training centre Piediluco was when it came to the combination of science and practical knowledge. ‘I don’t see anything comparable or close to what Thor Nilsen was able to create in Piediluco right now,’ Korzeniowski says. He would forever be a strong advocate for his Norwegian friend and his coaching.
It was during Thor’s ‘Roman Period’ that FISA realised that the organisation needed a development programme with a universal coaching guide, Be a Coach, which Thor edited with the help of Ted Daigneault and Matt Smith, both from the so-called Piediluco faculty. Material came from different coaches, who had met in Ratzeburg at the rowing academy there. More manuals were published over the next 10 years.
Thomi Keller and his council were aware that FISA needed more national federations to join its ranks to be able to sustain inclusion in the Olympic Games. After Keller’s early death, at age 64, in 1989, the presidency was taken over by Denis Oswald. The International Rowing Federation was very successful in the 1990s to get Asian, African and South American countries to join the organisation by including lightweight classes in the Olympics. This thanks to Matt Smith, who was promoted to development director at FISA. He spent several months travelling around 29 countries to promote rowing in the beginning of his tenure.
Three decades later, only the men’s and women’s lightweight double sculls remain in the Olympic rowing programme. This after FISA dropped the men’s lightweight four to be able to add the women’s heavyweight four. For the 2020/21 Olympic Games, rowing has reached gender equality between men and women with seven boat classes each. During the last year, discussions have taken place to include coastal rowing as an Olympic sport at the 2024 Paris games.
Thor Nilsen’s 85th birthday in Rome; l to r: Ingmarie Nilsen, Matt Smith, Ambra Di Miceli, Teresa Postiglione, Gianni Postiglione and Thor. Photo from “Thor Nilsen: Rowing’s Global Coach”.
As the book title suggests, Thor was ‘global’ in his FISA work dealing with its educational projects and his coaching, which also reached rowers in Asia, South America and Africa, each continent getting its own chapter in Dodd’s splendid book.
In Part II, which will be published tomorrow, Göran will pay special attention to Sweden in the chapter called the “European Theatre” in Chris Dodd’s Thor Nilsen: Rowing Global Coach.
