[S3] Ep. 6 - Embracing Chaos: Coastal Rowing in New Orleans

clubscoachingcultureracingtrainingtravel

Mar 18

Written By Rachel Freedman

Rowers participate in NORC's coastal development camp, February 2022.

Hannah and John Huppi, 2021 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals bronze medalists - Mixed4x+

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Ask most any rower about the perfect rowing conditions and they’ll wax poetic about glassy calm water and zero wind, when a blade can quietly drop into the water at the catch, release clean, and the boat glides across the surface undisturbed.

But ask a coastal rower about great conditions and the answer will be completely different. It’ll involve navigating waves, executing turns around buoys, and end with a sprinting dive to the finish line on the beach.

We invited New Orleans Rowing Club to tell us about The Big Easy – a city with a rowing history that stretches back nearly 200 years – and the Club’s vision for the future of coastal rowing in the Gulf South.

GUESTS
John Huppi: NORC President / Director of Juniors
Will Kuckro: Head Coach / Director of Masters
Kate Siemens: Coastal Coach-in-Training / Board

IG:
@johnhuppi
@k8astrofee
@neworleansrowingclub

TIME STAMPS
00:00 - Intro and welcome
02:30 - Rapid Fire
04:22 - Rowing? During Mardi Gras?! Nope.
07:42 - Recruit by looking outside standard flat water pipeline/training/racing
11:40 - How Will and Kate as “coastal outsiders” are contributing to NORC’s success
12:30 - With fewer flat water LTWT opportunities, smaller rowers are finding success in coastal
13:45 - How is coastal different?
16:55 - On-water problem solving, the importance of finesse
21:24 - The thrill of mixed boats and beach sprints
21:24 - That time John was a boat handler for Norwegian Olympians
28:44 - Throw “the perfect stroke” out the window, prepare for chaos
31:30 - What makes a great coastal rowing venue?
34:35 - Hurricane Ida's impact on NORC and training
38:04 - On coaching: helping people overcome challenges
40:39 - Rowers take ownership and redefine rowing training
42:58 - Hosting development camps and planning an endurance race on Lake Pontchartrain
44:38 - In a tourist town, coastal touring could thrive
48:58 - Coastal bucket list locations
52:23 - Turning coastal boats, historic stake racing in NoLa
52:45 - NORC is a “rowing island” in the Gulf South
54:40 - LA2028 Olympics: perfect for building audience engagement, race coverage
58:50 - The year ahead at NORC