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Eight will go into fourby Martin Gough - BBC Sport (U2505894) 17 June 2007   Jurgen Grobler, the chief coach of the Great Britain men's rowing squad, is fond of springing surprises and you will struggle to find one that has backfired. It's not a strategy I would have predicted from Jurgen but it's a very, very wise move Peter Reed So when he announced his decision to move the crew of his coxless four - double world champions and undefeated in 27 races - into an eight for next weekend's World Cup event in Amsterdam there was some surprise but very little criticism.This is the latest step in Grobler's "coxless six" strategy, keeping selection to the four open to Colin Smith and Matthew Langridge as well as the established quartet of Reed, Andy Hodge, Alex Partridge and Steve Williams. The six gathered on board aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal for a media conference this week, in part to celebrate crew member Peter Reed's promotion to Naval Lieutenant and also to mark the 25th anniversary of the end of the Falklands. And it was difficult to find a dissenting voice among them for Grobler's grand plan. "It's not a strategy I would have predicted from Jurgen but it's a very, very wise move when you look at so many different aspects of it," said Lieutenant Reed, who also admitted he had barely been on a ship since joining the GB squad full time two years ago. The reasoning behind the move, with eyes firmly on Beijing in 2008, goes something like this: Unlike the 2004 move, when Grobler broke up an established four that had its own medal chances to add Pinsent and Cracknell, this move has no knock-on effects. The established eight, which finished fifth in Linz, is unaffected with Marcus Bateman and James Orme brought in from lower down the squad to complete this "super eight". The four other guys bring something to the project - it's good to hear their ideas Steve Williams Williams believes that, as long as they retain their current high form, the established four will be back together (and that will probably happen before the World Championships in Munich in August).But the 2004 gold-medallist is another enthusiast for Grobler's latest move and, while standing on 200m runway of Ark Royal, he told me: "I've been in a four for seven seasons and there is a different way to row an eight. "It's going quicker so you have to be a bit speedier and we need those speed skills to make our four go faster. "It's also nice just to have a bit of a change. When you're working in a team of five - with the coach Jurgen - it's always the same faces, the same voices. "We're trying to develop new ideas but the four other guys bring something to the project - it's good to hear their ideas on how they make a boat move." It will be difficult to gauge whether this experiment has been successful. Linz winners Canada are just one eight who will be keen to give the new boys a hiding in Amsterdam and the regular GB boat could even reap the benefit of their extra time together. Even if things do not go to plan next weekend, there is another year of fine-tuning to be done before Beijing. There, one race - the Olympic final - will show whether the tactics of the previous four years are correct. But Grobler has rarely been wrong in the past. Latest 10 commentsRead members' comments or add your own
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ian540 (U8679548) posted Jun 18, 2007 Is not so much of a supprise for the four, the change will probobly do them good. More of a supprise for the new pair. Doesn't give them much time to settle in competition before the world champs as a pair. Could Grobler be think of an olympic 8?????
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changethelogo (U8686151) posted Jun 18, 2007 The idea about GB rowing picking 'soft events' for an 'easy gold' has its arguments. However, they are seriously flawed! Let's look at the facts:
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TheEarlofCherwell (U1791025) posted Jun 19, 2007 Let us hope Jurgen doesn't mess around with the Womens Quad, although the World No 1 at the moment, after last years World Championship any tnkering with that boat could really affect moral- for the worse!
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U6170180 posted Jun 21, 2007 oxfordblue2002.. Ta for that no I don't know a lot about rowing. I do go on my rather battered waterrower and have used concept 2s in gyms. But know nothing of competitive rowing except when I tried it my seat kept slipping and I could not keep time to save my life - yes it is a hard sport albeit I do long rows rather than 7 minutes of murder.
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TommyTCAFC (U6192459) posted Jun 23, 2007 2 seconds quicker tha the other boat, didn't get to see the race but looks good for the final!
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askhams (U6670950) posted Jun 25, 2007 Well, that was a great result, and an intreresting strtegy. Does anyone think this stratagey would work for a lightweight mens eight, made up of olympic class silver medalists four and double, and gold medalists pair? And, its a shame to break up a good double, but maybe in the long run put the two doublers in the lightweight four to strengthen, remember if the talent is spread to thinly then we get a lot of silvers. posted Jun 25, 2007 China a big worry in many Olympic classes. Suddenly they come out of the woodwork a year before Beijing. Anything suspect there?
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Martin Gough - BBC Sport (U2505894) posted Jun 25, 2007 Don't start, Earl of Cherwell, we've only just calmed that debate down! China are throwing a load of cash at Olympic sports to be sure of impressing on home soil. As GB have found over the last decade, when you invest properly you get results. posted Jun 26, 2007 Martin Comment on this articleMY RELATED LINKSThe BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites |
