The World Junior Championships
Alex Partridge rowed at bow in the Great Britain 2+ with stroke Rudy Baxter-Warman (St Paul‘s) and cox Adam Moffat (Chester). The event was won by Agentina (7.16.7). Germany was second (7.19.3) and Great Britain third (7.20.1). There were 13 entries.
It‘s the culmination of one of the longest weeks of my entire life. The last day of the final trials for the GB Junior Squad. I‘ve been waiting for an hour at the 500m mark at the National Water Sports Centre. These are thoughts passing through my mind. All I want is to be part of some GB crew. It doesn‘t matter whether I‘m in the Worlds squad or the Coupe? Yet I‘ve been given a chance to go to the World Championships. Two time trials in the fastest eights I‘ve ever rowed in. What combinations all they going to take? How am I going to cope if I don‘t go to Austria? Alex, you know to get into the Coupe was your highest expectation. No, I want to go to the Worlds now. They can‘t just take it away now that I‘ve had it within my grasp.•
The coaches meeting is over. Now they‘ve come to their decision. We are all called into the conference room. I've talked to no-one, and can feel my heart pounding in nervousness. I look over and catch Jamie‘s eye - he‘s the same - we say nothing.
He begins. Ten minutes of softening us up for the blow. The World Championships is the highest level of competition in the rowing world. To make it you have to be blah, blah.• Who cares - just tell us the crews. The Coupe is great competition and experience, etc., etc.• By this time I can‘t wait - I don‘t care. On that note the crews for the Junior World Championships are, Coxed Pair, Partridge, Baxter-Warmen, cox Moffat, Coach Grainger........• This is how I found out I‘ve made the Junior World Championship team. A feeling of elation and excitement I had never felt before, and I had no idea of what I was about to embark upon.
Training Camp Chester, and we‘re into the first day of the second week. It‘s getting slightly easier to cope with now. It‘s 6:50 in the morning, and it‘s supposed to be my summer holiday! Check heart rate before moving out of bed, 48. I‘ve got to go to be weighed, by our coach. Oh dear - two kilos lighter. Must drink more water. A quick breakfast and making of the mid morning baps, then down to the boat club for our first bit of the tempo work. Two back to back time trial 2000m pieces, in a coxed pair. I keep thinking it‘s going well, but Rudy constantly reminds us of how much stronger and better the Germans and Romanians are. After the pieces a quick break to eat our baps, and then back on the water for another short 8km outing. Lunch consisting of a high carbohydrate slop or pasta, and a barrage of Donald Leggett‘s incredibly rude jokes. After lunch a couple hours sleep and then another 12km outing. This was routine - only six days to go.
It is unbelievable, I‘m crammed in a lift trying to get to my room on the eleventh floor and all I can see is the backs of these enormous 6' 8" Russians. I‘m so glad we are on the top floor, otherwise I‘ll never get out of here. This place is like a dream come true. Not only have we made the final but, I‘m living in a hotel where rowing is the only interest. Hundreds of competitors from almost every nation. It is a sight, and an experience that I will never forget.
I am in more pain than I have ever experienced in my entire life. It is all over, after all the training and the waiting we‘re done. Where have we come? Who cares? I do, I want a medal. Adam‘s mumbling something about we might have silver. I could have sworn that we missed out on bronze. The last five hundred is all a blur. One second we‘re in last place, the next Rudy and I are going like some sort of crazed Barbarians attached to oars. Where are the Argies? How did they go so fast? This is the most pain I have ever felt. Feet are in the water, I can‘t move. We have to carry on warming down. What was that? Great Britain third.• We did it. This is unbelievable. I‘m not even supposed to be here, I was only supposed to make the Coupe. Maybe one day it will all soak in, but right now I just want to rest and lose this incredible pain.
Alex Partridge
The World Junior Championships
Alex Partridge rowed at bow in the Great Britain 2+ with stroke Rudy Baxter-Warman (St Paul‘s) and cox Adam Moffat (Chester). The event was won by Agentina (7.16.7). Germany was second (7.19.3) and Great Britain third (7.20.1). There were 13 entries.
It‘s the culmination of one of the longest weeks of my entire life. The last day of the final trials for the GB Junior Squad. I‘ve been waiting for an hour at the 500m mark at the National Water Sports Centre. These are thoughts passing through my mind. All I want is to be part of some GB crew. It doesn‘t matter whether I‘m in the Worlds squad or the Coupe? Yet I‘ve been given a chance to go to the World Championships. Two time trials in the fastest eights I‘ve ever rowed in. What combinations all they going to take? How am I going to cope if I don‘t go to Austria? Alex, you know to get into the Coupe was your highest expectation. No, I want to go to the Worlds now. They can‘t just take it away now that I‘ve had it within my grasp.•
The coaches meeting is over. Now they‘ve come to their decision. We are all called into the conference room. I've talked to no-one, and can feel my heart pounding in nervousness. I look over and catch Jamie‘s eye - he‘s the same - we say nothing.
He begins. Ten minutes of softening us up for the blow. The World Championships is the highest level of competition in the rowing world. To make it you have to be blah, blah.• Who cares - just tell us the crews. The Coupe is great competition and experience, etc., etc.• By this time I can‘t wait - I don‘t care. On that note the crews for the Junior World Championships are, Coxed Pair, Partridge, Baxter-Warmen, cox Moffat, Coach Grainger........• This is how I found out I‘ve made the Junior World Championship team. A feeling of elation and excitement I had never felt before, and I had no idea of what I was about to embark upon.
Training Camp Chester, and we‘re into the first day of the second week. It‘s getting slightly easier to cope with now. It‘s 6:50 in the morning, and it‘s supposed to be my summer holiday! Check heart rate before moving out of bed, 48. I‘ve got to go to be weighed, by our coach. Oh dear - two kilos lighter. Must drink more water. A quick breakfast and making of the mid morning baps, then down to the boat club for our first bit of the tempo work. Two back to back time trial 2000m pieces, in a coxed pair. I keep thinking it‘s going well, but Rudy constantly reminds us of how much stronger and better the Germans and Romanians are. After the pieces a quick break to eat our baps, and then back on the water for another short 8km outing. Lunch consisting of a high carbohydrate slop or pasta, and a barrage of Donald Leggett‘s incredibly rude jokes. After lunch a couple hours sleep and then another 12km outing. This was routine - only six days to go.
It is unbelievable, I‘m crammed in a lift trying to get to my room on the eleventh floor and all I can see is the backs of these enormous 6' 8" Russians. I‘m so glad we are on the top floor, otherwise I‘ll never get out of here. This place is like a dream come true. Not only have we made the final but, I‘m living in a hotel where rowing is the only interest. Hundreds of competitors from almost every nation. It is a sight, and an experience that I will never forget.
I am in more pain than I have ever experienced in my entire life. It is all over, after all the training and the waiting we‘re done. Where have we come? Who cares? I do, I want a medal. Adam‘s mumbling something about we might have silver. I could have sworn that we missed out on bronze. The last five hundred is all a blur. One second we‘re in last place, the next Rudy and I are going like some sort of crazed Barbarians attached to oars. Where are the Argies? How did they go so fast? This is the most pain I have ever felt. Feet are in the water, I can‘t move. We have to carry on warming down. What was that? Great Britain third.• We did it. This is unbelievable. I‘m not even supposed to be here, I was only supposed to make the Coupe. Maybe one day it will all soak in, but right now I just want to rest and lose this incredible pain.
Alex Partridge