Around 3:30 and paddled up the course in the afternoon sunlight. The course is beautiful, a wide, green gently flowing river, very well-marked with strings of white and red buoys running down te middle of the river on turns and some straights. Approaching the three bridges on the course, there are shore markers giant floating pontoons with pictures indicating which arches are safe to race through. 5.5k out is the stake turn. This race has an awesome quirk- stake turns are when you need to spin around a buoy in as little time as possible and race back 180 degrees in the other direction. I practiced checking the boat down on one side and cranking it around on the other, then blast off in the other direction, about 4 times until it felt natural, and paddled back downstream towards the dock right by the start/finish line.
Post-row (everything in the boat was fine, it's no Fluid but I think I can go very fast in it) I walked across the river and back to our hotel, just as it started getting dark and chilly. It was relaxing to eat the arugula, tomatoes, Sicilian cheese and salame, after having a handful of Cheerios to my name during a day of being on my feet rigging.
Some enjoy rigging, but I enjoy the less technical aspects of the sport. Rigging I find tedious. Highlight of my day was being on the river, taking 10s and 20s just figuring out how to move my boat. Looking forward to racing here, and to seeing my friend in Berlin next week!
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