olympic gold medal rowing

"Faintly as tolls the evening chime, Our voices keep tune and our oars keep time." -- Thomas Moore

coxswain, scull, shell, gunnel, catch point, sweep, gimp seat, regatta, dragon boat, backstay...these are all common words to rowers, but to me, it was just a bunch of men in spandex and long, skinny boats.

until i watched them race. i've never seen anything like it. they all move at exactly the same time, like a beating heart, flying through the water. and a tiny girl in front screaming at them to keep time and work harder.

i'm in love.
and i could totally do that (the sitting and screaming part).
and tyler looks good in spandex, too.

he is on the university of toronto team, and they placed six out of ten eight-man-boat novice university teams. and they had never been in a boat together before today. i can seriously smell that olympic gold medal...

good form, ty. all these five am mornings are paying off.
love,
me

his rowing mates.

his boat.

his team.

"shoulders, ready, down!" she shouts for the boys to put the boat in the water.

they're right under the "4" sign.

tyler is "seat seven". but second from the cox (the title for the screaming girl facing the wrong direction...). and he apparently sets the pace for the right side (or starboard side...).