We Need Your Financial Support

Friends, Family and Awesome Supporters,

The women's lightweight quad is an non-funded world championship boat. That means we pay US Rowing $3700 each (that's 4 rowers and a coach = $18,500 total!) and this does not include airfare. As elite rowers, we are already on a limited budget because we all have cut back on paid work hours in order to train and be competitive. Please help us out by contributing to the 2011 LW4x.

Both of these sites are safe and secure and all monies contributed are divided equally among the boat members:

1. The site is for smaller donations where you don't mind paying a service fee and want to be recognized for your contribution :

http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/stevedani/fisaworldrowingchampionshipsbledslovenia?fge=ask

2. The National Rowing Foundation Site also accepts boat contributions and is suggested for those who do not wish to pay the service fee or are contributing a larger amount: Please be sure to use the drop down menu - select "other" and indicate 2011 LW 4x in the boat class line.

https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=natrowing&id=1

You will receive a confirmation email from NRF (check to make sure it is for the correct year and boat class)

The 2011 Lightweight 4x

Stroke - Katherine Robinson

3 - Lindsey Hochman

2 - Nicole Dinion

1 - Hillary Saeger

The lightweight 4x came together over the summer and will represent the USA at the World Championship in Bled, Slovenia August 28 - Sept 4.

Q - How did the 4 of you come to be the lightweight 4x?

A - Hillary Saeger and I were 2x partners at the National Selection Regatta II and finished third behind Kristin/Julie and Abby/Ursula. Lindsey and Katherine finished 4th behind us. So, it was a natural combination as the other two doubles were competing at the World Cup(s).

Q - Why did you train for a few weeks in Washington DC?

A - Katherine and Lindsey are from Seattle and needed to acclimate to the hot, humid east coast weather because trials are in NJ. I originally trained with Potomac Boat Club, before moving to OKC and am still a member, we all have family in the area to host us, and PBC is a US Training Center Partner as is Pocock and Riverside.

Q - What is your goal for Worlds?

A - To bring home a medal of course! (we all have an affinity for gold) (US International Results)

Many thanks to all our coaches, family, host families, and friends that believe in us - without you we wouldn't be here today.

Leading Up to Trials!

World Championship Trials:

The link to the US Training Center - OKC Blog (original post)

http://okchighperformance.blogspot.com/

It was desolate. After training in the bustle of Washington D.C. for 3 weeks, where the 7:00am jets, 7:15 news helicopters, and 7:30 EVAC practice team render hearing your coach near impossible, we were pretty excited to transition our training up to Mercer Lake in NJ. The hustle and bustle of the city was energizing; but, after a series of mornings where our boat was double booked and I tried to take out a few innocent kayakers from bow seat, we thought pieces on the empty course at Mercer County, in our own boat, would offer a refreshing change.

The change was drastic. We went from no parking and tripping over Crocs on the dock to a completely empty boat house. There was no one. We couldn’t even get into the facility because all the administrators were out of town. Thankfully we got an addition to our team - head coach of Pocock, Steve Dani, arrived from Seattle. Having a coach “watch your every stroke” can add, well, some integrity to your practice.

It was a catch 22. The flat water, buoyed race course, and lack of obstructions made training a lot easier and we made technical improvements. But without anyone around, and with no other women’s lightweight quads registered for trials, it was hard to keep that “kick” in our stroke. Finally, though, my fellow OKCers arrived. Having my team around after being apart for almost two months put the vigor back into my training. The energy, charisma, and work ethic of the athletes in Oklahoma never ceases to inspire me. It probably also helped that another quad registered.

We were geared up. I liken it to a race horse that’s all warmed up to a lather and can hear the crowd cheering. We were chomping at our bits. On finals Thursday morning we finally got to do our first, all-out, throw in the kitchen sink, 2K. I swear to you, that headwind picked up every stroke as we went down that course. I didn’t know a 2K could take a quad so long to finish. But finish, we did: securing 1^st place and our spot to the 2011 World Championship. One of the most exciting parts was realizing that we had posted up a competitive time with the Women’s Open Four, who is also training in Princeton between now and the World Championship. Hopefully, they won’t be too intimidated to do pieces with us ;)