Photo: Rowstar Project
We've already introduced you to rowers Abby Broughton, Ursula Grobler, and coach Carlos Dinares. We've told you about their unique training on the Shuttle MVP; Ursula taking the rowing world by storm with wins in the Head of the Charles and an indoor rowing world record; and Abby and Ursula demolishing the competition at the World Cup in Slovenia this past summer. It was that impressive win that's sending Abby and Ursula to the World Rowing Championships in New Zealand to race for team USA in the lightweight women's double sculls.
But, as has become standard practice with this bunch, the quest for a world championship in one category is simply not enough. That's why these last few months they've been training with fellow rowers Kristen Hedstrom and Victoria Burke. And these four lightweight women rowers - calling themselves the "Bellingham Bandits" - went to Princeton, New Jersey for the US Trials a few weeks back and earned themselves a spot on the US rowing team racing in the lightweight women's quad sculls. So, it's off to New Zealand for the World Rowing Championships this weekend.
Photo: Bellingham Bandits
While none of the Bandits have had international rowing experience as a team, each has performed on that stage at different times and with different teams. This will be their first World Championship experience together, and they will be going up against the best the world has to offer. Greece, Great Britain, and New Zealand are considered the teams to beat.
And Abby, Kristin, Ursula, and Victoria expect to do just that. Carlos has got them rowing fast and thinking Gold. We've got golden dreams as well.
It will be the Bellingham Bandits in the Lightweight Women's Quad Sculls; Abby and Ursula in the Lightweight Women's Double Sculls.
If you want to keep up with them you can follow the Bandits on their blog. You can follow Abby and Ursula through their RowStarProject.com. If you want to follow their World Rowing Championship run in New Zealand, Universal Sports will be streaming live the Finals races in all 22 categories and you can register to watch here.
Go Abby and Ursula!
Go Bellingham Bandits!!
Go USA!!!
P.S.
Not only does it take a lot of time and effort to make it to the World Championships in New Zealand - and to the London Olympics in 2010- it also takes a fair amount of money.
