Lightweights that are heavyweights.

[Yukon John]

I have a bit of trouble with Chad's emphasis on having to go to a race to have times be official. It would cost me over $500.00 to be able to fly to Vancouver to attend a race and that is only for one distance once a year. I don't have the funds to be able to fly to races at this point (even though I would love to give it a go .) So proving times or making weight by going to a race doesn't make sense for me.

As far as having a light weight division, what better motivator for someone who is heavy and would like to loose some weight. My wife lost some weight to achieve this goal and she feels quite proud of herself, as she should! I also lost 16 lbs since last summer so that I can be a lightweight and I've very happy with this. John.

[Bob S.]

These people can not make it in competitions as heavyweights; they would be to far down the order to collect any rewards for their efforts on the day, so they take the easy option by going to a lesser contested category.

At the beach sprints this year, I had no trouble making weight. At 72kg, I didn't even have to take my shoes off and I was still wearing a vest and windbreaker. In the competition, I not only set a new lightweight record, beating my EIRC time, but I was more than 8 seconds faster than the heavyweight record - which I assume still stands.

I haven't looked at the numbers recently, but at 79, Dean Smith has been making a shambles of the 75-79 (and several 70-79) lightweight records and has been beating many of the heavyweight records as well. If my memory serves me right, he not only won this year's C-B 75-79 LWT hammer, but his time was better than that of anyone else 70 and up - light or heavy.

Bob S.

[hjs]

I think this tread is again going the wrong way. It is not about the average erger or about lightweights. It about the sport and the very best.
How can that get any better that's the question.

[Chad Williams]

Not taking anything away from any ones achievements, but 70-90 lightweight and heavyweight categories are hardly heavily contested categories.

2006 Crash-b’s lit of competitors
70-74 Hwt - 2
70-74 Lwt - 5
75-79 Hwt - 3
75-79 Lwt - 4
80-84 Hwt - 0
80-84 Lwt - 2
85-59 Hwt - 1
85-89 Lwt – 0

My Categories
Open Hwt
234 Entries

40-49 Hwt
76 Entries

[Daren]

Not taking anything away from any ones achievements, but 70-90 lightweight and heavyweight categories are hardly heavily contested categories.

I think the achievement there is simply being able to continue competing. =)

[Daren]

I have a bit of trouble with Chad's emphasis on having to go to a race to have times be official. It would cost me over $500.00 to be able to fly to Vancouver to attend a race and that is only for one distance once a year. I don't have the funds to be able to fly to races at this point (even though I would love to give it a go .) So proving times or making weight by going to a race doesn't make sense for me.

Don't worry, if C2 ever decided to close off their "official" rankings for race-only results, someone* would start a web site where people could rank their times unofficially. And I'm sure a lot of people that don't or can't race would use it.


*Me, for example.

[todd]

Don't worry, if C2 ever decided to close off their "official" rankings for race-only results, someone* would start a web site where people could rank their times unofficially. And I'm sure a lot of people that don't or can't race would use it.


*Me, for example.

I think Chad ought to start a web site for ranking only official race results. He can start a governing body that would oversee official times and address issues such as performance enhancing drugs and weight limits. He could call it something like the World Rowing Federation.

I can see it now. He could get Vince McMahon (World Wrestling Federation) to help turn indoor rowing into a profitable spectator sport. Picture this, Rowdy Roddy Piper is interviewing Dwayne when Chad bursts onto the stage and a free-for-all ensues. Here's another one, Row4Life could wear a mask and be the "Masked Avenger".

Not only would Chad profit from this, he would also be able to "purify" the sport of indoor rowing. But best of all, we would be rid of these ridiculous, contentious threads and the dignity of the forum and rankings could be restored as the motivational tools that (I think) C2 intended.

[johnlvs2run]

Yes, Vince McMahon could help us to restore the integrity of the forum and the rankings.

Sign him up!

[johnlvs2run]

Not taking anything away from any ones achievements, but 70-90 lightweight and heavyweight categories are hardly heavily contested categories.

This shows how much more difficult that they are, and to get there in them.

[Steve G]

Would the race only scenario apply to all distances for ranking purposes. There are very few races in the UK which aren't over 2K. What about 10K, 5K etc? How would we rank these?
Steve

[Steve G]

While we are on the subjects of lightweights, does anybody watch The Apprentice on TV? At the end of each week Sir Alan Sugar turns to one of the competitors and says "Your a Lightweight, you are fired"

I think this is discriminatory, I am lightweight and proud, Sir Alan Sugar is out of order here, why can't LWs succeed in commerce, we don't need so much food or space, good economic sense to hire a LW. Now if Sir Alan said "your a fat tw*@ your fired" who knows.
Cheers All
Steve

[Neb154]

As being someone who has sweated off weight for an ergatta I would like to add my opinion on the whole "making weight" thing..

The reason the system exists as it does now, in weighing in a few hours before and having the opportunity to re-weigh, is for safety. If the weigh-in was half an hour before the race, there would still be people trying to just "slip in under" the weight requirement. This would most likely lead to more sad cases like the Dead Vail collegiate rower (can't remember the name) who died after his race. The reason the time limit is pretty lose is to make it a safe environment for the rowers. Also, the reason things such as allowances exist is because often times, someone is just a pound over or so because their home scale is off. Why peanlize a whole boat because one person's home scale was off by one pound? I do agree that the system as it exists now is imperfect. However, I think that there are going to be people who try and sneak in no matter how the system works, and the one we have today, at least makes it safer for them.

[ehagberg]

However, I think that there are going to be people who try and sneak in no matter how the system works, and the one we have today, at least makes it safer for them.

If someone could come up with a quick test for "hydration level" or something like that, and have a minimum safe hydration level at which all lightweights must weigh in... things would be safer, and only true lightweights (by this measure) would get to compete as lightweights.

Of course a lot of those who row as lightweights now would be disqualified. How sad.

[johnlvs2run]

The system is not safe now as you have 180 pounders losing weight trying to get under 165, and the loading up trying to get back up to 180 by the time of the race, which is not only unethical but also quite dangerous.

With a second weigh in immediately after the race, those 180 pounders would not have a chance, because they would be too dehydrated to complete.

This would be much safer, as only true lightweights would be able to compete, and make weight after the race the same as before it.

[johnlvs2run]

If you're a guy weighing more than 165 pounds, then you're not a lightweight.