With Dorney as the venue for next year’s world championships and seemingly all domestic regattas, the holding camp for the 2005 Worlds was moved there as well. It is normal for National teams to attend holding camps close to the race venue before major championships, but with the obvious language and cultural differences of Japan, we moved to the palatial surroundings of the Copthourne Hotel in Slough. Going straight to the race course would make technical coaching more difficult and allow all our pieces to be timed by the opposition. Being in England is always popular because we have cheap phone calls, Big Brother, and live coverage of the ashes.

During this period the crews are honing their technique and rhythm and the training switches from high volume steady state to race practice. This is a crucial stage in peaking for the race because the body undergoes a physiological change from endurance to lactic acid tolerance. Also the reduced mileage results in the first time all year that we feel fresh, and the extra energy is primarily used for practical jokes and regression to our true mental age of 12.

Travelling to Japan requires an eleven-hour flight and an eight-hour time change, and managing this effectively is important. We flew overnight leaving Heathrow around 4pm and landing in Tokyo at 11 the next morning. That day was spent travelling to our hotel on the Shinkansen Bullet train, so that when we arrived we could go to bed at normal Japanese time. Adapting quickly to the time shift required staying awake all day, which meant coffee, and trying to sleep at night, which meant TV and plenty of good books!

Other problems with flying are dehydration effects, caused by the low cabin pressure, and poor nutrition caused by airline meals and the Gategourmet strikes affecting British Airways. We came prepared with lots of water, Lucozade and packed lunches so when given food vouchers at check-in we were quick to discover they could be exchanged for champagne in duty free, which is in my mini-bar for after our final. Alcohol and caffeine both cause dehydration and are avoided on the flight.

The course here is not like most of the purpose built lakes we row on. It is on a river. The organising committee say that under normal weather conditions they can cut the stream to zero for racing. Recent heavy rains have caused the stream to be very strong as they flush the river through, meaning that the course is not yet buoyed out, and some outings have had to be cancelled for safety. Also a typhoon is about to hit Japan so the course is closed completely for three days and racing due to start two days later than planned.
The Mental Game Plan: Getting Psyched for Sport
The Mental Game Plan: Getting Psyched for Sport
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In situations like this the crews that will win are those that can produce the goods, despite all the external distractions. Maximising technical benefit of ergo sessions and using visualisation will give us an edge over the opposition. No one can go afloat, so this time is an opportunity. The team that can use it best, and not be distracted by things out of their control will be best prepared when racing starts. This principle holds true at all levels of competition and in all sports.

My crew, the men’s eight, has had a good preparation through the holding camps, so we are confident through this disruption. When racing does start we will be ready, and if other teams have been unable to cope as well as us, then we have a big advantage.

Editorial by Tom Stallard