A big thank you to Joy Rotondi for writing such a fantastic article for us!
Marblehead Rock & Row Club members to scull “en français”
Marblehead —
For the first time in France’s Rallye du Canal du Midi’s 32-year history, American rowing teams will race against boats from France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, New Zealand and Australia.
Marblehead’s own Rock & Row Club boasts two boats for the 125-mile canal race from Toulouse to Béziers. Club scullers include Marblehead’s Frank Kashner, Pal Bickford, Eileen Perry and Bobbie Oakley, as well as Jay Paris of Cambridge, Kimberly Waller of Salem, Shannon Tarrant of West Peabody and Charlie Harak of Melrose. Members of the Rock & Row teams range in age from 25 to 67.
Two members of the Rock & Row contingent — Susie Klein and Jim Hammitt of Wayland’s Cambridge Boat Club — are two of only five Americans ever to have participated in the rally in its entire history. They rowed with a French team in 2011, and returned to the U.S. with the goal of recruiting a first-ever American team. Their efforts were well received.
There will be five other U.S. boats — three from Lake Merritt Rowing Club in Oakland, Calif. and two from the Narragansett Boat Club in Providence, R.I. — also participating.
Nearly 60 Americans will be traveling to France for the rally with seven rowers on each team accompanied by team supporters. The boats are a touring-style quad, common throughout Europe, but non-existent in the U.S., with four rowers — two oars each and one coxswain.
Additional team members follow the route on bike to scout out the portage strategy, and rotate into the boat to relieve tired scullers.
The course covers 125-miles over five days. One of the biggest team challenges is portage of boats over 48 locks. The Canal du Midi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Follow the Rock & Row team’s blog on www.readytorow.blogspot.com, and learn more about Le Rallye at atppr.free.fr
Courtesy photo
The Marblehead Rock & Row Club members going to France to participate in the Rallye du Canal du Midi, a first for American teams in the tournament’s 32-year history are, from left, Frank Kashner, Kimberly Waller, Shannon Tarrant, Pal Bickford, Bobbie Oakley, Eileen Perry and Charlie Harak.
Read more: http://www.wickedlocal.com/marblehead/newsnow/x1465123737/Marblehead-Rock-Row-Club-members-to-scull-en-fran-ais#ixzz2bKN0s0fW
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