“Put your boats in the water.”

I hear this and immediately lock in. A switch flips.

At the onset of the 2025 Americas Rowing Beach Sprint Championships in Garabito, Costa Rica, surf conditions led the World Rowing Jury to require three boat handlers per boat for the duration of the event. The same was true at the 2024 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Genoa, Italy, where I boat handled alongside Ben Booth and Marc Oria for Team USA, and naively thought that those were the toughest conditions I’d ever face while boat handling.

Mercilessly, the waves at Playa Mantas, CRC, proved me wrong. I am grateful—to my core—for the jury’s decision because my task, regardless of the surf, remains unchanged: read the water, know the crew (preferences, tendencies, needs) and get the boat off the line as quickly and effectively as possible. In other words, do my part to set up the athlete (or athletes in a team boat) to win.

Boat Handling in the Wave Break

In “normal” conditions, World Rowing’s Beach Sprint Regulations require two boat handlers per boat. With the addition of a third, I am positioned on the beach on the starboard side of stern, ready to grab the boat and run to the water.

As I said earlier, it’s like a switch flips. I hear the cue and grab the shell. My team and I run. We have exactly one minute before our athlete comes barreling down the beach, full speed, high knees once they hit the water, ready to launch themselves into the boat and take off toward the buoy line.

Sometimes, a minute feels like a lifetime. The water breathes. The depth is perfect. No signs of waves building; no risk of a poorly timed peak. You stand engaged, stabilizing the boat and holding the seat and oars in just the right spot. Mentally, energetically, you will the starter’s call “GO!” which releases your athlete, standing positioned and primed to explode off the line.

Sometimes, a minute feels like a flash. Waves build and break. The depth of the water rises and falls. You react and maneuver based on the ocean’s demands. When big waves risk cresting, crashing or dumping, you engage in what I can only describe as a type of chosen surrender—with focused intention, of course. You trust yourself and your team and strive to work in complete harmony with the water because you know Mother Nature wins always.

Flatwater Roots, Curiosity and Awe

Regardless of big surf or small, turbulent or calm, there is an element of chaos in beach sprint racing that does not exist in flatwater. I go there—to a flatwater scene—because, like most in the rowing community, my roots are in flatwater. As a result, I find myself exploring, comparing, and trying to understand not just the key differences, but why, time and again, I am captivated by the open water discipline of our sport.

Intensity and adaptability are the name of the game in coastal rowing. Beach sprint racing, in particular, is a true test of focus. Independent of the characteristics of the water, plus the rocks, shells, heat of the sand and potential drop of the ocean floor upon entry, competitors line up to start amongst a party. Literally. Witnessing and reflecting on this type of experience is usually when I find myself most enamored—curious and in awe of the athletes, many of whom I am proud to call friends.

The Mental Game at the Start

Imagine lining up at the start of a competition—any competition—with a DJ steps away. Songs like MC Hammer’s U Can’t Touch This, Salt-N-Pepa’s Push It and Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer are blowing up the speakers. People are dancing (I saw more than one air guitar go down on Playa Mantas), and there is a man with a mic passionately asking, “Are you ready to race?” and “How do you feel?” within minutes of the starter’s command.

When I was competing in flat water, I craved calm and channeled focus before the start. So, again, it’s the athlete—considering their sheer strength of mind needed—that stirs curiosity and awe.

With boat handling, I am steps removed from the intensity, which is all the separation I need. Physically, I stand ready with the boat, closer to the water and away from the crowd—DJ and MC included. Mentally, I don’t feel the same nerves as I did when racing flatwater. This is a curious thing on its own because people are counting on me and there is still a certain pressure to perform.

The difference, I conclude now, is 25 years in the bank of practicing laser sharp focus. It feels innate when I boat handle. I can lock in in an instant. Remember? “Put your boats in the water.” My cue.

But what about for the athlete immersed in the chaos at the start? How do they focus? Where do they go in their minds? Do they flip a switch too?

The Mind of a Champion Beach Sprinter

Ritual, Focus and Pre-Race Routine

For Chris Bak, reigning World Champion in Beach Sprints and four-time World Champion and seven-time World Medalist in coastal rowing—yes, he is the real deal—the process at the start line is clear.

“There are a lot of things going on around you at once. When that is happening, I try to focus my attention on one thing,” he says. “I’ll typically run through my pre-race routine, which is really important for me. I have a jumping sequence that sets me in the mood for the race that is right about to happen. From there, I like to just look at my boat handlers. So, be focused on me—my routine—and the next task at hand.”

Later, Bak elaborates on his jumping sequence—three hops on each leg followed by three big strong jumps—and shares that he then says, “Hey” to his grandfather in the sky, asking for a good, safe, fun, clean race.

“From there, I know that I am locked in and focused,” he says.

Gratitude, Visualization and Fun

Separate from this, Bak leans on genuine gratitude and visualization to set his mind right.

“I do always try to acknowledge the competitor next to me and wish them a good, clean race. You never want anybody to make a mistake. You want the competition,” he says, then further elaborating that he always finds it important to thank his competition for being there. Without that—without the competition and the opportunity to race—we wouldn’t have a sport, he explains.

Away from the course, Bak relies on visualization as his primary mental performance tool. He runs through the race “over and over and over again” imagining every possible scenario—good and bad. For example, he might visualize catching a crab, and, importantly, rebounding from it. This helps him know that mistakes, and how he responds in the moment, are all part of racing. Consequently, they won’t shake his mindset if they happen in a real race.

Lastly, for Bak, enjoying the process and embracing fun are essentials, both as personal principles and core advice for those new to the sport and up-and-coming stars. He aims to make race weekends the least stressful part of the year, trusting the training he’s stacked in the lead-up and leaning into the mental challenges and growth found in training.

“The race is the cherry on top,” he says. “That’s the part where we get to have fun!”

Flow State

Like Bak, Christine Cavallo is a rockstar on the beach. A 10-time US National Team athlete crossing both coastal and flatwater disciplines, she’s also a former indoor world record holder in the lightweight women’s 2000m. In beach sprint racing, Cavallo has represented the US at the 2021, 2023 and 2024 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals, earning bronze the coastal mixed quad (CMix4x+, 2021) and women’s solo (CW1x, 2023).

“Something that I think is underestimated in the sport of beach sprints is what flow state looks like—the level of zoned in you need to be in order to remove distractions but also react quickly and stay safe,” Cavallo says. “I think you need to be born with a little of that ability to access flow state but then most of the training and repetitions you get while racing help you hone the ability and dial in the skill.”

Other mental skills she invests in include staying calm under pressure, responding quickly, focusing on what matters most, and making smart, game-time decisions.

This is where I can relate because when you’re immersed in strong wave breaks, as a boat handler at the shoreline or a rower mid-race, there’s no such thing as holding onto to a precise, exact plan. Calm, smart, in-the-moment decision-making is key.

Building Your Championship Mindset

When off the beach, I work with a handful of corporate executives and emerging leaders navigating change, handling high pressure and vying for personalized visions and goals. I shared a quote with one recently that I believe applies here: 

“Stability through change demands clarity about who you are and what you are trying to do.” ~William Bridges

Swap chaos for change and put yourself on the start line with the DJ and MC at the beach: Stability through chaos demands clarity about who you are and what you are trying to do.

In talking with Bak and Cavallo, two things are clear:

1. In competition, they know their immediate objectives
2. Holistically, they know what’s personally important. In other words, how to anchor and how to ground.

In mental performance coaching, we recognize these two components as the who and the what. Both are essential for growth and change. Both are essential for success.

In building your own championship mindset, ask yourself where you might need more clarity. People tend to focus on the what. Yet, the building often needs to start with the who—with exploring your ideal presence… your character strengths… your core values.

Do you ground in gratitude like Bak? Do you value flow state like Cavallo?

Ask the hard questions. Dig deep. Then build the skillset and support needed to follow. Success is often on the other side.

References

Bridges, William; Bridges, Susan. (2017). Managing Transitions (25th anniversary edition): Making the Most of Change. P160 Kindle Edition. Da Capo Lifelong.