Issue 47

March | April 2023

We speak to Australian Olympic champion and record holder, Rosie Popa. Popa’s athletic career is a winding one. Her family roots span continents: from climbing America’s corporate ladder to life under Nicolae Ceausescu’s communist dictatorship in Romania.

In a candid interview the former Team GB coach Lauren Fisher speaks to Tom Ransley about her move to Canada. Fisher shares her approach to high performance sport and the issues faced by female coaches. Martin Cross interviews Swiss Olympian Jeannine Gmelin who reflects on her international rowing career as well as the trauma, love, and grief following the death of her partner and coach Robin Dowell.

As regular as the changing of seasons, battling Blues took to the Tideway, once again, in their publicly consumed, private varsity match-up. If PETA think “catching a crab” is cruel they ought to watch the men’s race: Oxford’s strokeman Felix Drinkall parted ways with consciousness while chasing an ever elusive Boat Race victory. Check out our full Boat Race coverage.

From the pain of defeat to the pain of erging. Dr David Schary delves deep into the psychological and physiological mix that is a 2,000-meter flat-out effort on the erg. This is your Brain During a 2k hacks our sport’s ultimate test.

Germany’s Olli Zeidler and Ukraine’s Olena Buryak proved to be the ultimate performers of the ultimate test at the first ever hybrid 2023 World Rowing Indoor Championships. Benedict Tufnell was on hand to capture all the action in Mississauga, Toronto, Canada.

For some, 2,000 meters is but a drop in the ocean. We take a closer look at five brave, ocean-loving crews who signed up for the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. Physiologist Dr Danny Longman understands the challenge of ocean rowing better than most. An Unlikely Combination explains how studying ultra-endurance athletes can inform evolutionary theory.

Finally, Cameron Webster explains why his America’s Cup call up has been life changing. Be sure to read our Q&A with the latest Team Emirates New Zealand cyclor.

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