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NEREID NEWS

November 29, 2010

DECEMBER 4 PARTY & ROWER OF THE YEAR
Don't forget -- Nereid's holiday party takes place this Saturday, December 4, at the boathouse at 7 pm. Fine fare and grog will be in abundance, along with fish tales about the rowing season and sundry other topics. Awards to be given include: Rower of the Year (male and female), Volunteer of the Year, Highest Mileage, and miscellaneous categories yet to be invented.

Don't miss your chance to be considered for rower of the year -- submit all race results to nereidsec@hotmail.com by Wednesday, December 1. Please indicate the race, your place and the boat's official entry name.

The dinner is $35 per person in advance via PayPal and $40 at the door.

HOLIDAY CHALLENGE IS ON
Too much turkey? Shed a few pounds as you join Team Nereid in the annual erg challenge sponsored by Concept 2 rowing. Row 100k on the erg between now and December 24, and Concept2 will donate $200 to one of three charities supporting clean water and water conservation. Click here to learn more and sign up. Marc Monplaisir is leading the charge for Nereid; email questions to him at marcm77@yahoo.com.

Nereid coaches were also happy with the performances of the Girls 4+ (25th out of 54 boats) and 4x (23rd out of 43 boats), rowing in their first Head of the Schuylkill. Finally, both boys’ junior 2xs rowed well, placing right next to each other at 14th and 15th out of 33 boats. Well done guys!

SAFETY REMINDER: BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
The latest phase of construction on the Route 3 Bridge will require extra caution on the part of all rowers traveling near and through the span.

Contractor Creamer-Sanzari has put in place a barrier to block all boat traffic in the easterly channel of the bridge. The center and west channels will remain open.

Rowers should be aware that the barrier may restrict river flow and increase the speed of the current under the bridge. The Route 3 bridge is the first span downstream from the boathouse.

While work is scheduled at night, rowers should exercise caution and steer clear of any construction activity.

NEREID FEATURED IN NPR STORIES
National Public Radio's story on the Passaic River aired on All Things Considered on November 19th. Besides mentioning the glories of rowing, the piece offered a fantastic perspective on our beloved river. The radio segment and video sidebar are highly recommended. Click here to hear/see them.

WOMEN'S SWEEP PROGRAM TO LAUNCH
Plans are afoot to expand and reinvigorate the Nereid women’s masters’ sweep program! Club member Gratia Pelliciotti hopes to organize both a women's masters 8+ and club 8+ for 2011. So far, the plan involves:

An organizational meeting in November 2010
Winter erging at Nereid
Spring coaching
Racing in the Spring and Fall, with a major conquest planned for the 2011 Head of the Charles

All Nereid masters' women, with or without sweep experience, are invited to take part. Please email Gratia at gratiapell@gmail.com.

JUNIOR WINTER PROGRAM UNDERWAY
The Nereid Winter Junior Program, focusing on erg workouts and weight training, is currently underway and will run through January 12. A second session may be scheduled in January.

Sessions are held Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 4-5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. Another day may be added depending on the number of participants.

Later this month, the Don Bosco High School winter erging program will start. Sessions are to be held on Thursdays and Fridays (both afternoon and evening) and Saturday afternoons.

THE COURAGE OF COXSWAIN JILL COSTELLO
After a promising junior season as a cox at Cal, this young woman learned she was in the late stages of cancer. Even so, the next year was her best. Click here to read her amazing story in Sports Illustrated.

GHOST IN THE MACHINE?
Nereid's George Freimarck reports a strange on-water experience:

My impeller was knocked off my single a while back, and I have been too busy (or lazy) to replace it. The impeller is shaped like a propeller and affixed to the bottom of the hull; it picks up a speed reading and transmits it to the Speedcoach monitor. So, I row along, noting the time and monitoring my stroke rating, but without the impeller, there is no account for speed.

Mostly, I've been rowing north, but last weekend, I decided to head south. As I got within a few meters of the high wires I noticed a "split" on the monitor: the 500-meter average speed of the boat. It was appropriate to the intensity I was rowing (low and slow!) but varied as I increased or decreased the power, again appropriate to the intensity. As I began to pull away from the wires, the signal flickered, then disappeared. Same thing on the return. What does this tell us about the electromagnetic power of those wires? Where is Tesla when we need him?

HOLIDAY SHOPPING FOR THE SPECIAL ROWER
As a fundraiser for the US women’s national team, the US Rowing Training Center in Princeton is offering a 2011 Calendar, Power + Grace, featuring portraits of American female rowers. The calendar is based on a Rowing News photo-essay a few months ago, with photos by rowing photographer Shivani. Some 80% of the proceeds will go directly to support women’s rowing.

The calendar is only available online. Click here to preview photos and buy. One of the rowers, Kelsie Chaudon, has offered to get the first 30 calendars sold autographed by some of the team members. Please email her by November 16th at kelsiechaudoin@gmail.com.

CITIZEN ROWER JOURNALISTS NEEDED
Please send items of interest for the Nereid News, including race results, to nereidsec@hotmail.com. Many thanks!

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Check out our at www.nereidboatclub.blogspot.com

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Previous newsletters

2010

Nereid News, 11/10/10

Nereid News, 10/29/10

Nereid News, 9/27/10

Nereid News, 9/15/10

Nereid News, 8/27/10

Nereid News, 8/14/10

Nereid News, 7/30/10