| photograph by Jana Birchum |
On most days the water is smooth as glass. From the small Town Lake dock a rower can go five miles uninterrupted in either direction. On this particular early morning at 5:30am, one can row toward the full moon hovering in the west and, if timed just right, turn around and row back to catch the rising sun — an unforgettable experience, really, and, for most people, extremely rare. It’s an everyday affair for regular Austin rowers, but that doesn’t make it any less inspiring. It’s one of the reasons these people get up so early. It may seem like a sick and twisted obsession when that alarm goes off at 4am, but once the boat is in the water, the logic of the daily grind disappears. These people are rowers, and rowers, like any athlete, are a breed apart.
As the sun continues to rise, streams of cars begin to fill I-35 and the Congress, First Street, and Lamar bridges, feeding the downtown core its breakfast. The lake is still peaceful; rush hour is meaningless down here. Ducks float calmly by the coach’s launch until barking from his faithful dog Etta scares them off. Even in the full glare of daybreak, the morning mist is visible, evaporating off the water before it’s scattered by a swiftly moving crew of rowers. As they pull back on their oars during the “drive” of their stroke, the boat surges forward through the water.
The Town Lake Rowing Center boathouse is located east of the Four Seasons Hotel on Town Lake. The house is home to the Austin Rowing Club (ARC). The local club of 300 or so active rowers shares the space with both the men’s and women’s crews from the University of Texas as well. The ARC originally became incorporated back in 1981 with about 20 members. The club had no permanent facility until 1986. Prior to that, the members had been storing their boats all over town: near the Deep Eddy Pool, in the Duplex Sign Warehouse, the Town Lake YMCA, and wherever they could find adequate space.
The principals at the Southland Corporation, the firm which built the Four Seasons, were taken with an architect’s plans depicting rowers on Town Lake. The architect probably had no idea that his or her vision would be realized in such great detail. Inspired by the placid scene and wanting to make it reality, Southland decided to build the Town Lake Rowing Center and donate it to the city.
The Rowing Center sits atop a concrete path that winds its way along the lake. Nestled on the lake’s north bank, the two cool, white Texas limestone buildings and lush green grass create an oasis when summer temperatures begin to crack 90�F. The clubhouse holds the locker space and showers, as well as a formidable work-out gym, complete with weights and “ergs,” or ergometer rowing machines. The boathouse is where the boats, or shells, are stored, and with so many active members in the club it is nearly filled to overflowing. The ARC takes responsibility for the operations and maintenance of the club and the city of Austin takes care of any major repairs and groundskeeping. “It works out well,” says ARC’s executive director Maureen Fitzgerald of the club’s symbiotic relationship with the city. “They cut the grass and pick up the trash but haven’t really had to do anything major yet.”
| photograph by Jana Birchum |
The Rowing Club is a major part of everyday life in Austin. It’s rare to see Town Lake without a few rowers. These regulars take advantage of the long, continuous course, interrupted only by an occasional slow-moving canoe. This is one of the only rowing courses in the U.S. where powerboats, aside from the coach’s launch, are restricted.
“I was awestruck by the course; it is a rower’s dream,” says Kerry Knight, the club’s new head coach. Knight remembers his first reaction to the course when he first visited River City back in 1994. “Most rowers would kill for a setup like this.” Knight first heard about the recent coaching opportunity from his sister Mardi, an avid and regular rower at the center. She heard that the ARC was looking for a new head coach and knew that her brother would be perfect for the job.
Kerry Knight has been rowing since 1977 and coaching since 1982. At least 10 of the high school crews he has coached have won national championships and his crews at Queen’s University won multiple conference titles. He’s coached club champions at the prestigious Canadian Henley regatta, one of the largest club regattas in the world, and in fact holds seven Henley titles himself.
It’s clear from his commitment and love for rowing that there is more than just winning in this sport for him. “Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics, described rowing as ‘The most beautiful of all sports,'” Knight says, smiling. “One of the beauties of rowing is that its grace appeals to the type of person who can appreciate the aesthetics of art and sport.” And Knight’s contagious enthusiasm lends itself well to coaching.
Despite its modest beginnings, ARC has hosted a number of major rowing events. Hordes of visitors are drawn twice annually to Austin for the Heart of Texas and the Head of the Colorado regattas. The Heart of Texas regatta, just this past weekend (March 20-21), featured racing in a variety of boat shapes and sizes, from singles to eights, powered by men and women racing in specific categories. The race covers a straight 1,000-meter course with all crews making a mad dash to the finish. This differs from the traditional race length of 2,000 meters, but, appropriately enough, plans are in the works for a 2K race next year.
The Head of the Colorado, or “Pumpkinhead” as it is known due to its proximity to Halloween, is a costume regatta held on the last Saturday in October. This is a “head” race, which typically involves more passing and thrills as coxswains (or crew directors) vie for the shortest distance between two points on the twisting river. Fitzgerald was at Pumpkinhead last year on ARC’s women’s crew. They raced decked in bustiers. They came in second in the race and won first prize for their costumes. “[The Pumpkinhead] is so great; it brings together camaraderie and healthy competition. The costumes diffuse any negative energy and add lots of fun,” she says. Maureen has rowed competitively for 20 years, 11 of those in Austin.
Knight is very excited about the future of the ARC: “I would like to see us be able to provide an opportunity for athletes with competitive aspirations to train here and race at the highest level of competition.” Most of the club members are masters, over 27 years old, who row mainly for pleasure but don’t shirk at the chance to compete. There are some very serious athletes at the club as well, and Knight hopes to see their numbers grow. Executive director Fitzgerald feels that Knight is perfectly suited for this position. “He’s so at ease with his own coaching style that he can approach and work with anybody at any level and bring them up.”
The ARC’s membership is made up mostly of professionals aged 30 to 40. The oldest member is close to 80 years old and the youngest is in junior high. “The misconception is that people think it costs a lot of money to row, but it only costs about $20 a month,” Fitzgerald adds.
Club crews from the University of Texas have trained out of the Austin Rowing Club for years, with both parties enjoying the relationship. This year, however, the UT women’s crews have obtained varsity status and will be moving into a brand-new boathouse located upriver from MoPac near the Deep Eddy Pool. The UT men will continue to row out of the Austin Rowing Club.
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Dormant during most of the day, the club becomes a beehive of activity around 5pm. (Considering the demographic, W.A.S.P.’s nest might be more accurate, but that’s another story, for another time, perhaps.) Most of the rowers arrive appearing a little frazzled from work and slip into the clubhouse. A few minutes later they pop out, re-energized at the prospect of taking to the river.
“It’s a great way to relieve day-to-day stress that can build up,” says one master rower. Indeed, for the next 90 minutes or so, egos and worries are left on the dock as crew members bond in the unity of purpose. The rowers themselves have pretty much settled into crews that get out regularly, with rowers of similar ability joined together in squads with names like “Dunkin’ Rownuts,” “Miss Daisies,” and the ominous sounding “Blue Meanies.” There is an organized group of teenagers and a number of serious looking single scullers marching around with their shells balanced on their heads.
Heading west, the solid chunk of eight oars entering the water together break the silence. The boat accelerates through the “drive” and then the end of the stroke is released. The rowers have settled into a smooth and constant rhythm — relaxed, almost hypnotic. Only upon close inspection is it obvious how intense an effort each rower provides. There is no wind, no ripple on the golden stained surface of the lake. The sun nestles behind Red Bud Island, taking the light as the crew turns around. They will row another five miles back home in twilight and deepening darkness, as the rest of the city disgorges itself along the clogged bridges. The rowers, passing underneath, are oblivious. They will row for another half-hour, wash and put away their boat, pick up their egos and their worries, and maybe get stuck in traffic on the way home.
And they will do it again tomorrow.
Austin Rowing Club will begin its “Learn To Row” program April 10. ARC’s “Children’s Rowing Program” runs every Saturday for kids 9-14. Private lessons are also available. For more information, call 472-0726.
This article appears in March 26 • 1999 and March 26 • 1999 (Cover).