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We had our official time trial today, going off at 7:30. We woke up a little after 5:30, left at 6, and got down to a cool, fairly windy course. Lots of boats down there for the last day of trialing, hoping they'd make it. The wind was crossing a bit, but was supposed to turn to a tail part way through the course, so we had high hopes. We had a fun dinner last night at Macaroni grill, a fun italian place on Route 1 we've gone to whenever we're here, and I think that having some time to all be together and decompress a bit was really good for everyone. Callahan after practice last night said something about us all looking somber and depressed and to have fun with the piece, and I think it was partially true, everyone has been pretty stressed out about actually qualifying and making it official. So we launched and starting warming up in circles next to the course. We were to be the first boat to go. Other boats got on the course and were warming up too. The beginning of our warm up was a little shaky, not perfectly set as we moved to all 8s and just kind of not feeling totally together. Then, all of sudden, we turned around one of the buoys on the warm up course, and when we picked it up again everything seemed to fall in to place. The boat was set, the rhythm felt easy, and I was stoked. It was sweet to just really feel everything slot into place. we went to the starting area and had to kind of readjust for a bit as we waited for the start as it was a running start with no stake boats. Then, after some waiting, they told us we could go. We took a few paddle strokes, then started our build, coming into the line strong. Up for a bit, then settling down, first to a 35, then to a 34 for most of the piece. We knew we had to average 43 second 250ms. We stayed under that for a bit, kept pushing, working to stay flat and aggressive. Yesterday our 3rd 500 was a bit slower, so as we crossed the 1000m I turned it up a little bit, probably everyone did. We kept posting good splits, under 43, went into the last 500 and took some moves to the line, and crossed. Adam said he was "positive" we'd made it, as we hadn't seen splits above 43 seconds, but you can never be too sure. I was pretty spent, having felt yesterday's piece a little bit in my muscles. We paddled painfully to the dock and brought it in. Mike said they weren't releasing times until all boats had gone. Slowly we heard word that we went 5:38, 6 seconds under the standard. We were excited, but not positive yet. We washed and derigged the boat to take to Princeton to train there for a while, and then once all the boats had finished our time was official and we were relieved and stoked and filled out fun paperwork acknowledging that we would accept our spots, go to Scotland, get gear, etc. Probably the best paperwork ever. We had a little talk with the coaches saying good job, now we've done the first step but now have to work hard to make this boat as fast as it can be. Matt Imes, Teti's second in command, was congratulated us and told us that a 5th place would not happen again, that the US does not get 5th in the 8, and that people are intimidated by us but also want to beat us more than any other country. So now we can move forward with a little less tightness for a while and some focus on making things go smoothly. We're racing the senior guys on Saturday, so that should be interesting...

There were some definite bummers with the trials today. 2 that bummed me out specifically. First, the unofficial time had the pair making it, so they were getting ready to find money and go. Then, the official time came back different, saying they had missed it by 2 seconds. Huge bummer. So, they were out. Then, the 4+s time came back, and they missed the standard by .02 seconds. 2/100ths of a second. Inches. The head of USRowing told them to protest it and implied that they would be granted a berth to Scotland, so things weren't sure but they were confident it would work out, and filled out all the fun paperwork. We loaded the boats and took off, watched Harry Potter 5, and went to the family's house where the 4 was staying and where some guys stayed last year, some monster house in Princeton. We hung out, grilled some stuff, and then the phone call came: the board had denied their petition, they would not be going. They were really, really bummed. Obviously a huge let down after thinking they were good to go. I talked to Craig, who congratulated me and the boys and said we have a special Nike order coming to reward us, and as we talked about the other boats missing it by so little he said "well they should let them go and make them contribute like $500." I told him that the trial boats were planning on paying for ALL of it, even if they had made the standard, and he was dismayed that USRowing wouldn't develop these guys and give them the opportunity to have this experience, especially after being so close. I agree with him on that, I think if the guys wanted to pay their way and go, they should have been allowed to. The results would be on them, but they should at least have had the opportunity. Lame. So, said goodbye to those guys as we left the Dwyers', who were wonderfully accommodating and said they were going to have us over again before Scotland. They like rowers.

Oh yeah, all of that was possible because we had the afternoon off. Tomorrow we go to Princeton at 6:30 to rig the boat and row at 7. Carnegie is beautiful so it should be fun. Now, time for me to go start Tim Robbins' Villa Incognito as I finished the Sedaris book. I've read Villa before, but a long time ago, and I remember it being one of my favorites. So onwards with that, and getting better at rowing.

Music: Brandi Carlile - "The Story" She's from Seattle, and I like all of her stuff quite a bit, but she totally wails on this song. I want to see her live very badly. It's on repeat.


Trials:
(from tom peszek and row2k.com)