NSW Australian Athletes - Bronwen Watson

As the anticipated World Championships and the tempting warmth of European summer approach, training is heating up in the cold of Sydney. This week I spoke to Bronwen Watson (Sydney University), a member of the Women’s Lightweight Quad about how training was going so close to racing day. With this being her first international season since 2003, Bronwen describes the satisfaction of making another Team, the joys of living out of a training bag, and the challenge of limited racing experience prior to the Worlds. This interview also highlights the excitement of combining proven experience with young talent to put together an internationally competitive quad.

Bronwen is in bow seat

What are the logistics of your tour?

The lightie women’s quad is doing a flash tour of Europe. We fly out of Australia to join the rest of the team in Varese, Italy on the 11^th April. We head directly to the World Champs in Munich from Varese.

You have started rowing again after a break, what made you decide to give it anther go?

I had been out of ‘boats’ for about 12 months (I ‘retired’ from rowing after 2003 Worlds, then took it up again socially in England in 2005 – which gave me the chance to race at Women’s and Royal Henley plus an international regatta in Belgium) but came back to Australia to take up a Head Coaching position at a girls school. I found sitting in the speed boat really frustrating way to be on the water so starting doing a bit of paddling. Before I knew it I was spending more time in lycra and training 6 days a week!

What did you find was the hardest thing when returning to rowing?

I returned with a really positive attitude and initially only returned with the intention of regaining some fitness. I just set myself the goal of having a good time and possibly having a hit out at State Champs! Summer training camp in Jindabyne was a test but I thrived in the full time training environment and started thinking about the possibility of trailing for selection. The biggest hurdle initially was probably getting my own boat again. I was very fortunate that Ausrowtec were able to assist with building me a great lightweight women’s scull at short notice.

What have you found to be the hardest thing about the current campaign?

There are only 24 hours in a day and I seem to spend most of them doing something rowing related. It feels like I am living out of a gym bag most of the time.

What have you found to be the most rewarding?

Making it onto the team gave me a great sense of achievement. 

What do you like most about your crew dynamics?

Miranda (Bennett, NSW) and I have been competitors and crew mates in previous years, so there was already a friendship there. Alice (McNamara, VIC) and Tara (Kelly, QLD) had come onto the rowing scene while I was ‘retired’, but it didn’t take long for us to get to know each other. In terms of crew dynamics I think we are a really strong crew, we definitely draw motivation and support from each other.

How does this compare with previous years?

In 2003 there were 5 of us vying for a position in the quad right up to the start of the Worlds, so that did make it stressful at times. The crew this year has been able to focus getting to the start line in Munich with the best possible preparation right from the first training session. The combination of coming into the crew with experience of a previous campaign, a fresh outlook on competitive rowing, and being in a settled crew has created a very positive training environment.

How have you found it training in the cold of Sydney?

Unluckily for us it has been one of the coldest winters Sydney has ever had! Needless to say I can’t wait to get to the warmer hemisphere. Unfortunately because we have all been rugged up in training we will be sporting glow-white tans!

How much of a factor is weight for the crew?

We set out a plan from the beginning of our campaign and have been able to train above our ‘race weights’ due to our long lead up time. This is has been an important part of allowing us to get the most out of every session and stay healthy. However, as race time gets closer the extra winter padding is starting to come off!

How do you think your perception/attitudes have changed now that you are a bit older and have been around a lot longer?

I’m not that old! Rowing is a sport where you are continually trying to find the perfect stroke and the perfect mental approach – which all takes time and a lot of determination. I guess that’s part of the reason some of the great rowing athletes have endured for so many years – it’s a sport of patience and perseverance. So, even though I have been around for a while and developed a good base, I still think I have a lot to improve on!

Do you think this is actually an advantage?

Experience can be great for your self confidence and a nice reminder that you have what it takes to be a world class athlete (sounds weird, but that’s what being on an Australian team means). Experience is also a great motivator – bronze was great, but gold would be better!

What are you most excited about?

Where do I start! Getting on the plane as part of the Australian team, pulling on my racing green and gold to see what happens when we line up against the Chinese, leaving Sydney winter for sunny Italy, getting my first look at the course…. I trained on the Munich course in 2003, so it will be familiar. But this time when we arrive it’s game on!

What do you get most nervous about?

I am very routine-orientated, so pre race activities are set out to the minute. That usually keeps my mind occupied and my nerves at bay on race day. We have already had a few race day rehearsals in preparation. However, I find those final few minutes of waiting at the start to for the 2-minute call the worst part – white knuckles are pretty normal!

What do you like most about rowing?

I love racing. Despite the nerves, it’s a great pay-off to the hours of training. Racing is where you feel like everything is switched ‘on’. Competition is probably what I missed most when I took time out.   

What do you think will be the biggest challenge overseas?

We haven’t had any lead up races in Europe so have had to study the form of our competitors based on results from World Cups. A lot of our training is based on prognostic speeds and trying to achieve those speed benchmarks in order to give us an idea of how we are travelling. When we get to Munich we will have just over 6 minutes to get it all right, first go – and that’s the challenge we have been thinking about over the last 3 months!

Verena Stocker.

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