NSW Australian Athlete - Rod Chisholm

Week six: Rod Chisholm

This year he’ll be wearing a green and gold zootie for the first time, despite it being his fourth year at the international level. After only being an Australian citizen for a short time, this week’s interviewee Rod Chisholm (St George) is already making a splash as part of the men’s lightweight four heading over to Munich. And with crew mates such as three-time Olympian Anthony Edwards, Athens Olympian Ben Cureton and a stroke called ‘Skippy’, Rod is learning quickly what Australian rowing is all about. Possibly best known in NSW for his friendly and helpful manner at time trials, it becomes obvious upon reading this interview that, despite his British humour, Rod is an extremely valuable import and a fantastic addition to the Australian rowing scene.

  Rod in bow seat

We have just seen some of the heavyweight men and women racing in the first World Cup, as part of the men’s lightweight squad, what are your movements in terms of overseas regattas?

We are due to leave Australia at the start of July to compete at the last World Cup Regatta in Lucerne (Switzerland). We then transfer to Varese, Italy (the Australian Rowing base in Europe) where we will train for 6 weeks prior to the World Championships in Munich.

This is your first year in the Australian Rowing team, however you are not new to the international rowing scene. What have you competed in before?

I competed in the Lightweight 4x for Great Britain in 2001, 2003 and 2004

As a reasonably new Australian citizen, how have you found it relocating to Perth, and how did this work with other commitments such as family and work?

It is certainly the furthest I have ever had to relocate for rowing! Fortunately my wife and my employers (in that order?) have been very understanding and supportive of my rowing. My wife has now flown out to join me in Perth and has begun her preparations for the Triathlon age group championships. Thanks to a laptop, broadband and various smart bits of software I have been able to continue with at least some of my work duties whilst in Perth (in between eating/sleeping/training).

Was it difficult to become an Australian before you were selected?

After a flurry of letter writing and form filling from Rowing Australia, NSWRA, NSWIS and myself we successfully buried the department under enough paperwork that they relented and made me a citizen in time for final trials

Is the selection process similar to that of Great Britain?

Although both Australia and Great Britain have final trials in April, the British team is not formally picked until after Lucerne world cup (in July). This usually means an additional three months of trials and selection. In contrast the Australian final trials tend to last longer with more seat racing – but the crews are generally finalised by the end of April. This gives the Australian team more time to focus on preparation for the worlds.

You are part of the men’s lightweight four, yet in the domestic season we have seen you mainly in the single. How have you found this transition?

It is a bit of a challenge moving from the single scull to rowing in the four, different technique and a much faster boat to contend with. The last two times I rowed the four was at Nationals and trials, where I had less than a day between jumping out of the single and into racing the four – so I am enjoying having a couple of months now to work on my rowing.

If you had the choice between the double and the four, what would you love to row in for the Olympics?

If you had asked me a year ago it would have been the double, but recently the four has been growing on me!

How is the campaign going so far? Have there been any injuries or other set backs?

Training has been fairly solid over in Perth under Antonio. The crew has seemed to pick up where we left off at trials and is moving fairly well. Fortunately no major injuries so far (touch wood) although whenever an accident or illness does strike – it only strikes bow-siders?

The lightweight men’s four is an extremely competitive event, and one that the Danish are renowned for. Who do you think will be your biggest threat?

The first world cup showed that the competition is heating up (as it tends to do in year 3 of the Olympic cycle). The Danish reformed a crew to defend their Olympic title yet could not even make the final. So far the Chinese, Italians and British have shown good form – but we expect a few more crews to appear between now and the worlds.

How have you found your crewmembers?

As the token sculler in the crew I have been placed in the technical bow seat (on stroke side – tandem rigged). Ben Cureton and Anthony Edwards have reformed their bowside partnership from Athens in the middle of the boat. Todd Skipworth provides youthful enthusiasm in the stroke seat. I am particularly happy about having Anthony (triple Olympian) Edwards in the crew – because it means I am not the oldest!

What are you most excited about?

Finding out how fast we can go

What are you most worried about?

Having to join the long queue at immigration when flying to Europe

What are your short-term goals?

Develop a credible Australian accent before flying overseas

What is the biggest difference between what you thought it would be like to embark on such a campaign and what it is actually like so far?

Considering how much of an outsider I was at the start of the season - the team spirit and support has been great, from NSWIS, Rowing Australia and the coaches and athletes.

What do you hope to learn about yourself from all this?

How fast can Skippy get us off the start and can I hang on

How tired and skinny are you really?

Skinniness rating 7/10 (cannot see all internal organs yet), tiredness 7/10 still have energy to type on computer – but a couple of hard weeks will deal with that.

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