Wiggins now going for rowing Olympic medal?

[anonymous-user]

Wiggins entering indoor rowing championships in December. Obviously the media then link it to medal hopes in the next Olympics in an actual boat.

Has he even been in a boat or is he just putting in loads of time on an ergo?

How great would it be to see him in the Olympics rowing but presumably he’s got age, body shape, weight, lack of rowing experience etc etc all against him. I can’t see him being big enough for an eight but could he do some lightweight sculling? Sounds technical and very difficult to learn to Olympic standards in a few years.

http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/brad...

Apologies if this is a repost, I couldn’t see it anywhere.

[cuprabob]

Rebecca Romero went the other way and was relatively successful.

Good luck to him.

[johnxjsc1985]

Its quite a good crossover. I did a couple of winter months on a Concept 2 a long time ago and did an indoor event in the Velodrome and did 6.30 something, I wonder if he is going for lightweight ?

[Ali Chappussy]

cuprabob said:

Rebecca Romero went the other way and was relatively successful.

Good luck to him.

Might want to re-wrote what your post?

Make me laugh!

[tertius]

There is only one lightweight event left in the Olympics (double scull) so if he is aiming for lightweight it’s a tall order with only two seats available.

While not impossible (both endurance sports, both mainly about being prepared to hurt yourself) I find it a bit unlikely. Though I believe he's friends with James Cracknell, who clearly knows what it takes.

And, as alluded to above, ergos don’t float; being able to pull a good score doesn’t automatically translate to being able to move a boat.

[johnxjsc1985]

tertius said:

There is only one lightweight event left in the Olympics (double scull) so if he is aiming for lightweight it’s a tall order with only two seats available.

While not impossible (both endurance sports, both mainly about being prepared to hurt yourself) I find it a bit unlikely. Though I believe he's friends with James Cracknell, who clearly knows what it takes.

And, as alluded to above, ergos don’t float; being able to pull a good score doesn’t automatically translate to being able to move a boat.

He might be a natural and take to it like a Duck to water . He may also stink but I bet he has been out on a boat with Cracknell and apparently with retirements heavyweight seats are available but a 6ft 3 in he will be one of the smaller ones. I think he will already know there is a huge difference between destroying an Erg and sitting in a boat with other rowers

[tertius]

johnxjsc1985 said:

tertius said:

There is only one lightweight event left in the Olympics (double scull) so if he is aiming for lightweight it’s a tall order with only two seats available.

While not impossible (both endurance sports, both mainly about being prepared to hurt yourself) I find it a bit unlikely. Though I believe he's friends with James Cracknell, who clearly knows what it takes.

And, as alluded to above, ergos don’t float; being able to pull a good score doesn’t automatically translate to being able to move a boat.

He might be a natural and take to it like a Duck to water . He may also stink but I bet he has been out on a boat with Cracknell and apparently with retirements heavyweight seats are available but a 6ft 3 in he will be one of the smaller ones. I think he will already know there is a huge difference between destroying an Erg and sitting in a boat with other rowers

Not sure they are exactly “available” ... at this stage of the Olympic cycle no seats are going to be settled, and there is plenty of competition

[johnxjsc1985]

tertius said:

Not sure they are exactly “available” ... at this stage of the Olympic cycle no seats are going to be settled, and there is plenty of competition

there have been a number of retirements so they are available.

[tertius]

johnxjsc1985 said:

tertius said:

Not sure they are exactly “available” ... at this stage of the Olympic cycle no seats are going to be settled, and there is plenty of competition

there have been a number of retirements so they are available.

I’m sorry that’s just not true. Even if all 12 (or 13 if we count the coxes seat) of the four and the eight from Rio were still rowing none of them would be guaranteed a seat for Tokyo, it’s all about performances over this cycle. They are no more or less available than if there had been no retirements.

[johnxjsc1985]

of course its true these seat have not yet been assigned to anybody for 2020 so they are available to someone who proves they are worthy.
Your saying Wiggins does not have a route to finding a seat in any boat.

[tertius]

johnxjsc1985 said:

of course its true these seat have not yet been assigned to anybody for 2020 so they are available to someone who proves they are worthy.
Your saying Wiggins does not have a route to finding a seat in any boat.

Not at all - I’m just saying his chances are not materially affected by the fact that some of the successful Olympians happen to have retired.

There’s a long list of people competing for those seats and as far as I know Wiggins has not yet been to any of the trials (he certainly wasn’t at the Boston trial two weeks ago) so we have no way of judging his likely success or otherwise.

[anonymous-user]

Assuming he’s only been in a boat a couple of times if at all. There must be no way realistically he can get himself to Olympic level on the water mid Olympic cycle having aparently only used an ergo before?

Presumably these Olympians have been rowing for years? Even in an eight, you still need an excellent technique. It must be even harder in a coxless pair or a scull.

[Highway Star]

As one who's been in a boat to an ok standard that brought me into the sphere of GB squad rowers but when I was still realistically still waaaay off Olympic standard, I struggle to see Wiggo making it to the Olympics to be honest. Undoubtedly a supremely talented athlete, but the competition will be intense against equally talented, motivated, more experienced and younger guys.

Oh and "ergs don't float".

[Nobby Diesel]

Highway Star said:

As one who's been in a boat to an ok standard that brought me into the sphere of GB squad rowers but when I was still realistically still waaaay off Olympic standard, I struggle to see Wiggo making it to the Olympics to be honest. Undoubtedly a supremely talented athlete, but the competition will be intense against equally talented, motivated, more experienced and younger guys.

Oh and "ergs don't float".

Too true. You might push big ergs, but that doesn't mean that you can move a boat.
In my very uneducated view, he doesn't have a chance.

[anonymous-user]

I’m not sure Wiggins as actual said he’s going for the Olympics just the British indoor rowing championships.

[Scabutz]

He is being trained by the legend and total nutter James Cracknell so he probably has a decent shot.

[tertius]

I think it’s perfectly possible - there have been lots of examples of people converting to rowing and doing extremely well in a very short time, especially people who are at a high standard in another sport - I just think it very unlikely, especially considering his age.

[prand]

tertius said:

I think it’s perfectly possible - there have been lots of examples of people converting to rowing and doing extremely well in a very short time, especially people who are at a high standard in another sport - I just think it very unlikely, especially considering his age.

We will never see Wiggins rowing at the Olympics for all of the reasons mentioned above. But then I don't believe he has said he wants to, the articles are all about him competing in the indoor rowing championships, and chasing the GB crew land times. A whole different ball game.

I could see him winning an age or weight range indoor rowing class or possibly gaining a record, but not in a rowing boat. Rowing on a concept 2 ergo machine does not require the balance or blade work required on the water, or the perfect timing required as a part of a crew, this takes years to acquire.

But even so, on land, Wiggins would have a hard time beating the GB crew who have the top times in the GB competition. Wiggins would be doing unfeasibly well to break the 5:36 world 2000m record, and very very well to get close to last years British indoor winner who rowed 5:46. Possibly, if Wiggins competed as a lightweight (under 75kg), the world record time is a more achievable (all relative of course), 6:06, and last year's winner 6:12.

It would be interesting to know the times that Wiggins is getting (also his weight, as the publicity pic I saw recently he'd put on a lot of muscle up top compared to his skinny TDF look), to get an idea where he is and what category he'd be rowing in, hopefully we'll find out in December at the British championships.

The only person I can think of who did similar was Andy Ripley, England and British Lion back row, big guy with a massive engine. Really sad that he died of prostate cancer in 2010, as he was a bit of a rugby (and Superstars) hero of mine when I was growing up. He was a bit older than Wiggins, and tried, but just failed, to be selected for the Cambridge for the the boat race, aged 50 while doing a post grad MPhil. But he still holds the indoor rowing record for 50-54 age group for 2000m with an impressive 6:07.

Edited by prand on Monday 20th November 11:22

[Robbo66]

I did the indoor circuit on the erg, and hardest thing Ive ever been a part of.
6.07 is a good pull above 50.

[CubanPete]

I used to see Andy Ripley on the rowing circuit.

Even with intensive coaching it would take at least a year to develop decent enough technique to compete at this level.And that would depend on having some natural aptitude - some people never get it.