Dan Angress
Class of ‘81
In late February, returning UCI rowers descended on Newport Beach to attend a 60th reunion of the rowing program coinciding with the Challenge Cup pitting rowers from around the area in head-to-head racing on the back side of Lido Island. For many readers, just the number 60 combined with the word “reunion” is enough to think of old men in nursing homes shuffling around looking for pudding. But that was not the case. The average age of the alumni was probably close to 65 with a great representation from the inaugural team from 1965 (yes that’s a lot of 60’s references). To give context to the importance of the group in attendance, let me point out that it included Bruce Ibbetson (Olympian 1984), Mike Sullivan (current coach and the glue that ties past with future), and Bob Ernst (4 x Olympic coach, and decades long coach for UW) to name a few. Several members of the founding crew from 1965 showed up and none were using a cane or even limped. One or two even joined us for the next day’s Alumni Row.
The 70’s and early 80’s were well represented enough to put together a couple of alumni boats that battled over 500M at a 34 to prove that most of us can still “ride a bike”. I try to explain to people who have never rowed that the sport transcends athletic talent. Not one of our alumni had ever rowed in high school or club before stepping foot in an 8 and that is likely true for many of today’s recruits. But for reasons few can relate to, competing in collegiate rowing is rarefied air and when you meet another rower anywhere in the world, there is a mutual bond that transcends schools and whom you rowed for.
So, when we all arrived after decades of separation, we were back in time telling stories of practice, races, boathouse faux pas and memories that last a lifetime. For those of us from my years, who could forget Mike Gilb snapping a wooden oar on a power piece and holding the broken handle over his head in triumph or Mark Bradburne explaining the need to stay with the stroke before a race, as if we didn’t know. There was story after story that each class carries but the thread that transcends classes are desire, dedication, drive, and determination, what Jay Collins coined as the 4’Ds and represented in a Hormel’s can of Dinty’s chili which he carried in his car in case someone needed motivation, “dig for the Dinty’s”. If you made it through the recruitment bait and switch of leisurely afternoon workouts to the real deal of 6 AM workouts, doubles during spring break, weight training and running and then racing 2000M, you’d become part of the inner circle setting you up for life. Today one of our physical specimens of competitive rowing is Christer Fiege-Kollman who at 65 has crushed it winning indoor ergs during COVID and continuing to compete at a high level in Masters, just recently winning multiple Golds at the San Diego Crew Classic.
So, if you are reading this as a current UCI rower, recent alum or old-timer, be proud of the legacy you have created and continue to build on it. We don’t fade away. Acknowledge that you have become, or are becoming, someone others can look up to and be inspired by. We all carry with us this badge of honor which also comes with responsibility. It means paying respect to the sport that molded us and reflecting on what it has given us. Stay connected to your peers, help financially support the program by making small donations regularly ($10/month after your first job to start, more as you gain success) to help the newbies. Wear the swag and know that you are forever linked to the few thousand that came before you.
ZOT ZOT ZOT!
