Ask most any rower about the perfect rowing conditions and they’ll wax poetic about glassy calm water and zero wind, when a blade can quietly drop into the water at the catch, release clean, and the boat glides across the surface undisturbed.
But ask a coastal rower about great conditions and the answer will be completely different. It’ll involve navigating waves, executing turns around buoys, and end with a sprinting dive to the finish line on the beach.
We invited John Huppi, Kats Siemens, and Will Kuckro from New Orleans Rowing Club to tell us about The Big Easy – a city with a rowing history that stretches back nearly 200 years – and their vision for the future of coastal rowing in the Gulf South.
TIME STAMPS
00:00 - Intro and welcome
02:30 - Rapid Fire
04:22 - Mardi Gras is more important than rowing
07:42 - Recruit by looking outside standard flat water pipeline/training/racing
11:40 - How Will and Kate as “coastal outsiders” are contributing to NORC’s success
12:30 - With fewer flat water LTWT opportunities, smaller rowers are finding success in coastal
13:45 - How is coastal different?
16:55 - On-water problem solving and the importance of finesse
21:24 - The thrill of mixed boats and beach sprints
21:24 - The time John was a boat handler for Norwegian Olympians
28:44 - Throw “the perfect stroke” out the window, prepare for chaos
31:30 - What makes a great coastal rowing venue?
34:35 - Hurricane Ida's impact on NORC and training
38:04 - On coaching: helping people overcome challenges
40:39 - Rowers take ownership and redefine rowing training
42:58 - To grow coastal in the Gulf South, NORC is hosting development camps and experiential opportunities, and developing an endurance race on Lake Pontchartrain
44:38 - In a tourist town, coastal touring could thrive
48:58 - Coastal bucket list locations
52:23 - Turning coastal boats and historic stake races in New Orleans
52:45 - NORC is the only boathouse in the Louisiana with juniors and masters programs
54:40 - LA2028 Olympics: perfect for building audience engagement, race coverage
58:50 - The year ahead at NORC
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