What Have You Done For Me Lately?

It only takes about 4 weeks for coaches and fans of Olympic rowing to start thinking about what the next quadrennial might look like. After 5 months most of the media has burned out and the awards have been delivered and by the time CRASH B's roll around everyone is looking for the next big thing. But oftentimes the superstars and Olympians ripen like a fine wine and the following are a few of my favorite mid level CRASH B finishers that went on to become Olympic Heros.

1. After finishing 10th place under the auspice of Bates College Crew with a 6:10, Canadian, Andrew Byrnes went on to Olympic glory and a Gold Medal in the men's eight last year.
2. Scroll well down the 2005 C.R.A.S.H. B results page to find Will Daly, who finished 52nd with a time of 6:40.8 as a Boston University rower. He would improve that score by almost 25 seconds over the next four years, become World Champion in the Light Men's Eight and row as a U.S Reperesentative in the 2008 Olympics in the Light Men's Four.
3. In 2004 Elle Logan was still in High School at the Brooks School and finished 12th with a time of 7:27 before climbing the elite roiwng ranks to become an Olympic Gold Medalist in the women's eight.

As a huge population of rowers and coaches head to C.R.A.S.H. B's this year don't underestimate the person from New Hampshire, Ohio State or Minneapolis Rowing sitting next to you, they very well be, the next big thing.