Speed and results

I have to agree that the results of my sculling group have been terrible at World Championships and European championships. Maybe it is good to look behind the numbers as well.

For me as a coach, speed is most important. If we have speed, we will have results, at some point. Starting point of the M4x was 10th place in Beijing, quite good semi-final there too, but no final. Jakub Hanak finished his career, and according to the members of the crew he was the best man of it.

This year we had to replace Hanak at the 3 seat, as well as improve all crew members even to sustain the level of last year. Our speed at the world championships shows that we were able to do this. Speed was competitive, and the result would have been excellent if we would have been 0,11 seconds faster. Peter Buzrla especially made huge improvement on his technique, but having said that, everyone else improved as well.

We can also look at the level of competition at M4x this year. 1. Poland, Olympic champions and now 4-time world champions. They were out of our reach, this year. 2. Australia with the M2x Olympic Champions from Beijing, strong crew, but maybe possible to win on headwind. 3. Germany, big rowing nations number one priority boat with Marcel Hacker. At semi-final we were faster than them for the last 1500m of the race. 4. Croatia, new boat, U23 world Champions, winners at Munich and so on. 5th and 6th France and Italy, boats that we competed with to make the A-final. Italy, 2nd in Beijing and France 3rd. Some people have cahnged, at the French boat was the olympic champions from the M2x in Athens, and also world Champs on 2x in Munich (Hardy- Maquet). Simone Ranieri was still stroking the Italian boat.

At B-final we had Slovenia, with Cop, Estonia with Endrekson and so on. I think that the event really had excellent quality. B-final was a failiure from us. We should have been able to compete with the top crews of it.


M2x Buzrla - Jirka for the European Championships

We use speedcoach at our training and I have some knowledge of their speed. I only say that is was a pity that David became ill and we were not able to race. It was tough decision, especially to David to make, but that´s sport. There is nothing You can do.

Jakub Houska

Jakub improved his best ever time in 1x by 25 seconds in Belarus, normal conditions. I think it is quite clear sign of improvement from him. Last place, but so what? He did fight with 2 other guys, but skill to sprint is not there yet. We have to focus to improvment. Jakub has some talent, and maybe some day he can reach his potential, and then the speed will be very much something else than today.

I think that results on paper look bad, but I know that when we have speed, results will come. I can be proud of these men, even with these results. If we think about London, improvement is the most important key to success, we have to continue to push ourselves to make the improvement, every single day. We missed the results this year, it is time for some patience, and vacation.