OPPOSITES ATTRACT

Kayaking and Rowing are seen as diametrically opposed, but is this fair?

WORDS DONNA McLUSKIE

PHOTOGRAPHY CHRISTOPHER WORRALL

Where rowers and kayakers converge, banter is inevitable.

“Nothing in the world feels like eight blokes lifting a boat together and winning together,” reminisces retired rower Nick Kay.

“We get to race facing forwards,” is a typical kayaker’s retort.

“Being able to see where you’re going is an odd sensation but I wouldn’t say it’s a good one, especially when there is a four mile course ahead of you,” Steve Redgrave asserts. “In rowing, you know you have a long way to go but you don’t have to see it and you definitely don’t choose to visualise it but, in kayaking, there is no choice”. 1

“I rowed at quite a high level and I was obsessive,” explains Kay. “The thing about kayaking for me now is that I’m finding it more interesting because of all of the race tactics. There’s much more of a grunt element in rowing and strategy rests mainly with the cox”.

After winning J16 double sculls at the British Championships, Dan Reynolds remembers how he was looking up at a bunch of taller guys and didn’t see how he could take his rowing further. He swapped over to kayaking and loves the up-closeand-personal nature of racing sleek boats without cumbersome riggers and lane restrictions.