Rio 2016's one-of-a-kind rowing venue provides challenges and opportunities
Lagoa Stadium, set on a lake in the heart of the city, will provide a unique environment for Olympic Games athletes and spectators
Rowers say the the venue at Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas is unlike any other (Rio 2016/Miriam Jeske)
When the Australian rowing team got into the boat for their first training session at Lagoa Stadium, they knew it was the most unique race course they had ever been on.
"It’s pretty cool to have Christ the Redeemer looking down at you when you’re on the course; that’s pretty special,” James McRae, who will be competing in the men’s quad sculls, said of the course located on the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas in the heart of Rio de Janeiro.
"To be 10 minutes from Ipanema, it’s a pretty good location. If you’re going to take a trip around the world, you’d probably put that on your list of things to do."
Olympic tickets are available on the Rio 2016 portal
The view of the surrounding mountains isn’t the only thing that make the Lagoa venue unique. Several recent Olympic rowing competitions have taken place on man-made courses, but rowers in Rio will have to compete on a natural body of water in the heart of the city.
“We do a lot of rowing on mad-made courses, it’s very different for a rowing course to be next to the ocean,” explained Sally Kehoe, who will be competing in the women's double sculls with Genevieve Horton. “We’re very wary of the winds that come off the ocean. Often with a man-made course, you build it with the prevailing winds.
"The wind will be a factor here. That’s fine. It’s an outddor sport. That’s how it rolls. We’re not a swimming event."
Australian rowers like Will Lockwood and Josh Dunkley-Smith say they are prepared for the conditions at the Lagoa venue. (Rio 2016/Miriam Jeske)Managing the weather isn't a breeze
Rowers were given a taste of Rio’s unpredictable ocean breezes Monday when a morning training session was cancelled due to high winds.
Teams like Australia say the won't be taken aback by strong gusts at Lagoa or the lake's salty water, which can affect a boat's buoyancy. Heading into the Games, the team often trained in conditions similar to Rio.
Rowing: more than a century of Olympic tradition
While man-made venue offers a controlled environment, a natural course like Lagoa forces rowers to pay closer attention to their surroundings. High winds can prove to be challenge, but if properly handled they can also offer an opportunity.
On the day of the race, teams will make last-minute changes to accommodate the elements such as adjusting the length of their oars, that could give them an edge over their opponents.
"You can't control the weather," Cameron Girdlestone, McRae's team-mate in the men’s quad sculls, said. "It's something you have to be aware of at all times. We can't let the weather conditions get control of what's going on in our boat."
The uniquely urban setting Lagoa, Rio 2016's Olympic rowing venue (Rio 2016/Miriam Jeske) Rowing in the heart of Rio
Rowing in the heart of Rio
Girdlestone says he loves the fact that the course is in the middle of a bustling city. Most courses are set in quiet, pastoral settings or in the suburbs, but the scene around Lagoa is lively to say the least.
“There’s a lot of atmosphere around the venue," he said. "You hear cars blaring past, horns and ambulances. There are not a lot of courses in the world like that."
