World Cup II Recap
Kristi Wagner and producer Christine O'Donnell recap the racing from World Rowing Cup II in Varese, Italy last month. The conversation covers how the racing felt, what Kristi thinks about and focuses on during each phase of racing and what will happen next!
Kristi Wagner 0:04
Yes, sitting at a starting line is a big deal. But there are times I am sitting at practice, and I am just as scared. I think that when you're at this level, sometimes practice matters just as much as a race. So I am in pressure field situations all the time. Like, I'm probably making it not seem like that big of a deal, because it's not that big of a deal. And of course, at the World Championships, I get a little more nervous at the Olympics, I was a little more nervous. But at the end of the day, it's still rowing, it's still the same thing. So I think making it out to be this huge thing in your brain and having, you know, to do all these things that are out of the ordinary, wouldn't make you go fast like it would make you flounder. Welcome to the other three years, a show for anyone who has an Olympic sized dream, they want to turn into a reality. Hello, and welcome to another episode of the other three years. This week is an exciting episode, I sat down with my producer Christine O'Donnell, and we just talked about the rowing World Cup that I just raced at, we really broke down some of the races. First, we talked about kind of what actually is happening, like warming up getting into the starting line, we kind of explained what the World Cup is, because that's a term that is used by a lot of sports, but it means a lot of different things. We talked about trash talking, teammates, feelings, emotions, how I felt about the races, how I feel about what's going to happen next in my summer. And yeah, it was fun. It's always fun with Christine. And I think it's, I think you guys are really gonna enjoy it. So let me know what you think. And have a great day.
Live from New York, it's Saturday night. Live from New York. It's Thursday at 3pm.
Christine O'Donnell 2:20
So today on the podcast, we're not going to
Kristi Wagner 2:23
talk about Chris's athletic interests. I mean,
Christine O'Donnell 2:26
I feel like there's a couple different ways is gonna go. I really wanted to ask you questions as your producer, about what it was like in Italy, this past? Was it like a week ago now? Two weeks ago? Three weeks ago? How many races was it in a day?
Kristi Wagner 2:53
We raced in two events. So it was six races total, three in the double and three in the quad.
Christine O'Donnell 2:59
So I was wondering if we could maybe like, go back there and relive it together in this podcast. For sure. The World Rowing cup two just took place in Varese, Italy.
Kristi Wagner 3:14
Yes, so we can give a little bit of background. So because I actually just had someone asked me about this. So all sports are different is one thing I'm gathering, like all Olympic sports are different. For example, in rowing, we have a world champion chip every year. Even during the Olympic year, there is still a world championship because not every boat class that's raced at the World Championships is contested at the Olympics. So for example, there are a number of lightweight, both categories that aren't raced at the Olympics, or just raced at the World Championships. So we have a World Championships every summer leading up to that world championship those World Championships, we have a World Cup Series, which every year consists of three World Cups. Usually they're all in Europe, but they have been in the US or Canada or Australia or New Zealand before. But usually they're all in Europe. And you do not have to race in all of the World Cups, like you can race in them if you want to, but it's like in skiing to be like the World Cup champion. Like have you get points and all these World Cup events like that's a really big deal. That's not like a huge deal in rowing. I think it's just interesting how in different sports, different things are like a big deal. Racing it World Cup is exciting and is is, you know, cool and fun and meddling at a World Cup is exciting and cool and fun. But it is like a very big step from meddling at a world championship like it is not at all in the same sphere of like an accomplishment or what you're like trying to do. It's, it's it really not everyone raises it every World Cup. So it's not like, Oh, this is definitely where we stand, you just raced other people that show up.
Christine O'Donnell 5:32
Okay, the World Cup, in other words is not like a mini Olympics. No. But a world championship is kind of more like a mini Olympics,
Kristi Wagner 5:41
a world championship is more. It's the pinnacle event of a non Olympic year. So it is a big deal. And this year, because we're in the pre Olympic year, the World Championships are the qualifiers for the Olympics, meaning the actual boat categories. So depending on the boat category, different numbers of people, or different numbers of boats will qualify for the Olympics. And that varies depending on the size of the boat. So the bigger the boat, the less number of boats that will qualify for the Olympics. So right now it's it's really kind of an interesting thing, because this year, we want to make the fastest boats, but we also want to make boats that will qualify for the Olympics. So it's a little bit of a game. And just knowing what other countries are prioritizing what we're gonna prioritize. I don't make any of those decisions. There are people that are paid a lot of money to make those decisions, but it is just a slightly different thing. And like the World Championships will be I mean, they were always really competitive and intense. But this year because it is Olympic qualifier, like they will be very intense, because it's a really big deal.
Christine O'Donnell 7:04
Got it? Yeah. Thank you for the it's really helpful. Yeah, like get this understanding. And not just for me, because I I hope for our audience as well. I do have experience in the rowing world. I was right. It's different college, but it's like a whole different thing as an elite rower. Yeah, like, as an adult outside of the
Kristi Wagner 7:27
pool. And then it's so crazy that it's so different from other sports, like the women's soccer team just got named to the World Cup team, you know, and for that, like in soccer, the World Cup is like a bigger deal than the Olympics. So it's all and there's only one World Cup and soccer and it always happens the year before the Olympics. It's all very, we use the same word or the same title for things that are actually different. Like when I talked to Juliet, they went, they have, like 30 or something World Cup races throughout the season. So it's just really different. Yeah.
Christine O'Donnell 8:05
How are we supposed to keep up?
Kristi Wagner 8:07
I don't know.
Christine O'Donnell 8:09
I don't know either. But the fact that you guys came in second place by point zero sevens not even was a point zero 7.07 seconds in the doubles race behind China, at least for me, as a viewer. It was amazing. And the day before, what was it that day before two days before the qualifying race where you guys beat China.
Kristi Wagner 8:38
We raised China in our heat, and we did beat them.
Christine O'Donnell 8:42
That was awesome. Really awesome. I listened to I have the audio recording.
Kristi Wagner 8:47
I think that sometimes they try to make things sound a little more intense than they actually are. But I appreciate that. Because I do think that rowing is a pretty exciting spectator sport. But we just struggle because we're still a bit of a under unknown sport. So I think the announcers do really, especially at the World Champion, like the World Rowing circuit, they do a good job making it as exciting as possible. But it is funny, you'll be in the boatyard, and they're like screaming, you know, like, ah, and you look over at the race. It is not that this really warranted this amount of enthusiasm, but I appreciate it.
Christine O'Donnell 9:27
I think that people are screaming because they think that it will help you go faster.
Kristi Wagner 9:31
Oh, no. I mean, the announcers like they're like, you know, that's just Yeah, but there were like, in the finals, there were a lot of really close races. Our race was that close. The lightweight women's double was also point 08 seconds. So I think there were a few others that were less than a second. All very close races, which is exciting.
Christine O'Donnell 9:54
If we could just pick one of the two races. I was hoping we could pick the top Both race and kind of talk through the heats process. The qualifying for the grand final process and what it is like to actually be at the starting line as the rower who's there, out in the water away from everything because it's very, I imagine, like very quiet for you. Yes. And so but for us on, like the sidelines, it's so loud and exciting. Yeah. But it's a completely just different vibe when you're out in the water.
Kristi Wagner 10:32
Yes, that's something I've always really liked about Rowan II too.
Christine O'Donnell 10:38
Can you describe what it's like, like rowing up to the starting boats. And so we'll start with the heat's,
Kristi Wagner 10:46
I think there's a few things just base about rowing, that I've always liked that are different. That's different from sports I played growing up. And one of those things is that the coach can't call a timeout or talk to you while you are rowing. I mean, obviously, during practice, they can talk to us but during a race our coaches have, they say goodbye to us on the dock. And then we run our whole warmup, we get to the starting line, we race, we don't see them again, until we've cooled down and come back to the dock. And I just, there was nothing that frustrated me more growing up, then, you know, when I was playing soccer, or basketball or something, and I'd make a mistake, and I get taken out, like immediately. And it's just the you know, when you make a mistake, all you want to do is try to fix it. So that was frustrated, that would always frustrate me. But in rowing, they can't if I'm behind, and they don't like it, they can't say timeout, we need to run this play instead. You know, we need to do this. Like, it's all on me to just, if I can fix it. By the time I get to the finish line, then, you know, nobody, nobody really cares. But that's kind of a side note.
Christine O'Donnell 12:05
On the shelf from the dock for the last time the audience really gets to see you is you say bye to your coach.
Kristi Wagner 12:12
Your audience. Yeah. Like the people like my parents.
Christine O'Donnell 12:17
Yeah. Yeah. Parents are watching their spectator.
Kristi Wagner 12:21
Oh, they wouldn't come to watch us shut off from the dock. They Oh, no, come to watch the race. Okay. So that's the other thing? Well, I don't know. Things are very separate. So we warm up on our own, we're usually on the water for 30 to 45 minutes. And then at World Rowing events, the heats and semis will sometimes be a bit closer together. So you only have about five minutes from race to race. So you only have a few minutes to get into the starting gate. And basically, you row in and then we use what are called stake boats. So there's a volunteer usually sometimes a kid that's kind of laying down on a plank of wood that looks like a diving board, and they kind of put their hands over the sides and hold the stern of your boat and then they move the platforms in and out so that the boats can all be aligned and the bows at a world championship will almost always have a boot which is kind of a like plastic thing that comes up out of the water that holds our bows in place. That's nice if you're bowing which I do a lot because you don't have to adjust your point if there's a boot it holds you in there. And then
Christine O'Donnell 13:40
so what she's talking about when it with jesting your point and balancing is it is the people who are rowing the boats job to make sure the boat is going in the right direction so that you don't crash into each other. Yes, we
Kristi Wagner 13:53
steer our boats are steering the boat. Yeah, we steer our boats ourselves.
Christine O'Donnell 13:56
Her point is she's talking about the point she sees to keep an eye on
Kristi Wagner 14:00
Yes, we go, we're going backwards. So in practice, you would sometimes have to turn around, like turn your body around so that you can see where you're going in a race, you would never turn around because it's a straight race. There's no need to turn around that would just disrupt the boat. So we steer looking forward at the lane lines and that we want to stay in the middle of the lane lines. In a double both people can kind of steer because you can both see and hypothetically double should go straight. It's easier said than done. But we also don't have a rudder. So some boats usually bigger boats have a rudder that you can steer the in an eight they have a Coxon and the Coxon has a seat that they have controls that they can steer the boat in blind boat, blind boats, I cannot speak it which means there is no Coxon. There is a rudder, one of the athletes will steer with their toe. So the wires are connected to one of the shoes that are planted in the boats. And you normally point your toe the way you want to go. So if you want to go to the left, you point your toe to the left a little bit. If you want to go to the right, you want to the right. Doubles don't have toes don't have Coasteering, they just we just go. But a lot of other boats do. So yes, then we said at the start, if it's a heat, or a wrap, or a semi, they just call the countries they don't say our names or anything. And then they say attention. And then there's a red light and it turns to green. Like you're at a little mini droplet. And when a green, you go and then you race.
Christine O'Donnell 15:54
So when that is happening, can you describe like, what are the things you feel,
Kristi Wagner 15:59
I usually double check kind of all of my equipment. So I'll just run my hands over my oars and my riggers, my shoes, my knots, my bolts, like just making sure that everything is tight, everything's good to go, just double checking everything. And, you know, take some deep breaths, positive thinking I like to sometimes I speak out loud my positive thinking. And I like to power pose just you know, you look like Superman, I usually put my hands on my hips and breathe in and out. And yeah.
Christine O'Donnell 16:38
I mean, I love that your power pose. What are some of the things you say? I'm
Kristi Wagner 16:43
gonna have a good race? We're gonna go fast, fast start. You do this all the time. I mean, so the thing is, like, yes, sitting at a starting line is a big deal. But there are times I am sitting at practice, and I'm just as scared as like it. It all matters. You know, like, I think that when you're at this level, sometimes practice matters just as much as a race. So I am in pressure filled situations all the time. Yeah. So to me, like, yes, it is nerve racking. But honestly, it's not more nerve wracking than, like, I'm probably making it not seem like that big of a deal. Because it's not that big of a deal. Like, I mean, it is, but it's also not. And of course, at the World Championships, I get a little more nervous at the Olympics, I was a little more nervous. But at the end of the day, it's still growing. It's still the same thing. So I think making it out to be this huge thing in your brain and having, you know, to do all these things that are out of the ordinary wouldn't make you go fast. Like it would make you flounder.
Christine O'Donnell 17:54
Yeah. As a former rower, one of the things that I found I loved we would get to the starting line and I felt like I could almost like imagine hearing the heartbeats of the people I was about to compete against.
Kristi Wagner 18:09
I do like to like look at the other people around me and be like, Yeah, I got it. But I think about and I probably shouldn't share this but when I was a sophomore at Yale I was going to throw in the for the champ for the head of the Charles and our assistant coach Jamie he was coaching us and they got their like whatever we would only go to the Charles like the day that we were racing we didn't go before because we didn't need to like do that. Socialize there was no need and He sent us this email that was like a pic we're starting behind Notre Dame and he sent us this picture of this girl like holding the note this Notre Dame for they were going to practice or something and was like, the email was just like, hi, I wrote for Notre Dame and I can't wait for y'all to kick my ass on Sunday. And like, and then I remember like seeing Notre Dame on the water and being like, yeah, she can't wait. Like, and for some reason, that little like tidbit goes through my mind all the time at the starting line or not, maybe not even at the starting line, but like, we'll be like warming up and I'm like, got it. Even if you know, I don't actually really feel that way. But
Christine O'Donnell 19:39
but you kind of do. I feel like so this was one of the things I was wondering because you don't have toxins in me. I wrote in eights and fours sweeping, not scowling. But there's somebody like screaming motivational thoughts at you throughout a race. And I one of the things I'd like to do is play back some of the race and wonder like what What were some of the things that you and your doubles partner were thinking to yourselves? Or were you thinking or saying things to yourself during the race? I don't even know you don't remember.
Kristi Wagner 20:11
I mean, I remember, I think, like all I think now is, you know, cues to keep us in the rhythm. I count, if we're doing a move. At one point, I was like, We gotta go now, like, but I don't, it is different. And I will say, I've been in Coxed boats more recently. And I'm like, What are these people talking about?
Christine O'Donnell 20:45
She's way more silence in my head.
Kristi Wagner 20:51
I so my cat, my coach, a few years ago, listened to a podcast with the Shawn Johnson, the gymnast and she was talking about how when she would do routines, somebody asked her what she was thinking about. And it's more like, tuck, pull, strong, you know, these cue words that you think as you're tumbling through the air, and obviously, I'm not tumbling through the air. But those kind of just cue words and cue thoughts have to keep me in my rhythm to keep us in our rhythm is more of what it is. And I, I think, you know, it's kind of that and pushing out negative thoughts, which I guess is a form of positive thinking. But I'm not like, you know, coxing Sofia, I'm not like, Oh, we got this. We're, you know, I don't even I can't even remember what moves we would do. But they were a hilarious. I mean, in college. Yeah, it was amazing. We would do these like, and I was like, yeah, like, it was fun. But I don't know. It's a different
Christine O'Donnell 22:00
world and elite rowing, where
Kristi Wagner 22:05
I do think that the bigger the boat. So this was an interesting thing. I think the bigger the boat, you do need a little bit more of those moves in that race tactic and stuff like in small boat rowing, it was described to me as kind of a chess game so you can respond to moves. And it's more of a back and forth game in big boat rowing. Like, you got to strike first. And it's hard to come back. That's what I mean, we learned a hard lesson in our quad like, in the heat, we let GB just row through us. And I think we are all small boat rowers. And we've done a lot more small boat rowing recently. And it was like, Okay, we'll get them back. But then too much, they opened up too much. We couldn't get them back, you know, and they're fast crew, like all credit to them. But we were, we were not as tactical as we needed to be. And I think that's something that's like a difference between big boat rowing and small boat rowing is you need to have more of a attack plan, versus I think in singles and doubles. Sometimes you can kind of play the game or and races can go back and forth. And it's, it's easier to move when you want to.
Christine O'Donnell 23:22
So that's a good point. And also what a gift to have that knowledge now before the World Championship. Oh, yeah.
Kristi Wagner 23:28
I mean, it sucks to like, learn a lesson anytime. Like, really, I mean, that was the other thing about this whole regatta like, it was exciting to come in second in the double. It was exciting to metal, but the quad really did not perform the way we wanted it to. So I don't, I didn't feel like, oh, this was just an amazing, I mean, also, we literally beat China in the heat and mud moss to them in the final. So it's kind of like any way you look at it. Like it wasn't 10 to 10 experience couldn't have done any better, like, exciting and a good step along the way. But definitely improvements that we need to make. And you have to look at, like who wasn't at this race. And, you know, we would be fooling ourselves if we thought that, you know, if we didn't consider that the countries that weren't at this race, like who? In the double, there's the Romanians, the Lithuanians, the Kiwis are have one of the women that raced in their double in Tokyo back with another fast person that also metal that the Olympics I mean, I that I think, you know, the Dutch are in the quad right now but who knows what's gonna happen you know, it's and then like, the Irish are fast. The Austrians are fast. I'm probably forgetting someone.
Christine O'Donnell 24:57
The absence of a compliment is not A insole. Yeah, that was from Coach cat. So if you were not mentioned, just know that. Oh, yeah.
Kristi Wagner 25:08
I mean, I don't think any of those people listen to this podcast,
Unknown Speaker 25:12
what do you mean? But if you do Hey,
Kristi Wagner 25:14
I actually it's fun. Like it's cool racing in the double. I mean, I love the double. And I've raced in the double for a few a little bit now. I'm I mean, I'm no it's not, you know, I have no whatever to it could be swept up away from me at any time but it's fun to like see people like the same people that you see like again and again. So that's cool. Like one of the women that was in the Australian boat, I'm pretty sure raced at the Olympics in the double. I was like, I think I recognize you. We're not friends, but that's okay.
Unknown Speaker 25:55
Did you hug it out?
Kristi Wagner 25:56
I tried to talk to the girls from China. At the metals area. They did not speak English. Yeah. I think they didn't understand what I was saying at all. But that's okay. But oh, they were very, they were very friendly. But I they Yeah, I failed at talking to them. But the French girls were very nice. They had very fancy french braids in their hair. And I was like, I like your French. It is kind of funny, though. I don't know. Rowing is so funny. Like, you see the same people, but you're like, I don't really know you. And then you're like, Should we be enemies? frenemies? I don't know.
Unknown Speaker 26:35
Who knows?
Christine O'Donnell 26:38
I mean, I think competition is good, because it makes us all faster. Oh, you know, I was actually just doing an interview with with these two volleyball legends. And all the ball ledge volleyball legends, these coaches, these women are in, I would say the golden years of their lives at that stage. And so in other words, they're like in their 70s. Amazing, yes. And they're like former NCAA. And I think I will do great in my 70s coaches. So I get that far, I was listening to like some of the like their life lessons and some of the quotes that they would share with their teams. And she was like, this one coach was saying, one of the things that I would try to do was empower the women on my team, to be powerful, like to give them permission to talk trash to each other, give them permission to be aggressive. Like, some of some women sometimes just need permission to go there. And, and, and I would love, love that when I would see the girls on my team, because you can go there. And then you can come back from that. And then like put your arms around each other and be like, good race. Yeah, game.
Kristi Wagner 28:03
And I think it takes a it takes a level of trust and kind of commitment to get to that place, though. Yeah. Because I think that sometimes, like you just don't have the relationship and the connection to get there.
Christine O'Donnell 28:22
With someone from a different team or from on your own,
Kristi Wagner 28:24
I think even from your own team, I think it can take a little while to get to that place. I think it's hard because in a sport like rowing, like in basketball, oh, it's so easy to talk trash. I mean, but you're literally like hitting people, you know, and oh my gosh, basketball. I mean, I played basketball a long time ago when I was in high school, which was many years ago. And our, the way my high school gym was set up there was this little hallway behind it that you could also get to the locker room from and the with where our team locker room was, you would take that hallway and there was a water fountain in the hallway. And we would always go there to cry. Which sounds sad, but like I don't think it was in a sad way. You just my basketball coach was intense. Just intense lady have a lot of respect for her coach Martin doe. Hi, coach. She definitely doesn't listen to this. I don't think she liked me that much. But um, I mean, no, I No, I think she liked me. I just think that she thought I could be better at basketball if I played more, which was probably true. And anyways, yeah, she was intense. And it was just an it's an intense environment. We did intense things and we were teenage girls. So you go back there and cry, or you go to your car and cry, but like I loved it. It was weird because even though you need to have your cry moment like You still, I still loved it. But yeah, that's what was intense. But in rowing, like, I, so that's one thing. I miss having boys on our team because I could trash talk boys and they could trash talk me and it was fun and but trash talking other girls sometimes, like some people can deal it out and can take it. And they are just, you know, they got it. But sounds like a personality trait it is. But some people you just make them cry. And that's horrible. You don't ever want to make somebody cry. Yeah,
Christine O'Donnell 30:37
this isn't this is a very good point when you talk about the level of trust and friendship you have to have with somebody.
Kristi Wagner 30:42
So I think it's important to, but I will also say like, I can be intense. I know this about myself, and especially with a Ryan like my Iran teammates. I think that I've said some probably kind of controversial things in the heat of the moment to some of my teammates. But honestly, like, they're probably things they needed to hear. And does that give me the right to say them? Absolutely not? Absolutely not. I am not a coach. I didn't, I was probably in the wrong, but you know, I don't know. I would want somebody to say something to me. That's right. And I think they have. So
Christine O'Donnell 31:28
see, you guys are helping each other become better. Yeah, we are through the confidence that you're gaining. And, you know, when you have to, when you criticize each other never feels good to be criticized? No.
Kristi Wagner 31:40
But I have appreciated with Orion, we've spent a lot of time talking about our feelings. No, but we're a big team of young women. And I've learned a lot from my younger teammates, they feel they are empowered in a way that I feel like I am just on the cusp of that generation. Like, I just think that I was very much raised in a good little girl era. And I think that in the like five to 10 years younger than me. Women have been way more outspoken. So I've lived through I mean, so have you so so as my mom, so you know, but, and not to say that women weren't empowered before, I just feel like there is a little bit of a difference. That and it could also come from the family that I grew up in the place that I grew up, you know, the way that I grew up. But I do notice a lot more of their ability to speak about what they need speak about what they feel, which I think is a great thing. I think sometimes there's a little bit of a line that's crossed into complaining. But I think for the most part, it is like a really solid thing that i Men do all the freakin time. Like men need something, they just say it and then they get it. They don't feel the need to have a trust circle. They just literally talk about what they need and or demand it. And then it happens.
Christine O'Donnell 33:25
It's it's a good point. And I also was raised in the Be a good girl era. So I feel like that's like the person I was raised to be like, Yeah, I always think about other people's feelings. But
Kristi Wagner 33:38
it must be interesting now to be raising a daughter, like, how do you want her? You know, yes, I
Christine O'Donnell 33:46
actually have a really great example and story. And so I have like been through my own like rediscovering of who I am, because I'm a nice person, but I'm more than a nice person. And we all can be nice. And we all can be serious. And we all can be aggressive and bold. And there are so many different parts of who we are. And so I feel like I've seen myself start to accept some other personality traits a little bit more so especially in my like at home life and my husband and I definitely share a lot of responsibilities. And we might not have a traditional house hold like splitting of tasks in some ways we do in some ways we don't. And one of my favorite things that has happened is we so we do pray before we eat our food. Most of the time sometimes we forget but we do say like that's okay like a prayer and Steven verbal raised in religions and we're so we're trying to teach some of that to our kids and mostly to be grateful and have respect and just to realize there's so much more to the world than just you. So, so yeah, we started praying before dinner and Asher so my son was like, Wait, why is it father son? Holy Spirit should it be father son, mother daughter? Like why? And so he got into the house amazing. Every time we would pray, Father, Son, mother, daughter, a man, and I was like, he makes such a good point. Why not? You do that Asher? And he's like, What about the mom? I was like, Yeah. What about the mom? Yeah, um, so So I just I'm seeing it in the way my son sees me in my relationship with his dad is also making a difference on him at how he looks at the roles then and women have in the world. And so I think that not just for my daughter, but for my son like I'm seeing a shift that maybe would not have happened in my like, childhood household with myself. And I also think that my dad secretly wanted me to be a boy. So I have a lot of tomboy qualities. Or maybe I just like a I'm a tomboy. Yeah, so, so yeah, I climbed a lot of trees.
Kristi Wagner 36:31
I mean, that's amazing. That's higher. That's amazing, though. I love that. Sure. Ash is one of the good ones. Yeah, I mean, we are
Christine O'Donnell 36:38
gonna tell it to you straight. You know what he said to Steve the other day, Steve was picking on him. And he's like, Don't play me like that, dad.
Speaker 3 36:52
Notice, see that? Don't play me like that. Your five?
Kristi Wagner 36:58
Yeah. And I don't think you really ever say
Christine O'Donnell 37:00
anything. I mean, I might have like as a joke, but when did you hear that? I mean, some one of us must have said it at some point at school. Yeah. Don't play me like that, dad. Okay.
Kristi Wagner 37:13
That's amazing. He's a funny kid. That's amazing. So, but yeah, to bring it back to bring it back. trash talking is good. No, I think that the races, like, we're very exciting. And it's so fun to race. Like it's, it really is. It's, we don't get to race enough. Racing is awesome. Being in Italy, it was really great. But it was almost like, a great scenario didn't come in second. Because definitely, like so hungry for more and know that we've got so much more, you know, speed to gain and a lot more work to do going forward. So I feel excited.
Christine O'Donnell 38:05
I feel excited to and on that note. I'm going to play back some of the excitement. And maybe we can just like listen to it. Again, if you have something to share, as You're reliving it. You couldn't hear this though. While you were talking.
Kristi Wagner 38:20
I couldn't. Oh, you know,
Christine O'Donnell 38:22
I almost sent this photo to you at 518 in the morning. Just so you know. I wish you had
Kristi Wagner 38:29
it was like me watching.
Speaker 3 38:30
This is me watching you from my bed.
Christine O'Donnell 38:35
I am tired. Okay, is this it? Thanks. Okay,
Speaker 4 38:42
it's race. The leading three across the line. We'll go straight through to the next round. And Emily cow Felton, Lauren O'Connor, the other American boat over on the far side are sitting pretty comfortably insert one length up on Dittmann and Baruch, the Polish combination out of last year's World Championship quads go Poland, they've got about a length to make up if they want to move into the leading three. Well, the gap between China and the USA is simply narrowing stroke by stroke. Wagner and V TAs have been able to maintain that higher rate and keep the work on and that's given them the boat speed. So inch by inch stroke by stroke. They are narrowing that gap nev
Speaker 5 39:31
absolutely are and those rowers and both USA crews in fact, are also racing the quad later on today, but they're leaving absolutely nothing out here on the water. It is China still hanging on to that lead. But USA definitely break it down just two meters separating them now they're just coming into my view at 1300 meters mark. I think China are trying to respond here. And they're actually keeping the rate down a little bit from the US a boater maintaining their speed now top three boats as you said Robert are through to the semi final so at the moment it is looking good for USA one China one and USA two USA one now just coming for China here and they have it down to nothing between the two boats here as they're just passing my window here 1500 meters
Unknown Speaker 40:25
what was going through your mind then? Do you remember it
Christine O'Donnell 40:29
1500 meters so
Kristi Wagner 40:30
no I mean I knew I knew we were gonna beat them like probably 500 meters before this really? Yeah oh I don't know we were walking then at the end they like really tried to sprint and I was like no okay I'm gonna
Speaker 5 40:49
China trying to respond USA responding it is stroke for stroke absolutely nothing between them China have responded and they're upping their rate ever so slightly again as we're seeing across the day to day so far. And even though they might be quite comfortable to get into the semi finals they're not letting anything out there on the water. They're really making their mark and setting down their mark for the rest of the weekend. But as I say that it is USA one who have now moved into the lead ahead of China who are back in second just ever so slightly and then we have a USA in third and Poland in fourth This is really impressive stuff here by Christina and Sophia from USA one moving into the lead but China really still hanging in there they're really not letting them get away with anything both crews maintaining their rates I'm not sure if we're gonna see them opening it now as they head towards 200 meters to go but at the moment rob it is USA China USA to and Poland I'm not sure it the tiny is definitely are not giving up and they are responding it looks like yeah, I'm
Speaker 6 41:59
sure they are but it looks like Poland is the crew that will miss out here. I think they've pretty much given up pushing for this one to conserve that energy for the rapid charge later on. But it's the two American crews and the Chinese now vying for that glory spot at first place.
Speaker 7 42:16
When I got a lot tonight the equivalent gotta get the internet quarter call you start you need America Cuba non Corona ball Talia Swan Allah Symphonia ECML La Cina leadway Piazza Adecco kasuba que the restart unity achine upper premier Sekonda Piazza in questa, quality Cal femenina
Speaker 6 42:34
na great race down to the line here, USA one China one USA, just gonna hold it by a canvas ahead of China one in lane four. That's the one to the third place. We'll go to USC two.
Speaker 8 42:47
Now was it exciting, right? Yeah.
Kristi Wagner 42:53
Yeah, it's fun. Grayling's fun. It's fun to do. It's fun to do it to K next to another boat. They were fast. I mean, we were all fast. Now. Next weekend, this weekend. Is World Cup three. So I'm hoping we get to see some good rowing there
Christine O'Donnell 43:11
some new results. Where's that taken place?
Kristi Wagner 43:14
Lucerne, Switzerland. Woohoo, beautiful place.
Christine O'Donnell 43:18
Why did you go to World Rowing to cup two instead of cup one or cup? Three? I do not make any of those decisions. So you didn't have to win to qualify for the final. Did you ever think at that point of just kind of take it easy and letting the Chinese win knowing that you could beat them. So you could conserve energy for any of the other races? Or were you like, No, there's no effing way. We're not going to win at this point.
Kristi Wagner 43:44
Well, we weren't going. Like that's the thing. Like we weren't going crazy. Like I know, it sounds very intense. Yeah, and and the thing is, we're, you know, we're so fit. And we trained so much. Like we didn't sprint, I don't think the Chinese did either in that race, like, you have the capacity to do these races. And it's better practice to get the races done, or race a full race. Because that's what you have to do with the world championships or the Olympics. I don't know, I've always been a believer that you just race, like shutting it down is mentally very challenging. Because say you think that you're going to be able to and then you can't you know, I don't know. It's just a slippery slope.
Christine O'Donnell 44:40
I agree. But I know that there's a strategy and everything. So I just was wondering if if you found if you and Sophia found yourself being like, should we know? And you were just like, let's just take it to the line.
Kristi Wagner 44:58
No, I mean, I think we always want to win In
Christine O'Donnell 45:00
Yes. Okay, now I've got your grand final video. You ready for this?
Kristi Wagner 45:08
So this is the final for the double Yes
Christine O'Donnell 45:13
2023 World Rowing cup start list final a
Unknown Speaker 45:19
China Lane one,
Christine O'Donnell 45:21
France lane two, USA one Wagner and vitez lane three China one lane for Australia Lane five and USA two and Lane six.
Unknown Speaker 45:35
Emily and Lauren
Speaker 9 45:38
thank you for your tweets and how much we enjoyed this worldwide job in the UK talking about Lauren role. She's definitely the athletes that leads us all in training. She also wins and it's double gold medalists hope you're enjoying this and we'll take you through the women's in the doubles goals. So it's the second Chinese boat over there on the far side
Unknown Speaker 46:08
we can edit that out six
Unknown Speaker 46:09
by one
Unknown Speaker 46:13
Why don't you look at it and hold it like I've already
Kristi Wagner 46:19
read such as I don't love watching my reasons why. I don't know.
Speaker 9 46:27
I know blah, blah. I'm normally is that the brain? So here's the first USA quote earlier today.
Kristi Wagner 46:37
Sophia she says Don't Don't look at her hat. She doesn't like wearing she said she thinks good luck. I told her she
Unknown Speaker 46:45
was toussis the best
Kristi Wagner 46:51
your big breath. So Martin Lewis talks about the fact that I went to Yale they all do it's funny really
Speaker 9 47:00
strong women's favors here Louis Rue St. Lucia you in the bow seats Junior gold medalist back in 2016. And said you may 25 year old
Christine O'Donnell 47:19
they think of the kind of chance they're gonna get
Kristi Wagner 47:23
a tan we have to wear the t shirt. The final Oh yeah. Why? I don't know they like gives them to us. They have like sponsors on them I think.
Speaker 9 47:33
Quad. So Emily Cal felts 26 years of age from Jamestown, Rhode Island and Lauren O'Connor from Belleville, Wisconsin. Went to the University of Wisconsin do they call the Badgers over there badgers whiskers Yeah, badgers Wisco. Wagner and O'Connor who won the trials from VITAS cow fails, but these women have teamed up. Would it be Isabel Jacobson? Who coaches this boat?
Speaker 10 48:02
Yeah, that's right, Martin. Yeah, coached by Isabel Jacobs. She's the head of the High Performance sculling group names not long ago works with Eric Catalina the Orion founder, Christy Wagner rose
Kristi Wagner 48:17
Yeah, and the shout out that's calling to new here I can
Speaker 10 48:19
quick start though we'll bring our attention to the race good start for China one and China to
Kristi Wagner 48:26
China one really got out there. Yeah, I was like alright guys. I see you.
Speaker 9 48:32
Getting into final the final of the women's single skulls. I see it in the beat final and see where she placed in the beat final this morning. But you know, tremendous strength. It
Christine O'Donnell 48:42
was just a big game of chess right now. For 2000 meters. The chessboard
Kristi Wagner 48:49
Yeah, we're we're a little slow we're a little tired from our quad race I think get those first 500 Yeah, work on that.
Unknown Speaker 48:59
Veterans go out of the Tokyo Olympics
Speaker 10 49:09
good for China to continuing to open up that margin. They're really pushing away from the rest of the field on the far side. And ever so close behind them with again the exception of that China two crew France, China one
Speaker 9 49:30
China two rowing I think in that Phillippi boat over there. I did say there were veterans and Tokyo Olympics that support is China one Lucia you and Shan Shan Mei who are now in second position. And interestingly enough, the Chinese team China too you can try to one you can tell. They are rolling in a yellow boat and then pack a boat and China to arrive in a Phillippi boat. So it's a match up between Italy In a German bike manufacturers there's a two Australians are girly the 21 year old closest to us forced to trade on her neighbours irrigations and while in Nairobi during to lock downs for COVID and let's behind the now and tracking the French trucking China one in the yellow boat.
Unknown Speaker 50:23
It's a good start for this China tubo
Speaker 9 50:25
Yeah, they all been run through by the first Chinese double. And then we see the struggle century may 25 year old
Christine O'Donnell 50:36
so at this point, y'all are sixth.
Kristi Wagner 50:41
Fifth, I think when she was in the trolleys
Christine O'Donnell 50:44
Did you just switch from fifth to sixth?
Kristi Wagner 50:46
I don't know. Yeah, I'm sure we were in last place at some point.
Unknown Speaker 50:51
Last year I think Lu Chu behind those such a
Speaker 3 50:54
strong like my legs like last year
Speaker 9 50:57
Championships where she was put in the single she performed in that she finished fourth on the final.
Speaker 10 51:06
Bala had for the first time over China to France and Australia a bit of a tussle just behind them the Americans in it as well of Christie Wagner Sophia Vitesse.
Speaker 9 51:17
Fantastic, isn't it. Five crews really close up Australia, right in X and Bateman and Gourley in that rhythm, just confident in what they're doing. And tracking the race leaders from China won in the yellow boat, China to just drop it back slightly. They're still in second position Australia are coming through the fridge of right up there. USA one is right up there to beat betas and Vagner know what their legs are going to be like in the second half of this race because they've raced the quad the beef on the quad which they did when they beat Australia. Olympic Bronze medalists look across there from Amanda bytes. And
Christine O'Donnell 52:02
this is when things started to change. For me as a viewer
Speaker 9 52:11
so let's take a look at the Australian boats. There they go.
Kristi Wagner 52:15
Doesn't matter where you are. Except that the finish on Oh, I mean, I don't know. No, it would have been great to be people always ask me that. I'm like no, it would have been great to be winning the whole time. Now we knew our start wasn't going to be amazing, because we had already had a race in our legs. So yeah.
Speaker 9 52:37
Really nice straight arms that come out to the front end. Beautiful pick up.
Kristi Wagner 52:42
We like to move during third 500
Unknown Speaker 52:45
down to Chapman
Speaker 10 52:52
and the Americans just coming through we'll have a quick look over at them. They've been able to overhaul the Aziz and the French currently in a silver medal contention.
Speaker 9 53:04
Yeah, Biden or VITAS have really got something on through the middle 1000 You know, I think he has six they can win. I just wonder we had a conversation didn't we about the wisdom of coming here doubling up in the women's quad and the women's double? And you know, if a double is that quick, and they've already raced in the women's quad you think they might be kind of toe to toe with China one out there in the leads. But we're passing through the 1500 meter mark 502 It's about six seconds off the world's best time pace with time but
Christine O'Donnell 53:40
are you looking at them out of the corner your eyes and you're bowing about?
Kristi Wagner 53:44
Yeah, you can just tell Yeah, you can like feel that they're they're
Speaker 9 53:49
taught but it's not going to beat that record set by the Australians all the same key in Amsterdam back in 2014. There are the leaders and she's really digging in Shan Shan Mei isn't she the 25 year old Lucia you looks a little more cultured in the bow seat behind her. The single scholar as our drone gives us a shot. The Chinese double out in front of you in the power seat. You look so strong. Look at her there Lucia you're the left. So she really got it back through the Americans were in fact we're in bases found that sprint form they are coming back on China one. I think it's gonna be a bit too late. China one. What about fixie centimeters over the Americans charter one will come out and they will take it from USA if I hadn't double up in the quad that could have been USA as gold medal I'm sure amazing finish from the frog. The French double Balian Nazi they did get that fell it over metal broke the hearts of the Australians Bateman and Gulia done everything right until the sprint for the line. China are unsure
Kristi Wagner 54:58
Yeah, retired.
Speaker 9 55:00
American striker betas did 641 And they doubled up in the women's squad. It's no wonder that Sofia Peters is lying back in the boat.
Speaker 10 55:14
Yeah, absolute exhaustion can see them just having a moment with one another. Wow, France really came out. Did they like I thought the Aussies would take it.
Kristi Wagner 55:23
And I mean, it's fun to race. It was fun. It was it's exciting race. It would have been exciting if we had fun. I kind of thought we had one. Like that was that was a bit frustrating because like you don't. So the weird thing about rowing courses is they put like these giant buoys on the finish line, but they're not on the finish line. So where the finish line is, is actually a bit sooner. So I really thought we had one, but
Christine O'Donnell 55:50
it was so exciting. It was like holy faffing crap. Where are they coming? Like you just like, yeah, you came. It seems like you came out of nowhere. Like you didn't come out of nowhere, but it just was like such a power move. Yeah, we ended the peace. And it was very exciting. Yeah,
Kristi Wagner 56:08
so I Yeah, it's exciting. Rice. Yeah.
Christine O'Donnell 56:11
Was that your first time? rewatching it?
Kristi Wagner 56:14
No, no, I watched it.
Unknown Speaker 56:16
The day after the day after? Like, dang it.
Christine O'Donnell 56:20
It was it was one stroke more in yours. Yeah. Dang it.
Kristi Wagner 56:27
It's okay. It was really funny, though. So we like are on the little metal area in Sofia was like, next year. And I was like, What about later this? She's like, Oh, my God. Yeah, I don't know. I forgot.
Unknown Speaker 56:40
She's like, I'm so tired.
Kristi Wagner 56:42
Yeah, we were definitely tired. Yeah, I will say the real perk of so normally. Well, at a world championship, the races are all pretty spread out. So you're never like, exhausted. Like you're tired from your race. But and so sleeping can be like you're off. You know, you're up thinking about the racing and blah, blah, blah. But I was so spent the whole world cup I was just out like a light. Because like, I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Yeah. So that was a real perk.
Christine O'Donnell 57:20
All of the good sleep of the good sleep. That is nice. You work really hard in the day if sleep real good at night. Yeah. Yeah. So not to mention there was all of the homemade pasta that you were blessed to
Kristi Wagner 57:32
eat? Well, not at the second hotel. Oh,
Christine O'Donnell 57:35
I just remember hearing about that number of times. The pasta is great. Yes. So what's next?
Kristi Wagner 57:45
So at the end of this week, so at the beginning of July, that's a better way to say it. I will be going back to Princeton, New Jersey. And as of right now, I believe that Sophie and I will be rowing in the double. And we do have to race at a trial because of the not happy we will be racing at a trial. The selection procedures. Say that, that that's what we do. So we will race to trial, which is kind of the end of July, the 27th. So we'll go and we'll practice and race and knock wood hopefully win, and then get to go to the World
Christine O'Donnell 58:30
Championships. And the world champions chips is happening
Kristi Wagner 58:34
in the first week of September in Serbia, in Belgrade, Serbia.
Unknown Speaker 58:38
Wow. Yeah, awesome. Yeah. Yeah.
Kristi Wagner 58:42
So I, I'm really, last week was sort of a reset rest week. I mean, obviously, we did some rowing and some activity, but I felt really nice to have a bit of a rest week. And then this week, it's been nice getting back into the swing of everything, but being home. And just being able to read my single and do be more in my comfort zone has been nice. And just to have, you know, two weeks at home and with Chris and everything, instead of one has been really great. And then we'll go back to Princeton. Back to the residents in Ooh, yes, living in a hotel seems glamorous until you do it literally all the time. And then you're like, Oh, my God, I don't want to live in a hotel anymore. Which isn't to say he was trying I'm very grateful that you put me up in the residence in Thank you. And thank you to all the donors that helped with that.
Christine O'Donnell 59:41
Thank you very much.
Kristi Wagner 59:42
But yeah, it's it can get a little bit. Princeton is tough, like the rowing stuff is good in Princeton, but it's a little bit hard because there's not that much going on there. We live next to a mall and I last summer like I literally walked around the mall like almost every day I called it hot girl walk my hot girl walk in Yeah, and I would just go into the anthropology and go into the sale room be like anything new. Any new mediums. Any new mediums like shirts, just like anything from anthropology, I love anthropology. So
Christine O'Donnell 1:00:12
you like to wrap these up with a quote?
Kristi Wagner 1:00:16
Oh, we're gonna do quote of the day or episode right now. All right, yes. All my notes app,
Christine O'Donnell 1:00:21
do you have takeaways from the World Cup, two that you want to share with the audience,
Kristi Wagner 1:00:27
a bunch of us that raced in the Los Olympics, the US did not win any medals. And you know, that was failure, US team, blah, blah, blah. So and then last summer, you know, a few of the boats metal, but really not that many. And it's really hard, because like, we're all doing everything we can. And we're trusting the process and the coaches and the staff and, and I think this World Cup was just a stepping stone, but a good stepping stone and showed that we're moving in the right direction. And I just feel really grateful to be a part of this process, and also really happy for all of my teammates, and friends and people that are accomplishing things alongside me accomplishing things, because I see, you know, we see how much work we put in but how much work everybody puts in. And I think it was just exciting, that there were so many boats doing well, and then we can just keep that. Keep that truck rollin. Yeah. All right.
Unknown Speaker 1:01:35
Let's see here.
Kristi Wagner 1:01:37
I think you'll like this one is from relentless Tim Grover's book. When you're great, you trust your instincts when you're unstoppable. Your instincts trust you. I like it. Yeah, this reminded me of I do think about what doc so I grew up Celtics fan and Doc Rivers always says pressure is a privilege. And I think that at the starting line sometimes like it's privileged to be here pressures a privilege.
Unknown Speaker 1:02:12
Yeah, it's a good point.
Kristi Wagner 1:02:19
I'd love to hear from you. So send us a topic suggestion or if you'd like to submit a question for our Ask Christy anything segment, head to our website, the other three years.com
Transcribed by https://otter.ai