Ever listened to a rower throw around “thirty rate twenty” or “rating up!” and thought… are we counting or casting spells? In Episode 10 of The Gather, we break down why 20 strokes per minute can be just as powerful as 30 — and why low rate never means low effort — on the erg, on the water, and in life. Because your cadence is strategy, your power is choice, and knowing when to grind or go is the real race.

Ever heard a rower talking about their split and wondered what it actually means? It’s just a number on the screen… and somehow the loudest voice in the boat. Part stopwatch, part truth serum, it reveals what you can really hold when the piece gets long—and we’re unpacking all of it in this episode. ‍♀️✨

Ever wonder what rowers do when the water freezes? Do they just hibernate? Spoiler: Nope. We erg. A lot. Hear about it in this episode as we dive into ERGing and winter conditioning.

Inspired by a Ted Lasso–level belief in people over scoreboards, this episode dives into how Russell Topp built a powerhouse rowing program by putting kids first. Yes, the wins are historic—but the real story is the culture, community, and humans he’s helped shape along the way.

Is sweeping vs sculling the rowing world's version of skiing vs snowboarding – a quirky split where the gear, the vibe and the whole personality of the ride suddenly change with one simple choice? Find out in this episode.

Ever wondered why there is no left or right in rowing? In this episode, we'll dive into the terms bow, stern, port, starboard and discuss how seeing the world from different perspectives matters both on and off the water.

9 people in the boat, 8 seats, and only 6 have numbers. Makes perfect sense right? Ever wondered why shenangigans always seem to involve 3 seat, and stroke seats walk around like they own the place? In this episode, find out about the roles each seat plays in the crew, and how that translates to the roles we all play in our lives outside of the shell.

How do coxswains shape a crew's chemistry, confidence, and chaos into a well synchronised machine? Who is your own personal coxswain outside of the shell? We'll discuss that and more in this episode.

Big thanks to George Kirschbaum for the coxswain audio clip that we included in this episode!