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For world of rowing, Sarasota's a stage

The Herald-Tribune - 2/25/2019

Feb. 25-- Feb. 25--SARASOTA -- More than 1,500 grade-school students, military veterans and some of the world's fiercest rowers competed at the 10th annual Sarasota Invitational Regatta on Sunday.

The regatta, held at Nathan Benderson Park, began with juniors on Saturday and concluded with masters on Sunday.

Joe Dobson, the founder and director of the Sarasota Adapted Rowing and Freedom Rows programs, said rowing can be a good lifestyle and team-building sport for veterans.

"We are part of a recreational therapy program for veterans," Dobson said. "A lot of these guys have been through a lot and they are really benefiting from the sport of rowing and being on the water.

Dobson said veterans program was looking for about 49 rowers but ended up with 97 members. People from all walks of life are capable of participating in the low-impact sport.

For veterans, becoming a sculler incorporates some of the military's core values: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage.

"The marines worked and fought hard for each other and died for each other, but they lived the most honorable life," Dobson said. "That's what happens. When you are out there rowing in a boat and you want to quit and it hurts. You are looking at the person in front of you and say, 'I'm not going to let them down; I'm not going to quit.' You hang in there and go."

Regatta organizer Norman Thetford said another highlight of Sunday's competition was the master's single that was held in honor of Dr. Larry Klecatsky, the legendary single sculler.

Klecatsky dominated lightweight singles rowing for decades massing the most career medals in the history of U.S. Rowing Nationals, according to Thetford. He discovered rowing as a teenager in Minnesota and during his career, he made 10 U.S. National teams.

Klecatsky received 50 medals from the U.S. National Championships and 60 more from the Canadian Henley, a prestigious rowing event in the United Kingdom. Ultimately, he was inducted into the National Rowing Association Hall of Fame in 1978, and the New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame in 1989.

The Sarasota Invitational will continue to hold a masters event in his honor each year with the winner receiving the Klecatsky Trophy.

"Larry moved down to Sarasota to row," said Tamara Currey, a member of the Sarasota County Rowing Club and friend of Klecatsky. "I was lucky to know him and just amazed at his accomplishments as a physician and world-class athlete. The thing that impresses me the most is that there isn't anyone in the history of the sport who has earned more medals than Larry."

Forty-ones scullers competed for the trophy on Sunday, Thetford said.

More than 70 clubs competed from around the nation and the world, from ages 10 to 84. A composite team that included two Sarasota Crew members of rowers from four different countries was an easy masters winner.

The team included Anne Marichal of Belgium, Karen Wiegandt of Fargo, North Dakota, Beverley Gallie of the United Kingdom and Laura Corbett-Brown of St. Catharine's, Ontario, Canada.

The crew are composed of members of competing clubs, but inside the quad boat, they form a powerful team.

"This year we decided to cross the boundaries of competing clubs and compete as four athletes who have a common goal," said Marichal. "It's a lot of practice; it's sometimes matching different styles -- not just body styles, but rowing styles."

The only sign that they were from competing teams was their club uniforms.

"Once you sit down in the boat, whoever you are with is automatically your teammate" and friend, Corbett-Brown said.

The foursome has won more than 20 medals combined and is gearing up for the Henley Royal Regatta in the town of Henley-on-Thames, England.

"We're going to win," Marichal said. "We're going to try and do whatever we need to do to win. ... We are going to tackle the world regatta and see if we can say hi to the queen."

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