Bronze medalist: Rowing Competition in Matsue
So after I quit kendoo last two months ago I have felt this void in Tottori. Everyone Japanese student that I have asked about what they do during their free time has replied "I join club". For the surfing club, I have to rely on Tsukasa, but since it's around the time of mid-term exams time I don't want to bother him too much. So I caved in and joined the Tottori University Rowing Team or in Japanese "鳥取大学ボート部" or Boto-bu (Boat club).
How it happened was this: I was invited to give a speech a class that dealt with International Exchange. I was there to speak as a foreigner about my experience in Japan: the challenges, the hardships, the culture, etc.... In the class happened to be this Japanese student named "Gaku". During the first week back in April, the Japanese students have these flyer blitzes out on the way to the cafeteria encouraging people to join their clubs. And Gaku happened to be the rowing team representative and approached me everyday, but sadly by then I had already joined the kendoo. So after this class i approached him and asked him if I can join and he enthusiastically said "For sure" (in Japanese).
So for the past week I have been training with them at the Tottori University boat house right beside Koyama Pond... its so dumb... this "lake-sized" body of water next to the University was named Koyama "Pond" just so that can say that we have the "Biggest Pond in Japan". I couldn't help but crack up laughing when people tell me that with pride.
Anyhoo.. So everyday after the first hour of teaching English, I head off to Koyama pond and start their workout and training regime. Everyday, So even before getting in the water to row, everyone has to
So anyhoo, by the second day Gaku tells me that the team is going to a rowing competition in Matsue city 松江 (Mat-su-eh) in Shimane prefecture 島根 (She-ma-ne) (which is southwest of Tottori prefecture). I asked him if it was okay since I was a beginner, but he said that most of the members are first year students and thus are beginners as well. So of course I agreed. When am I going to EVER have another chance in my life to competitively row in Japan? NEVER!!!
I was super duper excited and nervous at the same time considering I have never officially did any sports comeptitively in my life. Gaku told me that this "regata" is more friendly and is more about meeting people and making friends than it is about competing. The captain and the "deputy" captain then approached me and told me that they want me to go to the competition but were not sure if they could allow me to row. Considering that I JUST joined the team a week ago with only 4 practices in the water, I don't blame them for being iffy.
So the day approached, (yesterday, Sunday June 14th), the whole rowing team got up at 3:30 am and departed from our boat house on a bus at 4:30 am on our way to Matsue city (in Shimane prefecture). We arrived and there were a total of three schools there: Tottori University (main campus), Tottori University School of Medicine, and Shimane University. Our school, Tottori U (main campus), was split up into three teams (three boats), the school of medicine had 3 teams (three boats), and Shimane U had two.
So in the first round (500m), my team named "Tottori University Team A" (with me in the boat were [from front to back] deputy-captain Fujita-kun (who wasnt rowing but was conducting) then Nakamura-kun, follwed by myself Asa-kun, behind me was Shegake-kun, and at the end was Gaku-kun) faced a boat from Shimane University. I could tell by the bodies of the Shimane students that they were extremely fit and were well trained at rowing from watching them practice. So when the referee blew the whistle, we all rowed rowed rowed and rowed. It seemed like it was NEVER going to end. I looked back and Shimane boat was WAY ahead of us. So when the race was finished we were ALL exausted. You would NEVER think that rowing was so exausting when you watch the Olympics on TV.. and its sooo different from rowing during practice. Because when you're competing, your mind and your body completely switches into different modes.
Tottori U Team A pulling off shore preparing to race in round 1
(from front to back of boat: deputy captain Fujita, Nakamura, myself (Asa), Shegake, and Gaku)
So when we got out of our boat, I thought we were eliminated and that was that. But we had to row again. The "losers" from the first round were to compete against each other. By this time I was already sore from the first round. We all got ready in the water. This time we were against three other boats: the two other boats from my Tottori U main campus, and 1 from the faculty of medicine. When the refs waved the flag and blew the whistle, my boat wisked off. I could see that we had this HUGE lead of the other three teams. At one point, Shigake-kun who was in the third rowing spot behind me in our boat, was out of sync with the rest of the team, so we had to stop. At that point my thought was "thats it.. we're finished. But we continued with fury and to my surprise we caught up and finished FIRST in this second round. I couldnt believe it. We stopped to re-sync the team and STILL we managed to catch up and win the race.
So we got out and I thought "okay, we are finally done, no more racing". Because we won the last race, but we had to go out AGAIN and row in the finals. I was on a high from winning the round round, but my body was sooooo sore and the sun was BEAMING down on us. So in the finals, there were again four teams: two from Shimane University (one of which kicked our asses in the first round), my boat: Tottori University Team A, and Tottori University Team B (which placed second in the second round behind us). And no doubt the finals resulted again in Shimane U finishing way ahead. But in end my boat ended up in third place. Gaku is a second year student with 6 years of rowing experience, but the rest of the three of us: Nakamura, Shigake, and myself, were beginners, so I was completly SHOCKED that we ended up placing 3rd in the entire competition. For the first time in my life, I felt like an Olympian.
The captain and deputy captain came up to me afterward and said, "I'm glad we allowed you to row we should have had more confidence in you" (in Japanese). So then I was like "thank you for giving me this opportunity".
Like most other Japanese events, the day ended with a "reception" filled with food and booze. I was hoping that they would give us medals, but we got souvenir cups instead.
Anyhoo... everyone didnt know I was a foreigner until they heard my horrible Japanese. It's suprising to me how well I blend in with everyone because I'm of Asian descent. Again, like every other Japanese event with alcohol involved, half of them were drunk by the end of their second beer. With the sun BLARING on us (25 degrees celcius or so), dehydration proceeded quickly and some of my teammates passed out. I didnt drink too much cause I know too well what lots of alcohol and blaring heat can do to you. We were suppose to leave Matsue at 4 pm, but with some teammates vomitting in the water and passed out, it wasnt till around 6 pm when we boarded the bus. The ride home was quiet and subdued... hahaha.. considering everyone was sleeping, drunk, and of course physically exausted. We arrived back in Tottori city at around 8 pm.
I must say that that would have to be one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I really wanted to get up and sing "O Canada" after the final round but later decided against it considering that nobody would understand what I was singing anyways.
AHHHHH 10 DAYS TILL I TURN 22 YEARS OLD... I FEEL SO OLD (most of the participants from Shimane University were 18 years old!!!!)
How it happened was this: I was invited to give a speech a class that dealt with International Exchange. I was there to speak as a foreigner about my experience in Japan: the challenges, the hardships, the culture, etc.... In the class happened to be this Japanese student named "Gaku". During the first week back in April, the Japanese students have these flyer blitzes out on the way to the cafeteria encouraging people to join their clubs. And Gaku happened to be the rowing team representative and approached me everyday, but sadly by then I had already joined the kendoo. So after this class i approached him and asked him if I can join and he enthusiastically said "For sure" (in Japanese).
So for the past week I have been training with them at the Tottori University boat house right beside Koyama Pond... its so dumb... this "lake-sized" body of water next to the University was named Koyama "Pond" just so that can say that we have the "Biggest Pond in Japan". I couldn't help but crack up laughing when people tell me that with pride.
Anyhoo.. So everyday after the first hour of teaching English, I head off to Koyama pond and start their workout and training regime. Everyday, So even before getting in the water to row, everyone has to
- Jog 1 km
- Rowing Machines 4 km
- 60 push ups
- 60 sit-ups
- 60 squats
- 150 army type warm ups
So anyhoo, by the second day Gaku tells me that the team is going to a rowing competition in Matsue city 松江 (Mat-su-eh) in Shimane prefecture 島根 (She-ma-ne) (which is southwest of Tottori prefecture). I asked him if it was okay since I was a beginner, but he said that most of the members are first year students and thus are beginners as well. So of course I agreed. When am I going to EVER have another chance in my life to competitively row in Japan? NEVER!!!
I was super duper excited and nervous at the same time considering I have never officially did any sports comeptitively in my life. Gaku told me that this "regata" is more friendly and is more about meeting people and making friends than it is about competing. The captain and the "deputy" captain then approached me and told me that they want me to go to the competition but were not sure if they could allow me to row. Considering that I JUST joined the team a week ago with only 4 practices in the water, I don't blame them for being iffy.
So the day approached, (yesterday, Sunday June 14th), the whole rowing team got up at 3:30 am and departed from our boat house on a bus at 4:30 am on our way to Matsue city (in Shimane prefecture). We arrived and there were a total of three schools there: Tottori University (main campus), Tottori University School of Medicine, and Shimane University. Our school, Tottori U (main campus), was split up into three teams (three boats), the school of medicine had 3 teams (three boats), and Shimane U had two.
The Tottori U team prepping the Team A boat for the first round of compeition.
So in the first round (500m), my team named "Tottori University Team A" (with me in the boat were [from front to back] deputy-captain Fujita-kun (who wasnt rowing but was conducting) then Nakamura-kun, follwed by myself Asa-kun, behind me was Shegake-kun, and at the end was Gaku-kun) faced a boat from Shimane University. I could tell by the bodies of the Shimane students that they were extremely fit and were well trained at rowing from watching them practice. So when the referee blew the whistle, we all rowed rowed rowed and rowed. It seemed like it was NEVER going to end. I looked back and Shimane boat was WAY ahead of us. So when the race was finished we were ALL exausted. You would NEVER think that rowing was so exausting when you watch the Olympics on TV.. and its sooo different from rowing during practice. Because when you're competing, your mind and your body completely switches into different modes.
Cerebu-kun (centre) and Sebastian (right) both in Tottori U team C helping me into the boat
Tottori U Team A pulling off shore preparing to race in round 1
(from front to back of boat: deputy captain Fujita, Nakamura, myself (Asa), Shegake, and Gaku)
So when we got out of our boat, I thought we were eliminated and that was that. But we had to row again. The "losers" from the first round were to compete against each other. By this time I was already sore from the first round. We all got ready in the water. This time we were against three other boats: the two other boats from my Tottori U main campus, and 1 from the faculty of medicine. When the refs waved the flag and blew the whistle, my boat wisked off. I could see that we had this HUGE lead of the other three teams. At one point, Shigake-kun who was in the third rowing spot behind me in our boat, was out of sync with the rest of the team, so we had to stop. At that point my thought was "thats it.. we're finished. But we continued with fury and to my surprise we caught up and finished FIRST in this second round. I couldnt believe it. We stopped to re-sync the team and STILL we managed to catch up and win the race.
So we got out and I thought "okay, we are finally done, no more racing". Because we won the last race, but we had to go out AGAIN and row in the finals. I was on a high from winning the round round, but my body was sooooo sore and the sun was BEAMING down on us. So in the finals, there were again four teams: two from Shimane University (one of which kicked our asses in the first round), my boat: Tottori University Team A, and Tottori University Team B (which placed second in the second round behind us). And no doubt the finals resulted again in Shimane U finishing way ahead. But in end my boat ended up in third place. Gaku is a second year student with 6 years of rowing experience, but the rest of the three of us: Nakamura, Shigake, and myself, were beginners, so I was completly SHOCKED that we ended up placing 3rd in the entire competition. For the first time in my life, I felt like an Olympian.
The captain and deputy captain came up to me afterward and said, "I'm glad we allowed you to row we should have had more confidence in you" (in Japanese). So then I was like "thank you for giving me this opportunity".
Like most other Japanese events, the day ended with a "reception" filled with food and booze. I was hoping that they would give us medals, but we got souvenir cups instead.
Anyhoo... everyone didnt know I was a foreigner until they heard my horrible Japanese. It's suprising to me how well I blend in with everyone because I'm of Asian descent. Again, like every other Japanese event with alcohol involved, half of them were drunk by the end of their second beer. With the sun BLARING on us (25 degrees celcius or so), dehydration proceeded quickly and some of my teammates passed out. I didnt drink too much cause I know too well what lots of alcohol and blaring heat can do to you. We were suppose to leave Matsue at 4 pm, but with some teammates vomitting in the water and passed out, it wasnt till around 6 pm when we boarded the bus. The ride home was quiet and subdued... hahaha.. considering everyone was sleeping, drunk, and of course physically exausted. We arrived back in Tottori city at around 8 pm.
Gaku and myself at the reception
The organizer of the event annoucing the winners
Me at the post-rowing reception
The front/back third place "trophy/souvenir cup"
All the teams at the competition (some ppl were drunk monkies at this point in the day)
The front/back third place "trophy/souvenir cup"
All the teams at the competition (some ppl were drunk monkies at this point in the day)
I must say that that would have to be one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I really wanted to get up and sing "O Canada" after the final round but later decided against it considering that nobody would understand what I was singing anyways.
AHHHHH 10 DAYS TILL I TURN 22 YEARS OLD... I FEEL SO OLD (most of the participants from Shimane University were 18 years old!!!!)
Me standing in front of the river in Matsue city with the gorgeous mountain background (and a teammate of mine recovering from drunkeness)
The Shimane University boat house and everyone drunk and passed out waiting to go home
Shimane prefecture license plate
posted by Arthur Kong at 8:01 PM
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