The Evening Times-Globe, Saint John, N.B., Thursday, January 8, 1981

N.B. Team Member Recalls Pre-Olympic Regatta

By Helen Charters

Andrew Messer Of Renforth Reminisces, Selection for Olympics one of career highlights.

When the Canadian Olympic Rowing Team journeyed to Lucerne, Switzerland last May, to compete in a pre-Olympic Regatta, they were up against the world's best - East Germany, New Zealand and Australia. It was their first international competition as a team.

Andrew Messer 22, of Renforth, New Brunswick's representative on the team, put it this way: "Our eyes were opened. We came in last and immediately we went back to the drawing board."

To Andrew, a third-year pre-med student at Yale University in Stamford, Conn. and member of the prestigious Yale Varsity Rowing team, being chosen a member of Canada's Olympic Rowing team was one of the highlights of an already brilliant rowing career.

Two years ago, Andrew chose Yale and the rowing scholarship it offered. He was in the midst of his final year at Ridley College School, St. Catherines, Ont. During his second and final year at Ridley, while Andrew was Captain, the Varsity Rowing team defeated Eton College to win the Royal Henley Regatta for the eighth time.

The Roval Henley was Andrew's first taste of what world competition could be like. And it was just a beginning. He would go on to make the Yale Varsity team, win the Eastern "Sprints", and then compete against Cal-Berkley at Nottingham, in 1979. This challenge match was underwritten by Sports Illustrated Magazine.

During the Fall of 1979, during his sophomore year at Yale, Andrew's old coach, Neill Campbell, approached him about trying out for the Canada Olympic Rowing team. It meant leaving Yale for three months to attend the try-outs in Burnaby, B.C.

Chosen For Eight-Man Crew

Andrew weighed the risks - he would have to forfeit his Yale scholarship while he was off campus and risk censure if he received any financial aid which was not agreeable to Yale. Although he faced economic hardship in going to Burnaby, he decided he would take the chance.

For three months, Andrew and other prospective oars-persons, 20 of whom were women, subjected themselves to three grueling months of training. Ultimately, Andrew was chosen for the eight-man crew, and prepared to go to Lucerne last May with 40 others. During this three-month period, money was available to Andrew under the "carded athlete" system set up by Sports Canada. This program made him eligible to receive $315 a month while competing.

After being roundly trounced at Lucerne, the young Canadian oarsmen, together with coach Neill Campbell, decided to make some radical modifications both in their training techniques, and in the positioning and weight of their oars. Then, for the following two weeks, the team worked out at Mesheda, West Germany, preparing for the Amsterdam regatta when they would meet the same teams again.

On the day of the race, the Canadian team was not considered a significant contender. East Germany was expected to win decisively, Australia would be second, then New Zealand. "We were invisible - they weren't even looking at us", said Andy.

Team Came Back

Although Coach Campbell was considered the top coach in Canada, he was relatively inexperienced in international competition. "Even after we were so badly beaten at Lucerne, the coach was willing to change the team's tactics and strategy in mid-stream, said Andy- "We literally ganged up on him," Andrew laughed, "but he saw the light".

On June 29, in Amsterdam, as the race started, the Canadian boat pulled decisively ahead. No one was paying attention. The early lead meant nothing, apparently - just another indication of their inexperience. As the race progressed, however, only East Germany edged up to the Canadian eight.

In the final seconds, "we kept waiting for them to go through us", said Andrew. "And then, incredulously, the race was over. and it was a photo finish - so close we couldn't tell who'd won."

Finally, the results were announced Canada had won by 1-100'th of a second, or half-a-boat length. "We knew than that we had a chance for a medal in Moscow", said Andrew with his usual understatement.

The events that followed, with Carter's boycott of the Olympic Games due to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, and Canada's support of the American boycott, ended their chances. Andrew reflects about it philosophically.

"In rowing, every team has their good and bad days. I'm saying that if all the factors had been going for us, we would have done it".