Rowers head into Asian Games hoping to peak when it matters most

Fewer sport test the limits of human endurance, power and stamina as rowing does. A marathoner might expend around 3,000 kilocalories over a 42.2km course, but he or she does so at a sub-optimal level, meaning the rate of burn is about 13 kilocalories per minute.In comparison, an oarsman may require only around 140 kilocalories to complete a 2km race lasting 5.5 to 7.5 minutes. The total energy demand may be far lower, but the intensity is much higher, reaching about 20 kilocalories per minute.While the distance runner has to tap into his reserves over a sustained period for a prolonged effort, the rower draws on 85 per cent of his muscles with each stroke, as opposed to 50 percent in the case of running. Then you add the unpredictable: the elements.The key element, though, is the human in the boat.The Indian team’s preparation in this Asian Games cycle has received a large dose of sports science, thanks to the arrival of Australian Antony Patterson at the Army Rowing Node. Conversations are peppered with phrases like heart rate, prognostic percentage and living document. The women rowers, meanwhile, have found corporate backing in recent years.Under Patterson, there has also been a fundamental shift in selecting team combinations, perhaps necessitated by the new rule that countries can compete in only 10 events. So, whereas in the past top rowers entered their strongest events, this time events with maximum chance of winning a medal have been identified and combinations decided accordingly.But while the preparation has been science-driven and meticulous, a positive dope test and the ministry’s decision to axe two women’s teams had dented the squad’s morale. A fourth-place finish in the lightweight double scull at last month’s World Championships and a recent mind-training session in Pune seems to have revived their confidence.Time, then, for India’s rowers to translate meticulous preparation into medals.# Riding the tide of hopeHaving won three medals (one silver and two bronze) in each of the past two editions of the Asian Games, Indian sailors will be looking to add to their tally when they set out on the water in Gamagori City.Vishnu Saravanan (ILCA-7), Nethra Kumanan (ILCA-6), Harshita Tomar (49erFX) and debutant Manu Francis (49er) give India a chance to improve on its best-ever showing at the continental event.India’s main rivals are expected to be China, hosts Japan and Malaysia.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.