Behind the Scenes - Michael Toon - Coxing in Tassie 2003
 

You may have seen a few little people loitering anxiously around the athlete weigh-in or casually around the coffee stall during the week at the Lake Barrington course. If you have spotted one or two, don’t try to catch them and demand your pot of gold or 3 wishes as it is more than likely a cox waiting patiently for their spot in the limelight at the end of the week.

Coxes, such as myself are indeed a dying breed. What we lack in population size, however, we make up for in longevity. Many of the Australian rowing community began their long involvement in the sport as a 'driver', including AOC president John Coates, Rowing Australia Board Member John Boultbee, Aussie Men's Head coach, Noel Donaldson who coxed the Australian Eight and possibly even Women's Head coach Harald Jahrling ... or possibly not, but he did rely on a cox during his Olympic Gold-medal performances in the pair and four-with.

At the beginning of the week at the nationals we involve ourselves with rigging, cleaning and speculating (mostly imcorrectly) about our prospects later in the week in the fours and eights. Unfortunatley this oft-feigned business is due to the slow asphyxiation of the coxing art in the domestic and international arenas. Since the departure of the coxed pair and four from the Men’s Olympic program and due to the aformentioned longevity of some coxes (the current German Men's eight cox, Peter Thiede, won the Men's eight World Championship when it was held at Lake Barrington in 1990!) there is little incentive for coxes to continue with the sport after school. For women there is less with no coxed event at the World U23 championships, just the Senior Women’s eight spot to fill.

Consequently my week here is quiet. I am fortunate to be able to contest the Kings Cup on Sunday for Queensland, and outside of this there is a mere 4 coxed fours and 2 lightweight eights entered in the program. If you consider that these few spots are filled by Kings Cup coxes looking to warm their vocal cords for the interstate race you will understand why it is not just the weight requirements that dissuade potential coxes from pursuing a career in our sport. Thankfully our craft used to be healthier or perhaps John Coates' and other's invaluable involvement in rowing and sport in general may never have eventauted?