The late afternoon sun glanced off the water Thursday as many of sa国际传媒聮s Olympic and world championship-medallist rowers gathered for a bittersweet last row on Elk Lake with legendary coach Mike Spracklen.
Spracklen聮s contract was not renewed by Rowing sa国际传媒 in a controversial move this week that many past and present national team rowers vehemently disagree with. They are, however, becoming resigned to the fact and gathered for a final row with their old coach.
聯It聮s emotional, no question,聰 said Barney Williams, 2004 Athens Olympics silver medallist in the Spracklen-coached Canadian men聮s four.
聯I would not be standing here if not for all Mike did for me. His legacy has infused these waters with excellence.聰
Kyle Hamilton, now a Victoria lawyer who captained Spracklen聮s Canadian 2008 Beijing Olympic men聮s eight crew, has stepped down as the athlete representative on the Rowing sa国际传媒 board in protest.
聯Mike has meant a lot to every one of us,聰 said Hamilton.
聯He聮s a legend in the sport.聰
Nobody at the lake Thursday disagreed.
聯Our crew would not have realized our dreams without Mike. It聮s as simple as that,聰 said John Wallace, captain of Spracklen聮s 1992 Barcelona Olympic Canadian gold-medallist eight.
Silken Laumann, who won a lauded comeback-from-injury medal at the Barcelona Games while coached by Spracklen, tried to hold back her emotions.
聯If everyone was wearing their medals today, the deck would sink,聰 she said.
聯This lake is Mike聮s home. This was our home.聰
Spracklen spent his last day on the lake doing what he does best 聴 helping coach a junior development women聮s team. The usually stoic 75-year-old Brit was clearly overcome with feeling as his former rowers surprised him by coming down to the lake for a final row with him.
聯It聮s emotional, and emotions are important,聰 he said.
聯It聮s great to see all these people here.聰
Dominic Seiterle, one of Spracklen聮s Beijing 2008 gold-medallist rowers, said: 聯When I give talks on leadership and team work, Mike is the example I cite. This [firing] is a flawed decision and short-sighted.聰
Rowing sa国际传媒 gave no reason for its decision not to renew Spracklen聮s contract.
聯There are a lot of guys on the fence right now about Rio 2016. This will certainly affect some of their decisions,聰 said Andrew Byrnes, a member of the Spracklen-coached Beijing 2008 gold-medallist and London 2012 silver- medallist Canadian Olympic eights.
Even in the final time out on Elk Lake, some things didn聮t change.
聯When you go out with Mike, you know you聮re going to sweat,聰 said London 2012 silver-medallist Jerry Brown, as the shells came into the dock Thursday for the last time with Spracklen at the helm.
