I Did the Opposite of the Last Rowing Trial.....

[@CameronBuchan]

Happy holidays and happy new year when it comes everyone! Looking forward to another year full of support from the Yamsquad!

[@MrBradleykeith]

Ans a very Merry Christmas & Happy Hogmanay to you and yours.

[@rowyeah456]

Cam, I've been watching your stuff for years and years and years, I think 6 years now. Just know that everything in here comes from a place of love and I'd guess that you already have given thought to some of this already but I'll say it anyway and hopefully it helps. That start looked heavy, you're putting so much power down but it's deeper in the water column with the earlier body open and it doesn't transfer into boat speed. My advice would be to run the first 100 meters at 90%, which is still fast but within your wheelhouse enough where you should have great blade control, and then from 100-250 or 300 kick it at that 100%. Just run two start 250's at the end of a water practice someday soon, test which felt more effective and how it affected speeds. To be behind the field in the first 100 would be fine if it set you up for success into the stride. Love ya Cam but you always start hard and I think it makes you too punchy throughout the settle, the best strokes you had in the 2x2k were the ones where the catch was direct and light and stayed within that upper part of the water column, where it covers that larger arc of distance per stroke, instead of the deeper, shorter, yet heavier stroke that you get into when you are going hard off the start. Cause you can see it in the blade exit, you have to slice through so much water to get it out during the start it's like slowing down the baseball right before it leaves your hand. You have so much gas that it's too much for that starting boat speed. Again, I might be an idiot who doesn't know what he's talking about, and you're a world silver medalist in the 8 and a world champion in the mixed coastal quad. Either way much love, Merry Christmas and congratulations on being invited to December tryouts!

[@CameronBuchan]

@rowyeah456 I appreciate the time! While yes, the start may have been heavy on the 2k it wasn't 100% and still down in the low 130s and as I mentioned I purposefully backed off so to keep it in what I thought would be a good pace. Realistically the guy next to me did it better, keeping the foot on the gas for a little bit longer and then holding there. I have never really approached the start as you suggest, as in build it up after the first 10 or so. Something to consider for sure, especially in a single. The start on the 2x2k was vastly different, really going for a paced approach which like I mentioned didn't pay off, the opposite to November. You are correct in the sense that a big thing for me is applying the power I have correctly but I think it is more about trusting that I can apply the power consistently rather than feeling like I have to back off just in case like what happened on the side by side racing here. Something interesting with comparing the footage from November and December, I am rowing very similarly, if not the same and there wasn't a single comment on blade depth back then. Perhaps the camera angle makes it look worse than it was - lower in December, higher in November. Either way, I can for sure be more efficient and definitely working on it! As always I appreciate it and merry Christmas!

[@shadowjulien5]

Dude Cam you’re crushing it. Lotta raw emotion from you here but looks like it was a great weekend overall! The last 250 of the second race was electric!! Had to have been a fun race either way.

[@CameronBuchan]

Much appreciated! It was good! That’s what I was hoping for but going to the trial!

[@stevenkessler8655]

Same back at you Cam. I love your positive attitude. Results will come your way in ‘25!!

[@bloodmilksky1985]

Great result cam, all the best for 25 brother you’ll smash it. Your doing great 😊

[@alanrobinson8518]

Top 10 is great Cam and 7th fantastic. We are cheering you on.

[@MrBradleykeith]

I posted 5 min after watching, but it seems some naughty water Haggis ate my post, oh well never mind. Just wanted to say sterling effort there Cam, it is difficult to get the pace right in a heads race when all you have to race against is the stroke coach. It has been mentioned already, but you are still going deep at the catch and mid drive , have you thought about a set of Randal foils to help with that? Again coastal and flat water are two different animals, so we need to consider that too.

[@CameronBuchan]

Not sure what might have happened there! Yes but it seems to be a recurring thing! Definitely getting better at racing the stroke coach though. Blade depth wise, I am not sure what coastal and flat water rowing have to do with blade depth. As you’ll know, my blade depth has always been relatively deep. Randal foils, while could help with the problem, it doesn’t really make for a solution of the causes for me digging. Lastly, as I said to the last person that mentioned digging, Drysdale seemed to to pretty well and was a lot deeper than me! 😅 but yes of course, I’m not Drysdale

[@garywhite6900]

Looking good Cam. Just another rung up the ladder of building a better result. I could really sense your pushes when you upped the pace, over all great work!

[@duncancameron298]

Thanks for all the videos this year! All the best in 2025. BTW, I am glad I am not the only one who blows raspberries when their blades hit reeds.

[@andyjenbo]

Plenty of positives to take away from this trial, Cam. Good effort, well done, crack on...

[@CarbideEdits]

Love the videos Cam, Have a merry Christmas Cam🎄

[@CameronBuchan]

Thank you! Merry Christmas to you too!

[@collin909]

Nice work!

[@paddyk1231]

I bloody love you man, get stuck in son!

[@ClarkHess-lm6ip]

Happy Holidays!! Clark Hess + Deerfield Academy

[@CameronBuchan]

I'm pretty sure I have been to Deerfield to play basketball and race against on the water! (back in the day of course)

[@daleq22]

Nice work Cam! This is a solid result! You have a difficult task in executing optimal strokes depending on flat/ocean event. Here, it looked like the port oar depth was frequently at (or past!) mid-shaft at mid-drive. I presume this is a good thing for ocean rowing (because you never really know the water level due to waves), but for flat water, it can't help but cause the boat to "bounce" up/down resulting in additional drag. Part of this may be due to being down to port (guessing) 10+ degrees (assuming camera accurately depicts horizon). I'm not an expert, but the only (few) times I've felt rowing "lightness" is when my blades have been *just* covered/connected rather than being deep. I don't know if this is "right", but perhaps consider trying different rigging dimensions for flat/ocean so that you can maintain consistent stroke mechanics between the two, but get optimal blade depth for each event. Maybe try something crazy like raising oarlocks 2cm for flat and see what that does for blade depth. I appreciate you sharing your rowing journey. It's inspirational to me.

[@CameronBuchan]

Interesting point! Considering I have rowed about 98% on flat water vs on the ocean lately I don’t think it’s anything to do with rigging differences or getting used to one or the other. More likely imbalances within my own body! Spending years only sweep rowing on bow/starboard side probably has something to do with that. Lastly aswell, when talking about digging, Drysdale used to dig a great deal and went pretty fast! Although I’m no Drysdale!

[@julialetrondo8521]

Helloo! I’m planning on starting to take some videos on the water and considering investing in a cam. How did u set up the cam, and what equipment did you get 😩🤲🏼 some tips, pros and cons, and do and donts please 🙏🏻 not much videos on them

[@SteveSinclair1]

Have a great new year

[@CameronBuchan]

You too!!

[@alaikman]

Noice Cam, well done mate. A quick question, is the methodology of the testing stated anywhere? I know here in Oz that the longer 2x2km or similar is used but in the end the only race distance is 2k. Kinda like asking a runner to run 800m then 400m let’s say.

[@CameronBuchan]

Unfortunately not! We also test 5k quite regularly on and off the water

[@grudman7885]

Well done cam - what is your goal with the trials? Are you aiming to be a single sculler for GB or to be in a crew boat?

[@CameronBuchan]

Thank you! No specific aim really. Go as fast as I can and see where I end up. I have seen so many athletes be selected on season and then gone the next!

[@shadowjulien5]

At the end you talk about the beach sprint group vs flat water/crew boats. Can you participate in both groups or does GB require you do one? I’ve known lots of rowers who are fast in a single and a pair!

[@CameronBuchan]

I’m not a selector so don’t take my word but my opinion would be you can’t do both currently. I think if you are of a standard in both to be selected you’d be asked to choose. For sweep and sculling you have to do one

[@shadowjulien5]

@ got it, makes sense. Thanks Cam!

[@ozyk20227]

You always make great videos! They've really helped me improve my rowing. Thank you!

[@DrPTAndroidStuff]

It's too much writing to justify all this, but some technical things I have found useful in my sculling (and sweep). I am prepared to accept a poor ergo performance. Things that make me faster on the ergo and slower in the boat: * Start the power phase as early as possible, before the work is connected---feel the yank on the chain as it becomes tight when the ratchet engages. * Use legs, trunk and arms as early as possible in the power phase. * Finish legs, trunk and arms together. * Eliminate any pauses of any body part at any time in the power phase or the recovery. * Generally try to apply as much force as possible at the catch/first quarter and just do enough at the finish. Things that make me faster in the boat and slower on the ergo: * Do not apply any pressure to the stretcher/handles until the blades are in the water. * Initiate the power phase with the legs only, do not need full power yet. * Delay the trunk opening until the legs have really got going. * Wait until the trunk has got going before trying to bend the arms. * Once the sculls are out of the water at the finish, do not move the trunk until the arms are nearly straight and away. * Do not start to slide until the trunk is past the vertical. * Generally don't worry about working the catch, but make sure the middle and finish of the stroke are brutally solid.

[@CameronBuchan]

Love it 💪 super detailed and definitely things a lot of people can take and thinks about themselves!

[@Nomads_Rowing]

2K/spin/2K - that’s got to be hard to gauge your pace when everything racing is 2K/5K based but good to see the 2K race brought back some positives - beach sprints seems to be your calling with the upcoming BR Olympic cycle with a constant stream of new talented yoof fighting over the few places available for the flat-water positions 😎

[@markricketts6957]

It's never an easy decision for the Olympic selectors. It really does not matter who is fastest now, only who has the potential to be fastest in 2028.

[@CameronBuchan]

Yes should have just sent it off the start and held on instead of trying to feel it out! Will be interesting to see how it all goes in the next couple of years for sure. Like Mark said, who’s fast now can be very different in a few years. So focus is on the journey and improving as best I can

[@samhayes8047]

Are British rowing doing anything different to account for LA being 1500m? I feel like a shorter race might favour athletes with a strong sprint like you

[@CameronBuchan]

You’ll have to ask them! So far the trails process is the same. A difficult one too because world rowing supposedly aren’t changing any racing outside of the Olympics

[@michaellewis844]

What does this mean in terms of being rowing team GB (flat water).

[@CameronBuchan]

I discussed that at the end of the video

[@stevewilliams5428]

Please don't leave your leggings on around your ankles when rowing. If you go in you will have trouble swimming..and even worse you could get tangled with a rigger and be in serious trouble.