July 26, 1996
McBean and Heddle give life to this crew
By KEN FIDLIN -- At The Olympics
GAINESVILLE, Ga. -- First came credibility. Now comes continuity.
Years ago, a Canadian team would show up at an international rowing regatta and cause barely a ripple. It was as if the Canadians were invisible.
"Now," said Marnie McBean, pride dripping from every syllable, "we put one of our boats in a race and everybody else puts their head down."
NEW WAVE
The strength of the Canadian rowing program has been demonstrated continuously for the past dozen years, starting at the Los Angeles Olympics, through annual world championships and quadrennial Olympic Games, right through to Atlanta.
Ten crews were entered here on the waters of Lake Lanier and nine should be going for medals tomorrow and Sunday.
McBean and Kathleen Heddle have been an integral part of that rise to prominence and now they are handing off to a new wave of talent.
Four years ago, after they teamed up for gold at Barcelona in the women's pairs and in the women's eights, McBean and Heddle went looking for a new challenge.
They had accomplished virtually everything possible in pairs, so the decision was made to move on to double sculls. There was a learning curve, but yesterday they dominated their semi-final heat and would seem a mortal lock to win gold in this discipline, too.
The pairs torch was passed to Anna van der Kamp and Emma Robinson, both 24. They are determined to forge their own legacy but ever mindful of the foundation of excellence already in place. Yesterday they qualified for their first Olympic final.
"After 1992, they made an emotional videotape of Marnie and Kathleen," said van der Kamp. "We want to make our own tape.
"Living and working with them has been a wonderful experience. Kathleen has been a real mentor to me, an inspiration. Her integrity, her quiet determination, just the way she carries herself.
"Oh god, she would just die if she knew I was saying these things about her. This is probably overdoing it. I don't want to overdo it. I just respect her so much."
There always will be a special bond between the two sets of women. In addition to the pairs connection, Robinson and van der Kamp, like Heddle and McBean before them, are key members of the women's eights team.
After yesterday's successful bid to get into the pairs final, Robinson and van der Kamp rushed off for practice in the big boat with their six teammates.
"The pairs always will be a special event to us," said McBean. "There is a bond. But it's like a little sister or little brother. They want to do it a little differently and that's great."
What remains steadfast is the pride and the feeling of continuity that each and every national team rower feels with the past.
"We are a team, all crews, all the time," said Robinson. "When we're performing at our best, like this week, every crew takes momentum from the other crews.
"There is a legacy of excellence here and everybody wants to live up to it."
Silken Laumann has been the acknowledged star of Canadian rowing, but nobody in the recent history of the sport in our country has dominated as have McBean and Heddle. On the eve of what many believe will be their final international race, they have never looked better. They are a machine and, quite frankly, they appear almost unbeatable. On the other hand, Laumann by all accounts is in tough in her attempt to win singles gold.
Laumann has achieved fame and certainly has been a high flyer. But she also has been a loner, naturally enough because she lives and dies on the water by herself.
WAITING FOR ANTHEM
McBean and Heddle have had to rely on each other and also have relied on others as members of the eights and fours teams. They're the ones who are at the heart of the dominant Canadian rowing team.
"Everybody is still waiting for the Canadian anthem to be played," said McBean, just a hint of impatience in her voice.
With the prospects bleak for a golden breakthrough today at any other venue, the stage is set for the rowers to correct that oversight tomorrow morning on the waters of Lake Lanier.
I'm nominating McBean and Heddle for the assignment, with a reprise a little later from Robinson and van der Kamp.
And the circle will be unbroken.
