Interview: Lori Dauphiny

This month’s guest coach is Lori Dauphiny. Lori is the
head coach of women’s rowing at Princeton University.

Lori has been coaching there for 14 years and is very
active in the rowing community. She is a member of the
Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association board. She was
named Eastern Sprints “Coach of the Year” in 1997 and
regional “Coach of the Year” in 1999 and 2000. She has
also been involved with 5 national teams.

Currently Lori is engaged to Ed Hewitt, the czar
behind that fab Web site “row2K.”  I was lucky enough
to grab Lori for a few minutes during her busy
schedule.

Q. In terms of maximum boat speed, how important do
you think rigging is?

A. I do not believe rigging will make the boat fast,
however, it is important to rig it right so that you
can get the most out of your crews.

Q. How much time do you devote to rigging per week
during the season?

A. Well, I rig more during the season than any other
time. If a crew is moving fast, I rig very little just
check it before races. If a crew is slow, I mess with
the rig often, maybe 4 hours a week. I will try
everything possible.

Q. What is your favorite part of rigging?

A. Doing it right. It is a blast to rig a boat, maybe
make a few adjustments that allow the athlete to feel
more comfortable and then see the difference out in
practice.

Q. What is your least favorite part of rigging?

A. Rigging a grimy, dirty boat that has rowed in salt
water and corroded. It is impossible to loosen parts
and half of the time they crumble in your hands.

Q. Do you have one rigging tip that you would like to
share with the readers?

A. Have a system and plenty of time. The more I rush,
the more mistakes I make.