Pause at the Release: World University Games Start to Finish

Pause at the Release is our periodic feature in which we highlight the perspective of one of our student-athletes. In these articles, the athletes share their personal experiences as part of the Golden Hurricane team with our wonderful supporters and community members. Here, you'll find the backstage story on TU Women's Rowing, told through the eyes of the athletes themselves. Check back often to see updates from more of your favorite rowers and coxswains.

Pause at the Release: World University Games Start to Finish

Lindsay Crute
Representing the United States of America and The University of Tulsa at the World University Games was such an amazing experience for me. It all started in January 2015 at the selection camp in Oklahoma City. This was my second experience with a selection camp, but this one differed in that it was over a long weekend and consisted of 3 x 2,000-meter pieces in a Single with the top-three lightweight scullers being chosen for the team. Marissa and I overcame the unusually cold and extremely windy conditions and both made the team. We then reported to OKC just days after competing at IRA's. My hands were screaming after the first couple of days back in a sculling boat, rowing over 20,000 meters a day. It was a lot of hard work, but the time in a single has made me a stronger rower, both mentally and physically. I was assigned the Lightweight 1x for the Games. Rowing the Single required me to change my mindset, instead of pulling hard for my teammates in and 8+ or 4+ I had to change my focus to it being just me. At first this was intimidating, but in the end I think it has made me a stronger singles rower and a tougher competitor overall.

It's hard to put into words how amazing the experience in South Korea was. The course at Lake Tangeum-ho International Race Course was phenomenal as were the boathouse and athlete village. Walking into Opening Ceremonies with all the USA squads brought tears to my eyes.

This event is different from U23 World Championships because all the athletes must be in college or graduate school. Over half of the athletes in my event had significant international experience, competing and medaling at 2014 U23 World Championships or 2014 Senior World Championships.

It was a bit unreal seeing the USA logo on my boat rack and hearing my boat announced for the first time in the heats. I raced hard and faster than I have ever gone before in a single and was proud to finish 12th overall. All of the athletes that I met were so nice. After racing was completed, it was fun to trade gear and socialize.

Now that I'm back in the States, I am ready to hit the training hard and can't wait to return to Tulsa and go even faster with my teammates.

Marissa Catalanotto
When people ask me what I did this summer, they better be ready for a whirlwind of a response. For the past five weeks I have learned an entirely new definition of fast as well as, who I am as a lightweight rower. Leading up to the World University Games, myself and the rest of the USA women's rowing team trained out of the Devon Boathouse in Oklahoma City.

On June 30th we left Oklahoma City and headed for Chungju, South Korea, where the rowing competition of the World University Games took place. The World University Games is the second largest sporting event in the world behind the Olympics. The event mirrors the Olympics in almost every way, including the opportunity to be a part of an opening ceremony. Walking out into the stadium wearing the USA tracksuit in front of 40,000 spectators was a surreal experience that I will never forget. The flood of emotions continued during my entire time in South Korea. It is one feeling to hear The University of Tulsa be called out at the start line all year, but it is an entirely different feeling lining up and hearing your country's name while wearing the red, white and blue. After two tough races in the preliminaries, my Double partner and I were placed into the B final. The B final turned out to be our best race; we placed fourth in front of Norway and Russia with a time of 7:26.01. Racing internationally has renewed my passion for the sport and I am very excited to see where my final year at The University of Tulsa takes me.

Pause at the Release: World University Games Start to Finish

Players Mentioned

Marissa Catalanotto

Lindsay Crute

Related Videos