U.S. Rowing Coxswain Mary Whipple: A Decade at the Very Top

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Two Olympic Gold Medals; One Silver
Three Olympics in a row: One silver medal and two golds. A winning streak that culminated in London under the weight of the heaviest of expectations.

Mary Whipple was literally the driving force of the indomitable U.S. women’s eight rowing crew for over 10 years. As coxswain she was responsible for setting the pace, motivating the rowers and steering the boat, as well as taking the lead role in hundreds and hundreds of workout over the period. Working often as go-between the coach and the rowers, Mary was the ultimate middle manager in one of the most successful Olympic rowing boats of all time.

Now she’s educating a new generation of coxswains, leading specialized training camps throughout the year and running a website called 9thseat.com – a reference to her place at the stern of the boat.

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