http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3MTPg838fc

- Anybody know the philosophy behind the hydroblades horizontal recovery?

- hydroblades bring their top hand well into the boat and swinging their bottom arm across almost parallel with the water... kind of inefficient if you ask me...

Feedback about Hydroblades stroke...........

Why are we even talking about a team and their stroke when this crew finished WHERE? in a small race.

I don't know, maybe it is interesting to talk about different styles and how effective they are. Hydro is a solid crew and doing something very different from what I can see. Also, according to DBC the Quebec Cup was about the fifth "most competative" festival last year so trying to belittle it is pretty inappropriate.

Personally I don't think dropping the top hands that low is effective - the gains made by going further back are offset the potential gains that could be had with a higher stroke rate and faster more efficient recovery. But perhaps the crew is predominantly a strength power crew more so than a high cardio fitness crew and it is a best fit for them. A lot more reliance on shoulders and chest and strenght.

There is no doubt by recovering horizontally it is much harder to get your weight on top of the blade at the catch (since the momentum of the blade is moving sideways). As a result they have a weaker catch which they try to make up for at the exit.

Northman, I think you're confusing HydroBlades with Hydrophobic Dragons. Hydrophobic originates from Toronto(GTA), and was at the Quebec Cup. HydroBlades originate out of Florida, and were at Disney.

Both crews have fairly unique strokes. The GTA Hydro stroke is becoming more mainstream - specifically in the GTA - as more teams are exposed to it. In my opinion, the impact is directly attributable to the fact that they have emerged as the biggest threat to Mayfair's dominance in the region where they both compete.

Will we see an emergence of the Florida-Hydros fundamentals proliferating into the stroke of other Florida-based teams? I think it's unlikely unless they start threatening to topple TECO, as the dominant crew in that region.

As for the possibility of cross regional influence, I think it's even less likely if the team with the unorthodox style is not a dominant local force, because outsiders will dismiss it as ineffective if it's not driving another team to victory (or a high level of competition).

Ya sorry. Falling asleep here.

I expect Hydro and TECO to challenge the Philly crew in a couple years with the Worlds coming to Florida. These crews have the talent and should be world beaters in the next year or so.

Saw TECO in May(Tampa), and agree that they have potential. Not as confident about Hydroblades, as they did not stand out.

Time will tell...

<<I expect Hydro and TECO to challenge the Philly crew in a couple years with the Worlds coming to Florida. These crews have the talent and should be world beaters in the next year or so.>>

You're nuts. TECO and Hydro got beat by Manayunk. Manayunk lost to Philly's SENIOR team at this year's Nationals. Philly's Open team would destroy Manayunk. TECO and Hydro will never catch Philly.

"I expect Hydro and TECO to challenge the Philly crew in a couple years with the Worlds coming to Florida. These crews have the talent and should be world beaters in the next year or so."

I wouldn't use that past Orlando race as a gauge on your level. Most of the non Florida crews were water downed and were hardly practicing at the level they normally do during the summer.

When you start competing against them during the peak months in the larger festivals and have the same results, maybe then you can state that against Manayunk, but not the Philly crew that normally competes in IDBF events. You still got a long way to go.

I agree! A Florida team will NEVER consistantly beat a top team from the North. Florida's first event was in 2003 and they did not start practicing on a weekly basis until maybe 2004 or 2005. Us from up North have been practicing weekly almost 20 years ago.

I think if the team really wanted to do well at the most competitive regattas, they could, only after a few years of good training, coaching and if needed, recruiting. However, the team that philly sends to IDBF events and nationals is on a different level then club teams in recent years(they did win worlds). TECO and other Florida teams should take it one step at a time.

The Hydroblades are consistently beaten by both the Blade Runners and TECO. They are not even on the same page as TECO.....several notches below.

Wow...why is this conversation still going on?

Was the person holding the camera having a wank while filming this?

From my friends down in Florida, Hydroblades are not even the best team in Miami.

first re: the low top hand: plain and simple - wasted time. the longer the power is applied to the work the greater the speed (as long as it's efficient stroke) and the longer the recovery, the less time spent in the water applying the work - slower boat. Quicker returns equate to faster boat and the straighter the line to the next stroke the faster the paddle is back on the work. dropping the hand causes a longer path of the paddle back to the work.

Re. Philly vs Mannyunk. Manny is primarily a senior crew and is inching closer to Philly at every nationals. Philly is not invincible. Hell, I remember an Iowa team called Solid Steel giving them a run for their money at the '04 nationals (senior mixed). I suspect one day they'll be beat at the senior level, as more and more of the Philly guys get disrespected by their coach.

"Philly is not invincible.... I suspect one day they'll be beat at the senior level, as more and more of the Philly guys get disrespected by their coach."

What do you mean by disrespected? Verbal abuse, favoritism, failure to acknowledge success?

Mannyunk relies too much from outside help to be consider any threat at all. That is why you only see Manny twice a year. Philly'a core is much deeper and quality is higher.

If Philly's core is deeper, then why do they, too, bring in a load of outside paddlers to the Nationals? Maybe Manny brings in more, but both teams play the same game.