Our Rowing Performance Application is getting closer and closer to public Beta release and last week our field testing team were out giving the software a good try! We flew 2500km South from Helsinki to Milan in the hope of finding sunshine and rowable water. From Milan we took the train to the lovely small town of Gavirate, next to the calm Lake Varese, but the minute we stepped out of the train it started snowing. By the time we made it down to the boathouse there was already a thick layer of first snow on the ground.
The lake was beautiful, and we made it out on the water the same afternoon, rowing a single scull in snowfall was a first for me.
We were lucky to be hosted by the lovely Canottieri Gavirate rowing club and also felt lucky that someone else did the snow shoveling in the mornings...
We tried out our latest Rowing Performance system in the Canottieri Rowing Club single and double sculls.
In addition to trialing our own Rowing Performance application we were also trying out the best methods to attach our system to the boat. Here below we are using a so called RAM mount to attach the phone to the side of the boat. The phone needs to be rigidly attached to enable highest quality measurement results.
Our Rowing Performance system consist of sensors that are easily attached on the oars (close to the oarlock) or under the seat, a phone application and a web portal.
Our sensors and phones were found to be not only water- but also snowproof. Below two phones showing rowing performance graphs measured from the left and the right oar. Our system is able to show rowing performance in real time, so that you can improve your technique already from the next stroke.
One sensor is required for each oar, and it sits right next to the oarlock on a strap that is easily pulled onto the oar in just a few seconds.
It is especially interesting to measure the rowing performance in a crew because then you can compare and minimize differences in technique to make the boat move in the most efficient manner.
We had four days of field testing in Gavirate and the ground remained covered with snow the entire time, on the last day there was even more snow, but this was compensated by the sun coming out. Perhaps because of the cold weather most of the time we had the entire Lake Varese to ourselves...
Gavirate really looked like winter wonderland last week. Still the rowing was awesome. The sea and lakes in Finland are still frozen and we are curious to see where we will find ourselves rowing next time...
Stay tuned for the Rowing Performance Application to be published in the Android Play Store soon!
Kristina on behalf of the Quiske field testing team
