In this episode of Last Stroke Counts, we bring you the 2nd part of our chat with Martin Cross. We continue our deep dive into the illustrious career of an Olympic champion and the renowned voice of rowing.
Martin shares the latter half of his journey, from competing in his third and fourth Olympics to his seamless transition into the world of commentating.
Reflecting on the evolution of rowing, Martin offers unparalleled insights into the shifts and transformations the sport has experienced, from its days of amateur glory to its current professional stature. He discusses the challenges he faced moving away from competitive rowing, the struggles of finding a new identity post-retirement, and how he found his calling behind the microphone, becoming the voice that has narrated some of rowing’s most thrilling moments.
Moreover, Martin touches upon the recent pressures faced by the sport from the International Olympic Committee and World Rowing’s response to these demands. His perspective sheds light on the delicate line between tradition and innovation in rowing, offering listeners an insider’s view on what the future holds for our beloved sport.
So, tune in & join us as we explore the continuation of Martin’s incredible story in rowing, both on and off the water, where every last stroke counts.
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3 Comments
Loved every second of part 2 as well, just brilliant!
Very nice indeed. Thank you Crossy.
Very nice video. On the topic of the evolution of rowing, I think it comes down to the production. How rowing is filmed and presented to the public has never really changed, and I think that's a large issue if we want the sport to survive. There are no interesting camera angles, and the videos of the races are very flat. They only show the beauty of the sport and not the power, intensity, and chaos. Commentors should be out of their seats with excitement with how 80% of races go, but everyone acts like it is a game of golf. We need to show the stories of these athletes and give people a reason to care and cheer for them (not just hoping they will because they are from their country). Like they are able to make soccer interesting and one of the most viewed sports and that is 90mins a match, we can certainly get people invested and on the edge of their seats for at max 7 minutes. I feel that rowing is the embodiment of sport and we have to try to show that to people.